Description

HARWICH

TM2531 MAIN ROAD, Dovercourt
609-1/7/194 (North West side)
20/06/72 Tower Hotel
(Formerly Listed as:
MAIN ROAD, Dovercourt
(North side)
The Towers)

II

Large house, now hotel. 1885. Gault brick with Roman cement
dressings with roof concealed behind balustrade. Main block of
2 storeys with tower at north corner.
EXTERIOR: main front is of 3 wide bays marked by rusticated
strip pilasters. Balustrade treated as plain parapet over
centre bay and cornices at each floor level. On first floor,
each outer bay has 2 segmental-headed windows as 2-light
casements with fanlight with moulded surrounds and
vermiculated keystones. The sills project on consoles and
floral frieze below cornice. Central bay has 2 plain
segmental-headed windows. Similar outer ground-floor bays.
Central ground floor bay has semicircular-arched entrance with
spandrel filled with wrought-iron grille over plain glass
fanlight. Small vertical window either side and circular
windows over in Serliana-like arrangement. Horizontal cornices
continue on all elevations and NE elevation has canted bay and
semicircular-headed windows.
The tower is of 4 stages, with banded rusticated edge strips
and 2 narrow semicircular-headed windows on ground and first
floors. A narrow stage at balustrade level has 3 small
rectangular openings in each exposed face and band of running
foliage. The upper stage has balustrade and modillioned
cornice and wide opening of 5 semicircular-headed arches with
keystones on ringed columns (cast-iron?) with glazing behind.
Iron guard rail in front with scallop pattern.
South-west elevation is of 2 wide bays with 6 segmental-headed
windows on first floor and 3 on ground floor with square
projecting bay window with corner pilasters. Single-storey
block of NW corner with similar detail.
INTERIOR: entrance lobby has infill screen of 2 free-standing
Corinthian columns against similar pilasters, 14 glazed panels
over and floor of encaustic tiles. Ceiling has elaborate rose
and cornice with lions' heads. Entrance hall has 4 pedimented
doorcases, each door with 9 panels and panelled reveals and
soffits. Imperial staircase with heavy cylindrical decorated
newels and ball finials. Balustrade of pierced metal panels
mounted on tread-ends.
Present dining room to NW has door with eared architraves. Of
3 bays, the centre leading to bay window. Fluted Tuscan
pilasters supporting brackets and ceiling beams. Panelled
plaster ceiling with circular central motif and pendants.
Frieze of painted plaster with ribboned swags and central
motif of female head central on each side. Purple marble
fireplace with lateral consoles and elaborate fluted
Corinthian overmantel with 4 columns, central segmental
pediment and in this a quartered shield with 1885 and initials
MEG and JRP (John Robson Pattrick, owner).
Room to SE has Adamesque ceiling with circular motif. Slightly
coved frieze with swags and foliage. 2 rooms, now linked, to
SE, one with coved plaster ceiling with grotesques and
naturalistic birds. 2 marble fireplaces with mantel shelves,
one with consoles and one with eared architrave and consoles.

Listing NGR: TM2528031497

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26500524

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

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990