Montpellier House (West Part)

CHELTENHAM

SO9421NW SUFFOLK SQUARE 630-1/17/880 (South side) 12/03/55 Montpellier House (west part) (Formerly Listed as: SUFFOLK SQUARE Bunwell House)

GV II

Also known as: Suffolk Mews SUFFOLK SQUARE. Villa, now flats. 1832 with later additions and alterations. Architect: Edward Jenkins. Ashlar over brick with concealed roof. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys on basement, 7 first-floor windows. End and centre bays break forwards slightly. End breakforwards have full-height Ionic pilasters, continuous crowning entablature. Windows have tooled architraves, those to first floor are eared, those to ground floor have frieze and cornice, those to ends with pediments on console brackets and with acroteria. Chamfered sills. 6/6 sashes where original. Ionic portico, 2 pairs are fluted, now glazed in; part-glazed double doors with sidelights and overlight. Right return has 3 + 1 first-floor windows, (end range slightly lower). End and centres of main range project; end Ionic and Doric pilasters. Ground floor has rectangular bay with Doric pilasters and 1/1 sashes, otherwise tripartite windows with 6/6 between 2/2 sashes and 2 blind openings. All in tooled architraves, that to ground floor has similar pediment to those to main facade. Rear has 6/9 and 6/6 sashes. Staircase 6/6 sash with radial glazing bars to head and margin-lights. Hall has embellished cornice with acanthus modillions. INTERIOR: retains original features including open-well staircase with iron balustrade with lozenge and oval motif and wreathed handrail. Marble fireplaces. HISTORICAL NOTE: Sir Robert Smirke lived and died here (1859-1867). Suffolk Square occupies land bought by the Earl of Suffolk from the de la Bere's, on which he built Suffolk House for his own residence; his daughter later sold much of the land on which Suffolk Square now stands to developer James Fisher. The Square is shown as laid out but not complete on the Post Office Map of 1820. Abuts Montpellier House (east part (qv)) to left. Forms part of a very distinguished group of buildings in Suffolk Square. (Blake S: Notes).

Listing NGR: SO9443121514