Benton (Cheltenham And Gloucester College)

CHELTENHAM

SO9420NW THE PARK 630-1/26/900 (East side) 12/03/55 No.21 Benton (Cheltenham and Gloucester College) (Formerly Listed as: THE PARK No.21 Benton Lodge)

GV II

Villa, now college. 1851. Stucco over brick with hipped slate roof with off-centre ridge stack and iron verandah and balconies. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with basement and attic, 3 first-floor windows; extension to rear. Stucco detailing includes quoins to angles at ground floor, first-floor band, pilasters to ends at first floor; windows have tooled architraves. Flight of roll-edged steps to central entrance a 4-panel, part-glazed door within porch with 2 pairs of fluted Doric pilasters, architrave, frieze with triglyphs and metopes, cornice with guttae and blocking course; sides of porch have glazing with margin-lights containing coloured glass. Ground floor has tripartite windows with 1/1 sashes. First floor has 1/1 sashes; some blind boxes remain to first floor. Basement has 3/3 sashes where original. Right return has 3 first-floor windows. First floor has 1/1 sashes; ground floor has tall 2/2 sashes; attic roof dormer has casement window. Left return has rectangular bay to ground floor with tripartite window with 2/2 sashes and pilasters between. INTERIOR: not inspected. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: front facade has ground-floor balconies with elaborate scroll-and-lozenge motif, also tent hoods on ornate brackets. Right return has continuous verandah with Carron Company double-heart-and-anthemion motif balustrade and openwork frieze, scroll motif to uprights. HISTORICAL NOTE: The Park had been laid out by 1833 by its owner Thomas Billings as an oval tree-lined drive with a central park which for a short period in the mid-C19 became a zoological garden. In 1839 the development was bought by Samuel Daukes who continued the building. This is one of the principal developments influenced by White's and Nash's schemes for Regent's Park, London (1809-11). Originally known as The Elms, during the C19 this was the home of Bishop T Dunn. Bought by St Mary's College in 1944.

(Sampson A and Blake S: A Cheltenham Companion: Cheltenham: 1993-: 36,92; Merrett HS: Plan of the Town of Cheltenham: 1834-; Girouard M: The English Town: 1990-: 270-271; Sampson A: The Historic Buildings of Cheltenham and Gloucester College).

Listing NGR: SO9419820869