Lypiatt Terrace and Balustrades; Area Railings to Numbers 3 and 6

LYPIATT TERRACE AND BALUSTRADES; AREA RAILINGS TO NUMBERS 3 AND 6, CHELTENHAM

A terrace of 17 consecutive houses built around 1847 to the design of architect Samuel W Daukes, with builder Richard Keitley. The terrace and its associated balustrades and area railings are constructed in ashlar over brick with slate roof and tall ashlar and stucco party-wall stacks with cornices. The style is Italianate, notable for its departure from Neo-Classical design and presenting the appearance of a series of villas rather than a conventional terrace. The buildings follow a double-depth plan with rear service wings.

The exterior displays a symmetrical composition. At the centre stands a 3-storey block with a 10-window first-floor range, flanked by projecting 2-storey sections with attics to gable and 2-window first-floor ranges. These are followed by further 2-storey ranges with attics containing 7-window ranges, then outer 4-storey projecting towers with single-wide bays and hipped roofs. A 2-storey range is positioned at the left end. Basements run throughout. Ashlar detailing includes quoins to the breakforwards.

Windows throughout the inner ranges are predominantly 2/2 round-arched sashes, with tooled round-arched heads on corbels. The end towers display 3-light round-arched windows with 1/1 sashes to the ground and first floors, featuring tooled round-arched heads on outer corbels and chamfered mullions. The second floor of these towers contains a central 1/1 sash in a tooled surround with feet and continuous tooled sill band. The third floor has three 2/2 round-arched sashes with pilasters between, displaying tooled arches with keystones on a continuous tooled sill band and with paired end pilasters.

The gabled breakforwards flanking the central range feature 3-light round-arched windows with 1/1 sashes to the ground floor, with tooled round-arched heads on outer corbels, chamfered mullions and sill. The first floor contains a pair of 2/2 round-arched sashes in tooled surrounds with cornices on consoles. The attic gable incorporates a Venetian window with 1/1 sashes, the centre sash being round-arched, and a tooled head on consoles above a continuous tooled sill.

The gabled breakforwards between the 2-storey and attic ranges have 2-light round-arched windows with 1/1 sashes featuring a chamfered mullion and sill and tooled arch on outer corbels. The first floor contains a 1/1 round-arched sash in a tooled architrave with cornice on consoles interrupting the second-floor band. The attic gable has 2-light 1/1 sashes with tooled surrounds, chamfered mullion and sill. Roof dormers contain 3/3 sashes with open pedimented gables.

Entrances are positioned at the ends and centres of the long ranges, accessed by flights of steps with roll-edged edges where original. These lead to 4-panel outer double doors with fanlights featuring tooled arches on corbels, and recessed 4-panel part-glazed doors with side-lights and fanlights. The left end has an entrance to the angle with the 2-storey range. Wide eaves rest on brackets. The basement contains some 6/6 sashes. The right return features a ground-floor bow with horizontal rustication and curved 2/2 sashes. The rear elevation displays 6/6 sashes with margin-lights.

The interior retains original joinery including shutters to some windows. Photographs from 1993 document that the ground floor features embellished cornices with naturalistic ornament and a marble fireplace with corbels, and an acanthus modillion cornice to the entrance hall. The interior has not otherwise been inspected.

Iron details include area railings to Numbers 3 and 6 with X-motif. The left return bears a first-floor balcony with Gothic arches. Ashlar features comprise a first-floor continuous balustrade to the ranges on brackets with pierced circle motif; similar balconies adorn the breakforwards. Flights of steps are furnished with stone balustrades featuring pierced quatrefoils where original.