The Royal Pavilion England, UK

Listed Building Description

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

BRIGHTON

TQ3104SW OLD STEINE 577-1/40/4 The Royal Pavilion 13/10/52

I

Includes: The Royal Pavilion PAVILION BUILDINGS. Royal Pavilion, formerly farmhouse. Built for the Prince of Wales (1762-1830). 4 distinct building campaigns: a double-fronted farmhouse from the 1770s which the Prince's architect, Henry Holland, added to in 1787-88, refacing it in cream-coloured mathematical tile; third phase, involving primarily interior works, of 1801-08, when William Porden assumed control of the works; fabric largely untouched during this period, Porden's work consisting of additions to the subsidiary buildings, the Stables and Riding School, now the Corn Exchange and Dome Theatre, Church Street (qv). The final phase began in February of 1811 under the architect James Wyatt. Between 1814 and 1823, Nash gave the building the appearance which it has today. Periodic restorations from the mid C19 to the late C20. MATERIALS: stucco, scored to imitate ashlar; Bath stone and Portland stone dressings, recently renewed; the tent roofs and onion domes were originally surfaced with a patent mastic and painted to resemble Bath stone; the mastic failed in 1827 and was replaced by copper sheathing; various other roofs of slate. EXTERIOR: East Front: composed of 5 distinct parts, symmetrically arranged around the 7-bay colonnade of the rotunda; 3 French doors, each with pointed, trilobed heads and glazing bars of original design, open into the saloon; these window heads, inspired by Mughal architecture, are repeated throughout the fabric; columns in Bath stone have an octagonal socle, leafy base, octagonal shaft, and flaring, leaf capitals which terminate above the diamond crenellated parapet in octagonal pinnacles. The design of these columns repeated throughout the fabric, applied in many instances to pilasters. Between the tops of each pair of the rotunda columns is a screen of pierced quatrefoils arranged in intersecting S-curves which are formed from the lines of the horseshoe arches; above the centre bay of the colonnade in the parapet are the arms of the King and an inscription: "HRH George IV MDCCLXXXIV". The domed superstructure over the saloon is supported by an internal cast- and wrought-iron frame designed by Nash. Transition to the dome by a convex, feathered ring, topped by a fluted ring, in turn topped by a parapet; ribbed onion dome above, with reticulated lights, culminating in a high finial. On each corner of the dome is a minaret, supported by an octagonal leaf column as below, and rising from square, crenellated turrets. The range of decorative elements found in this centre section are repeated on all elevations. At the far ends of the east elevation are cubic pavilions with high tent roofs: the Music Room to the north and the Banqueting Room to the south; in front of each is a 6-bay colonnade, identical in design to the saloon colonnade; French doors with Mughal-styled heads; clerestory below roof in each face is a horizontal strip window with lattice glazing bars; broad bracketed eaves below a crenellated parapet which encircles the base of the tent roof; at each corner of these pavilions stands a minaret on an octagonal leaf column. The ranges between the central saloon and the end pavilions have a 7-window range each and 2 storeys; on the ground floor the area between the pair of full-height bays is incorporated within a stone projection of 5 French doors; one octagonal pilaster between each pair of doors, at corner and returns; above each pilaster a panelled pier topped by an obelisk; the balustrade pierced by Gothic quatrefoil panels. Lotus-leaf parapet continuous across the elevation; there is an onion dome above each bay. To the north, the elevation returns briefly before stopping at a 2-and-a-half-storey corner pavilion, square in plan, similar to those found on the King's Apartments. Nash's exotic overlay comes to an abrupt end to the south: at join with kitchen wing a single-storey po