Numbers 54 and 55 and Attached Railings

Details

BRIGHTON

TQ3103NE MARINE PARADE
577-1/47/441 (North side)
13/10/52 Nos.54 AND 55
and attached railings

GV II

Terraced houses. c1825. By Amon Wilds and Charles Augustin
Busby. Shop or cafe added to No.55 in the mid to late C19.
Stucco, roofs obscured by parapets.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with 2 storey attic over basement. 3
windows each. The elevations of each are divided into bays by
giant pilasters rising through first and second floors, topped
by a complete entablature between the second and third floors;
above, the windows of the 2 storey attic are set in a bay
system of entablatures and plain pilasters following the lines
of the pilastrade below. The elevation of No.54 is treated as
a full-height and full-width segmental bay. The basements have
chamfered rustication. The entrance to No.54 is flat arched
and set under a prostyle porch consisting of 2 fluted Doric
columns supporting an entablature with blocking course above.
The left return of this entablature bears the remnants of a
meander pattern in the frieze. All the windows are square
headed with architraves, those through and including the
second floor have wood pelmets. There is a verandah with
cast-iron railings set on brackets to the first floor. This
has a lean-to roof of metal. The entrance to No.55, which is
boarded over, is also set under a prostyle porch of the Doric
Order. A cornice between the third floor from the attic;
cornice and parapet to attic. At the rear of the right return
to No.55, the structure steps down to 2 storeys, and is topped
by a cornice band with railing. By far the most unusual
feature of the pair is a single storey structure, perhaps
built as a shop, which projects from in front of half of the
main elevation of No.55 and stretches to the pavement. The
principal elevation has round-arched windows set into an
arcade of 3 bays, the piers of which are decorated by 4
pilasters of the Composite Order with entablature. The left
return is blank; the right return has a blind arcade of 2 bays
and a square-headed window.
INTERIOR: some C19 decorative details, including cornices and
doorcases, survive. Most were removed when the block was
converted to a nursing home in the mid to late C20; further
damage done to the interiors by squatters, who removed
cast-iron stair rails and fireplaces when the block was
vacant.
The pair form a group with Nos 50-53 Marine Parade (qv).





Listing NGR: TQ3183703847

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

482080

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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