Electricity House:
CLARENCE STREET. Electricity sub-station. 1894-5. Probably designed by Joseph Hall, borough engineer. Red brick with gauged red brick, terracotta, ashlar and rough stone dressings, concealed roof except to outshut a slate roof; tall brick end stack to west has cornice and copings. Italian Gothic style, based on the Strozzi Palace (1489), Florence. Rectangular block with outshut to north.
EXTERIOR: main (south) facade to Clarence Street: 3 storeys, 3 first floor windows. Rough stone plinth with central blocked arch. Ground floor has 2 outer round-arched windows with 6-pane casements and gauged brick arch to head. Moulded terracotta band; continuous sill band, outer 6/6 sashes, to centre a triple window has fixed-light multi-pane casement windows with paired columns with foliate capitals between, continuous band over, moulded frieze and cornice surmounted by blind round-arched arcade with short pilasters with foliate capitals and rubbed brick arches above, brattished frieze, deep cogged band, cornice and further crowning blind arcade and cornice. West facade: 1 bay deep with set-back outshut. Decorative features continue from south facade; ground floor has round-arched opening; first stage has 6/6 sash. Entrance to outshut a panelled door with overlight with lettering 'Electricity ...'.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
HISTORICAL NOTE: this sub-station was part of Cheltenham's first electricity supply (1895). Here 2000 volts was transformed down to 100 volts at the unusual frequency of 94 Hz. In 1907 the sub-station was converted into electricity offices, but the building has reverted to its original use as a sub-station. Cheltenham Civic Society/ Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology plaque. Occupies a good corner site, forming part of a distinguished group of Victorian buildings