Oriel Terrace Numbers 1 To 4 With Mews Arch And Attached Railings

Oriel Terrace comprises a group of four houses built in 1826, located on Oriel Road in Cheltenham. The houses are constructed with stucco over brick, featuring brick stacks, and incorporate iron railings, first-floor verandahs, and a rear window guard. They are arranged with a double-depth plan, with two-storey ranges at the rear.

The terrace is three stories high with basements, presenting sixteen first-floor windows (three per house except for four on the right side). Architectural detailing includes rustication on the ground floor, with voussoirs incorporated into the arched entrances. There is a crowning frieze and cornice, finished with a blocking course. The original windows are predominantly 6/6 and 2/2 horizontal-pane sash windows, with taller sashes on the first floor; basement windows have 3/3 and 3/6 sashes and more recent doors. Two entrances are on the left and two on the right, accessed by original roll-edged steps leading to six-panel doors with fluted surrounds, raised and fielded upper panels, and lower panels. The doors are accompanied by side-lights and fanlights with batwing and circular glazing bars. The rear elevation retains both 6/6 sashes, some with margin lights, and 8/8 sashes. Number 4 features a first-floor bow window with an 8/8 sash, curved on plan, set within a tooled architrave. Numbers 1 and 4 have round-arched 6/6 staircase sashes with radial glazing to the heads; the window to Number 1 has margin lights. The left return includes four first-floor windows and a service range, incorporating a 6/6 sash and blind openings.

Internally, the houses retain original features. Number 4 includes an open-well staircase with stick balusters and a wreathed handrail, six-panel doors (some with embellished panels and within tooled architraves with cornices), shuttered windows, and plasterwork including a modillion cornice with acanthus to the hall and acanthus cornices to the front rooms. Marble fireplaces are also present, though the interior has not been comprehensively inspected. The first-floor verandahs feature the Carron Company’s distinctive double-heart-and-anthemion motif, along with Gothic arcades and ornate scroll friezes with tent roofs. The bow window at the rear of Number 4 has a window guard with an elongated scroll motif. Bootscrapers are scrolled across the front except at Number 1. The area railings for Numbers 1 and 3 feature a scrolled double heart motif. Forecourt railings and gates for Numbers 1 and 2 display fleurs de lys to the heads and urns inscribed "WHEELER." Numbers 3 and 4 have arrowhead railings and gates with acorn and double scroll finials, and heart and quatrefoil motifs to the hinge posts.