Clarence House And Attached Railings

CLARENCE HOUSE AND ATTACHED RAILINGS, PROMENADE, CHELTENHAM

A villa, now offices, built circa 1830–34. The building is sometimes attributed to JB Papworth, though more probably designed by John Forbes. It is constructed of stucco over brick with a concealed roof, four tall stucco chimney stacks to the ends of the main range, and iron balcony railings probably by Marshalls featuring a motif derived from LN Cottingham.

The plan is double-depth with a hallway to the left side. The exterior presents two storeys with a basement. The principal elevation comprises three bays, with the end bays being lower in height. The first-floor windows are arranged in a 1:3:1 pattern, and a single-storey entrance bay is set back to the left. The central three-window range projects forward and rises taller than the flanking sections.

The stucco detailing is extensive. The central range has end Doric pilasters to both ground and first floors. Single pilasters between windows flank each floor at the ends; those to the ground floor are Doric and surmounted by a shaped frieze forming an elliptically-arched arcade over the windows with a cornice above, while those to the first floor are Ionic and surmounted by an entablature. The lower end ranges feature end Doric pilasters running through both ground and first floors, with frieze and cornice. All windows are 6/6 sashes throughout the house. Those to the basement have margin-lights. All windows sit in plain reveals with sills; the outer ground-floor windows have floating cornices. The entrance to the left comprises a flight of six roll-edged steps leading to a double four-panel door with overlight. The door surround consists of Doric pilasters and an architrave that continues to the return.

The rear elevation has a first-floor band interrupted by full-height pilaster strips between windows and at the ends, topped with an entablature. The left return features four first-floor windows, with the outer windows blind; the remaining windows are 6/6 sashes.

The interior retains an open-well staircase with rod and central bobbin balusters and a wreathed handrail. The hall is reputed to retain original plasterwork including a guilloche-moulded cornice. Several marble fireplaces survive, and original joinery remains throughout, including panelled shutters.

The ground floor features a continuous balcony along the main range with a scroll and anthemion motif, with tent roofs on brackets over each bay. The railings to the sides of the entrance steps incorporate a heart and anthemion motif, while a lyre and heart grille appears to the right return. Further railings with a scroll motif abut the front and rear for short stretches.

The Promenade was laid out in 1818 as a tree-lined avenue extending from the Colonnade in the High Street to Sherborne Spa, located on the site of the Queen's Hotel. By 1826 it had become a carriage drive with spacious gravelled walks on either side. Buildings on the north-west side were the first to be developed in this area. Clarence House is shown on Merrett's Map of 1834 and forms part of an outstanding group of villas overlooking Imperial Gardens, including Nos 121 and 123, 125 and 127, 129 and 131, and The Queen's Hotel on the Promenade.