Description
This information is taken from the statutory List as it was in 2001 and may not be up to date.
CHELTENHAM
SO9422SE CRESCENT PLACE 630-1/13/298 (West side) 12/03/55 John Dower House (Countryside Commission) and attached railings (Formerly Listed as: CLARENCE STREET (South side) No.42 Carr's Hotel) (Formerly Listed as: CRESCENT PLACE (West side) John Dower House (Forestry Commission) and No.2)
GV II
Formerly known as: Old Police Station CRESCENT PLACE. Hotel, now offices and attached railings. c1820-5, shown as laid out on the Post Office Map of 1820; with c1960s extension to rear. Ashlar over brick, stucco at right, with concealed roof and brick end stacks, with wrought- and iron window guards and railings. PLAN: building in 2 sections, with main 6-window range to right, double depth plan with central hallway (to main range), service wings to rear and rear staircase bow to full height.
EXTERIOR: 4 storeys with basement, 8 first-floor windows, arranged 2:6. Ashlar detailing includes first-, second-, and third-floor bands; crowning entablature and blocking course.
Ground, first and second floors have 6/6 sashes (taller to first floor); second floor has 3/3 sashes. Basement has 6/6 sashes. Main range has central Ionic porch, with coupled columns and entablature with sculptured Royal Coat of Arms above, within are 6-fielded-panel double doors with fanlight with batwing and circle glazing bars. 2 outer entrances: 6-fielded-panel doors with divided overlights. Rear: 6/6 and 8/8 sashes where original, with flat arches of red rubbed brick, some in tooled surrounds. INTERIOR: the 2 sections of the building are linked by curved corridors, giving curved rooms at rear. Main range has central lobby with double doors (c1960) in fluted architrave with sidelights and continuous fanlight with batwing and circle glazing bars, fluted architrave has flowers to corners, embellished cornice has acanthus modillions and fleurons between; entrance hall with curved open-well staircase to full height with stick balusters and wreathed handrail, occupying
full-height bow. Original joinery remains including 6-fielded panel doors, with fluted architraves and flowers to corners, and some panelled shutters (now painted in). Original plasterwork includes first-floor cornices with dentils to first-floor main room and modillion cornice to entrance hall.
Range to left has further narrow-open-well staircase with rod and bobbin balusters and wreathed handrail. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: spearhead area railings and to sides of steps incorporate brackets for oil lamps with lyre motif. First-floor individual balconies have interlaced-circle motif.
HISTORICAL NOTE: originally Liddell's Boarding House, this was the first structure of any size to be built specifically in Cheltenham for its Spa visitors. In 1827 Adelaide, Duchess of Clarence (later to become Queen Consort to William IV) stayed here during a tour of the country, hence the Royal Coat of Arms (of a type used 1816-37). The building was renamed the Clarence Hotel in her honour. It became the Court House and Police Station in 1859 and remained as such until 1970. The building was renamed by the Countryside Commission when it moved into the premises (1974) in honour of one of the leading pioneers of national parks in England and Wales. Forms a group with No.2, Crescent Place (qv) and No.42, Clarence Street (qv). (The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 134; Chatwin A: Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham: 1975-1984: 26,61).
Listing NGR: SO9471122450
