1-17 Parade and attached railings and steps to numbers 1-7, and steps to number 9, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Summary

A terrace of hotels, houses and shops now mostly retail and office use with some residential, dating from 1824 - 1836 with later alterations as the buildings' commercial uses evolved.

Description

A terrace of hotels, houses and shops now mostly retail and office use with some residential, dating from 1824 - 1836 with later alterations as the buildings' commercial uses evolved.

MATERIALS: the original portions of the terrace are stuccoed brick, with modern construction to the rebuilt elements.

PLAN: the terrace is orientated north-south, and stands on the east side of Parade.

EXTERIOR: the terrace is of four storeys with attic storey above and is largely organised in three-bay sections aside from some which are arranged 2:1:2. The entire terrace is stuccoed, mostly with rusticated ground floors with iron railings above, and giant Ionic pilasters between first and second floor level supporting the entablature above, and above this in line with the lower pilasters are further plain pilasters which have recessed central panels. Windows throughout are a mixture of multi-pane sashes and some casements.

The terrace steps forward at various points, with slight differences in height, so that the facade is not entirely continuous. There is a first floor balcony which is continous along each section, and so covers the entire length. This has a repeating paterae-in-circle motif.

Numbers 1 and 3 have an entrance beneath a projecting distyle Doric porch with fluted columns and plain pilasters. The entrance is double doors with sidelights and a wide fanlight above. The entrance to number 5 is similar. Numbers 7 and 9 have similar double doors with wide fanlights, but without the porches. To the right of the door to number 9 is a modern shopfront.

Beyond these, ground floors are modern until number 17 which has a bowed shopfront with wide door adjacent.

At the northern end, the giant order pilasters continue with similar treatment to the front elevation. The rear of the terrace is accessed from Guy Street where the brick construction is exposed with differing treatment as the terrace progresses. There are some projecting wings of differing heights; windows are mostly sash with some sections of modern construction and windows.

INTERIOR: numbers 1 and 3 are understood to have an entrance hall with dado panelling and pilasters to one side with doorway to right hand room now blocked. There is a modillion cornice, a modern glazed screen, and beyond an arch with openwell stair behind with wreathed handrail and stick balusters. At ground floor the left hand room has a fireplace with Ionic columns and Greek key frieze; the room to the right has a deep cornice with floral motif, engaged Tuscan pillar between front and rear and a further stair to the rear.

Number 5 has a modillion cornice to the hall. To the right there is a blocked opening between rooms with Doric pillars, a ceiling frieze with scroll motif and cornice and panelled doors. To the left room there are Ionic pillars to blocked openings with cornices above; at first floor level (now divided) there are acanthus scroll ceiling friezes and cornices, an openwill staircase with stick balusters and wreathed handrail.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: there are area railings to numbers 1-7 with gates and basement steps, and steps to number 9.

History

The terrace at 1-31 Parade dates from around 1824 - 1836 and was built during the years of Leamington's development as a fashionable spa resort. From the early years of the C19 the town had grown on the northern side of the River Leam, with streets laid out in a grid pattern, including that known as Parade which forms the main north-south thoroughfare in this part of the town. It was laid out with terraces of residential properties on either side, and the northern vista closed by the Episcopal Church which was built in 1825.

1-31 Parade was originally known as Lansdowne Place and was primarily residential properties, though it also contained three hotels: the Clarendon, the Imperial and the Lansdowne. The Town Plan of 1885 shows the terrace comprising of individual properties with some larger premises where the hotels were and one property labelled as the Leamington Institute. They have gardens to the rear, some with glasshouses, and mews buildings along Guy Street, mostly with covered access ways into rear courtyards.

Over the course of the C19 as the fortunes of Leamington and its occupants evolved, the use of the terrace gradually shifted from residential to commercial, with retail premises along much of the ground floor. This continued and was consolidated during the early years of the C20. An historic photograph of around 1920 shows the terrace with numerous later shopfronts added at ground floor and retailers' advertisements on the building.

The evolution continued through the second half of the C20, and in the 1970s permission was granted for the demolition and rebuilding of much of the southern half of the terrace, namely from number 19-31. This work seems to have taken place as part of two individual development projects. Map evolution shows the change at this time from individual properties to large floorplate retail premises. Although rebuilt, the facades were constructed to match the historic design, with the upper floors matching the remainder of the terrace and detailing reinstated in modern materials. Numbers 19-31 do not form part of the listing.

Reasons for Listing

1-17 Parade, Leamington Spa, a terrace dating from 1824-1836, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* for its sophisticated composition which reflects the architectural fashions of the day;
* for the quality of the detailing and craftsmanship to elements such as carved stone work and iron balconies;
* for the degree of survival, despite later uses and alteration.

Historic interest:

* for the interest of the terrace as an example of the developments which took place during the early part of the C19 as Leamington Spa evolved into a fashionable resort town.

External Links

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