Details
ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA
SP3165NE PARADE
1208-1/7/274 (East side)
19/11/53 No.77
Regent Hotel
GV II*
Hotel. Foundation stone laid 18 July 1818, opened 19 August
1819, with later additions and alterations including those of
c1905, and with mid-C20 range to rear. For Mr John Williams,
by CS Smith of Warwick. Additions and alterations include
mid-C19 re-siting of main entrance; those of 1905 for Mr John
Cridlan. Pinkish-brown brick in Flemish bond with painted
stucco facades, Coade stone coats of arms, and concealed roof.
PLAN: central hallway.
EXTERIOR: 4 storeys, 7 first-floor windows. The outer bays are
wider and project. Plinth and horizontal rustication to ground
floor of main facade and returns. First-floor band, becomes
ovolo-moulded cornice to outer bays which continues to
returns, interrupted by windows. 4 Tuscan pilasters, one to
each end of outer bays, through first and second floors.
Double frieze, cornice, which continues to right return.
Pilasters with incised decoration to each end of outer bays to
third floor. Frieze, cornice, blocking course, copings which
continue to right return.
First floor: outer bays have 1/1 sashes in moulded surrounds
with frieze and cornice. Otherwise plate-glass French windows
with overlights, that to centre has tooled surround, and
consoles supporting open segmental pediment containing Prince
of Wales feathers.
Second and third floors have 1/1 sashes throughout.
Ground floor: central wide entrance has Tuscan pilasters
supporting hood. Roll-edged step to central revolving doors
between elliptically-arched, part-glazed, panelled surrounds
with left side door; egg-and-dart cornice, divided overlight.
1/1 sashes. All windows in plain reveals, sills to second
floor.
Right return (original entrance front): 4 storeys, 3
first-floor windows, with rear range of 4 lower storeys, 7
first-floor windows.
Main range: through first and second floors are outer Tuscan
pilasters, similar pilasters with incised decoration to third
floor. First floor has 1/1 sashes, that to centre with moulded
surround, frieze and cornice.
Second and third floors: 1/1 sashes with similar smaller
sashes inserted.
Ground floor, entrance: central tetrastyle Doric porch with
full entablature, above, a lion and unicorn with Prince of
Wales feathers. Doorway with multi-pane glazing. Tripartite
windows, to left a 1/1 sash between narrower 1/1 sashes, to
right with multi-pane glazing. All windows in plain reveals,
those to ground and second floors with sills.
Range to rear has mainly 6/6 sashes with plain reveals and
sills.
Left return (formerly garden facade), main range: 4 storeys, 9
first-floor openings. First, second and third floors have 1/1
sashes, the second and seventh bays are blind. Ground floor
has part-glazed doors to fourth bay with divided overlight,
otherwise tall 1/1 sashes. All with plain reveals, those to
second floor with sills.
Rear range has four 6/6 sashes with flat arches, plain reveals
and sills.
INTERIOR: imperial staircase with decorative cast-iron
balustrade of three balusters, then scrolling heart and
paterae motif. Marble and cast-iron fireplaces to several
rooms, shutters now painted over, 6-panel doors, cornices.
Ground floor has elaborate Edwardian rococo revival and
Georgian Revival plasterwork and marble fireplaces to main
reception rooms.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the foundation stone was laid by Miss
Greatheed, in front of Sarah Siddons, the actress. The hotel
opened as Williams Hotel, but 3 weeks later was renamed The
Regent by permission of the Prince Regent (later George IV).
When built, the hotel was one of the largest in Europe.
Visited by Princess (later, Queen) Victoria in 1830, by the
Duke of Wellington in 1827, John Nash, Prince Louis Napoleon
(later Napoleon III), and Empress Eugenie in 1860 and by a
large number of notable C19 figures.
(Cridlan FJ: Regent Hotel Royal Leamington Spa A Biographical
Booklet: Royal Leamington Spa: -1984; Cridlan FJ: The Regent
Through the Years: Royal Leamington Spa: -1992; Roth D: Early
C19 Decorative Ironwork: a study based on Leamington Spa:
1976-: P.79,80; FIGS.107-8.; Cave LF: Royal Leamington Spa Its
History and Development: Chichester: 1988-: 38, 55, 63-5).
Listing NGR: SP3180765840
