Numbers 11 And 15 To 21 And Attached Railings And Gates

Terrace of five houses, now offices and flats, with attached railings and gates, dating from approximately 1810–1820. The terrace appears on the Post Office Map of 1820 but not on Mitchell's Map of 1810, and has undergone later additions and alterations. The buildings are constructed in ashlar over brick with a slate roof and stucco party-wall stacks, featuring wrought- and cast-iron verandahs and balconies, railings and gates.

The plan is double depth with full-height service wings to the rear. The main elevation presents four storeys with basements and an 18-window range at first-floor level (three windows per house). The ground floor is rusticated, with the stonework drawn into voussoirs over doors and windows, floor bands marking each storey, and a crowning frieze and cornice to the roofline.

The fenestration varies by floor. The first floor contains tall 6/6 sash windows where original, otherwise replaced with 1/1 sashes. The second floor retains mainly 6/6 sashes as original except to the right where 1/1 sashes are fitted; all have sills. The third floor has 3/3 sashes with sills throughout. The ground floor contains 6/6 sashes where original, otherwise 1/1 sashes. The basement has 6/6 sashes. All windows are set in plain reveals with sills.

Entrances to the right comprise round-arched openings with 6-fielded-panel doors, fluted friezes and fanlights. The entrance to Number 21 retains a batwing-and-circle motif in its fanlight. A further entrance to Number 11 is set on the right return: double 6-fielded-panel doors with fanlight contained within a solid porch with paired Doric pilasters.

The right return elevation has a four-window first-floor range, ramping down to a fifth window in the service range. This contains five 6/6 sashes altogether with a 6/1 and 3/3 sash; other openings are blind. The rear elevation retains 6/6 sashes where original, and Number 17 features a full-height bow window. The left return has "BERKELEY STREET" inscribed to the first-floor band.

Interior detailing is substantial. Number 11 contains a lobby with a 6-panel, part-glazed door with fluted architrave and sidelights; these sidelights continue round as a wide overlight with beading. The narrow open-well staircase has stick balusters with panels of scrolled wrought-ironwork and a wreathed handrail. Number 21 has a similar part-glazed door to the lobby with sidelight and fanlight with decorative glazing bars. Original joinery includes shutters to some windows.

Each house has a continuous balcony except to the right, where a verandah is fitted. All balconies and the verandah feature concentric circle motifs; the verandah has a frieze and tent roof. Spearhead railings run across the front and to the sides of the entrances, with similar gates to the basement areas; the stanchions are finished with urn finials. At Number 21 the railings were supplied by William Churchill, with urns marked with a four-leaf clover. Some bootscrapers remain.

The Berkeley family were prominent landowners in Cheltenham during the 19th century and provided a Liberal Member of Parliament for 60 years. Originally the houses had formal gardens in front; these now form public space. This is an early and substantial terrace retaining much of its original appearance, set well back from London Road (one of the main routes into Cheltenham), and forming an architectural unit with Numbers 1–9 (odd), Berkeley Place.