Royal Clarence House

BRIDGWATER

ST2937SE HIGH STREET 736-1/10/94 (North side) 24/03/50 No.8 and Royal Clarence House (Formerly Listed as: HIGH STREET (North side) Royal Clarence Hotel incorporating No.8)

GV II

Hotel. c1834, converted into shopping centre in 1980s. Probably by Benjamin Baker. Painted Flemish-bond brick, stone blocking course, cornice (repaired with wood), cills and porch; pantile roof with brick stacks to right and centre of ridge. L-shaped plan. 3 storeys with attic; 17-window range to High Street and York Buildings. Four C20 dormers to the front. The High Street facade is symmetrical 6-window range, a curved bay to the right-hand corner has 2 windows and the rest are on the right return in York Street. The main block of 9 windows has a cornice and blocking course; 3/6-pane sashes to second floor and 6/9-panes to full-height sashes on first floor, except 2 to right which have higher cills and that to far right is blind. To centre of street front is a portico with paired Ionic columns and late C19 cast-iron railings above; to centre is a low-relief cast-iron plaque of the town arms with a castle on a bridge, a star and a fleur-de-lys, to left the words "R.C.Mayor", to right "Esq"; it was formerly on the old cast-iron Town Bridge (qv). The moulding of cornice of portico continues across main building as a string course. No.8 to left, now part of the hotel, has separate stucco facade of similar date with painted stone cornices, blocking course, pilasters, cill band and dressings. 4 storeys; symmetrical one-window range. Above the C20 shop front a semicircular recess with moulded archivolt and imposts frames a 6/3-pane sash window, probably formerly 6/6-panes truncated by the shop fascia; above is a 3/6-pane sash, both flanked by pilasters supporting a substantial cornice. Attic storey has a 3/3-pane sash window, panelled pilasters, cornice and blocking course. INTERIOR: the first floor retains some 6-panel doors, moulded cornices, reeded cornices and dado rail; especially room to curved corner which also has a high skirting board; closed-string dogleg service stair to rear has stick balusters and turned newels. This was noted as the principal coaching inn in Bridgwater. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: South and West Somerset: London: 1958-: 98; VCH: Somerset: London: 1992-: 203).

Listing NGR: ST2980637071