Clarence House and Attached Railings

Details

CHELTENHAM

SO9422SE PROMENADE 630-1/13/757 (North West side) 12/03/55 No.133 Clarence House and attached railings

GV II*

Villa, now offices, and attached railings. c1830-34. This house is sometimes attributed to JB Papworth, though probably by John Forbes. Stucco over brick with concealed roof, 4 tall stucco stacks to ends of main range, and iron balcony railings probably by Marshalls with a motif derived from LN Cottingham. PLAN: double-depth with left side hallway. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with basement, 3 bays (the end bays are lower) with first floor windows arranged 1:3:1, and single-storey entrance bay set back to left. The central 3-window range breaks forwards and is taller. Stucco detailing includes end Doric pilasters to ground and first floors to central range; with single pilasters between windows to each floor to ends, those to ground floor are Doric and surmounted by shaped frieze forming elliptically-arched arcade over windows and cornice; those to first floor are Ionic and are surmounted by entablature. End Doric pilasters to lower ranges through ground and first floors, with frieze and cornice. 6/6 sashes throughout, those to basement have margin-lights, all in plain reveals and with sills; outer ground-floor windows have floating cornices. Entrance to left: flight of 6 roll-edged steps to double 4-panel door with overlight, Doric pilastered surround and architrave which continues to return. Rear has first-floor band interrupted by full-height pilaster strips between windows and to ends with entablature. Left return has four first-floor windows, the outer windows blind, otherwise 6/6 sashes. INTERIOR: open-well staircase has rod and central bobbin balusters and wreathed handrail; reputed to retain original plasterwork including guilloche moulded cornice to hall. Several marble fireplaces. Original joinery remains including panelled shutters. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: continuous balcony to ground floor, main range has scroll and anthemion motif, tent roofs on brackets over, to each bay. Railings to sides of steps have heart and anthemion motif; lyre and heart grille to right return. Further railings with scroll motif abut front and rear for short stretches. HISTORICAL NOTE: The Promenade was laid out in 1818 as a tree-lined avenue from the Colonnade in the High Street to the

Sherborne Spa (on the site of the Queen's Hotel (qv)), by 1826 it was a carriage drive with spacious gravelled walk on each side. Buildings on the NW side were the first to be developed. Shown on Merrett's Map of 1834. Forms part of an outstanding group of villas overlooking Imperial Gardens with Nos 121 and 123 (qv), 125 and 127 (qv) and Nos 129 and 131 (qv) and The Queen's Hotel (qv), Promenade. (The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 146; Williams GA: Guide Book to Cheltenham: 1824-: 29; Chatwin A: Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham: 1975-1984: 29,40; Merrett HS: Plan of the Town of Cheltenham: 1834-).

Listing NGR: SO9456022044

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

475673

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970), 146
Chatwin, A, Cheltenhams Ornamental Ironwork, (1975-1984), 29, 40
Williams, G A, Guide Book to Cheltenham, (1824), 29
Merrett, H S, Plan of the Town of Cheltenham, (1834)

End of official list entry

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