Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9320NE THE PARK
630-1/25/914 (South side)
14/12/83 Nos.55 AND 57
Oakley (No.55) and Little Oakley
(No.57)

GV II

Villa, now 2 dwellings. c1833-50 with later additions and
alterations including late C19 conservatory to left and C20
range to right. Stucco over brick with hipped slate roofs,
stucco stacks.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 3 first-floor windows with range set back
to right of 2 storeys, 1 + 4 first-floor windows and further
C20 range to right. Main range (No 55): stucco detailing
includes horizontal rustication to ground floor drawn into
voussoirs over windows; moulded first-floor sill band, tooled
architraves to first floor windows. Steps to central entrance
a 3-panel door with sidelights and cambered overlight with
decorative glazing bars, within Doric porch with 2 pairs of
fluted columns, architrave, frieze with triglyphs and metopes,
cornice with guttae, blocking course. Ground floor has
tripartite windows, 6/6 between 2/2 sashes. First floor has
6/6 sashes. Wide eaves on brackets. Tall end stacks with
cornices. Range to right has flight of roll-edged steps to
off-centre left entrance a C20 6-panel door with sidelights
and overlight with margin glazing within porch with 2 pillars,
frieze, cornice and blocking course. Ground floor has 6/9
sashes, first floor has 6/6 sashes. Joining range has casement
windows. Crowning cornice and blocking course, raised to
centre, copings. Ridge and end stacks. Rear retains 6/6 and
2/2 sashes.
INTERIOR: drawing room has marble fireplace with panel showing
Leda and the Swan, plasterwork includes acanthus frieze and
grape frieze to front room; hall has egg-and-dart frieze with
acanthus modillions and fleurons. Open-well staircase has rod
and bobbin balusters with wreathed handrail.
HISTORICAL NOTE: The Park had been laid out by 1833 by its
owner, Thomas Billings, as an oval tree-lined drive with a
central park which for a short period in the mid-C19 became a
zoological garden. In 1839 the development was bought by
architect Samuel Daukes who continued the building. One of the
principal developments influenced by White's and Nash's
schemes for Regent's Park (1809-11) London.
A similar Papworth-derived design to Nos 35 and 37 (qqv) The
Park.

(Sampson A and Blake S: A Cheltenham Companion: Cheltenham:
1993-: 36,92; Merrett HS: Plan of the Town of Cheltenham:
1834-).

Listing NGR: SO9385720744

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26667654

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

• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)