Laurie Grove Baths

Details

The following building shall be added:

LAURIE GROVE. TQ 3676 7/232 Laurie Grove Baths.

II GV

Swimming baths, slipper baths and laundries. 1895-98 by Thomas Dinwiddy, a local architect, erected by the vestry board of St Paul's Deptford, empowered under the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act 1846. Jacobean style. Red brick with stone dressings and slate roof. Mainly 2 storeys: 10 bays. The principal feature (bays 4-6) is a projecting gable of 2 storeys and attics. This contained separate entrances for men and women on the ground floor linked by a ticket office, with Board Room above Superintendent's office to attic. Gable has Deptford crest, octagonal corner turrets, 3 cambered mullioned and transomed windows with panels below. Balustrading with quatrefoils. 1st floor has some stone strapwork frieze. 7 curved stone mullions with 10 similar transoms above containing stained glass. Ground floor has central window with 3 curved mullions with swansneck pediment above central one and 6 stained glass transoms above. 2 horseshoe arches either side with ovolo moulding and double doors behind. Either side are 2 storey wing of 3 bays each comprising men and women's 1st class slipper baths to 1st floor and 2nd class slipper baths to ground floor. 1st floor has each side 3 triple mullioned and transomed windows and ground floor has 3 double curved windows each with 4 lights above with stained glass. To the entrance left is a 2 storey bay with carriage arch to ground floor and part of women's 1st class slipper baths above. Octagonal corner columns, strapwork frieze and triple mullioned and transomed window with horseshoe arch below. Very steeply hipped slate roof with cast iron cresting and weathervane. Attached to the building is a forecourt wall of red brick with black brick decoration and stone coping. 7 downward curving sections with iron railings having central scrolled panels divided by 12 piers, mainly brick base with stone octagonal caps with ball finials. 4 piers opposite the entrances have the lettering "Men" or "Women" and scrolled iron gates. Internally the 2 entrance halls have architraves of green glazed tiles. Mahogany kiosk of 3 panels and 3 strapwork lights above. Tessellated floor. Office has cast iron Gothic fireplace with octagonal - columns arched decorations. Men's staircase is a well staircase with cast iron scrollwork and mahogany handrail. Women's staircase has similar decoration but is dogleg. Large swimming bath has a tiled pool and walls 11 cambered 3-light casements. Wooden diagonally boarded ceiling. Cast iron balcony with anthelion motifs. Back wall has architectural ceramic panel, oval at top with scroll and foliate decoration below this, swags with putti at corners of pillars, scrolls, 6 cambered windows at top and 3 cambered panels below with late C20 swimming mural. Sides have series of columns and brackets with cubicles between. Front end has 4 mogul style wooden columns and jacobean style staircase with balusters and chamfered post with finial. Small swimming bath has tiled walls with 4 cambered windows to right hand side and 8 pilasters to left. To the rear are the laundries which retained 2 early washing machines. 1st floor has 1st class Ladies Slipper Baths (gymnasium at time of survey) with fireplace with pilasters and floral frieze, Board Room with coved cornice with plaster apple and pomegranite mouldings and strapwork ceiling, pilasters and 3 doors with eared architraves and 1st class Men's Slipper Baths retaining cubicles and baths.

Listing NGR: TQ3639076943

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

203482

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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