Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 25 July 2025 to amend the name and address and description due to change in building use, and reformat the text to current standards

SO9422SE
630-1/13/298

CHELTENHAM
CRESCENT PLACE (west side)
John Dower House and attached railings

(Formerly listed as John Dower House (Countryside Commission) and attached railings,
previously listed as: CRESCENT PLACE (West side) John Dower House (Forestry Commission) and No.2)

(Formerly Listed as: CLARENCE STREET (South side) No.42, Carr's Hotel)

12/03/55

GV
II
Formerly known as: Old Police Station CRESCENT PLACE.

Former hotel, offices (at time of listing) later converted to apartments, and attached railings. c1820-5, shown as laid out on the Post Office Map of 1820; with c1960s extensionto rear. Ashlar over brick, stucco at right, with concealed roof and brick end stacks, with wrought and iron window guards and railings.

PLAN: building in two sections, with main six window range to right, double depth plan with central hallway (to main range), service wings to rear and rear staircase bow to full height.

EXTERIOR: four storeys with basement, eight first floor windows, arranged 2:6. Ashlar detailing includes first, second, and third floor bands; crowning entablature and blocking course. Ground, first and second floors have 6/6 sashes (taller to first floor); second floor has 3/3 sashes. Basement has 6/6 sashes. Main range has central Ionic porch, with coupled columns and entablature with sculptured Royal Coat of Arms above, within are six-fielded-panel double doors with fanlight Twowith batwing and circle glazing bars. Two outer entrances: six-fielded-panel doors with divided overlights. Rear: 6/6 and 8/8 sashes where original, with flat arches of red rubbed brick, some in tooled surrounds.

INTERIOR: the two sections of the building are linked by curved corridors, giving curved rooms at rear. Main range has central lobby with double doors (c1960) in fluted architrave with sidelights and continuous fanlight with batwing and circle glazing bars, fluted architrave has flowers to corners, embellished cornice has acanthus modillions and fleurons between; entrance hall with curved open-well staircase to full height with stick balusters and wreathed handrail, occupyingfull-height bow. Original joinery remains including six-fielded panel doors, with fluted architraves and flowers to corners, and some panelled shutters (now painted in). Original plasterwork includes first floor cornices with dentils to first floor main room and modillion cornice to entrance hall. Range to left has further narrow-open-well staircase with rod and bobbin balusters and wreathed handrail.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: spearhead area railings and to sides of steps incorporate brackets for oil lamps with lyre motif. First floor individual balconies have interlaced-circle motif.

HISTORICAL NOTE: originally Liddell's Boarding House, this was the first structure of any size to be built specifically in Cheltenham for its Spa visitors. In 1827 Adelaide, Duchess of Clarence (later to become Queen Consort to William IV) stayed here during a tour of the country, hence the Royal Coat of Arms (of a type used 1816-37). The building was renamed the Clarence Hotel in her honour. It became the Court House and Police Station in 1859 and remained as such until 1970. The building was renamed by the Countryside Commission when it moved into the premises (1974) in honour of one of the leading pioneers of national parks in England and Wales.

Forms a group with No.2, Crescent Place (qv) and No.42, Clarence Street (qv).
(The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 134; Chatwin A: Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham: 1975-1984: 26, 61).

Listing NGR: SO9471122450

External Links

• Wikidata Q26398244

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

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)