Numbers 26-37 And Attached Railings

TERRACED HOUSES, NUMBERS 26-37 AND ATTACHED RAILINGS, REGENCY SQUARE, BRIGHTON

A terrace of twelve linked houses, built around 1818, probably designed by Amon Wilds and Amon Henry Wilds. The buildings are constructed of stucco, except for the upper floors of numbers 30-33 which have exposed or painted brickwork. The roofs are covered in Welsh and artificial slate.

The terrace fills the north side of Regency Square as viewed from King's Road and is arranged symmetrically, with numbers 30-33 forming a central block and numbers 27-27 and 36-37 as flanking wings. Most houses are three storeys over a basement with dormers; numbers 26-27, 30-33 and 36-37 are four storeys over a basement. Most are of a one-window range except numbers 30-33 which span two windows.

Numbers 30-33 form the architectural centrepiece, with numbers 30 and 33 flanked by full-height panelled pilasters. The ground floor displays banded rustication. There are Ionic prostyle porches, with those to numbers 31 and 32 shared. Round-arched entrances with fanlights lead to ground and first-floor windows with flat arches. Second and third-floor windows have slightly cambered arches, while fourth-floor windows are segmental-arched and set back under a segmental arch. Ground-floor windows to numbers 30-32 have blind boxes. First-floor windows have verandahs with cast-iron railings. A sill band runs below the second-floor windows. Number 32 retains original design sashes to its first and second floors. A cornice and sill band occur at fourth-floor level. The parapet carries antefixae with palmette ornament, raised over numbers 31 and 32 to form a pediment bearing incised lettering reading 'REGENCY SQUARE'. Chimney stacks rise to the party walls.

Numbers 28-29 and 34-35 have ground floors decorated with banded rustication and Doric prostyle porches. Round-arched entrances with fanlights open to segmental bays on the ground and first floors, the first-floor bays being broader. These bays contain tripartite windows with verandahs to the first floor featuring cast-iron railings and cornices. Numbers 29, 34 and 35 preserve original design sashes; number 28 has blind boxes to the ground floor.

Numbers 26-27 and 36-37 similarly feature ground floors with banded rustication and Doric prostyle porches, though those to numbers 36-37 lack entablature details. Round-arched entrances with fanlights lead to segmental bays on ground and first floors, with the first-floor bays again broader. These contain tripartite windows with cast-iron railings and cornices. A recessed storey band runs between second and third floors, missing on number 26. A main cornice is present, and fourth-floor windows are segmental-arched. Number 36 retains original design sashes. The parapet features a raised and pedimented centre flanked by pilasters; those to numbers 26-27 carry wreaths and pendants with palmette ornament. Chimney stacks rise to party walls.

Cast-iron railings with conical finials protect the steps and areas.

The interior of number 28 retains a dogleg stair with curtail step, wreathed handrail, stick balusters and open string. An elliptical arch occurs at mezzanine level, decorated with fluted pilasters and anthemion ornament to the neck. Principal rooms on the ground and first floors retain original architraves and elaborate panelled doors; cornices and ceiling roses appear to be of later date.