Albion House Social Club

Albion House Social Club is a house, dating to circa 1805, originally commissioned for Theodore Gwinnett, a prosperous local attorney. It likely incorporates elements from the mid-18th century, with later additions and alterations, including a late-19th century snooker room to the rear, and a more recent range of no particular architectural merit. The construction is of ashlar over brick, with a hipped slate roof.

The exterior presents two storeys and five first-floor windows arranged in a 1:3:1 pattern. The central section projects and is crowned by a pediment, featuring a ground-floor tetrastyle Ionic loggia with a frieze and cornice. A first-floor band runs along the facade, and there's a crowning frieze, cornice, and central pediment with a fan motif. The outer windows are set within full-height, elliptically-arched recesses. All windows are 6/6 sashes, set in plain reveals with sills. The central entrance, within the loggia, has a six-panel door – the upper panels are raised and fielded, while the lower panels have fluted surrounds – accompanied by a fanlight with radial glazing bars. A right-hand return includes a full-height canted bay; the ground floor retains 6/6 sashes, with the central window round-arched and featuring Gothic glazing to the head. The first floor has 2/2 sashes, with a central fanlight, and otherwise blind openings.

The interior retains numerous original features, most notably a large central hall with an open-well staircase, characterised by barleytwist-on-vase balusters, carved tread ends, a ramped and wreathed handrail, and an end newel post. Panelled shutters are present on the windows. The first floor features plasterwork, including, at the centre, an egg-and-dart cornice and a ceiling frieze. The roof retains original purlins and rafters.

Historical records indicate that Gwinnett later built No. 38 Evesham Road. The building is described as representing “one of the best designs” among Cheltenham’s Regency villas, notable for its Ionic loggia-cum-porch and subtly recessed windows.