Description

ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA

SP3266SW LANSDOWNE CRESCENT
1208-1/4/213 (East side)
19/11/53 Victoria House (Masonic Hall)
(Formerly Listed as:
WILLES ROAD
(East side)
Masonic Hall)

GV II

Villa, now masonic hall. Laid out in 1832, building began in
1835, with later additions and alterations including
extensions to left return and to rear. Architect, William
Thomas for the Barber family, but completed for Edward Pinder.
Pinkish-brown brick with painted stucco facades, Welsh slate
roofs and cast-iron balconies. Late Classical style.
PLAN: central hallway plan.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with basement, 3 bays with 5 first-floor
windows arranged 1:3:1. Central projection. Plinth. Giant
Corinthian columns to ends through ground and first floors,
surmounted by continuous frieze.
First floor: outer bays have tall 6/9 sashes, central bay has
6/6 sashes, all in plain reveals and with tooled, eared
architraves, frieze and cornice.
Second floor: 3/6 sashes throughout in plain reveals and with
sills. Frieze, cornice, blocking course surmounted by
segmental acroteria.
Ground floor, centre bay: flight of wide steps to off-centre
entrance a 6-fielded-panel door with overlight with
glazing-bars, in plain reveals and with tooled, splayed
architrave and cornice with bay-leaf motif; to right a 6/6
sash in similar surround with round-arched niche between. All
under tetrastyle Ionic portico with 2 engaged pilasters,
frieze and pediment. Outer bays have tall 6/6 sashes in
similar surrounds to doorway.
Basement: casement windows to outer bays. Tall end and rear
stacks with cornices. First floor, windows to outer bays have
individual balconies with circle-and-anthemion motif
balustrades.
Right return (garden facade): central bay is recessed. Plinth
surmounted by 4 similar giant Corinthian pilasters through
ground and first floors.
First floor: two 6/9 sashes in plain reveals and tooled, eared
architraves with frieze and cornice. To centre and arcade of 3
blind arches. Frieze.
Second floor: three 3/6 sashes in plain reveals and with

sills; frieze, cornice, low parapet.
Ground floor: steps to central tripartite entrance with French
windows and divided overlight between 2/3 sashes, within
recess with 2 Ionic columns, frieze, cornice. To either side
are tripartite windows with 6/9 between 2/3 sashes with frieze
and cornice on consoles. Similar window to single-storey rear
extension. First-floor, outer windows have individual
balconies with circle-and-anthemion motif balustrades.
Left return: three 6/6 sashes, staircase window a 9/15 sash
with radial glazing to head and margin-lights; second floor
has two 3/6 sashes and a 4/4 sash.
INTERIOR: main openwell staircase has boarded-in balustrade,
but to rear an openwell staircase with turned balusters.
Ground floor, front and rear halls have cornices with acanthus
modillions; elaborate cornice with anthemion motif and ceiling
rose to rear drawing room; both front rooms have deep,
cavetto-moulded cornices. First floor, stair hall has cornice
with anthemion motif, otherwise moulded cornices. Room to
right has tall panelling. Fireplaces: ground floor, rear
drawing room has marble fireplace with corbels; further marble
fireplaces to rear room and to front, left room; to first
floor are simple Regency fireplaces. Mainly 6-panel doors;
shutters to most windows; deep skirting boards.
HISTORICAL NOTE: William Thomas was a 'builder, speculator and
chapman for Mr Barber', the house was sold before completion
to Edward Pinder, a director of the Leamington Bank
(information taken from deeds). The Masons purchased the house
in 1889, previously it had been Copps Hotel and a Ladies'
Academy. A map of 1834 shows Lansdowne Crescent and Circus
laid out for 'intended building'.
Victoria House forms an architectural group with Nos 19-57
(odd) Lansdowne Crescent and Nos 1-17 (consecutive) Lansdowne
Circus (qqv), all by William Thomas.

Listing NGR: SP3226666067

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26661466

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

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)