Survey Data

Reg No

50020380


Rating

National


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Cultural, Historical, Social


Previous Name

Theatre


Original Use

Building misc


In Use As

Exam hall


Date

1775 - 1790


Coordinates

316065, 234043


Date Recorded

27/03/2015


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Attached five-bay three-storey theatre, built 1777-86, with three-bay pedimented breakfront on prostyle tetrastyle portico to front (north) elevation, full-height bow to rear (south) elevation, and seven-bay elevation to side (east). Now in use as examination hall. Hipped slate roof, set perpendicular to front and having flanking hipped roofs to sides, with ashlar granite chimneystacks, Portland stone balustraded parapet, carved dentillated Portland stone eaves course and cornice to pediment, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Granite ashlar walls, having carved Portland stone and granite platband over rusticated granite to ground floor, and ashlar granite plinth course, rusticated Portland stone to breakfront. Portland stone Corinthian columns supporting carved entablature and dentillated pediment to breakfront, with arcaded ground floor having carved impost course, and rusticated voussoirs to round-headed openings, porch to interior with groin-vaulted plastered ceiling. Square-headed window openings having Portland stone architraves with entablatures and cornices or pediments, some on consoles, to upper floors, continuous Portland stone sill course to first floor, and some carved Portland stone aprons having swag and fluted console brackets. Granite sills and voussoirs to ground floor windows, some wrought-iron bars, carved block-and-start architraves and cornices on console brackets to front. Round-headed window openings to breakfront, with stepped reveals, carved impost course and rusticated voussoirs. Semi-circular clerestory windows having continuous granite sill course and round-headed window openings with granite sills to bow to rear. Timber framed fan, and six-over-three pane and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows throughout. Round-headed door openings to porch having carved Portland stone architraves, impost course, double-leaf timber panelled doors and tympana flanked by round-headed recesses. Granite steps to portico, with cast-iron lamps on curvilinear wrought-iron brackets, and double-leaf wrought-iron gates to arcade. Square-headed door openings having carved Portland stone block-and-start architraves, limestone cornice with fluted console brackets, single-leaf timber panelled doors with overlights, and wrought-iron boot scrapes to splayed granite steps. Cobbles, granite wheel guards and leaded drains to site. Organ gallery over façade arcade to interior. Groin vaulted ceiling with diamond panels, foliate details and rosettes, pilasters and garlands, framed portraits and monuments to walls. Decorative plaster architraves to windows, rusticated plaster to ground floor.

Appraisal

Designed by Sir William Chambers to form the south range of Parliament Square and mirror the chapel to the north. Construction between 1777 and 1786 was overseen by Christopher Myers and his son Graham. No drawings by Chambers survive and it is widely held that Myers was primarily responsible for the final design. The masonry carving displays richness and elegance, and the use of granite and Portland stone creates continuity between the buildings in the square. The elliptical groin vaulted ceiling and plasterwork were created by Michael Stapleton. Many of the internal features actually predate the building. The gilded organ case was made in 1684 by Lancelot Pease, and a chandelier at the south end formerly hung in the Irish House of Commons. The side walls are hung with portraits by Robert Home commissioned in 1782, and framed by Richard Cranfield. The Baldwin Monument, dated 1781, was designed by Christopher Heweston and is carved in Carrara Statuary marble, Italian Africano marble salvaged from an ancient Roman architectural site, and incorporates a sarcophagus of Porto Venere Marble with gilt bronze feet. The white marble monument to Dr.Richard Baldwin (d.1758) was carved in Rome and installed by Edward Smyth.