Description

WEYMOUTH

SY6879NW ESPLANADE 873-1/18/159 (West side) 12/12/53 Prince Regent Hotel, Victoria Terrace (Formerly Listed as: ESPLANADE Nos.132-146 (Consecutive) The Prince Regent Hotel (No.139))

GV II

Shown on OS map as Burdon Hotel. Hotel. 1855-56 (BOE). Portland ashlar front, rendered returns, and brickwork to the service block in Victoria Street; slate roofs. PLAN: the central unit of the terrace, with Nos 1-7 to the left, and Nos 8-15 to the right (qv). EXTERIOR: the front block, in 4 storeys, attic and basement is linked by a single-storey corridor to a full-width service block and ballroom at the rear, in 2 storeys, but set at the lower level of Victoria Street which parallels the Esplanade. The Esplanade front, although built at the same time as the adjacent wings, is very differently treated, looking forward to Victorian-style rather than back to the Regency. 2+3+2 windows, the middle section stepped slightly forward, and with full attic. All windows are sashes, either 4-paned or plain. At attic level are two 2-light dormers with arched lights and slightly cambered roofing either side of the raised ashlar attic with grouped 2+3+2 arched sashes. Second and third floors have 2 paired sashes in the wings, and grouped 2+3+2 sashes to the centre, those at second floor having moulded floating cornices. The lower 2 floors and the basement have canted bays, to a balustraded top; at the centre is a triple sash to first floor, above a bold square portico on paired columns on pedestals, and pilaster responds on 6 steps, with plain architrave and balcony balustrade. The central C20 doors are under a transom light, and are flanked with side sashes. Spearhead cast-iron railings run full width, returned at the ends, and stopped to the pedestals of the portico columns. Cill bands to the ground and third floors, and moulded cornices, full-width, and carried round the bays above ground and first floors. The centre unit has a plain frieze and cornice on heavy modillions, and the lower wings have cement-rendered blocking-courses. Rusticated quoins to the ends and the centre

unit. 6 large stacks to the double-ridged roof. The rear, mainly concealed by the lower building, is rendered, and has various dormers. Block to rear, with carriage-house, is in 9 bays; the ground floor, in ashlar with rubble returns, has a series of segmental arches with flush voussoirs over wide plank doors, to plain surrounds, but the centre bay is open, to a through-way to the main building. Above, in brick, the bays, divided by pilasters, contain a deep 2-light casement with transom, and with horizontal bars, under segmental heads, to a sill band with aprons below, and a keystone carried through as a brick pilaster to the entablature below the hipped eaves roof. The inner wall, facing the back of the main range, includes 2 large hipped canted bay windows with sashes having only horizontal bars; these light the ballroom. INTERIOR: 2-room depth with continuous central corridor, and staircase, with inserted lift-shaft, at the rear, left of the lobby. The entrance lobby has a modillion cornice, and gives to the central corridor and stairwell through an elliptical arch on panelled pilasters and with panelled soffit. The principal ground-floor room to the left has an egg-and-dart cornice, and an Adamesque fireplace, and to the right is a heavy stone Victorian fireplace with consoles. The formerly open-well staircase with quarter landings and some winders, has Doric newels, stick balusters, and a large wreathed handrail; a top landing has an arched sash with very slender glazing bars. A second staircase at the centre front of the building in the top storeys. Many panelled doors remain. The ballroom has a suspended late C20 ceiling, but the original barrel-vaulted ceiling is said to remain above. The hotel is the emphasised central unit of this early Victorian terrace which has been very little modified externally, including the attached rear range. With its stone frontage it is one of the best presented units on the sea-front. (The Buildings of England: Newman J & Pevsner N: Dorset: London: 1972-: 454).





Listing NGR: SY6812979810

External Links

• Wikidata Q26647530

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