History in Structure

Hms Drake Wardroom, Officers Quarters and Mess

A Grade II* Listed Building in Devonport, City of Plymouth

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Coordinates

Latitude: 50.3896 / 50°23'22"N

Longitude: -4.1819 / 4°10'54"W

OS Eastings: 244997

OS Northings: 56685

OS Grid: SX449566

Mapcode National: GBR R3T.VK

Mapcode Global: FRA 2840.LMV

Plus Code: 9C2Q9RQ9+R7

Entry Name: Hms Drake Wardroom, Officers Quarters and Mess

Listing Date: 1 May 1975

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1386376

English Heritage Legacy ID: 473761

ID on this website: 101386376

Location: Keyham, Plymouth, Devon, PL2

County: City of Plymouth

Electoral Ward/Division: Devonport

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Plymouth

Traditional County: Devon

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Devon

Church of England Parish: Plymouth St Peter and the Holy Apostles

Church of England Diocese: Exeter

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description



PLYMOUTH

SX45NW SALTASH ROAD, Devonport
740-1/4/175 HMS Drake: Wardroom, Officer's
01/05/75 quarters and Mess

GV II*

Formerly known as: (HMS Drake) Wardroom Blocks SALTASH ROAD
Devonport.
Officer's quarters and wardroom blocks. 1898-1902,
Superintendent Engineer Major Monro Wilson, RE.
MATERIALS: Plymouth limestone rock-faced ashlar to ground
floor, otherwise dressed limestone brought to course and with
limestone dressings; dry slate hipped roofs; stone partly
external end stacks, axial and lateral stacks, all with panels
and moulded cornices.
STYLE: Free Classical.
PLAN: central double-depth wardroom linked by 1st-floor
passages on 2-span bridges to double-depth quarters blocks at
right angles to rear wings.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys; slightly asymmetrical 1:2:1:2:1-bay
centre block flanked by symmetrical 2:1:2-bay fronts which are
similar to the fronts of the rear wings. All blocks have
pilasters dividing bays to upper floors, window architraves,
moulded hoods above 1st-floor windows, apron entablature to
1st floor, moulded sill string to 2nd floor and moulded
parapet with lower cornice; original horned sashes with
glazing bars to top halves and original panelled doors.
Central block has tall entrance tower which rises 2 stages
above main parapet level.
Tetrastyle Ionic porch is approached by a double L-plan
staircase; 2 central windows above, then cornice linked to
parapet cornice; 4 pilasters and central round-arched window
to next stage and entablature below octagonal cupola with
round arches and Ionic columns plus further entablature sloped
in towards dome with turned finial. Left of the tower is the
staircase bay with tall double-transomed 3-light round-arched
window over 3-light flat-headed window; right of the tower are
paired sashes, then next bays on either side have tall sashes.
The end bays are canted with 3-light bay windows.
Other fronts have tripartite entrances and 1st-floor balconies
with roudelled balustrades carried on moulded brackets. Below
triangular parapet pediment to each entrance bay is a tall
round-arched transomed 3-light stair window above a squat
3-light window.
INTERIOR: wardroom has a richly-decorated interior with a fine
central entrance hall divided by marble columns with a large


open well stair with moulded balusters, decorated mess rooms
each side with pilasters, cornices and wainscot, and the rear
central dining room with panelled walls, large fireplaces with
painted panels; axial corridor with bedrooms on upper floors.
HISTORY: part of the second phase of the barracks, the
officers were housed in Howard and Seymour blocks (qqv) before
it was built. Sailors lived in hulks until the first barracks
were built for them here at Devonport, then Chatham and
Portsmouth.
This is probably the finest and most ambitious officers mess
on an English barracks, executed in a bold Free Style manner,
with careful attention to detail and compositional quality,
and forming the centrepiece of a complete planned group. More
richly decorated though of similar plan form to the equivalent
buildings at HMS Pembroke at Chatham and HMS Nelson at
Portsmouth.
Part of a complete complex, manifesting the status and
importance of the Royal Navy at this time.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-:
655 & 656; PSA Drawings Collection, NMR Swindon: PLM 248-284).

Listing NGR: SX4499756685

External Links

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