Throughout the 18th century, merchant wealth and ecclesiastical patronage ensured that the area now covered by the Amphitheatre and Grosvenor Park maintained an elegance and seclusion from the city. A number of substantial and fashionable residences were built. Three of these survive - Dee House, the Old Bishop's Palace, and St John's Vicarage (of which more later). The other five have been demolished, but archaeological traces remain.
St John's House was built sometime in the early 18th century, and was located partly over the north entrance of the amphitheatre. It was demolished in 1958, when the first major excavation of the amphitheatre was carried out. It had extensive gardens which covered over half the area of the amphitheatre, and would have been sited approximately on the area of grass shown in the photo below.
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