Johndower House (Countryside Commission) And Attached Railings

John Dower House and attached railings

This four-storey building with basement, located on the west side of Crescent Place in Cheltenham, dates from approximately 1820–5 and is shown on the Post Office Map of 1820. It was constructed in ashlar over brick, with stucco detailing to the right, a concealed roof, and brick end stacks. A rear extension was added circa 1960s. The building retains wrought iron window guards and railings.

The main façade comprises a six-window range to the right, arranged 2:6 at first floor level, with ashlar banding at the first, second, and third floors and a crowning entablature with blocking course. The ground, first and second floors feature 6/6 sash windows, with first floor windows notably taller. The second floor has 3/3 sashes, and the basement has 6/6 sashes. The central entrance is marked by an Ionic porch with coupled columns and an entablature bearing a sculptured Royal Coat of Arms above. Within the porch are six-fielded-panel double doors with a fanlight featuring batwing and circle glazing bars. Two outer entrances comprise six-fielded-panel doors with divided overlights. The rear elevation retains 6/6 and 8/8 sashes in their original locations, with flat arches of red rubbed brick, some set in tooled surrounds.

The building comprises two linked sections connected by curved corridors, which creates curved rooms to the rear. It follows a double-depth plan with a central hallway serving the main range, service wings, and a rear staircase bow extending the full height.

The interior retains considerable original detail. The main range features a central lobby with double doors in fluted architrave with sidelights and a continuous fanlight with batwing and circle glazing bars. The fluted architrave incorporates flowers to the corners, and the cornice is embellished with acanthus modillions and fleurons between. The entrance hall contains a curved open-well staircase extending the full height with stick balusters and wreathed handrail, occupying a full-height bow. Original six-fielded-panel doors with fluted architraves and corner flowers remain throughout, along with some panelled shutters (now painted over). Original plasterwork includes first-floor cornices with dentils in the main room and a modillion cornice in the entrance hall. The section to the left features a further narrow open-well staircase with rod and bobbin balusters and wreathed handrail.

Subsidiary features include spearhead area railings to the front and sides of the steps, which incorporate brackets for oil lamps with lyre motifs. First-floor individual balconies display an interlaced-circle motif.

Originally known as Liddell's Boarding House, this was the first structure of any size built specifically in Cheltenham to accommodate spa visitors. In 1827, Adelaide, Duchess of Clarence (later Queen Consort to William IV), stayed here during a tour of the country, leading to the building being renamed Clarence Hotel in her honour. The Royal Coat of Arms above the porch is of a type used between 1816 and 1837. The building subsequently became the Court House and Police Station in 1859, serving in this capacity until 1970. It was later renamed by the Countryside Commission when they occupied the premises from 1974 in honour of John Dower, one of the leading pioneers of national parks in England and Wales.

The building forms a group with No.2 Crescent Place and No.42 Clarence Street.