Cornerways (Cheltenham And Gloucester College Of Higher Education)

Villa, built circa 1839-50, designed by SW Daukes, and later used as part of Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education. The building is constructed of stucco over brick, with a slate roof, tall brick and stucco ridge stacks with cornices, and an iron balcony. It is an Italianate style villa, with an irregular plan approximating a ‘T’ shape, including additional ranges and a tower.

The two-storey villa, with an attic to the right and a gabled range to the front, features a four-storey tower-porch at a corner. Stucco detailing includes horizontal rustication to the ground floor on the left return, a moulded first-floor band, and imposts and keystones to the round-arched windows. The windows are predominantly 1/1 sashes. The entrance to the base of the tower is marked by a six-fielded-panel door, with a round-arched window to the left. The tower has paired round-arched windows to the first floor, featuring cross-shaped lights above, wide eaves supported by brackets, and two round-arched openings with keystones and imposts to each side of the upper stage. A broken pedimented gabled range to the right has two round-arched first-floor windows and a canted bay with casement windows to the ground floor, plus a casement window to the attic. A similar gabled range to the left return has two 1/1 sashes to the ground floor and round-arched windows to the first floor. An infill is visible on the right return where a similar gabled range stands. Wide eaves are supported by brackets.

The interior retains numerous original features, including a central dogleg staircase with an oak balustrade, highlighted by a lion's paw newel. Original joinery includes shutters to windows and panelled doors. Fireplaces are also present, along with plasterwork featuring deep coving and cornices.

The balcony to the tower is decorated with a 'U' motif.

The site, part of The Park, was originally laid out by Thomas Billings in 1833 as a tree-lined oval drive with an oval park. Samuel Daukes continued the development from 1839, influenced by schemes for Regent's Park in London. Cornerways was reportedly built as the zoo-keeper’s house and as a prominent feature visible from the zoological garden. The building subsequently bore the names 'The Park Spa', 'Florence Villa', and 'Gonia'. It later served as a doctor's surgery before becoming part of St Mary's Training College in 1968. The building occupies an important crossroads location.