Numbers 121 And 123 And Attached Railings

NUMBERS 121 AND 123 AND ATTACHED RAILINGS, PROMENADE, CHELTENHAM

Pair of semi-detached villas, now offices, with attached railings, dating from around 1834–40, as shown on Merrett's Map of 1834. Possibly designed by John Forbes.

EXTERIOR

The buildings are constructed in ashlar over brick with a concealed roof and central and end brick and stucco stacks, featuring an iron balcony. They comprise two storeys with an attic and basement. The first floor has eight windows arranged in the pattern 1:1:4:1:1.

The plan is of double depth with outer side hallways. The ends and centre feature breakforwards: the end sections have Composite-type pilasters rising through the ground and first floors and topped by a continuous entablature. The central six-window range has ground-floor horizontal rustication, drawn into voussoirs over the central four windows, with a first-floor band. The outer windows have tooled architraves; those on the ground floor have cambered heads and cornices on console brackets, whilst those to the first floor are eared. The central four first-floor windows have tooled architraves and cornices; other first-floor windows have panels above.

The outer ground-floor windows are tripartite, comprising 6/6 sashes between 2/2 sashes. The first-floor outer windows are 6/6 with margin-lights. Other windows are 6/6 sashes, taller to the ground floor. Those to the centre ground floor sit within wider elliptically-arched recesses. The attic contains two tripartite windows with mainly 2/2 sashes and casements. The basement has 6/6 and 8/8 sashes.

Outer entrances consist of double four-panel doors with overlights featuring lozenge glazing bars and margin-lights, set within pilastered doorcases.

The rear elevation features five Doric pilasters rising through the ground and first floors at the ends and between pairs of windows, topped by a continuous crowning entablature. Windows are 6/6 sashes, taller to the ground floor, with 3/3 sashes to the attic.

INTERIOR

The interior retains original plasterwork, including an acanthus cornice and anthemion ceiling frieze to the ground-floor front room, together with ceiling roses. A dogleg staircase features iron balusters, alternately embellished and plain stick balusters. Some marble fireplaces remain. Original joinery includes four-panel doors and panelled shutters to windows.

RAILINGS AND SUBSIDIARY FEATURES

The continuous balcony, probably by Marshalls, features an embellished scrolled heart motif derived from L.N. Cottingham. Railings to the sides of the steps are alternately embellished and plain sticks.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Forbes acquired the plot of No. 129 Promenade in 1833. The Promenade was laid out in 1818 as a tree-lined avenue leading to the Sherborne Spa (on the site of the Queen's Hotel) from the Colonnade on the High Street. By 1826 it had become a carriage drive with spacious gravelled walks on each side. Buildings on the north-west side were developed first. Nos. 121 and 123 form part of a distinguished group of semi-detached villas with Nos. 125 and 127, and Nos. 129 and 131 Promenade, which together with No. 133 and The Queen's Hotel overlook Imperial Gardens.