Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9421NE MONTPELLIER AVENUE
630-1/18/521 (West side)
12/03/55 Nos.7-11 (Consecutive)
Montpellier Arcade and attached
gates
(Formerly Listed as:
MONTPELLIER STREET
(East side)
Entrances to Montpellier Arcade and
Arcade Structure)
(Formerly Listed as:
MONTPELLIER STREET
(East side)
Nos.12-17 (Consecutive)
Montpellier Arcade)
(Formerly Listed as:
MONTPELLIER AVENUE
No.11)

GV II*

Includes: Nos.12-17 Montpellier Arcade MONTPELLIER STREET.
Shopping arcade, incorporating terrace of 5 shops with flats
over and entrance to Montpellier Avenue, 6 shops with flats
over to Montpellier Street and further entrance, with 2 pairs
of double gates. 1831-2 with later alterations including late
C19 and C20 ground-floor shop fronts and late C20
restorations. By RW and C Jearrad. Ashlar over brick with
mansard slate roof and brick stack, with iron gates.
PLAN: U-shaped with entrance to narrow side and to Montpellier
Avenue.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attic storey to centre of entrance
range and attic dormers to mansard; half basement to left
(Montpellier Street) side, 3 bays to entrance facade with 6
first-floor windows to left side and 8 to right. Main (south)
entrance range: central breakforward has 2 tall round arches
on Doric pilasters with dentil cornices, arches have tooled
head and keystones; the right arch is open, the left arch has
glazed shop front and fanlight with radial glazing bars; above
arches a frieze inscribed 'MONTPELLIER ARCADE', and cornice
which continues across side ranges, upper stage at centre has
3 pilasters (to centre and ends) and two 1/1 sashes at left
and 2/2 sash to right, with crowning cornice breaking forward
as capitals to pilasters and anthemion acroteria to centre and
ends of blocking course. Outer bays have ground-floor shop
fronts, that to right has bevelled glass and central pilaster

mullion between pilasters; first floor has 3/6 and 3/3 sashes
with tooled architraves and cornices on console brackets;
crowning balustrade at left; 3/3 sashes to attic dormers.
Returns (alike) have outer bays breaking forwards. To right
(east) side an entrance below 7th window. Pilasters between
ground-floor shop windows and to entrance and doorways, frieze
and cornice, with dentils to left side; first-floor sill band
(interrupted by windows in places), tooled architraves to
first-floor windows, those to outer breakforwards have
cornices on console brackets. First floor has 2/2, 3/3 and 3/6
sashes, all in plain reveals. Attics have 3/3 sashes.
Ground-floor shop fronts: mainly plate glass panels with
slender fluted half-columnar mullions with Corinthian caps,
friezes have 3-light, round-headed windows; part-glazed doors
and double-doors with overlights.
INTERIOR: the centre of the Arcade is a walkway, lit to rear
by skylight; similar pilasters, frieze and dentil cornice
articulate the ground floor with inner arcade of 2 round
arches with keystones; the entrance ceiling is arched and has
ceiling rose. The first floor has mainly 6/6 sashes in plain
reveals. Renewed shop fronts, except to No.13 which has
multi-paned window on plinth and forms a model for the rest.
Interiors of shops retain some original plasterwork including
embellished cornices, No.13 also has staircase with stick
balusters. Otherwise not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: double entrance gates have tall bars with
fleurs-de-lys finials and frieze to lower part, ramped down to
centre; with hinge posts made of similar railings.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the arcade belongs to the first stage of the
Montpellier shopping development; originally the Arcade had 16
shops. One of the earlier provincial English shopping arcades
pre-dated by, but more complete than, Upper and Lower Arcade,
Bristol (1825) and contemporary with Royal Arcade, Newcastle.
It belongs to Geist's 'Period of Fashion' arcades (1820-40),
the first period being that of Invention (pre-1820).
Rowe's Guide to Cheltenham written in 1845 but published in
1850 indicates that these were occupied (from right to left)
by Crux and Chillcott, Montpellier Silk Mercery and Lace
Establishment; entrance to Arcade; Mrs Elliot, Corset and Stay
Maker. He wrote of the Arcade, 'although not extensive, yet
presents a pleasing coup d'oeil from the upper entrance. It is
furnished with shops and lighted by a glazed roof'.
(Rowe G: Illustrated Cheltenham Guide: Cheltenham: 1850-1969:
24; Blake S: 'The Building of the Montpellier Shops':
Cheltenham Local History Society Journal: 1984-; Geist JF:
Arcades The History of a Building Type: London: 1985-).

Listing NGR: SO9450421981

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535428

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)