Royal Breakwater Hotel

PORTLAND

SY67SE CASTLETOWN, Castletown 969-1/1/7 (South side) Nos.17 AND 18 Royal Breakwater Hotel

II

Hotel, c 1890 - 1910. Rendered, some brick, slate roofs. A large complex building in three sections: a low service wing at left hand end, lofty twin-gabled centre section, and 3-bay unit to right with deep coved cornice. There are also units in parallel behind, where the building cuts into the steep hillside. The service unit is in two storeys, with a large 4-light casement with transom in broad gable above two 2-light with transom and to stone cills. Lower floor in English bond brick to a brick dentil course, and a dentilled brick eaves moulding, ogee gutters and long hopper heads. High brick stack to swept-down hipped end, and, set back, a 2-storey carriage-house unit fronted by small courtyard, Centre section four storeys, 2-windowed; paired 2-light small-paned casements in timber-framed gables above canted oriels with glazing bar sashes, that to left set on wooden brackets above a 2-light casement with transom, and that to right above slight bow with 5 lights and transome. Ground floor has pair of glazed doors between Gibbsian pilasters, and with modillion cornice, and glazed door flanked by 2-light casements, all in Portland ashlar walling. Right hand unit in three storeys and attic, 3-windowed. Three 2-light casement dormers, alternately pointed and rounded pediments over a deep coved cornice carrying in bold sans serif ROYAL BREAKWATER HOTEL. Then 2-light small -pane casements with aprons above 2-light casements with transom. Ground floor, under continuous modillion cornice and fascia, has 3 large 12-pane fixed casements flanked by paired panelled doors in pilaster surrounds and to curved pediments on scroll supporters, all to ashlar stall riser and responds. Down pipes set to long horizontal hopper-heads. Four brick stacks. Plain return to narrow through-way to right. Interior not inspected. A rich composition characteristic of turn of century design, unaltered in its main frontage facing the harbour. This is one of several hotels and inns which were built in the late C19 to serve the Dockyard.

Listing NGR: SY6871374360