Digital Handsworth - Exhibition

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Pleasant and Commodious - Heathfield

In June 1789, seeking to escape Birmingham for greener surroundings, James Watt moved from Harpers Hill to Heathfield in Handsworth. At £900, it was an expensive move; Watt observed “it is pleasant and commodious, but has cost me much more money than I think I had a right to lay out...”

Right: Photograph of Heathfield House by Sir Benjamin Stone

Watt had Heathfield altered to embrace both his scientific interests and his desire for tranquillity. A workshop and steam heating were installed in the house, while the grounds featured a circular driveway, a pool, and tree plantations.

Below and right: South and West Elevations of Heathfield
House ‘to Mr Watt’s proposals’ by the architect James Wyatt

Above: Plan of proposed alterations to the ground floor of Heathfield

An inventory made soon after the move gives some idea of the interior. The bedrooms were named after their decor - White, Orange, Calico and Red. The Watts' daughter Jessy had a mahogany desk and family pictures in her room, while their son Gregory had a small ship in his.

James and Ann Watt never moved away from Heathfield. He died there in 1819, she in 1832. The estate was sold in 1924 and the house was demolished, but Watt's workshop and contents were saved for the Science Museum in London.

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