Ashurst

Summary

A pair of joined Italianate villas constructed in 1864 to the designs of William Oldham Chambers, later converted to use as a care home.

Reasons for Designation

Ashurst, constructed in 1864 to the designs of William Oldham Chambers, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* for its Italianate architectural character and detail;
* as a complete work of the architect William Oldham Chambers.

Historic interest:

* for its survival as part of the original vision for the resort seafront in Lowestoft.

Group value:

* for its proximity to and strong visual relationship with the neighbouring Grade II-listed South Lodge, also designed by Chambers.

History

The medieval town of Lowestoft underwent a dramatic expansion over the course of the C19. In the first half of the century, a harbour had been created alongside a man-made waterway connecting it to Lake Lothing. Sir Samuel Morton Peto (1809-1889) recognised the town's potential development for industrial and leisure purposes and as a port for Norwich. Peto employed the architect John Louth Clemence (1822-1911) to assist him in developing a master plan for a resort focused along Lowestoft's South Beach. Peto was a highly successful contractor for railways and public works, remembered particularly as a railway pioneer and identified by Brunel as the largest contractor in the world. By the mid-1860s Peto was entangled in the collapse of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway company which resulted in his bankruptcy. Despite Peto's departure, South Lowestoft flourished and continued to develop as a resort.

Ashurst was designed in 1864 by the local architect William Oldham Chambers FRIBA (1838-1909). Its immediate neighbour, South Lodge, was also designed by Chambers and built at the same time. Ashurst's position was already set out in Peto and Clemence's original masterplan for the resort at South Lowestoft. Chamber’s later 1878 Plan of Lowestoft and Kirkley and the 1885 Ordnance Survey Map show the development of the surrounding terraces and villas over the course of the C19.

The building was originally constructed as two adjoining houses but was later used as a hotel. In 1993 Ashurst was described as having been converted into flats, and at the time of writing functions as a care home (2022).

W O Chambers had been articled to James Oldham of Hull. He worked in London before setting up his own practice in Lowestoft in 1862 alongside William James Roberts. Chambers and Roberts' work included modifications to Lowestoft's Grade II listed Town Hall and numerous other designs in the town.

Details

A pair of joined Italianate villas constructed in 1864 to the designs of William Oldham Chambers, later converted to use as a care home.

MATERIALS: The building is constructed of brick and has hipped slate roofs.

PLAN: Originally constructed as two joined houses with side entrance bays the plan has since been unified to operate as a hotel and later as a care home.

EXTERIOR: The building is three storeys high and four bays wide along the east (seafront) elevation. The exterior is characterised by Italianate details such as rusticated brick quoins, keystones above windows, moulded architraves to most windows, a modillion eaves cornice and cornices between each storey.

The east elevation is symmetrical, comprising a pair of central two-storey canted bays windows, now with C20 fenestration. Brick quoins indicate the original separation of the two halves of the building. The original fenestration survives in the outer bays and at the second floor all of which have two-over-two wooden sash windows, those of the upper storey have segmental heads.

The fenestration of the north and south elevations consistently employs round-arched one-over-one sash windows.

The north side of the building has a recessed bay accommodating a four-story tower under a swept pyramidal roof terminating in iron cresting. To the right of this bay is an entrance porch extension and a first-floor canted oriel window.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

391327

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Other
South Lowestoft / Kirkley Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan (East Suffolk Council, January 2022)

End of official list entry

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