21-42, GLOUCESTER CIRCUS SE10

The property comprises numbers 21 to 42, a circa 1800 symmetrical crescent located in Gloucester Circus. The crescent has undergone some rebuilding following war damage, most notably a complete reconstruction of the central block to replicate its original form. The building is constructed of multicoloured stock brick with stone detailing, featuring parapets, a stone first-floor cill string, and a stone basement. Each house has three storeys and a basement, with two windows, connected by a single, three-storey block with a single window. The single blocks alternate with double blocks, the ground-floor windows of which have round heads within arcaded fronts and stone springing bands. Some of the single blocks retain pedimented parapets. Roofs are largely concealed, but some visible slate mansard roofs have square dormers. Sash windows with gauged brick arches are present, most having replaced glazing bars and stone cills. A three-step approach leads to round-headed doors recessed within round arches, featuring four or six-panel doors, some with glazed panels, cornice heads, and semicircular fanlights. Numbers 28 and 33 have lost their inner door arches; number 24 retains an old patterned fanlight, while others have more modern, reproduction fanlights. Cast iron hand and area railings are accented by lancehead tall standards alternating with linked, arrowhead short standards, with urn finials at angles and intervals. The north return of number 21 is a three-storey, three-bay design, featuring a round-arched, tall central recess beneath a pediment with a stone cornice, a stone cornice to the parapet, partly blocked centre windows, a lunette on the second floor and a three-light window on the first floor, and blank side windows. A brick plinth runs along the base. The entrance has four steps with a cast iron rail, leading to a six-beaded-panel door with side lights, a cornice head level with the impost blocks of the round gauged brick arch and a wide, patterned fanlight. A similar door is present on the north return of number 42 but the fanlight pattern is missing. The rear elevation of number 42 is three storeys and three windows high, all blank with stone cills and a stone plinth, with a small inserted door to the left. Numbers 21 to 42 form a group.