Numbers 2 To 12 And Attached Railings

Numbers 2 to 12 Lansdown Crescent comprise a terrace of 11 houses, now used as houses and flats, with attached area railings. The construction began around 1828 by JB Papworth for Pearson Thompson; only number 2 was built to Papworth’s designs, with the terrace being continued between 1831 and 1838 by the architectural partnership of RW and C Jearrad, and completed by around 1850. The houses are built of ashlar facing brick, with a slate roof, ashlar stacks at the ends and party walls, and iron balconies and verandahs.

The plan is of a convex terrace, incorporating side hallways and service ranges to the rear. The exterior is characterised by three storeys over a basement, with 34 windows (three per house, plus one set back to the right). The ground floor exhibits horizontal rustication, a sill band on the second floor, a frieze and cornice above the second floor, and a low parapet with copings over the third floor. Windows are predominantly 6/6 sashes, with taller sashes to the first floor; the basement windows are 8/8 sashes where original. The main entrances consist of flights of steps leading to pairs of porches featuring Doric columns, an architrave, frieze, cornice, and blocking course, with 6-panel double doors and overlights (some part-glazed). A 6-panel door with fanlight in a round-arched surround, flanked by Doric pilasters and a keystone, is found on the right return, alongside a round-arched sash window. A glazed conservatory sits above this. The rear elevation features mainly 6/6 and 8/8 sashes.

Number 2 includes balconies with a Carron Company double-heart-and-anthemion motif, apparently specified by Papworth. Verandahs to numbers 3 to 12 have bowed sticks and a circle motif to the frieze. The area railings feature an X-motif, and number 18 contains an anthemion boot scraper.

Historically, the design of the terrace is attributed to the Jearrads, although the overall design stems from Papworth's 1825 'circular plot', with only numbers 1 and 2 initially realised. Construction continued until 1850, as shown on Merrett’s Map of 1834. Number 1 (listed separately) represents Papworth's design, rebuilt as a replica in 1984. These houses form a continuous design with numbers 13 to 47 Lansdown Crescent (listed separately). The crescent presents a convex facade, which may not fully convey its size and simplicity from a distance, and exemplifies notable suburban town planning.