Colchester Institute Main Building

Details

TM 11 SE
1665/11/10021
11/7/00

CLACTON-ON-SEA
MARINE PARADE EAST
Colchester Institute Main Building


II


Also known as:-Grand Hotel, MARINE PARADE EAST.

Hotel. 1892-97 by A.J. Gale and N.T. Farthing of Smith, Son and Gale for Henry Grant. Converted to teacher training college 1950. Steel box frame construction with red brick curtain walls; machine tile roofs.
EXTERIOR: East front of 3 storeys and dormer attic; 19 window range. Symmetrical composition of 6 full- height projections, consisting of single polygonal turrets at the North and South ends, 2 3-window range bays with shaped gables inside these, and 2 central canted window bays. The 4 central projections separated by single-window bays. Facade horizontally divided at floor levels by rendered bands covering rolled steel joists and decorated with strapwork pargeting (many pargeted panels lost). Fenestration of 9/1 horned sashes to ground floor and 4/1 or 6/1 to next 2 floors, and 3/1 to the 3 pedimented dormers. All windows on lower 2 floors with tapering sash hoods. Central semi-circular porch, on 2 pairs of unfluted Doric columns. Double half-glazed doors beneath overlight with 4:8:4 panes. Cast-iron balconies between projections on first and second floors. 4 transverse stacks on front roof slope and additional stacks at oblique angles to North and South ends.
South front asymmetrical, but with detailing as before: 9-window range consisting of canted bay to West, projecting 3-window range bay right of centre and the shared South-East corner turret. 2 window bays separate the West 2 elements and contains double half-glazed doors. Single storey extension added to West c1920. North front of similar design to South front. Ballroom to rear added 1920: 2 storeys; 7 -window range to North front. 3 tripartite 1/1 horned sashes under segmental heads to ground floor and 3 twin plus one single 1/1 horned sashes to first floor, also under segmental heads. South front similar, but with 4 blocked tripartite sashes to ground floor.
INTERIOR: entrance lobby with dado panelling and 2 strapwork panels. Outer foyer with h igh dado panelling into which is set 2 paintings byT & G Temple 1897 (depicting on North St Osyth's Priory, on South the Ship Inn at Great Clacton). Very elaborate timber chimneypiece in Jacobean style with overmantel in 2 tiers defined by tapering columns and strapwork cresting. Delft tiles to fire surround. Inner foyer (former lounge) with by portcullis grilles set into the 3 4-centred arches. Italian marble floor; ribbed ceiling. North-East and South-West glazed doors with shaped and pedimented surrounds.
Main staircase to North: open triangular, but irregular, stair-well. Closed panelled string. Fluted square section newel posts with moulded caps. Upper newels with turned drop pendants. Moulded handrail with tapering square moulded balusters. Staircase windows with stained glass. Waygood-Otis passenger lift by staircase, retaining original gondola with inlaid teak veneer. Drawing room (North of entrance) with identical timber chimneypieces at North and South ends: central overmantel mirror with fluted and arched niches either side, all beneath an elevated swept broken pediment. Mantel shelf apron and panelled side jambs. All surfaces with carved acanthus and foliate decoration. Plaster ceiling in 6 rectangular panels separated by deep ribs: each panel in late C17 style, with rectangular fields with inset D ends. Foliage decoration. 3 entrance doorways with pediments raised over shaped aprons.
Dining room (South of entrance): irregular plan. 2 timber chimneypieces, that to North retaining its overmantel: panelled side jambs with foliate scroll below fluted upper section. Panelled cornice with foliate scrolls, moulded mantel front. Overmantel with semi-circular and arched niches right and left of rectangular mirror. Egg and dart and gadrooned cornice. Moulded caps with obelisks right and left. Plaster ceiling with 2 rectangular panels and 3 triangular ones, separated by deep ribs: geometric motifs with foliate circular bosses. Lincrusta dado of linenfold pattern. Ballroom of 1920: RSJs supported on piers with mirrors. Panelled plaster walls. Gentlemen's and ladies toilets at East end. Extensive basement: tiled former kitchen at South end. Basement passages show lengths of exposed steel frame.
FIRST FLOOR: North-East corner room with high large-framed dado panelling, and an arched niche on fluted piers North and South. That to South with fireplace with egg and dart cornice, mirror overmantel and hood on scrolled brackets.
Roof of conventional timber construction: principals, secondaries and one tier of through purlins.
HISTORICAL NOTE: fully-formed steel-framed construction in an enclosed building (the Forth Rail Bridge is steel, of 1883-90) in England is normally considered to begin with the Ritz Hotel, London, of 1903-06 by Mewes and Davis. The Savoy Hotel of 1888 (altered 1896) had steel roof and ceiling joists as a fire-proof measure, any more extensive use of constructional steel prohibited until the London Building Act of 1909. Many other factory and utilitarian buildings from 1875-1890 used steel in a more modest way, but the Grand Hotel is the earliest so far discovered with a complete and coherent structural steel system.

Listing NGR: TM1812714914

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LBS

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