Description

SCARBOROUGH

782/6/192 The Spa
08-JUN-1973

II*
The Spa dates back to the C18 when a mineral spring there became a place of
fashionable resort. Originally there was just a timber embanked terrace to
the shore. Later, in the early C19 a castellated building was raised. In
1858 Paxton designed the new ashlar faced Spa pavilion raised on terrace with
arcaded ground and 1st floor articulated by pilaster strips, 7 bays, with projecting pilastered corner towers with balustraded parapets. A cast iron verandah with 1st floor balcony encased the building and extended as covered walk in front of stalls and shops to the north along promenade. To the south was a terrace with bandstand and a free standing 2 storey and basement tower with open 2 bay arcades to upper levels and balustraded parapet. In 1877 a fire gutted the main pavilion.
From 1877 to 1880 the pavilion was restored and doubled in length by Verity
and Hunt. The south part of the present pavilion incorporates Paxton's building
with the 2 south towers. In the centre is a 3 storey slight projection with
deep entrance niche flanked by similar bays to end towers with paired pilasters
flanking 1st floor. The 2nd floor above is divided into 9 small windows, round
arched, by pilasters. Balustraded parapet, Surmounting this centre feature
is a set back belvedere storey with truncated pyramid leafed roof with cresting.
The north wing added by Verity and Hunt balances that to south with similar
corner towers. The new architects added leaf domed open belvederes to the
towers but these have been removed. Across the ground floor the cast iron verandah with side brackets to columns was extended across new part and had elaborate triple branch lamp standards some of which survive, The verandah is continued as gallery to single storey range along promenade to north. The bandstand to south has been rebuilt and Paxton's Tower replaced by 1920s ballroom.
Entrance hall has grand double staircase and blind arcading to walls. The
Spa was the most fashionable place of entertainment and rendezvous during the
Victorian hey-day of Scarborough, frequented by the Prince of Wales during
his visit to Scarborough as guest of the Londesboroughs.

Listing NGR: TA0386288570

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Spa, Scarborough at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7765619

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.

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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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