Description

CROMER

892/0/10016 RUNTON ROAD
15-SEP-03 Cliftonville Hotel

II
Hotel. 1894 by AF Scott and 1898 by George Skipper. Red brick, the north front painted. Plain tile mansard roof, various brick stacks. Jacobean/Arts and Crafts style. 3 storeys and attics. Range of 9 main windows at first floor across the north front. The corner and next canted bay belonging to the original Scott range, the rest to the Skipper addition. Next a towerlike entrance composition with basket arched entrance and another arch to left with a 2-storey canted oriel window over. This has fine decorative terracotta panels between the windows. The entrance is in the form of a glazed screen with ornamental columns either side the double entrance doors and supporting an entablature with the hotel name in raised letters. Further to right is an element with a pair of tall canted bay windows joined above with coupled bays which have a pentice roof. Other windows in a stepped and shaped gable over. On the right end is a full height circular turret with polygonal top storey and ogee roof which echoes the circular and polygonal turret on the left end.
Left front, by Scott, facing the town has a 5-window range at first floor of canted bays, 3-light windows and central triple window. Similar fenestration to the other floors and, at attic level, a large shaped facing gable with further windows either side a central triple dormer. Central canted subsidiary entrance.
Right end is plain and the rear has various ranges and includes some leaded light windows notably the curving oriel of the main staircase.
INTERIOR. The Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau style principal interiors are very fine. Main entrance has glazing with patterned stained glass in art nouveau style. Door lobby survives with small C20 extension. In the hall beyond, the 2-stage fireplace to left is of coloured marbles and stone and has an elaborate fire-basket and brass hood. Fine stained-glass peacock in upper part of window to left. The impressive imperial staircase has a balustrade with turned balusters and newels with ball finials. Fine oriel window to left half-landing has patterned leaded lights with stained glass. Landing screen has balustrade and deep cornice with pendants. Present bar front (probably original reception) has panelled surround and glazed upper screen with patterned glazing and pendants. Lobby beyond has windows and doors with leaded lights and stained glass, panelled lift and patterned leaded lights to windows, also within adjoining bistro restaurant area.
To right of the hall is the full height entrance doorway to the main restaurant or Westcliff Room. Double doors have rich stained glass panels (featuring the poppies for which the area was famous in the C19) and above is a gallery with balustrade with pierced art nouveau style decoration and doors with patterned glazed panels incorporating round glass 'pebbles'. Beyond is the imposing dining room, the upper lights of its many tall windows having stained glass panels in art nouveau style.
Elaborate fireplace in coloured marbles and stone has basket grate with copper hood. The room's high arcaded frieze incorporates 2 internal small canted windows on the long rear wall and there is a beamed ceiling, the moulded subsidiary joists forming square panels. The entrance wall has an elaborate full-length gallery with balustrade with similar pierced art nouveau decoration to that on the other side facing the hall. There are pendants below and an arched screen above.
A reception room to rear has shaped ceiling, a simpler gallery and C20 murals of Venice. Wide corridors lead to the bedrooms, altered to incorporate ensuite bathrooms but in some cases retaining fireplaces and patterned glazing in the windows.
This distinguished and imposing hotel has a very fine interior and fortunately continues in the use for which it was originally built.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Cliftonville Hotel, Cromer at Wikipedia
• Cliftonville Hotel, Cromer official website
• Wikidata Q5133358

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)