Graham Court

TEWKESBURY

SO8933 OLDBURY ROAD 859-1/5/320 (East side) Graham Court

II

Includes: No.2 HOLLAMS ROAD. Flats and houses, originally hospital, later Council offices. c1874, by JH Middleton. Brickwork, large bricks in English bond, ashlar dressings, timber-framing, tile roofs, brick stacks. A complex picturesque composition, the front block in Ruskinian Gothic, with long return wing to Hollams Road in timber-framing above brick with jetties and broad gable towards garden. Main front steps forward from left, with 2 steep-pitched gables to right. At left is 2-light cusped Decorated window at mid-height in half-hipped face dormer, and in internal corner a pent-roofed timber-framed porch over large framed plank door, enclosed in late C20 glazing. Right half in 2 storeys has 3-light cusped plate tracery window with 4-foil above 3-light casement with stone mullions; 2-light casement in set-back centre section, then repeat of gable, but with 6-foil to plate of 3-light. Gables with raised coped verges and kneelers, blue and red brick paired voussoirs to first-floor lights and segmental arc-de-decharge at ground floor, blue brick bands, plinth. Right return is 2-gabled, the first with 3-light above 3-light as front gables. Return to Hollams Road in 2 storeys; a half-hipped brought forward gable with two 2-light pointed windows at each level to segmental pointed voussoirs, then 3-window unit with 2:3:3-light casements breaking through eaves line to slight raked dormer, above similar to ground floor, all these wood casements, with segmental arch over brick spandrel. To left, slightly brought forward a 2-window unit with blocked former doorway. Large stack to right, and to left gable. The garden (S) front has bold gable in patterned framing, with 4-light small-paned casement with transom, jettied over brickwork with similar 5-light window; to right of gable in small panel framing a 3-light, and at ground floor pair of doors in keeping. To the right on the main front, formerly separated, but now linked by C20 flat-roofed unit, a former kitchen range in brick with tiled roof, and with raised central lantern; an important reminder of the original institutional use, and excellent example of its kind. INTERIOR retains original stair to open well with heavy balustrade and octagonal newels and flat moulded balusters under double rail. Stained glass to window subscribed 'He went about doing good'. Heavy entrance door is framed ledged braced and battened, with original furniture. This is a very bold piece of work, externally in excellent condition, having survived three changes of use. Middleton is better known for his Gothic Revival villas and churches in Cheltenham: this is an interesting example in a more eclectic style.

Listing NGR: SO8952833093