Description

The following building shall be added:

LAURIE GROVE.
TQ 3676
7/232 Laurie Grove Baths.

II GV

Swimming baths, slipper baths and laundries. 1895-98 by Thomas Dinwiddy,
a local architect, erected by the vestry board of St Paul's Deptford,
empowered under the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act 1846. Jacobean style.
Red brick with stone dressings and slate roof. Mainly 2 storeys: 10 bays.
The principal feature (bays 4-6) is a projecting gable of 2 storeys and
attics. This contained separate entrances for men and women on the ground
floor linked by a ticket office, with Board Room above Superintendent's
office to attic. Gable has Deptford crest, octagonal corner turrets, 3
cambered mullioned and transomed windows with panels below. Balustrading
with quatrefoils. 1st floor has some stone strapwork frieze. 7 curved stone
mullions with 10 similar transoms above containing stained glass. Ground
floor has central window with 3 curved mullions with swansneck pediment
above central one and 6 stained glass transoms above. 2 horseshoe arches
either side with ovolo moulding and double doors behind. Either side are
2 storey wing of 3 bays each comprising men and women's 1st class slipper
baths to 1st floor and 2nd class slipper baths to ground floor. 1st floor
has each side 3 triple mullioned and transomed windows and ground floor has
3 double curved windows each with 4 lights above with stained glass. To the
entrance left is a 2 storey bay with carriage arch to ground floor and part
of women's 1st class slipper baths above. Octagonal corner columns,
strapwork frieze and triple mullioned and transomed window with horseshoe
arch below. Very steeply hipped slate roof with cast iron cresting and
weathervane. Attached to the building is a forecourt wall of red brick with
black brick decoration and stone coping. 7 downward curving sections with
iron railings having central scrolled panels divided by 12 piers, mainly
brick base with stone octagonal caps with ball finials. 4 piers opposite
the entrances have the lettering "Men" or "Women" and scrolled iron gates.
Internally the 2 entrance halls have architraves of green glazed tiles.
Mahogany kiosk of 3 panels and 3 strapwork lights above. Tessellated floor.
Office has cast iron Gothic fireplace with octagonal - columns arched
decorations. Men's staircase is a well staircase with cast iron scrollwork
and mahogany handrail. Women's staircase has similar decoration but is
dogleg. Large swimming bath has a tiled pool and walls 11 cambered 3-light
casements. Wooden diagonally boarded ceiling. Cast iron balcony with
anthelion motifs. Back wall has architectural ceramic panel, oval at top
with scroll and foliate decoration below this, swags with putti at corners
of pillars, scrolls, 6 cambered windows at top and 3 cambered panels below
with late C20 swimming mural. Sides have series of columns and brackets
with cubicles between. Front end has 4 mogul style wooden columns and
jacobean style staircase with balusters and chamfered post with finial.
Small swimming bath has tiled walls with 4 cambered windows to right hand
side and 8 pilasters to left.
To the rear are the laundries which retained 2 early washing machines. 1st
floor has 1st class Ladies Slipper Baths (gymnasium at time of survey) with
fireplace with pilasters and floral frieze, Board Room with coved cornice
with plaster apple and pomegranite mouldings and strapwork ceiling,
pilasters and 3 doors with eared architraves and 1st class Men's Slipper
Baths retaining cubicles and baths.

Listing NGR: TQ3639076943

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q27082492

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)