The Beeches (Number 22) And Bicknor (Number 23)

CHELTENHAM

SO9421NW SUFFOLK SQUARE 630-1/17/873 (West side) 12/03/55 Nos.22 AND 23 The Beeches (No.22) and Bicknor (No.23) (Formerly Listed as: SUFFOLK SQUARE No.23 The Beeches and Bicknor (No.23))

GV II

Pair of semi-detached villas, now house to left and flats to right. c1823-34 with later additions and alterations including later C19 range to left. Ashlar and stucco over brick with concealed roof and stucco end and ridge stacks. PLAN: double depth with stairwell between front and rear rooms. EXTERIOR: main range of 3 storeys on basement, 5 first-floor windows, between 2-storey entrance bays and with 2-storey bay set back to left. End bays of main range break forwards and have pilasters to angles through ground and first floors surmounted by continuous entablature, with further pilasters to second floor and crowning entablature with blocking course. Ashlar detailing includes tooled architraves to windows, those to ground floor with frieze and cornices. 6/6 sashes where original, to left set-back bay at ground floor a tripartite window with 2/2 sashes, all in plain reveals and with sills. Basement has 8/8 sashes. Entrances: that to left in open Doric porch with triglyphs and metopes (surmounted by first floor); 8-panel door with overlight. To right and 8-panel door with sidelights and overlight in round-arched arcade. INTERIOR: retain many original features, that to left (No.22) has open-well staircase with rod and bobbin balusters. Plasterwork includes deep friezes and ceiling friezes; ceiling roses. Joinery includes panelled shutters to windows with tooled surrounds; architraves to doors with Greek key motif and cornices. Room to left addition has cornice with grapes and shields, white marble fireplace. Otherwise not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: Suffolk Square occupies land bought by the Earl of Suffolk from the de la Bere's, on which he had built Suffolk House for his own residence, his daughter later sold much of the land, on which Suffolk Square now stands, developed by James Fisher from 1823. Many villas shown as built on Merrett's 1834 Map. All the listed buildings in Suffolk Square form a very

distinguished group. (Merrett HS: Plan of the Town of Cheltenham: 1834-; Blake S: Notes).

Listing NGR: SO9435621598