THE KURSAAL

THE KURSAAL, SOUTHCHURCH AVENUE

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1236532
Date first listed:: 08-Apr-1994
List Entry Name:: THE KURSAAL
Statutory Address:: THE KURSAAL, SOUTHCHURCH AVENUE

User submitted image — Uploaded by Charles Watson This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Images of England Project

To view this image please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge.

Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.

Date:: 1999-10-30
Reference:: IOE01/00839/24
Rights:: © Mr Ken Clark. Source: Historic England Archive

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1236532
Date first listed:: 08-Apr-1994
List Entry Name:: THE KURSAAL
Statutory Address 1:: THE KURSAAL, SOUTHCHURCH AVENUE

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: THE KURSAAL, SOUTHCHURCH AVENUE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Southend-on-Sea (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ 89086 85097

Details

The following building shall be added to the list:-

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SOUTHCHURCH AVENUE TQ88NE 2/10018 The Kursaal II Amusement park building. 1898-9, by George Sherrin. Red brick, stone dressings, concrete and steel structure. Slate roofs, partly glazed. L-plan with domed central hall and canted corner entrance, 2-storey range of shops to left of entrance with former dining hall to rear, 2-storey former bar to right with former dance hall to rear. Principal elevation arranged in two parts: to the left a symmetrical range of 9 bays with central entrance under open segmental pediment flanked by shops, banded brick and stone pilasters and quoins, moulded cornice, tripartite first floor windows with Doric column mullions; to the right two tripartite facades of 2 storeys and attic, the corner range canted with later doors, each with a Flemish gable with open segmental pediment, Diocletian attic window with moulded keystone and voussoirs, cornice and pilasters as before, terracotta swags. Bar range projects slightly to right of entrance, hipped roof, brick parapet, single later first floor window. The whole ground floor of this elevation is fronted by a canopy with cast iron columns, the roof obscured by later boarding. N Elevation has, to the right, a tripartite range of two storeys and attic under pediment, details as before; to the left a plain recessed range with two gables, close inspection not possible. Square base of dome has Corinthian order, each elevation distyle in antis, coupled columns projecting at corners, glazed between columns, dentilled cornice. Dome has 8 occulae in scrolled surrounds and lantern with scrolled supports to each pier, onion dome and tall finial. At the time of inspection, halls to rear gutted and partly demolished, shop fronts boarded. The interior of the central hall retains glass inner dome, wrought iron balustrade to upper gallery and elaborate plasterwork including tunnel vaults, moulded cornice and foliate capitals. Remainder of interior derelict at time of inspection. This building is the principal and most architecturally important part of the former amusement park which originally covered 26 acres and included a menagerie, music hall, funfair, ninety shops and fifty-three houses. The surviving building appears largely unaltered. The Kursaal is Sherrin's major work outside London. He completed the dome of the London Oratory after the death of Gribble and the dome of The Kursaal is the only large dome he designed subsequently. The Kursaal is the principal architectural monument to Southend's Edwardian boom period. It has important townscape value. SOURCES: Buildings of England p.356. Gray, A. Stuart, Edwardian Architecture, p.330.

Listing NGR: TQ8901785402

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 427554
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Gray, A S, Edwardian Architecture A Biographical Dictionary, (1985), 330
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Essex, (1954), 356

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.