The London Foot Hospital And Attached Railings

A symmetrical terrace of eight houses forming the south side of Fitzroy Square, now used as a hospital, was built around 1792-8. Designed by Robert and James Adam, the facades of numbers 36, 37, and 38 were restored as facsimiles following war damage. The buildings are constructed of Portland stone with a rusticated ground floor.

The exterior presents a symmetrical facade, with three bays in the central section and projecting bays at each end. The terrace rises to four storeys and has basements. Each house originally had three windows, and numbers 33 and 40 have five window returns (mostly blind) to Conway Street and Fitzroy Street respectively. Round-arched openings define the ground floor, linked by impost bands. Doorways feature pilaster-jambs supporting cornice heads, fanlights (some with radial patterns), and panelled doors. Sash windows are set in shallow, plain recesses. The first floor has a continuous cast-iron balcony, and a plain sill band marks the second floor. A main cornice, enriched with a frieze at the third floor level, runs across the terrace, topped by a cornice above the attic storey with a blocking course.

The central projection features two recessed columns in antis extending from the first to the second floor, above which is a Diocletian window. Pilasters rise from the first to the third floor, supporting the main cornice, on either side of the central section. The attic storey has five oculi, the two outer ones enriched with swags. The end pavilions have a recessed Ionic column in antis supporting a recessed architrave and enriched frieze in the first floor centre bay. Rectangular niches with roundels of Classical figures are positioned to either side. The main cornice at the third floor level incorporates a moulded, enriched panel, above which is a central Diocletian window to the attic storey.

The interiors are generally plain but retain enriched ceiling cornices, stone staircases with iron balustrades, and some marble fireplaces. Attached cast-iron railings with urn finials mark the areas. Numbers 33, 37, and 40 were also listed on May 14, 1974.