NOS 1 TO 12 (CONSEC) 13, 14 and 15, 16 TO 29, 30 TO 34 AND ATTACHED RAILINGS AND GATES

Marlborough Buildings consists of twelve terrace houses stepped steeply uphill, built between 1788 and 1794 with alterations made in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The houses are constructed with limestone ashlar facades, rubblestone to the remainder, and double pitched slate roofs with moulded stacks to the left coped party walls. They follow a double depth plan with staircases positioned to the fronts.

The terrace rises through three storeys with attics and basements. Originally all houses were identical, though they have since been substantially altered. The design features coped parapets with stopped, stepped cornices incorporating lintel friezes, sill bands at the second and first floors, and ground floor platbands that descend to plinths as narrow pilasters between each house. Most houses have three-window fronts, except No.1 which has a two-window range to the left. Originally all featured six/six-pane sash windows, chamfered rustication with radial voussoirs to the ground floor, and semicircular arches enclosing set-back six-panel doors positioned to the right of each house.

No.1 displays a two-window front with a lowered parapet and a 19th-century triple window dormer. It retains six/six-pane sashes to the basement and has horned plate glass sashes to the upper floors. A rusticated single storey entrance passage to the left, stepped down and slightly back from the facade, contains a cornice and blocking course over a semicircular arched fanlight and six-panel door. Two irregularly sized windows on the left return at each floor suggest the staircase is positioned centrally within this house. The first floor right window has a simple balcony.

No.2 features horned windows, a 20th-century dormer, and a lowered parapet. The main floors have plate glass sashes with six/six-pane sashes to the basement. The central first floor window sill is lowered to the platband, and traces of a former canopy remain visible. A plain fanlight sits over a six-panel door glazed to the top, accompanied by a cast iron hand and wreath knocker.

No.3 lacks horns to its windows and has a 19th-century triple dormer with a lowered parapet. The main floors contain plate glass sashes; the first floor windows have sills lowered to the platband with balconettes, and the basement retains six/six-pane sashes.

No.4 is without horns to its windows, has a 20th-century dormer, and plate glass sashes to the main floors. The first floor windows have sills lowered to the platband with mid-19th-century balconettes, six/six-pane sashes to the basement, and a painted surround to the door.

No.5 features a 20th-century paired dormer, six/six-pane sash windows to the second floor, horned plate glass sashes to the first and ground floors, and six/nine-pane sashes to the basement. The first floor windows have lowered sills and balconettes. A lamp bracket sits over the painted surround to the door, which has radial glazing bars to the fanlight.

No.6 has a 19th-century triple window dormer, six/six-pane sash windows throughout, lowered sills and balconettes to the first floor, and a fine wrought iron bracket and lamp over the door in a painted surround.

No.7 features two 19th-century dormers with two/two-pane sash windows. The main floors have horned plate glass sashes, the basement retains six/nine-pane sashes, and the fanlight contains radial glazing bars with some crown glass. The door surround is painted.

No.8 has a 20th-century attic storey and a cut down parapet. Most windows are horned six/six-pane sashes, except the first floor which has nine/nine-pane sashes with lowered sills opening onto a continuous balcony. This balcony features a fine iron balustrade supported by nine wrought iron scroll brackets. The fanlight has radial glazing bars and an integral lamp, and the door surround is painted.

No.9 has a lowered parapet fronting two 19th-century dormers. The main floors feature horned plate glass sashes, the basement retains six/nine-pane sashes without horns, and there is a seven-panel varnished hardwood door with a lamp bracket above.

No.10 has a tall 20th-century attic storey, six/six-pane sash windows (those to the basement with horns), and a fanlight with radial glazing bars and crown glass.

No.11 features a 19th-century attic storey with a coped parapet and stopped coved cornice. Except for two six/six-pane sashes in the basement, all windows are horned plate glass sashes. The attic and second floor retain continuous sill bands, with balconettes to the left and centre of the attic. The first floor windows have lowered sills and open onto a continuous mid-19th-century balcony supported by six cast iron brackets with a swept copper roof canopy held by wrought iron piers. A fretted rail spanning both ground floor windows relates to former early 19th-century sliding shutters. The six-panel door has shallow pyramidal panels, probably 19th-century, and a plain fanlight. Area railings have hoisting gear attached.

No.12 has six/six-pane sash windows, a triple window dormer, and balconettes to the upper floor windows—shallow ones to the second floor and deeper ones to the first floor. It features a late 19th-century four-panel oak door with a plain fanlight.

Interiors have not been fully inspected. No.8 was partially recorded in 1980 and shows an original lotus leaf and Adamesque frieze with a fine fanlight and double baize doors. The house was divided into five apartments in 1985. No.10 contains a fine Regency fireplace with snake and urn relief to the centre and another white marble Victorian fireplace.

The terrace is named after the Duke of Marlborough. The land was originally owned by John Wood and sold at auction on 17 January 1787 as "Lott 7, a freehold site being west of the Royal Crescent" for £1970. A public house at the northern end of the row, once known as the Marlborough Tap, dates from approximately the same period. Maps from 1801 to 1810 show a cold bath at the southern end of the row, the site of the present drinking fountain.

The terrace is fronted by area railings with wrought iron arrowhead tops and gates to the left of each house.