Killowen House, The Limes And De La Bere House And Attached Railings

Killowen House, The Limes and De La Bere House and attached railings, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham

A semi-detached villa, now converted to 3 offices, built c1839-50, probably designed by Samuel Onley, with a probable addition to the left dating from c1880-90. The building is constructed in brick with stucco facades and a slate roof, with iron railings attached.

The exterior displays an asymmetrical neo-Classical design across 2 storeys with a basement. The main front is organised in 6 bays with 9 first-floor windows arranged 2:1:1:3:1:1. The first 2 bays feature an open-pedimented gable. The 4th bay is recessed and contains Doric pilasters clasping the angles, along with 2 giant fluted Ionic columns in antis. The right end bay is set back. Doric pilasters separate the bays and stand at the angles. A first-floor band with recessed panels runs across the facade. Window aprons are present to the first floor of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th bays.

The windows are predominantly 2/2 sashes with lugs, with 6/6 sashes to the right, all set in plain reveals. The 1st bay windows have cambered surrounds. The 3rd bay contains tripartite windows on each floor. The 5th bay has tripartite windows—one per floor, with 6/6 sashes between 2/2 sashes; the ground floor version includes a blind box. Some windows have sills on feet. The basement contains mainly 10/10 sashes.

Two entrances punctuate the main facade. The entrance to the 2nd bay comprises double fielded-panel doors with side-lights and a continuous overlight in a cambered recess. The 4th bay entrance consists of a 4-panel door flanked by side-lights and pilasters, with a frieze and overlight featuring fretwork glazing bars above.

A continuous cornice crowns the main facade. The attic at the left has two 2/2 sashes with cambered heads flanking a central round-arched 2/2 sash with keystone. The remaining attic section has a continuous balustrade with bulbous balusters. Two hipped roofs cover the structure.

The right return has 2 storeys on a basement with attics arranged in 3 bays, with a 4th blind bay set back at the right. Doric pilasters separate the bays and stand at the angles, while the central bay is recessed. A flight of roll-edged steps leads to double fielded-panel doors between pilasters. These doors have side-lights with margin glazing, a frieze, and an overlight with fretwork. Above is a 6/6 sash, and the outer bays contain tripartite windows with 6/6 sashes between 2/2 sashes; those to the first floor have aprons. A sill band, frieze, cornice, and balustrade complete this elevation. Concealed attic dormers are present.

The interior includes a staircase (to Killowen House at the left) featuring stick balusters and a lion-paw newel. The remainder of the interior was not fully inspected during listing.

Subsidiary features include stick balusters along the sides of the steps leading to the entrance of the 4th bay and across the basement to the main facade, and also to the entrance on the return.

This is a bold neo-Classical design, comparable to Bayshill House and Lingwood House.

The building forms part of the Bayshill estate, which was developed by a joint stock company that purchased land from the Skillicorne family in 1837. By 1843, Henry Davies' Guide to Cheltenham described 'a number of detached villas .. several of which are occupied by resident families of affluence and station, and others are in an unfinished state.' Around 1845 the company became bankrupt, and architect Samuel Onley purchased much Bayshill property. Later historians have suggested that other houses in Bayshill Road were built to his designs. This house has been considered part of a 'superb group (of villas) that make Bayshill Road one of the great roads for architecture in all England'.