The Esplanade Numbers 1 To 8 And Forecourt Walls And Railings

A planned terrace of eight villas, built in 1836 by George Wightwick. The villas are constructed of stucco with stucco detailing, and have dry slate mansard roofs, except for number 3 which has asbestos slates. Some attic windows have been enlarged. The stacks are stuccoed with plinths and plain cornices. The design exhibits Italianate influence, with a symmetrical 3:4:1:3:1:4:3 window front, and the central and end houses projecting forward, with the three central bays further emphasised. Number 1 retains original hornless sash windows with glazing bars to the second floor, and original fanlight heads and glazing bars to the overlights above the French windows on the first floor, while number 2 has simpler original window heads to the first-floor windows. Later sashes and 20th-century windows are present in number 7. The ground-floor openings and some first-floor windows feature French windows.

Architectural details include channelled rustication to the ground floor, round arched windows with moulded pilasters and arches to the first floor, moulded eared architraves to the second floor, and colonnades of three Corinthian half columns with moulded entablatures above the principal three-bay projections. Bulbous-shaped wrought-iron balconies are present on the first floor. The end return elevations each feature a two-storey central oriel with quadrant corners and bowed windows, with blind windows to the flanking bays. The rear entrance front has a parapet, cornice strings, windows with moulded hoods on brackets, and porches with moulded imposts and parapet strings. Coupled porches serve numbers 4 and 5, and panelled doors and many original hornless sashes with glazing bars are notably present. The interior remains uninspected, but is likely indicative of the exterior's architectural character.

The forecourt walls are stuccoed and have a plinth, band, and square coping, forming a U-shaped plan. The rear forecourt walls are surmounted by original wrought-iron railings with turned finials and stanchions with acorn finials. The terrace represents a fine example of its type, distinguished by Neo-Classical detailing more characteristic of Foulston than Wightwick. It forms part of an important planned grouping of terraces and villas by Foulston and his pupil Wightwick on the Hoe, which placed Plymouth at the forefront of town planning in the early to mid 19th century.