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18 Queen’s Park

ContextFlat, slightly sunken, formal Victorian Park bounded byQueen’s Terrace and CA19 to north. Note that the char-acter area includes all buildings fronting the park whichgive the space its well-defined character and positiveenclosure. South Western House fronts onto the park aswell as Canute Road (CA23) to the east, the South EastDocks (CA36) to the south and CA13 High Street Southto the west. It is closely although not directly related tothe waterfront and views of shipping.

The area of Queen’s Park can be identified on maps fromthe eighteenth century; in 1791 it was called Porter’sMead, a name that continued in use into the late nine-teenth century. There is, however, archaeologicalevidence for an area of medieval suburban developmentin the western part of the area.

GrainA relatively fine to medium grained arrangement ofstreets and narrow plots, though many have been amal-gamated in post-war reconstruction with only modestlarger footprint buildings which generally respect thevertical emphasis and bay divisions of their neighbours.

The park setting is strongly defined by the peripheralstreets which create a well-defined structure to the area.

ScaleThe scale of the space is determined by the heights ofthe buildings surrounding the park. The highest building(thirteen storeys) is at the north west corner of the park,this steps down to six to eight storeys. This landmarkbuilding can be seen from the Itchen Bridge and manyplaces in the southern parts of the city. South WesternHouse, a massive Grade II listed Victorian hotel buildingis of comparable size and massing. Queen’s Terraceitself consists of three and four storey buildings. To thesouth buildings relating to the historic and modern docksarea line Platform Road (which forms the south side ofthe park). A grand traditional three storey and a modernflat-roofed four storey.

Of note is the considerable height and number of themature trees on the northern and western fringes of thepark in particular, and the trees lining Latimer Street asit runs north-south through the park.

UsesThere is a mix of uses surrounding the park whichincludes a small sandwich shop, a restaurant, a bowlinggreen and office and residential accommodation (mostlyhouses converted to flats). Some shopfronts survivefrom an earlier period but most have been convertedback to residential use. The park is a good but under-used amenity space, but is well tendered and managed.

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It is a welcome green space of considerable ecologicalvalue in a very built-up part of the city. A small car parkexists at its eastern end.

The long established Bowls Club and bowling green arelocated in a prominent position adjacent to the south-west corner of Queen’s Park, the town wall and God’sHouse and close to the waterfront (located in the adja-cent CA13).

Public RealmThe area is dominated by trees and grass with a smallVictorian fountain as a focal point. A hedge forms half ofthe southern boundary, partially screening views of thewaterfront.

Surface materials are utilitarian though there is somesurvival of granite with wide clay paviours lining gutters.

ConnectivityThe area is well connected in all directions, especiallythe east to west – Platform Road (A33). However, thelatter is a busy road traffic route.

ViewsThere are some glimpsed views of shipping, docksidebuildings and structures (such as the travelling cranes)seen through the canopies of the trees to the park.

The view south along Latimer Street is nicely terminatedby the Palladian grandeur of the Post Office Building(former Cunard Offices) (1899). Views west through thepark are dominated by the newly built apartment block tothe western fringe of the park. The stepping up of thisbuilding to its thirteen storey corner creates a dramaticskyline though the building is somewhat overpowering intotality.

Building typesThere is a broad array of building types from early andmid nineteenth century houses, some of which havebeen subsequently retrofitted with shopfronts, to grandVictorian hotels and offices, to modern office blocks ofboth the 1950s (Queen’s Terrace) and 1960s (PortcullisHouse). There is also a new complex of apartments tothe north-west corner.

Architectural qualitiesThere are some very high quality historic buildingsfronting Queen’s Park. This includes a fine group at nos23 -33 inclusive with their distinctive first floor bow orielwindows and classical simplicity of form and modestdetailing.

