Former Admirals Offices And Forecourt Walls And Attached Iron Railings

Offices, built in 1809 by Edward Holl, the architect for the Navy Board. The building is red brick with stone dressings, featuring four brick axial stacks and a slate roof. It is constructed in a Late Georgian style. The plan consists of a double-depth layout, with a central axial passage, a rear wing, and a mid-to-late 19th century north extension.

The exterior presents a 6:15-window range across two storeys. The symmetrical design includes a section set back on the left, and a projecting central five-window section with a pediment featuring a Royal cartouche. Distinctive wide, round ground-floor bays with cornices flank each end. An ashlar porch with curved steps on each side leads to flat-headed doorways, and a central round-arched window sits above the porch. The windows are 6/6-pane recessed sashes with rubbed brick flat arches. The right-hand return displays a six-window range and a single-storey porch with a half-glazed door and a decorative panel above, flanked by carved timber herms with skewed Ionic capitals and busts topped with furled flags. A left-hand extension features similar windows with a round-arched doorway, double doors, and a large fanlight.

Inside, a large entrance hall is divided by two Doric columns into antae, with round-arched doorways on either side leading to axial passages and front and rear offices. A rear stone dogleg staircase has cast-iron stick balusters, a curtail, a wreathed rail, and a lantern for illumination. The doors are six-panelled with panelled reveals and moulded cornices.

Attached to the entrance steps are low forecourt walls and iron railings.

The building replaced an office from 1750 and was designed to the same plan as the 1780 South Office Block at Portsmouth. It is an early specialist office building of national importance, reflecting the complexity of administration within the early 19th century Dockyard, and is part of a remarkable, complete assembly of Georgian naval buildings.