Steine House
Steine House | |
---|---|
Location | 55 Old Steine, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex BN1 1NX, United Kingdom |
Coordinates | 50°49′16″N 0°08′18″W / 50.8212°N 0.1384°W |
Built | 1804 |
Built for | Maria Fitzherbert |
Architect | William Porden |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Steine House and attached walls, piers and railings, 55 Old Steine |
Designated | 13 October 1952 |
Reference no. | 1380672 |
Steine House is the former residence of
Designed in 1804 by William Porden, who was the architect of many buildings on the Prince's Royal Pavilion estate and notably of the Royal Pavilion gardens, it was used by Fitzherbert until her death 33 years later. Porden's designs of Steine House were exhibited at the Royal Academy at the time, together with the designs of the Royal Pavilion. In 1870, Brighton YMCA was founded and started to provide accommodation from Steine House for single people such as servicemen and apprentices. In 1884, Brighton YMCA bought the building outright and continue to use it to this day.
An accidental fire in 2009 caused extensive damage, but Steine House was renovated and its purpose, to house formerly homeless people, maintained. Since 2012, the organisation's Registered Office is at Steine House, whilst a separate part of the building offers self-contained housing to 12 clients with support needs.
Alterations to the building have reduced its architectural importance, but Steine House has been listed at Grade II by English Heritage for its historical connections.
History
The Prince Regent (later
The royal couple sought a site for a permanent home for Mrs Fitzherbert, and in 1804 she commissioned the Prince's favoured architect
Steine House passed through several private owners after 1837, and finally passed out of residential use in the early 1860s when William Forder, a judge, sold it. At this time, a blocked staircase was discovered leading down from the cellar; false rumours abounded that a secret tunnel had been built between the house and the Royal Pavilion, and that the staircase led to this tunnel. It is considered more likely that the stairs gave access to Brighton's sewer network.[12] The building was converted into the Civil and United Services Club, a social club, which required major internal renovations;[9] these were completed in 1864.[13][14]
In 1884, the building was bought by Brighton YMCA.[9][14] In 1927, they carried out a major reconstruction: the building was used as a hostel for vulnerable men, and more bedrooms were added;[9] the exterior was rebuilt, removing the verandas and balconies;[15] and all remaining internal features except a petal shaped coving in the second floor lounge were removed or altered.[9][10][14]
Steine House survived an attempt in 1964 to demolish it and replace it with offices, shops and a showroom. It is still owned by Brighton YMCA, and hosts the organisation's Registered Office, whilst still offering housing in 12 newly developed flats. In July 2009, the building was badly damaged by fire, and its residents had to be temporarily rehoused; it was soon restored.[16]
Steine House was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 13 October 1952.[14] This status is given to "nationally important buildings of special interest".[17] As of February 2001, it was one of 1,124 Grade II-listed buildings and structures, and 1,218 listed buildings of all grades, in the city of Brighton and Hove.[18] The listing has been granted on the basis of the building's historical worth.[9]
Current usage
Since 1870, Steine House has been providing housing and support to formerly homeless people of Brighton and Hove.
At present, Steine House offers self-contained housing to 12 people, thus making their transition to independent living much easier and more sustainable.
From a separate part of the building, Brighton YMCA's Head Office staff operate. The organisation aims to provide a caring, supportive and rehabilitative environment to all clients, so that they can achieve their full potential and maximise their independence. Among the innovative services Brighton YMCA offers there are: a free Counselling service available to all clients, a fully accredited, accessible city-wide Life Skills Centre, a Work and Learning hub offering employment, volunteering and training support as well as a separate building offering female-only housing.
Architecture
The work done to Steine House in 1927 changed its original appearance. It now presents a façade of white-painted brick with some stucco work. The roof is modern and in the mansard style. The building has two storeys.[14]
The façade, facing east on to Old Steine, was partly set forward during the 1927 work, and dates solely from that time.[9] There are three straight-headed windows to the upper storey, and two flanking the entrance porch. The corners of the porch have pilasters topped with spheres. The ground-floor windows have small corbels underneath them and architraves above. The windows on the upper floor open out on to a balcony which is formed by the top of the projecting ground floor; this has four short piers with ironwork between them. The top floor is an attic with a single centrally placed dormer window.[14]
Inside, partly surviving, but without its original walls, is Maria Fitzherbert's oval-shaped private chapel on the first floor.[10] There is petal shaped coving in the second floor lounge. No other original interior features are still in place.[13]
See also
- Grade II listed buildings in Brighton and Hove: S
- Marlborough House (the house next door)
- Media related to Steine House at Wikimedia Commons
Notes
- ^ Collis 2010, p. 296.
- ^ Musgrave 1981, pp. 46–48.
- ^ Collis 2010, p. 137.
- ^ a b c Collis 2010, p. 138.
- ^ Musgrave 1981, pp. 88–89.
- ^ Musgrave 1981, p. 91.
- ^ Antram & Morrice 2008, p. 42.
- ^ a b c Collis 2010, p. 126.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Collis 2010, p. 327.
- ^ a b c d Dale 1950, p. 47.
- ^ Dale & Gray 1976, p. 35.
- ^ Dale 1950, pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b Brighton Polytechnic. School of Architecture and Interior Design 1987, p. 47.
- ^ a b c d e f Historic England. "Steine House and attached walls, piers and railings, 55 Old Steine (west side), Brighton (Grade II) (1380672)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ Dale & Gray 1976, p. 36.
- ^ "Brighton YMCA fire under investigation". The Argus. Newsquest Media Group. 7 July 2009. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Listed Buildings". English Heritage. 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ^ "Images of England — Statistics by County (East Sussex)". Images of England. English Heritage. 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
Bibliography
- Antram, Nicholas; Morrice, Richard (2008). Brighton and Hove. Pevsner Architectural Guides. London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12661-7.
- Brighton Polytechnic. School of Architecture and Interior Design (1987). A Guide to the Buildings of Brighton. Macclesfield: McMillan Martin. ISBN 1-869865-03-0.
- Collis, Rose (2010). The New Encyclopaedia of Brighton. (based on the original by Tim Carder) (1st ed.). Brighton: Brighton & Hove Libraries. ISBN 978-0-9564664-0-2.
- Dale, Antony (1950). The History and Architecture of Brighton. Brighton: Bredin & Heginbothom Ltd.
- Dale, Antony; Gray, James S. (1976). Brighton Old and New. East Ardsley: EP Publishing. ISBN 0-7158-1188-6.
- Musgrave, Clifford (1981). Life in Brighton. Rochester: Rochester Press. ISBN 0-571-09285-3.
- ISBN 0-14-071028-0.