Description

PORTSMOUTH

SU6300 KING HENRY I STREET, Landport
774-1/8/271 University of Portsmouth, Park
25/09/72 Building & attached railings &
balustrade
(Formerly Listed as:
PARK ROAD
Polytechnic Physics Department and
Public Library)

II

Polytechnic physics department and public library, now
University departments of Physics, Pharmacy and Architecture.
1903-8. By GE Smith. Portland stone. Welsh slated roof, stone
stack on left and brick stack at centre on rear pitch. Flemish
and Renaissance motifs.
PLAN/EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, attic and raised semi-basement. 9
bays facing south and 7 bays to east. The 2 main south and
east facades are set at an obtuse angle with main entrance
splayed across corner. Each bay is flanked by a pilaster,
heavily rusticated to semi-basement and ground floor, Ionic
pilasters 2-storeys high to first and second floors, with
rusticated lower parts, cornice and parapet.
At entrance 22 stone steps approach a 2-leaf glazed and
panelled door set behind portico with fan-light under round
stone arch with rusticated keystone and spaced voussoirs.
Portal opening has similar round arch with flanking paired
Doric columns with rusticated lower parts and set on high
pedestal, relief sculpture between columns and to spandrel of
arch. Internally left and right returns have a round-arched
niche. Cornice and sillband to first floor.
On first and second floors is a large 2-storey tripartite
canted oriel with rusticated quoin strips, stone transom and
mullioned casement at centre to each floor with narrow
flanking casements. Second floor set under rusticated
segmental arch with keystone, cornice and parapet. Square
tower at third floor with casement set under round arch,
keystone and spaced voussoirs, flanking Ionic pilasters,
frieze and pediment; deep dentilled cornice surmounted by
stone cupola with splayed corners, each corner having
projecting paired Doric columns, entablature and curved
pediment. Broad copper dome with ship design wind vane.
To left and right of entrance and at far ends of each facade
is a half octagonal stairs turret corbelled at ground floor
and surmounted by a small octagonal dome with Ionic rusticated
columns and entablature. Each turret has a 10-pane casement to

ground and first floors, 8-pane to second floor, each set
under flat arch with curved pediment, rusticated jambs. Band
cornice and sill to first floor.
At centre of south facade and on first floor is an 8-pane
metal transomed and mullioned casement each is set under flat
stone arch with architrave. To left and to right and on first
floor is a tripartite window with centre 6-pane sash with
fixed 3-pane casement at head, narrow flanking sashes set
under flat stone arch with architrave. Further left and right
and over on first floor are 2 paired similar 6-pane sashes,
each sash on first floor has pulvinated frieze with cornice,
pediment over centre sash and cornice over flanking sashes.
Second floor sashes similar to first floor except each is set
under a segmental arch with keystone and spaced voussoirs.
Each of the 2 bays flanking the centre has a facing gable with
curved pediment and scrolls. Attic window is a 12-pane
casement set under flat arch with recessed round arch,
keystone, flanking Ionic pilasters with rusticated lower part.
The right return to east facade is similar but has two
3-storey canted bays and a paired Doric Columned Portal at
centre (former Library entrance).
INTERIOR: details of the original building are substantially
intact.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: On south attached ornate iron railings to
semi-basement well and stone balustrade to east.
(Balfour A: Portsmouth: London: 1970-: 68, 69; Lloyd DW:
Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs: Portsmouth: 1974-:
106, 107; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Lloyd D:
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Harmondsworth: 1967-: 447).

Listing NGR: SU6448001459

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26561759

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

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)