History in Structure

Old Theatre Royal

A Grade II Listed Building in Chatham, Medway

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.3836 / 51°23'0"N

Longitude: 0.5219 / 0°31'18"E

OS Eastings: 575583

OS Northings: 167966

OS Grid: TQ755679

Mapcode National: GBR PPW.6R1

Mapcode Global: VHJLV.0H76

Plus Code: 9F329GMC+CP

Entry Name: Old Theatre Royal

Listing Date: 5 October 1988

Last Amended: 7 March 1997

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1268237

English Heritage Legacy ID: 462095

Also known as: Theatre Royal
Royal Hippodrome
Royal Hippodrome Theatre

ID on this website: 101268237

Location: Chatham, Medway, Kent, ME4

County: Medway

Electoral Ward/Division: River

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Chatham

Traditional County: Kent

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Kent

Church of England Parish: Chatham St Mary and St John

Church of England Diocese: Rochester

Tagged with: Theatre Ruins

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Description


This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 4 October 2022 to reformat the text to current standards

TQ 7567
762-1/4/14

CHATHAM
HIGH STREET
Old Theatre Royal

05.10.88

GV
II
Theatre. 1899, by G E Bond, damaged by fire c1965. Painted faience tiles and moulded decoration, yellow stock brick with red brick dressings and hipped slate roof. Free Italianate style with Moorish turrets.

PLAN: deep rectangular site with front foyer and rear auditorium at right angles.

EXTERIOR: foyer section two storeys; two bay range. Entrance has mid C20 altered ground floor, an open first floor arcade of two paired round arches with balustrade and enriched capitals, dentil cornices to ground and first floors extend to the right return, and a raised open pediment with a central plinth flanked by octagonal Moorish domes; behind the arcade are four round-arched casements as the front with moulded surrounds and glazing bars. The right hand return includes two first floor sashes and a central lateral stack with curved side supports and ball finials; behind are two further brick linking sections of three and four windows; the back of the large rear auditorium has a central square tower fronted by a pediment to the street, with a raking roof each side up to a tall hipped roof with square cupola vents over the proscenium, and a raking lower roof behind to the auditorium. Irregular rear elevation.

INTERIOR: auditorium has central dome with decoration of plasterwork swags and two tiers of balconies. The upper tier has painted plaster panels and moulded cherubs. The lower tier is much damaged but has a decoration of cherubs, swags and console brackets. The boxes have been removed and the proscenium arch blocked up. The balconies are supported on cast iron columns, but the ground floor ones are encased in concrete. No seating remains. The foyer retains one tiled panel, probably representing one of Shakespeare's female characters. Original staircase with twisted balusters and column newel. Former bar ceiling has strapwork decoration and coved cornice. Top floor retains some floral tiled panels and dado rail.

Listing NGR: TQ7558367966

External Links

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