Description

CAMDEN

TQ2884NE PRINCE OF WALES ROAD
798-1/54/1349 (North side)
14/05/74 St Pancras Public Baths and attached
railings and walls

II

Public baths, swimming baths & launderette, formerly with wash
house and public hall. 1898-1900. By TW Aldwinckle; interior
altered and modernised 1960. Red brick with terracotta bands
and dressings. Steeply pitched slate roofs. Large rectangular
block in free Tudor/Francois Premier style.
EXTERIOR: main block, fronting Prince of Wales Road, 3 storeys
and attics; 2 storeys and single storey buildings at rear.
Asymmetrical facade with recessed stair turrets terminating in
conical roofs at angles. Right hand bay with triple-arcaded
entrances each having double part-glazed panelled doors and
patterned fanlight. Keystones and intermittent bands to
architraved arch heads. Dentil terracotta frieze with scrolled
acanthus enrichment at 1st floor sill level, continuing around
the main block, here with "Public Hall" in gold coloured Art
Nouveau lettering above central entrance. Upper floors with 3
architraved 2-light transom and mullion small paned windows;
1st floor with cornices; 2nd floor with cornices extending up
into segmental hoods over niches between windows containing
statues of St Pancras and St George. Venetian type attic
window in large gable, stepped at base, and terminating with a
segmental pediment. Central bay with central round-arched
terracotta entrance of three quarter columns supporting
architraved head with keystone and intermittent bands. From
impost level pilasters, terminating in mythical creatures,
flank a triangular pediment with a cartouche in the tympanum
inscribed "Men's First Class". In the spandrels, reclining
river gods, left hand with bas relief of Tower Bridge in
background. Cast-iron gates to impost height; recessed
doorways replaced by brick walls with 2 windows each. Entrance
flanked by architraved 3 light transom and mullion windows.
1st floor sill frieze with "St. Pancras Public Baths" in Art
Nouveau lettering above this and left hand bay. Architraved
Venetian type 5-light transom and mullion window above
entrance and two 3-light transom and mullion windows at 2nd
floor level.
Left hand bay with similar entrance; cartouche inscribed
"Men's Second Class" and reclining figures of Aqua and Eura in
the spandrels. Similar 1st floor window and 3-light Venetian
type window at 2nd floor level. Bay terminates in small gable

with segmental pediment. Narrow single light window to left on
each floor. Behind right hand gable roof rises to a 2 stage
lantern terminating with ogee lead canopy. Tall enriched brick
chimney-stacks.
Right hand return to Willes Road with 2 gabled bays similar to
Public Hall entrance; 11 bay buttressed baths facade with 3
entrances and blind arcading at 1st floor level. 2 storey
extension with entrance and 5-light bay window to 1st and 2nd
floor with cast-iron colonnettes.
Left hand return to Grafton Road with 1960 entrance; central
block with massive crow stepped gable terminating with
segmental pediment. Stone surround to central blind entrance
with enriched panel; brick bands at ground floor level.
5-light Venetian type window in projecting bay above with
dentil cornice and enriched panel dated 1900; flanked by blind
arcading with triangular pediments. Left hand block with 2
plainer terracotta entrances flanking a 4-light oriel window.
Right hand entrance inscribed "Ladies Baths".
INTERIOR not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached cast-iron railings on low
sleeper walls to areas. Foundation stone on right hand angle
dated 13 May 1900.

Listing NGR: TQ2878684766

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26432031

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)