Description

CHELTENHAM

SO9422SE RODNEY ROAD
630-1/13/790 (North West side)
12/03/55 No.73
Alma House and walls and piers
adjoining
(Formerly Listed as:
RODNEY ROAD
(North West side)
No.75
Alma House)

GV II*

Villa. 1838, with later additions and alterations including
interior refurbishing and conservatory of c1905 designed by
George Walton for George Peake in Art Nouveau style, the
craftsmen including HH Martyns of Cheltenham. Stucco over
brick with concealed roof and end stucco stacks.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys on basement and with attic to rear, 5
first-floor windows, with single-storey extension to left. End
and centre bays break forwards slightly and are articulated by
pilaster strips with decorative capitals, on plinth,
surmounted by modillion entablature and blocking course.
Stucco detailing includes tooled architraves to windows, those
to ground floor have frieze and cornice, those to first floor
are eared. 6/6 sashes throughout, taller to ground floor;
windows in plain reveals and with sills and blind boxes.
Basement has 4/4 sashes. Central entrance: tetrastyle porch
has fluted columns with 'Tower of Winds' caps, flight of steps
to double 4-panel doors with sidelights in tooled architrave
with fleurons. Glazed conservatory to left has dentil frieze
and 'pedimented' gable end. Left return has 3-window range,
those to first floor with tooled architraves. Rear retains 6/6
sashes, one with margin-lights, tall 6/6 staircase sash; attic
has 3/6 sashes.
INTERIOR: retains sumptuous decoration. Original flight of
imperial stairs has fluted Doric balusters and Ionic colonnade
to landing, top-lit by skylight. Regency plasterwork. Room to
left has light oak panelling and fireplace with tiles, brass
grate and painted overmantel. Art Nouveau glass remain to
door, windows and conservatory. Otherwise not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: stuccoed brick walls and piers to left
and right returns of front forecourt, the piers matching those
to front (qv).
HISTORICAL NOTE: featured in The Studio Yearbook in 1907. The
metalwork and light fittings of the Art Nouveau scheme remain.

Moon regards this as, 'one of the most complete of Walton's
schemes of this period ... one of the high points of Walton's
career in interior decoration'.
(The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale
and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 145; Moon K: George
Walton, designer and architect: Oxford: 1993-: 120-3; The
Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art: 1907-: 76-78).

Listing NGR: SO9488222169

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535723

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)