2-24, VICTORIA TERRACE (See details for further address information)

Terrace of 12 houses, now shops and flats, with a terrace of 3 houses with ballroom, now offices and shops, forming an L-shaped group (Victoria Colonnade to the right return). Built between 1836 and 1838 to the design of architect William Thomas, with later additions and alterations including mid to late 20th-century ground-floor shop fronts and attic dormers.

The buildings are constructed of pinkish-brown brick with painted stucco facades and mainly Welsh slate roofs.

The main range comprises 3 storeys with attics, with 22 first-floor windows and an additional window at each angle, the latter curved on plan. The right return (Victoria Colonnade) has 8 first-floor windows. The end bays and central 8-window range project; the projections from the first floor feature 3 central giant Corinthian pilasters, while the other projections are defined by engaged three-quarter Corinthian columns. These are accompanied by a continuous architrave, frieze and cornice with dentils to the projections and a blocking course, raised at the centre. Above the columns are upright anthemions on plinths.

The first floor features mainly 6-pane French windows with divided overlights and margin-lights, curved on plan at the angles (except Nos 20 and 22, which have plate glass). All are set in plain reveals with tooled architraves, friezes and pediments (missing to No.10). The end bays and angles have decorative cornices on acanthus consoles. The second floor has 6-over-6 sashes throughout, those at the angles curved on plan, all in plain reveals with tooled architraves and moulded sills; Nos 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 16, 18 and 20 have ears. The ground floor has plate-glass shop fronts. Tall chimney stacks sit between the houses and at the ends, mostly with cornices. Partly-concealed attic dormers are present. A continuous first-floor balcony features an elongated figure-of-eight motif.

The left return incorporates a three-quarter engaged Corinthian column after the first window. At first-floor level is a blind window with moulded architrave and acanthus brackets topped by a decorative cornice, followed by a tripartite window comprising a 6-over-6 sash between two 2-over-2 sashes and a further 6-over-6 sash. The second floor has two 6-over-6 sashes in tooled architraves, all in plain reveals with tooled architraves, sills and frieze; the first-floor windows have cornices. The ground floor to the left retains a blocked entrance with three-quarter engaged Doric columns and frieze.

The right return (Victoria Colonnade) has horizontal rustication to the ground floor. Corinthian columns run through the first and second floors at the right end and flanking the left and right windows. At first-floor level, both left and right ends feature a tripartite 6-pane French window with 3-pane sidelights and divided overlight; the remaining section has six 6-pane French windows with divided overlights and margin-lights, all in plain reveals with tooled architraves, frieze and cornice. The right window is surmounted by acanthus acroteria. The second floor contains eight 6-over-6 sashes in plain reveals with tooled, eared architraves and sills. The ground floor has two 3-panel doors and a central glazed door with panelled reveals and overlights; those to Nos 2 and 3 are hooded on consoles. There are 5 round-arched windows of 8 lights with Gothic-traceried upper lights. To the right is a 2-over-6 sash, and No.2 has two bow shop windows with part-glazed shop-fronts. Moulded sills run throughout. A frieze, cornice and blocking course with 3 anthemion acroteria complete the storey. A continuous 14-column Doric colonnade with triglyphs and metopes to the frieze fronts the ground floor. The arcade balustrade has continuous figure-of-eight, Greek key and anthemion motif railings.

To the rear, the ballroom features 3 wide tripartite clerestory windows. The west return has 4 original window openings; the outer 2 have architraves of pilaster strips with frieze and cornice.

Interior features include: Victoria Colonnade No.1 has a dogleg staircase with stick balusters (some boxed in) and cornices to first-floor rooms with 4-panel doors. No.1A contains a ballroom accessed through two storeys, reached from an entrance vestibule with ceiling rose. The ballroom has arcades to each side with continuous moulding to the heads. No.2 has a full-height dogleg staircase with stick balusters and wreathed handrail. To the first floor is a 6-pane glazed doorway with margin-lights, architrave and pediment. Cornices and ceiling rose are present to the first floor.

When originally built, the right-hand section of Victoria Terrace was occupied by Victoria Baths. Victoria Colonnade flanks the River Leam. Nos 1, 2 and 3 Victoria Colonnade were listed on 12 December 1983.