Lamp columns to Clarence Esplanade
Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 2EY
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1386968
- Date first listed:
- 18-Mar-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Lamp columns to Clarence Esplanade
- Statutory Address:
- Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 2EY
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1386968
- Date first listed:
- 18-Mar-1999
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 30-Mar-2023
- List Entry Name:
- Lamp columns to Clarence Esplanade
- Statutory Address 1:
- Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 2EY
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 2EY
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- City of Portsmouth (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SZ6485698104
Summary
Lamp columns. Erected in around the early C20 probably by Drew-Bear, Ransome and Perks, Engineers, London.
Reasons for Designation
The lamp columns, erected in around the early C20 on the Portsmouth seafront, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as highly decorative lamp columns displaying a significant degree of architectural embellishment and high-quality moulded and fretted ironwork;
Group value:
* as part of a large group of 62 lamp columns on the Southsea and Eastney seafront, all of which are Grade II-listed, and with the numerous other designated buildings, structures and gardens along the seafront.
History
In the early C19 Southsea began to develop as a residential suburb of Portsmouth and a seaside resort. Southsea Common was subsequently laid out as a pleasure ground with Clarence Esplanade constructed in 1848 and housing development to the north and east of the common in the mid-C19. Eastney developed to the east of Southsea largely between the late C19 and early C20. The esplanade between Southsea and Eastney was laid out in the late C19 and early C20, as indicated by historic OS maps. A series of cast-iron decorative lamp columns were erected at this time. The 1898 OS map (1:2500) shows possible markers for lamp columns at Southsea, although this is not clear. Eastney Esplanade developed in the early C20 and any columns there were erected during that period, although it is also possible that all the lamps along the Southsea and Eastney seafront were added at the same time in the early C20.
Details
Lamp columns. Erected in around the early C20 probably by Drew-Bear, Ransome and Perks, Engineers, London.
MATERIALS: cast-iron columns with glass lanterns.
DESCRIPTION: twenty-one lamp columns spaced at intervals. Each a tall round column with an ornate fluted pedestal with a moulded base and cap upon which is set a bulbous iron leaf motif surmounted by a further fluted column, then the main cast-iron column which has a Corinthian capital two-thirds up. The top of the column is surmounted by ornate moulded and fretted ironwork with the Portsmouth City crest at the centre and paired swan neck arms supporting two lanterns. Original lanterns are hexagonal iron-framed glass lanterns. The pedestal of the columns hold the manufacturers plate and another Portsmouth city crest. Some of the lamp columns have broken, missing or replacement parts. These lamp columns are currently (2022) numbered 42 to 62.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 474384
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Other
OS Maps (1:2500): 1867, 1898, 1909, 1933
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 03-Jul-2026 at 01:57:41.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.