Mount Sorrell and Attached Railings

This is a villa with attached railings, built between 1851 and 1854. It’s part of the Pittville area of Cheltenham, and was originally conceived as Beaufort Place and later named West Spa Approach. It was not part of the initial estate plan by John Forbes. The villa was initially known as No. 1 Beaufort Villa. It forms a group with nearby villas including Beaufort, Cleeve House, Homewood, and Park Gate.

The building is constructed of stucco over brick, with a hipped slate roof and stucco stacks at the ends and rear. It has a double-depth plan with a service range behind. The exterior features stucco detailing, including quoins at the corners, tooled architraves to the windows (with ears, shoulders and feet on the first floor and cornices on console brackets on the ground floor), a moulded sill band above the ground floor, a moulded band above the first floor, a dentil cornice at the top of the building, and a similar cornice to the porch. The first floor has 1/1 sash windows; the ground floor has 9- and 6-pane windows in the 20th century, retaining their original blind boxes. A concealed basement exists beneath the building. An attic dormer in the centre has casement windows.

A flight of roll-edged steps leads to a round-arched entrance with a tooled head on imposts. This opening contains a four-panel double door with a fanlight featuring radial glazing. A three-bay blind arcade with a tooled arch on imposts is located on the right return of the porch. The rear of the building retains 6/6 sash windows and a larger 12/12 staircase sash. The interior remains unexamined.

A balcony on the ground floor is supported by plinths with embellished rods. Railings to the side of the steps have a low balustrade and an end pier with a cornice and a carved basket of flowers.