Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9422SE PROMENADE
630-1/13/755 (North West side)
12/03/55 Nos.125 AND 127
and attached railings

GV II*

Pair of semi-detached villas, now offices and attached
railings. c1834-40, shown as laid out on Merrett's Map of
1834. Architect probably John Forbes. Stucco over brick with
concealed roof and iron railings.
PLAN: double pile with outer side halls; originally
single-storey (now 2-storey) service wings to rear.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attic on basement, 8 first-floor
windows arranged 1:1:4:1:1. Outer and centre bays break
forwards; central breakforward articulated by 6 pilasters
through ground and first-floor windows with Composite-type
capitals: 2 to centre, between windows and to ends;
entablature. 6/6 sashes where original, those to first floor,
outer bays in tooled architraves with cornices on console
brackets. Basement has blind openings and 6/6 sashes. Attics
have sliding 6-pane sashes; windows set behind screen of
pillars, panels to ends and pilasters to centre, crowning
cornice and blocking course. End entrances: flight of 6 steps
(roll-edged where original) to distyle fluted Doric porches
with wreaths to frieze; double 4-panel doors and overlights
with lozenge glazing bars and margin-lights. Returns have 3
windows: outer blind, central 6/6 sash between paired
pilasters. Rear retains 6/6 and 3/3 sashes.
INTERIOR: retains original plasterwork; acanthus cornice and
ceiling frieze to front room, hall has guilloche motif to
ceiling; dogleg staircase with wreathed handrail and alternate
ornate and stick balusters. Original joinery includes panelled
shutters. Otherwise not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURE: railings to sides of porches probably by
Marshalls, the motif derived from LN Cottingham and stick
balusters.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Forbes acquired the plot for No.129 Promenade
(qv) in 1833. He became architect and surveyor to the
Pittville Estate in 1835-6. The Promenade was laid out in 1818
as a tree-lined drive to the Sherborne Spa (on the site of the
Queen's Hotel (qv)) from the Colonnade on the High Street, in
1826 it was a carriage drive with spacious gravelled walk on
each side. Buildings on the NW were the first to be developed.
Forms a distinguished group of semi-detached villas with Nos
121 and 123 (qv) and Nos 129 and 131 (qv), which with No.133

(qv) and The Queen's Hotel overlook Imperial Gardens.
(The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale
and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 139-40,146; Chatwin A:
Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham: 1975-1984:
29,40; Williams GA: Guide Book to Cheltenham: 1824-: 29; Blake
S: 'The Unfortunate Mr Forbes': Cheltenham Local History
Society Journal: 1989-: 7-27).

Listing NGR: SO9460122103

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535684

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

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)