Dragon and Onion Lamp Post Behind Number 23 Imperial Square is a Grade II listed building in the Cheltenham local planning authority area, England. First listed on 14 December 1983. Lamp post.

Dragon and Onion Lamp Post Behind Number 23 Imperial Square

WRENN ID
broken-vestry-onyx
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Cheltenham
Constituency
Cheltenham MP: Max Wilkinson (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
14 December 1983
Type
Lamp post
Address
Dragon and Onion Lamp Post Behind Number 23 Imperial Square, Trafalgar Street, GL50 1QZ
OS grid reference
SO 947 219
Coordinates
51.89638, -2.07714
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: sale history · EPC · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The 'Dragon and Onion' lamp post, located behind No. 23 Imperial Square in Cheltenham, was first lit on 16 February 1897. It was likely designed by the Borough Engineer, Joseph Hall, and cast by Messrs McDowell, Stevens and Company. This tall cast-iron lamp post features an arched lampholder with a dragon design and an onion-shaped finial. The plinth is supported by bollards that display the town shield and the motto 'Salubritas et Erudito'. Designed for electricity, it is an early and notably elaborate example of its kind. The design motif is derived from the coat of arms of the borough, which was granted to the town 11 years after its incorporation in 1876. Similar lamp posts can be found in Cambray Place, St Mary's Churchyard, Church Street, and Regent Street.

Local climate

Dragon and Onion Lamp Post Behind Number 23 Imperial Square receives an average of 790 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 57% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 51% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 39 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 76% of listed buildings. Of these, 19 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Sale history — 3 transactions since 2005
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  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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