Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 27 February 2023 to remove superfluous source details from text, amended the description and to reformat the text to current standards

SO9421NW
630-1/17/504

CHELTENHAM
LYPIATT ROAD (east side)
Imperial House

12/03/55

GV
II
Villa, now offices. c1826-32; with later additions and alterations including c1960s range at rear of no special architectural interest. Architect: Edward Jenkins. Ashlar over brick with concealed roof. Double depth plan with central hall and service range to rear.

EXTERIOR: two storeys on basement, three first floor windows with single storey, five window range to left. Main range: end full-height Doric pilasters with crowning architrave, frieze and cornice with blocking course; central breakforward and ground floor tetrastyle Ionic porch with frieze, architrave and pediment; steps to six-panel double doors with overlight. Outer tripartite windows with one/one sashes, those to ground floor break forward and have outer pilasters, architrave frieze and cornice, those to first floor have cornices on consoles. Central first-floor one/one sash in tooled architrave with cornice on consoles. Range to left has tall one/one sashes with cornices on consoles; pilasters and crowning architrave, frieze and cornice with blocking course.

INTERIOR: retain a wealth of original features including open-well staircase with good iron balustrade with double scroll motif and wreathed handrail. Hall has acanthus modillions and egg-and-dart frieze. Drawing room to right has architrave for dividing doors, embellished cornices with acanthus motifs and ceiling frieze with grape motif, ceiling roses. Marble fireplaces. To left room a ceiling frieze with scroll motifs and white marble fireplace. First floor reputed to similarly retain original features.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Burlington House, Carrick House (qv), Compass House (qv), Imperial House, and Stanmer House (qv) form a distinguished group of villas along the east side of Lypiatt Road (marked on Merrett's Map of 1834 as Suffolk Lawn), all designed by Jenkins as part of the estate laid out for James Fisher and including Suffolk Square. Designs reputed to be in the Gloucester Record Office. Imperial House abuts Montpellier House, Suffolk Place (qv) to left.

Listing NGR: SO9433821730

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26537818

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

• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)