The Place And Attached Railings

CAMDEN

TQ2982NE DUKE'S ROAD 798-1/89/348 (East side) 01/08/97 No.17 The Place and attached railings

GV II

Drill hall, now the headquarters and theatre of a contemporary dance trust. 1888-9. By RW Edis. For the 20th Middlesex (Artists') Rifle Volunteers. Built by Charles Kynoch and Company of Clapham. Yellow stock brick with terracotta dressings. Slated gabled roof with crested ridge tiles, 4 pedimented dormers flanking a central Flemish gable with a pediment and chimney-stack; tall brick end stack. Moulded terracotta eaves forming rainwater heads between dormers. EXTERIOR: symmetrical facade, with slightly projecting central bay, in Queen Anne style. 2 storeys, attics and basement. 5 windows. Central entrance with a fine terracotta doorcase having banded pilasters supporting an entablature inscribed "20th Middlesex Artists R.V." and broken pediment with fine unusual cartouche medallion depicting heads of Mars and Minerva in profile by Thomas Brock. Part-glazed double doors. Terracotta-architraved sashes, the ground floor with mullions, 1st floor with transoms and mullions; both with cornices and aprons. Continuous terracotta attic floor and sill bands, forming brackets and rainwater heads at angles. Central attic window with enriched terracotta head. INTERIOR: simple. Staircase panelled to half-height and arched at landings. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached cast-iron railings to areas. HISTORICAL NOTE: the Artists' Rifles was founded in 1859 by Edward Stirling, a student at Carey's School of Art. The first CO was the painter Henry Wyndham Philips and its early membership included Leighton, Millais, Rossetti, Morris, Watts, Val Prinsep and Burne-Jones. It originally consisted of 2 companies, one of painters and one of musicians and was the best known of the hundreds of volunteer units raised. The architect, Sir Robert William Edis, was also colonel; the building was opened by the Prince of Wales. Included for its historical associations as well as for the quality of its terracotta and sculptural enrichment.

Listing NGR: TQ2989082591