Description

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SO9421NW
630-1/17/868

CHELTENHAM
SUFFOLK SQUARE (North side)
Nos.1-12 (Consecutive)
Willoughby (No.1), and attached area railings to Nos.2-12

12/03/55

GV
II*

Terrace of 12 houses and attached railings, now hotel (to left) and flats. 1832-1848 with later additions and alterations. Probably more by Edward Jenkins than by JB Papworth to whom it is normally attributed. Ashlar over brick with slate mansard roof, tall brick party-wall stacks and iron balconies, verandahs and railings.

PLAN: symmetrical terrace terminated each end by a large house with Classical details; full- and almost full-height service ranges to rear.

EXTERIOR: three storeys on basements and with attics, three first-floor windows each. Ashlar detailing: end houses articulated by two outer Corinthian pillars and four fluted Corinthian columns in antis to ends and between windows) and anta caps carved to match through ground and first floors, with pediment; continuous entablature over first floor; to second floor are pilasters to end ranges with continuous crowning entablature and blocking course; inner range has horizontal rustication to ground floor. 6/6 sashes where original (taller to first floor) in plain reveals and with sills; attics have dormers with 3/3 sashes. Basement has 6/6 sashes.

Entrances: end houses have entrance to returns, otherwise to left and right: two roll-edged steps to eight-fielded-panel double doors with overlights with margin-lights (where original).

Returns: five-window ranges with further additions. That to left (Willoughby) has end breakforwards articulated through two floors with Corinthian pilasters and continuous entablature; mainly 6/6 sashes, that to centre of first floor an 8/8 sash with entablature and cornice on consoles, second floor has 2/2 horizontal-pane sashes, all in plain reveals and with sills; blind boxes remain to ground- and first-floor windows at right end. Central entrance in porch with two pairs of Ionic columns and entablature, eight-panel door between sidelights and with overlight. Right return plainer, 6/6 sashes, one 8/8 sash; central solid porch with paired Ionic pilasters and entablature, round-arched opening with eight-panel door with sidelights within.

Rear retains 6/6 and 8/8 sashes, some 6/6 between 2/2 sashes.

INTERIOR: Willoughby (No.1) at left has inner door with decorative glazing and overlight with circle and inverted teardrop glazing bars. Open-well staircase has brass balustrade and over-rail, mahogany handrail; domed skylight to hallway; to ground floor at front cornice with grape frieze; marble fireplaces; original joinery including panelled shutters to most windows. Otherwise not inspected.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: end houses have first-floor individual balconies with web design. Otherwise first-floor verandahs to each house with Carron Company double-heart-and-anthemion motif balustrade and lyre and scroll to uprights, tent roofs. Area lancet railings.

HISTORICAL NOTE: the terrace was designed to have attached Corinthian columns at centre as well as at ends, but when built the end bays were given pediments and the central columns omitted.

Suffolk Square occupies land bought by the Earl of Suffolk from the de la Bere's and on which he had built Suffolk House for his own residence, his daughter later sold much of the land. In 1823 developer James Fisher acquired land for his Suffolk Estate. Shown as partly built on Merrett's Map of 1834.

All the listed buildings in Suffolk Square form a very distinguished group.

(Chatwin A: Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham: 1975-1984: 35).

Listing NGR: SO9447621684

External Links

• Wikidata Q17535806

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

• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)