JeffReuben
St. Pancras Baths South Elevation
This is the Prince of Wales Road (south) elevation of the St. Pancras Public Baths, located in the Kentish Town section of the London Borough of Camden. This building complex was completed in 1901 and underwent a major renovation in 2010. The renovation included major internal changes and restoration of the facade and some interior details. Over the years it also has been variously known as the Prince of Wales Baths, Kentish Town Baths, and is now known officially as the Kentish Town Sports Centre (it is some distance from the St. Pancras train station but when built it was part of the Borough of St. Pancras).
Built as public baths, as much if not more for reasons of public health than for leisure purposes, it also functioned as a public hall as indicated by lettering on the right (east) side of the south facade. The women's entrance was located on the west side of the building. Today it includes swimming pools and other recreation facilities.
Per a 2005 article by local councillor Gerry Harrison:
"Its architect, Thomas W Aldwinckle, who designed baths in Lewisham and a work-house in Lambeth, produced a late Victorian flamboyance, faced with Lawrence’s red brick with Doulton terra cotta bands, cornices and dressings.
Its asymmetrical façade displays recessed stair turrets and conical roofs. A dentil frieze encloses the building at the first floor, with ‘St Pancras Public Baths Public Hall’ in gold Art Nouveau lettering above the central entrances."
www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/102705/r102705_03.htm
According to a 2010 article in Construction Manager:
"At the southern end of the site, along Prince of Wales Road, the distinctive main elevation with its turrets and bell tower has been separated from the rest of the sports centre and converted into luxury apartments, while the former Resident Engineer’s Block at the northern end of the building has been converted into flats and social housing apartments. These units will be sold to offset the cost of the development."
See: www.construction-manager.co.uk//features/lengths-we-went/
Also, water for the facility was drawn from deep artesian wells and as part of the renovation these were were put back into use according to the Construction Manager article.
For further reading:
An 1899 article about the facility when it was in development:
books.google.com/books?id=G7QcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&l...
A 1913 description of the facility:
books.google.com/books?id=aJQ3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA152&l...
It is a Grade II Listed Building - the building listing:
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1139080
St. Pancras Baths South Elevation
This is the Prince of Wales Road (south) elevation of the St. Pancras Public Baths, located in the Kentish Town section of the London Borough of Camden. This building complex was completed in 1901 and underwent a major renovation in 2010. The renovation included major internal changes and restoration of the facade and some interior details. Over the years it also has been variously known as the Prince of Wales Baths, Kentish Town Baths, and is now known officially as the Kentish Town Sports Centre (it is some distance from the St. Pancras train station but when built it was part of the Borough of St. Pancras).
Built as public baths, as much if not more for reasons of public health than for leisure purposes, it also functioned as a public hall as indicated by lettering on the right (east) side of the south facade. The women's entrance was located on the west side of the building. Today it includes swimming pools and other recreation facilities.
Per a 2005 article by local councillor Gerry Harrison:
"Its architect, Thomas W Aldwinckle, who designed baths in Lewisham and a work-house in Lambeth, produced a late Victorian flamboyance, faced with Lawrence’s red brick with Doulton terra cotta bands, cornices and dressings.
Its asymmetrical façade displays recessed stair turrets and conical roofs. A dentil frieze encloses the building at the first floor, with ‘St Pancras Public Baths Public Hall’ in gold Art Nouveau lettering above the central entrances."
www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/102705/r102705_03.htm
According to a 2010 article in Construction Manager:
"At the southern end of the site, along Prince of Wales Road, the distinctive main elevation with its turrets and bell tower has been separated from the rest of the sports centre and converted into luxury apartments, while the former Resident Engineer’s Block at the northern end of the building has been converted into flats and social housing apartments. These units will be sold to offset the cost of the development."
See: www.construction-manager.co.uk//features/lengths-we-went/
Also, water for the facility was drawn from deep artesian wells and as part of the renovation these were were put back into use according to the Construction Manager article.
For further reading:
An 1899 article about the facility when it was in development:
books.google.com/books?id=G7QcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&l...
A 1913 description of the facility:
books.google.com/books?id=aJQ3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA152&l...
It is a Grade II Listed Building - the building listing:
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1139080