An Earnest Coxhead Architectural Marvel

Cedar Gables Inn in Downtown Napa is a historic Bed & Breakfast in The Heart of Wine Country. The historic significance of Cedar Gables Inn stretches back to 1892 as one of the top architects in San Francisco, Earnest Coxhead, applied the emerging Arts & Crafts style to the residential architecture of the Cedar Gables Inn.

Who was Earnest Coxhead

Earnest Coxhead was an English born architect who practiced his draftsmanship stateside in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Coxhead was trained at the Royal Academy and the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. When Earnest moved to the United States, he primarily focused his designs on the Gothic Revival Style and was heavily involved in church architecture. After the 1890s, Earnest Coxhead began to lead the emerging Arts & Crafts Architectural Style, which incorporated the characteristics of English Country Houses including shingles, gabled roofs, pointed arches, brick fireplaces, steep roofs, and wide porches—many of the very design elements you will find inside and outside the Cedar Gables Inn.

Coxhead was born the fourth of six children of William Coxhead in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England in 1863. At age 23, Coxhead immigrated to California with his older brother. Earnest established an independent architectural practice in Los Angeles and secured commissions to design several Episcopal Churches in Southern California. His successes in SoCal led to the commissioning of several more churches in Northern California, where he moved to San Francisco. He designed a total of 17 churches of which 11 still stand today.

After the 1890s, Coxhead began to focus on residential buildings and ended up designing dozens of homes in Northern California in the Arts & Crafts style, primarily in San Francisco and Berkeley, California. He even ventured north to Napa where he designed the then Churchill House, which today is known as Cedar Gables Inn.

Coxhead lived in San Francisco with his wife and three children until his death in 1933. Coxhead left an indelible impression as he guided the Arts & Crafts movement’s influence on American architecture. Many of his drafts and collections of his work can be found at the University of California at Berkeley’s archives.

Book Your Stay at Cedar Gables Inn

We invite you to explore the Arts & Crafts Architecture Style and one of Earnest Coxhead’s very own designs which still stands, right here in Napa, California. The Cedar Gables Inn, located in Downtown Napa offers a rich history, architectural significance, and an ideal location for guests who are looking to have a romantic Napa excursion. Our 9 boutique guest rooms are luxuriously furnished and our gourmet daily breakfast will ensure you start your day of wine tasting and exploring Napa off the right foot with a restful sleep and healthy meal. Book directly on our website where you will find our lowest rates and latest availability: https://www.cedargablesinn.com/