| Victorian 1837 - 1901 |
Victorian buildings
can be identified from typical features illustrated in these listed buildings
Use this glossary
from the 'Looking at Buildings' website to check the meanings of unfamiliar
words.
Many buildings survive from the Victorian period, which saw an explosion
in house building, development of housing estates and suburbs. The Victorians
built grand, lavish country houses, churches and public buildings but
also numerous terraced houses and smaller villas, with builders moving
away from local materials to more mass produced bricks and imported
tiles.
There is no one Victorian style of architecture. The two main styles;
Classical and Gothic Revival, had many variations and incorporated features
from other European countries with an emphasis on reviving older architectural
designs such as Greek and Tudor.
The Victorians had a love of ornamentation and contrasting colours.
They often mixed a variety of styles and features in one building; a
striking contrast to the plain symmetry of the Georgian period.
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Gas Green Baptist Church, Russell Street, Cheltenham,
c1836
This Nonconformist chapel is typical of many built in this period
in a simple classical style and found mainly outside town centres,
often, as here, among rows of terraced houses. Built as a 'preaching
house', clergy and congregation share one space; they were cheaper
and less ostentatious than Gothic churches.
Features include; stucco [plaster] over brick with contrasting
stone decoration; plain facade with gable; variety of window styles;
arched central doorway.
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Manchester Road, Southport, Merseyside, early nineteenth
century
A pair of semi detached villas in classical style built for wealthy
middle class families and generally found in the suburbs.
Features include; stucco [plaster]; slate roof; bay windows; classical
style pillars; verandah.
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Oldham Town Hall, Greater Manchester, 1841
Typical of many imposing public buildings erected in prominent
locations in towns and cities, in classical style based on Ancient
Greece as a acknowledgement of democratic government.
Features include; massive scale; impressive entrance with steps,
classical pillars and pediment; different coloured dressed stone.
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Terrace of 24 cottages, Taunton Street, Railway Village,
Swindon,
1850 - 53
One of the streets in the development built for the Great Western
Railway Company workforce. These are two storey buildings with a
separate dwelling on each floor, all two rooms deep. The downstairs
houses were reached through a passage on the front, upstairs by
lean-to stairs from the walled rear yard. Toilets were in the rear
yard.
Features include; cottage style; slate roofs; rubble limestone
walls; brick chimneys; dressed stone around windows.
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Bletchley Park House, Buckinghamshire,
1860
A large country house used by the government to house code breakers
during World War Two.
Features include; Brick and stone [ashlar] in contrasting colours
; half-timbered gables; pebble-dash; slate roof with contrasting
red tile ridge; ornate brick chimney stacks; decorative wooden barge
boards; a variety of window styles including bay windows; ornate
turrets.
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St Philip and St James, Woodstock Road, Oxford, 1862
One of the many Anglican churches built in Victorian Gothic style
with typical layout of nave for congregation, tower and chancel
for clergy beyond.
Features include; impressive size and style; multi coloured [polychromatic]
brickwork; arched windows; tower in French style.
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Bath Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, c1860-1880
A terrace of five houses for middle class, white collar, workers
set in a row of Victorian houses in varying materials and styles.
Decorative features based on those designed for large country houses
were mass produced for local builders from a set of stock patterns.
Features include; contrasting red brick and dressed stone, particularly
used around windows; slate roofs; 3-storey and attic; 2 rooms deep
with side passage; mixture of windows including bay windows.
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The Old School, Soulbury, Buckinghamshire c 1870
The 1870 Education Act resulted in the building of many new schools.
The Gothic Revival style was popular, harking back to the Tudor
period.
Features include; contrasting coloured bricks forming patterns
to resemble timbering; slate roof; tall chimneys; high lancet [pointed
arch] windows; gables; bell tower.
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Durning Library, Kennington Lane, Lambeth, Greater London,
1889
This library has been inserted into a row of older buildings and
is an example of the Victorian Gothic style and a civic response
to the growth in education.
Features include; elaborate facade; very steeply pitched slate
roof ; French Gothic style tower; Venetian style patterned tiling
around pointed gothic arches; tudor style chimneys; open arcade
in front of door; balconies with balustrades; decorative tiles and
terracotta bands [contrasting colours and materials]; oriel [bay]
window; highly decorated Flemish style gable.
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Parade Street, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, c1896
A typical row of Victorian red brick terraced houses fronting directly
onto the street.
Features include; contrasting terracotta panels over windows and
doors; slate roofs; recessed doorways; same decorative details repeated
in all houses.
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Former Chubbs Lock Works, Wolverhampton,
1898-99
This factory, now a media centre, was built in a plainer style
and still dominates its site between the city centre and the station.
Features include; Red brick with contrasting stone; a series of
sills; top cornice [ledge] and deep parapet with lettering; central
tower.
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Shop and offices, Vicar Lane, Leeds, 1900
The Victorians rebuilt many city centres providing rows of shops
and businesses with accommodation for the merchants and businessmen
above.
Features include; brick, stone and terracotta in contrasting colours;
slate roof; a mixture of window styles; Dutch style gables with
pointed finials.
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The Market Inn, Truro, Cornwall, c1900
Many public houses date from this period. This one has a rare complete
and unaltered facade.
Features include; multi coloured glazed and terracotta tiles arranged
to give a striped effect; triangular pediment with scrolls and ball
finials; mixture of sash windows; panelled doors in recessed doorways. |
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| Please note Teachers
are advised that not all listed buildings are open to the public and that
if you or your students wish to focus on a private building issues of
privacy and access must be considered.
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