History in Structure

Montpellier Arcade Montpellier Arcade and Attached Gates

A Grade II* Listed Building in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8963 / 51°53'46"N

Longitude: -2.0812 / 2°4'52"W

OS Eastings: 394509

OS Northings: 221976

OS Grid: SO945219

Mapcode National: GBR 2MB.2N4

Mapcode Global: VH947.WL3N

Plus Code: 9C3VVWW9+GG

Entry Name: Montpellier Arcade Montpellier Arcade and Attached Gates

Listing Date: 12 March 1955

Last Amended: 26 November 1998

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1245181

English Heritage Legacy ID: 474989

ID on this website: 101245181

Location: Bays Hill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50

County: Gloucestershire

District: Cheltenham

Electoral Ward/Division: Lansdown

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Cheltenham

Traditional County: Gloucestershire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Gloucestershire

Church of England Parish: Cheltenham, St Mary with St Matthew

Church of England Diocese: Gloucester

Tagged with: Arcade

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Cheltenham

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

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