The Dome

UPPER BOGNOR ROAD 1. 5401 (North Side) --------------- No 55 (The Dome) SZ 9499 18/16 22.7.49. GV 2. This was originally a crescent of 3 houses built by Sir Richard Hotham about 1787, and then called Hothampton Crescent. The centre house was called the Dome and was constructed with the hope that George III could be induced to desert Weymouth and reside here on visiting Bognor. Princess Charlotte did actually stay here in 1808. The east house was originally known as Arran Lodge. All 3 houses are now known as the Dome and are all occupied by the Bognor Training College. 3 storeys and basement. 13 windows in all. Red brick with window dressings of grey headers, quotas and string- course above each floor of yellow brick and relieving arches of red brick. Red brick modillion eaves cornice above the end houses which is continued over the centre house with parapet above and pediment in it over the 3 centre window bays. Bay of 3 windows on all floors at each end of the Crescent with hipped slate roof. Glazing bars intact. Ground floor windows of centre house round-headed and in red brick arcading with yellow brick keystones. Centre 1st floor window has 3 lights and a segmental head and is set in a yellow brick arch with keystone of grey headers. 3-light lunette window above it on 2nd floor. Oval stone panel with the name Hothampton Crescent and cartouche in the typanum of pediment. The centre doorway is approached by a double curved flight of 7 steps with handrail and railing edging the platform. There is an entrance to the basement beneath the centre of the block of the steps. The doorway has stuccoed pilasters, pediment on consoles, a frieze enriched with swags, and a rectangular fanlight. The other houses have simpler doorways at the head of straight steps with handrail. These doorways have Doric pilasters of painted wood, pediments and semi- circular fanlights, the east one without its divisions, though the fan of an inner door has them. Over the centre of the centre house is a small cupola, faced with slates and containing 4 sash windows facing the points of the compass with a dentilled cornice round it and leaden dome above. To the rear is a central full-height extension of contemporary period, having a very wide 3-window bay on all storeys. Nos 41 to 57 (odd), No 55A, Nos 65 to 71 (odd) and all the walls form a group.

Listing NGR: SZ9412199668