Royal County Of Berks Real Tennis Club

BRAY HOLYPORT STREET SU 8977 (north-west side, off) ZJIO Holyport 01.06.84 Royal County of Berks Real Tennis Club (formerly listed as Real Tennis Club at Holyport Lodge)

II

Real tennis court. 1889 by Joseph.Bickley for Samuel Heilbut in a utilitarian Queen Anne style. Brick with rendered and stone dressings, low pitched, hipped steel-frame roof, slate covered and with continuous lantern light over main section (tennis court). Rectangular plan of 7 bays to tennis court, with lower section on south east comprising reception, bar and changing rooms. One storey and one and a half storeys. 3 chimneys on outer walls near corners, with offset pedimented heads and decorative clay pots. Tennis court: deep implied plinth, continuous external balcony supported on iron brackets; curtain glazing between shallow pilasters with moulded stare capitals; parapet with moulded stone coping and urns on top of pilasters. Central bay on south-west front has clock in aedicule frame with broken pediment and moulded base on large curved brackets, breaking into parapet. Lower section: former entrance on south-west front on left with pair of half-glazed and panelled entrance doors in ashlar surround, cornice and moulded, semi-circular arched head, with the date 1899 and crossed tennis rackets in the spandrel. Above this a moulded base to a sash window in moulded architrave frame, reeded head; surmounted by a moulded pediment. To the right of this, set back is a 3-bay blind arcade with semi-circular moulded heads between pilasters; parapet with moulded coping and urns over pilasters. Entrance now on north-east front in small late C20 extension in similar style. Interior: reception area: wooden fireplace in the Adam style with festoons and floral decoration. Mirror over moulded mantel, with 4 mirrors, shelf unit and pedimented top. C19 cast-iron fireplace in first-floor dressing room with moulded wooden surround and plain tile inset. Joseph Bickley (1835-1923) was renowned for his patent method of constructing the wall and floor finishes for tennis and rackets' courts.

Listing NGR: SU8923477947