Wellington Esplanade, Lowestoft

Summary

A terrace of 24 houses built in 1852-1853 to the designs of J L Clemence for Sir Samuel Morton Peto.

Reasons for Designation

Wellington Esplanade, built in 1852-53 to the designs of J L Clemence for Sir Samuel Morton Peto, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* for the building's landmark status as part of Peto's vision for South Lowestoft;
* for the highly consistent application of fine architectural detail symmetrically across the entire terrace.

Historic interest:

* as an important part of the first phase of development in Lowestoft's transformation as a holiday resort.

Group value:

* for its proximity to and strong visual relationship with the Grade II listed Ashurst to the south, and 16-28 Victorian Terrace to the north.

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.

Wellington Esplanade formed a centrepiece for Peto’s new resort and featured in Peto and Clemence's original master plan. It was built in 1852-1853 to Clemence's design. Conceived as a single terrace of 24 houses, some four storeys in height, it occupies an entire urban block and is perhaps the largest building in the town.

J L Clemence (1822-1911) was articled to C R Cockerell in London before joining Peto in Lowestoft. Soon after the completion of Wellington Esplanade, he established his own practice. Several other buildings designed by Clemence feature on the List, including nearby Kirkley Cliff Terrace, Lowestoft Town Hall, and the chapels and lychgate at Kirkley Cemetery.

Details

A terrace of 24 houses built in 1852-1853 to the designs of J L Clemence for Sir Samuel Morton Peto.

MATERIALS: The terrace is constructed of red brick with gault brick dressings. The roofs were originally covered in slate but are now partly concrete tile.

PLAN: A terrace of 24 houses each with three storeys over lower ground basements, the end pavilions and central six houses each have four storeys.

EXTERIOR: The front elevation faces east over Wellington Gardens onto South Beach. Although each house is asymmetrical, the entire terrace has perfect symmetry. The raised central six houses and the paired pavilions at each end have hipped roofs. Each house has a rusticated ground floor, a two-storey canted bay window that rises from the basement, and a porch entrance reached via a flight of steps that rises from a small front garden bordered by cast-iron railings with finials. There is a dentilated eaves cornice. The fenestration originally comprised wooden sash windows with wide central panes and margin lights, though much has been replaced with uPVC. Every house has a front and rear chimney stack.

The north and south elevations have dummy chimney stacks on their western sides to maintain the building's consistent roofline. The functional chimney flues are indicated by blind fenestration. Aprons beneath the openings here contain decorative brick panels.

The rear (west) elevation is simplified but maintains gault brick dressings to all window and door surrounds, to the eaves cornice, and to the rustications which mark the four-storey sections.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

391365

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

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

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