Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9422SE PROMENADE
630-1/13/756 (North West side)
12/03/55 Nos.129 AND 131
Gloucester Lodge (No.129), Sherborne
Lodge (No.131), gate piers and gates

GV II*

Pair of semi-detached villas, now shop and attached gate piers
and gate to left. Numbered right to left, described left to
right. c1833-34. Architect probably John Forbes. Stucco over
brick with concealed roof, with iron window guards and
balconies.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys on basement, 7 first-floor windows, with
2-storey entrance bays set back to ends. Central 3-window
breakforward has 4 fluted columns with Prince of Wales feather
caps; end breakforwards to main range have Doric pilasters;
continuous crowning entablature. Ground floor windows have
tooled architraves and friezes with circle motif, similar
architrave to entrance. Central entrance with roll-edged
spreading steps. Additional entrances set back to ends have
glazed double doors to left and double panelled doors to right
and overlights in Doric pilastered surrounds in projecting
solid porches with pilasters. First floor, main range has 6/6
sashes with margin-lights; ground-floor has French windows;
outer ranges have casement windows and blind openings above;
all in plain reveals and with sills. Basement has 4/8 sashes.
INTERIOR: retains original plasterwork including acanthus
frieze to ground floor at left. Side staircase to left part
has stick balusters. Otherwise not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: ground-floor windows have individual
balconies with bombe fronts and leaf and scroll decoration to
left part, those to right part have openwork heart and scroll
motif. 3 individual balconies with double-scroll and lyre
motif to first floor. 2 rusticated gatepiers, square on plan,
with dentil cornices and plank gates abut to left.
HISTORICAL NOTE: The Promenade was laid out in 1818 as a
tree-lined avenue from the Colonnade in the High Street to the
Sherborne Spa (on the site of the Queen's Hotel (qv)), by 1826
it was a carriage drive with spacious gravel walk on each
side. Building on the NW were the first to be developed. Shown
as built on Merrett's Map of 1834.
Forbes acquired the plot for No.129 (Sherborne Lodge) in 1833.
Forbes became architect to the Pittville Estate c1835-6.
Nos 121 and 123 (qv) 125 and 127 (qv), and 129 and 131 (qv)
form a distinguished group of semi-detached villas, with

No.133 (qv) and The Queen's Hotel (qv), overlooking Imperial
Gardens.
(Chatwin A: Cheltenham's Ornamental Ironwork: Cheltenham:
1975-1984: 29; The Buildings of England: Verey D:
Gloucestershire: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: London:
1970-: 146; Williams GA: Guide Book to Cheltenham: 1824-: 29;
Merrett HS: Plan of the town of Cheltenham: 1834-; Blake S:
'The Unfortunate Mr Forbes': Cheltenham Local History Society
Journal: 1989-: 7-27).

Listing NGR: SO9457622067

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535692

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

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  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)