Commandants House

GOSPORT SU 6100 FORTON ROAD (North side) 1137-0/5/45 Commandant's House 25.2.71

GV II

Barracks commandant's house, now nursing home. c1847, by Captain James, RE. Red brick with limestone dressings and rubbed brick headers, ashlar corner lateral stacks, hipped slate and pyramidal lead roof Late Georgian style. Double-depth plan. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys; 3-window range. Symmetrical entrance front with plat band and eaves cornice, an ashlar porch with clasping pilasters and cornice, round-arched doorway with radial fanlight, margin lights and half-glazed doors, with rubbed brick heads to tripartite ground-floor windows with 6/6-pane sashes, and 6/6-pane first-floor sashes. Left-hand return and rear have triple ashlar corner stacks with arched openings between. Right-hand front corner has a rendered extra storey forming an observation tower, with leaded pyramidal roof and single 6/6-pane sash to each face. Right-hand return has a projecting pedimented central bay with first-floor Ventian window and oculus in the pediment. INTERIOR: Contains stairs and original joinery including panelled doors, and cornicing. HISTORY: Built as part of Gosport Royal Marines barracks, later HMS St Vincent, the Commandant's House retains features, particularly in the use of an observation tower on the roof, specific to its use in running the barracks. Forms part of a group with James' entrance range (qv) to the W. (SAVE Britain's Heritage: Deserted Bastions, Historic Naval and Military Architecture: London: 1993-: 181; Professional papers of the Royal Marines: Captain H James RE: Additions at Forton to accommodate the Portsmouth Division: Chatham: 1851-: 101-113).

Listing NGR: SU6108300370