Gordon Hotel

The Gordon Hotel, originally a large town house, dates to the late 17th century, with a front elevation largely of the mid-18th century and alterations from the 19th century. It is constructed of red brick with burnt headers and has a Kent tile roof. The building is double-depth, with the staircase occupying half the rear roof space, and includes a rear wing and a 19th-century ballroom. Brick end stacks are present.

The front of the hotel is three storeys high, with a regular four-window range. It features a heavy, deeply overhanging moulded wooden cornice supported on spaced, shaped modillions, which return to either side. Brick plat bands are visible between the floors, and another below the cornice, broken by the arches over the second-floor windows. The window arches are rubbed brick, and 12-pane hornless sashes are set in exposed frames throughout. A stucco doorcase to the right has a pediment on console brackets, sheltering a panelled door beneath a rectangular unglazed overlight with decorative tracery. A tripartite inner doorway is half-glazed and half-panelled, with a rectangular overlight.

The hotel extends one window bay to the left, adjacent to No. 89, and is built of chequered brick. This section has two storeys, possibly reduced, with a hornless sash window to the first floor, a plat band, and a stone-coped parapet. It has a shop front with fluted end pilasters.

The interior’s significance lies primarily in the 17th-century dining room on the ground floor, to the left of the entrance passage. The room has a moulded cornice and two tiers of raised panels within moulded frames, which are marbled and feature oval oil paintings directly on the wood, depicting game, fish, and other foodstuffs. A contemporary oil painting, in a gilded frame, hangs above the end fireplace, which has a 19th-century shouldered surround and inset tiles. The entrance hall has a black and white chequered flag floor, and a round-headed archway leads to the stairhall antechamber, with panelled imposts and a keystone. The antechamber and stairhall have moulded door surrounds; some are bolection style — along with cupboards featuring H-hinges. There is an open-well staircase leading to the first floor only, with plain newels with moulded caps and twisted balusters. At the foot of the stairs is an open-work half door with H-hinges. A separate rear stair has turned newels and splat balusters. Former rear windows are now internal. A 19th-century ballroom is also present. Throughout the ground floor, there is noteworthy 17th, 18th, and 19th-century joinery. The upper floors have not been inspected.