Royal York Buildings Including Bus Depot

Royal York Buildings Including Bus Depot

Hotel, now offices and bus depot. Built in 1819; enlarged in 1827 to incorporate two houses to the right (west) and another to the left (east); refurbished in 1901; purchased by the Council in 1929 for use as offices. The coach station is situated to the rear on Pool Valley. The buildings are constructed in stucco with slate roofs treated with turnerise.

Exterior

The complex comprises several distinct buildings, described separately below.

The entrance block, dated 1819 in the pediment over the attic, consists of three sections: the ends are three storeys with attic, while the centre is three storeys with a two-storey attic, across a three-window range. The flat-arched entrance is fitted with over- and sidelights, the latter filled with late 19th or early 20th century stained glass. A Doric tetrastyle porch with paired columns near the corners marks the entrance; its roof serves as a first-floor balcony. A cast-iron porte cochere from the late 19th or early 20th century was later added to the porch, featuring a traceried tympanum, finials, and a barrel-vaulted roof. The openings in the centre range are tripartite, with French doors to the first floor and windows above. The columns separating the centre from side openings on the first through first attic floors are treated as Roman fasces, a design feature associated with French Empire style found elsewhere in Brighton terraced houses. The second attic storey is set within a tetrastyle in antis surround with panelled end antae, topped by a segmental pediment filled with floral scrolls and bearing the construction date. All windows have flat arches. To either side of the entrance range are identical semicircular three-storey bays with tripartite windows; the columns between centre and side windows are treated as Roman fasces. Each bay terminates in a broad entablature; the attic storey above is flush with the entrance range wall and topped by a plain cornice.

The block to the left has four storeys with dormers over an attic (dating to the late 19th or early 20th century) and a two-window range. The ground floor features banded rustication. A flat-arched entry is set in the first-window range under a canted glazed porch. The range to the right has tripartite windows with floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor; sill bands run across the second and third floors with architraves framing the windows. The original sashes, 6/6 pattern, remain on the second floor. A steeply-pitched gabled dormer straddles the party wall. The return of a three-window range comprises three bays: the centre is semicircular, the sides segmental. Two entrances are situated on the return, above which are gabled dormers. Railings enclose the areas and entrance.

The wing to the right of the entrance block was formed from two terraced houses, now difficult to distinguish from one another. It is four storeys tall with a five-window range between them. Two full-height bays are present: the left is canted with tripartite windows; the right is five-sided on the ground and first floors and canted above. The rear elevation facing Pool Valley is much altered and highly irregular, with storey bands at different levels. At the centre of the roof parapet is a plaque inscribed "Royal York Buildings."

The bus depot at the south-west corner of the block dates to the early 20th century and features stacks at former party walls and end walls.

Interior

Not inspected.

Historical Note

The hotel enjoyed a distinguished history. Concerts and recitals were held in its public rooms. In 1861, Charles Dickens read from "David Copperfield" here. Distinguished guests included the Duke and Duchess of Clarence in October 1829 and Benjamin Disraeli in 1840.