Numbers 16 And 18 And Attached Area Railings

Numbers 16 and 18 are a pair of terrace houses constructed between 1788 and 1789. They are located on the east side of St George’s Place, Cheltenham, and are built on a brick base with stucco cladding, featuring a mansard slate roof and stucco ridge stacks. The houses have a pinkish-brown brick rear elevation.

The architectural design includes rusticated detailing to the ground floor on the left-hand side, with drawn voussoirs above the openings. The ground and first floor windows to the right have tooled architraves. Most windows are 6/6 sash windows, though the ground floor to the right has 2/2 horizontal-pane sashes and the first floor has 6/9 sashes. Casements and 3/3 sashes are found in the attic windows, with 3/6 sashes in the basement where original. The entrances, located to the left and right, feature flights of steps leading to 6-fielded-panel doors with fanlights containing radial glazing bars; the entrance on the right has a keystone. The rear elevation retains 8/8 sash windows.

Internally, original joinery remains, including panelled shutters, 4-panel doors, and a narrow, open-well staircase with stick balusters (on the right).

The attached area railings have shaped heads, some arrowhead detailing, and urn finials to the stanchions. The elliptical first-floor window boxes feature a rod and central circle motif, similar to those found on nearby properties.

Historically, Number 16 was once the residence of Col Riddell, a Regency-era physician. Dr Jenner, a well-known figure, lived at Number 22 (now demolished) between 1805 and 1822. The houses were originally part of a symmetrical terrace of four houses (two of which have since been lost) and lent their name to St George’s Place, formerly known as Stills Lane. This terrace represents the earliest construction in the street and in Cheltenham and was the only route between the High Street and the Royal Well Spa prior to the creation of the Promenade.