The South Western Hotel is impressive for its scalealone but is also finely detailed, particularly to its roofwhich forms an important part of the skyline when seenin distant views from the park. Other buildings of note

01 The imposing scale of Oceana Boulevard stepped up to thirteenstoreys at the north west corner of the park

02 Characteristic oriel windows to this Regency terrace on thenorthern edge of the park

03 Platform Road, partly defined with the mature trees to Queen’sPark

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include the ‘impeccably Palladian’ (Pevsner p.554) PostOffice Building, former Cunard Offices, to the south sideof Platform Road, with its array of classical motifs seem-ingly crammed into the facade.

A further building of note is the Southampton SeafarersCentre, Queen’s Terrace. This building is in brick and isfinished in an international jazz moderne style with somegood detailing to the door surrounds and flag poleswhich enliven the skyline.

Heritage AssetsThis area lay outside the limit of the medieval walledtown but it is considered to possess a moderate degreeof evidential value due to evidence for some medievalsuburban development at the west end of the area. Thebowling green is an historic feature of considerablecultural as well as communal value dating back to theseventeenth century at least – it is shown on Speed’smap of 1611. The area lies within a Local Area ofArchaeological Importance to reflect this potential toyield significant evidence for past activity in the area.

The area contains a high number of listed buildingsdating from the early to mid- nineteenth century. A partic-ularly significant group in terms of both their historic andaesthetic values can be found on Queen’s Terrace to theeast of its junction with Latimer Street.

The Grade II listed South Western Hotel (contains replicaprincipal staircase from the Titanic) is an importantbuilding, the scale and grandeur of which reflects thepopularity of Southampton’s ocean liner trade in the lateVictorian/ Edwardian period. This is also seen in thearchitectural refinement of Post Office House, PlatformRoad. Both of these buildings reflect cultural and asso-ciative values of one of Southampton most successfulperiods as a world leading city based largely on its portand dock capabilities and facilities, during the firstheyday of the ocean liners.

There is a monument to General Gordon. He was knownas ‘Chinese Gordon’ for his service in the Far East. Onthe memorial in Queen’s Park, Chinese characters canbe seen (being the nearest representation to his name inthat language). To reflect the associative and communalvalues of this monument it is statutory listed at Grade II.The park forms part of the setting for this monument.

MaterialsStucco render and natural slate roofs (the latter arelargely obscured from view by parapets). Some brown-red brick to later twentieth century buildings with earlier

buildings (Post Office Building) of red brick offset withBath-stone type dressing and buff brick (Bowling GreenHouse). Notable use of copper for the roof of the latter.

Modern apartments are a mix of painted render and redbrick with metal roofs (probably zinc). Glass and steelframed balconies provide some articulation to what arelarge buildings.

ConditionThe Park is reasonably well maintained, with someevidence of wear and tear. The surrounding buildings areall in reasonable repair and appear to be maintaineddespite some vacant units (Portcullis House at the timeof writing is vacant).

OwnershipResidential developments are probably combination ofleasehold and rental with corporate landlords on short,medium and long term leases. Some possible freeholdinterest along Queen’s Terrace, but mostly leaseholdand commercial agents and landlords. The bowling greenis owned by its Club organisation.

Interventionn The small car park could be more sensitively designed

and managed in terms of surface treatments, demar-cation of parking bays, signs etc. or removed alto-gether if surplus to requirement.

n A viewing platform might be considered in order toprovide an improved view of shipping.

n An imaginative lighting system could be installed tomake the park attractive and safe at night-time. Thiscould also incorporate the sensitive lighting of historicbuildings enclosing the park.

n There may be potential for a shared space along partof Queen’s Terrace and the encouragement of useswhich could spill out onto the park (subject to theamenity of residential uses).

n Portcullis House, the four storey office block facingthe park, presents a good opportunity for a sensitivebut imposing building between the Union CastleBuilding and the Edwardian Dock Office.

Key design principlesn The park is a very well defined space and develop-

ment, where appropriate, should continue at a scalecommensurate with positive enclosure of the park(recent development is however somewhat over-bearing).

n Mixed use should be encouraged along Queen’sTerrace to provide a quantum of visitors which couldprovide improved vitality for the park space.



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Townscape

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