Regent’s Park Circuit – Part 2 – Hanover Gate to Clarence Gate

This post is part of a series – click here for a consolidated post, including the full route, history and every section published so far, and click here for the previous section.

Hanover Gate to Clarence Gate

*Figure 1: Regent’s Park Circuit (Outer and Hybrid). This post covers the section shown by the yellow dashed line.*

This section starts at Hanover Gate, which is just south of the London Central Mosque, and proceeds in a southerly direction. The part of the circuit is almost entirely flat and generally has few pedestrians, other than those entering or emerging from cars parked on the left hand side of the road.

Hanover Terrace

We now come to the first Nash terrace on this route, Hanover Terrace. This was built in 1822 and named after George IV’s family, the House of Hanover. Hanover Terrace, in common with most of the other terraces that surround Regent’s Park, was designed to conceal a row of terraced houses behind a façade that gives the impression of a palace or grand country house. The style of the façade is known as neo-classical, and looks back to Greek and Roman buildings for inspiration. The terraces therefore make heavy use of columns and usually have protruding ‘wings’ or ‘pavilions’ (i.e. sections that stick out from the main façade) at either end, complimented by a portico (i.e. a section that sticks out above the main door) in the centre, some or all of which are often topped by a triangular pediment. The picture below identifies these features on an old drawing of Hanover Terrace. All is usually arranged in perfect symmetry. The sense of grandeur is further amplified by a stucco finish, painted in a bright cream paint that covers almost every of inch of the terraces, the colour of which is mandated by the Crown Estate as freeholder.

*Figure 3: Hanover Terrace in 1846 (before the trees obscured it!) with the key architectural features marked. Original drawing by Thomas Higham ©Trustees of the British Museum*

Hanover Terrace is a classic (if you will excuse the pun) example of this style – it has a long symmetrical front with Doric columned pavilions at each end and a matching portico’ in the centre Each of the pavilions and portico is topped by a triangular pediment. These pediments are inlayed with light blue paint and white statues, a bit like life-sized Wedgwood pottery, and topped by yet more statutes. The front doors to the 20 terraced houses that lie behind this majestic facade are partially concealed by a veranda (or probably more accurately a ‘loggia’) of repeating archways that extends across the entire building. The terrace is set back from the Outer Circle behind a narrow garden and access road.

*Figure 4: The central portico and pediment of Hanover Terrace with white statutes against a light blue background*

H G Wells, the author of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, and many other science fiction classics, lived at No. 13 Hanover Terrace between 1933 and his death in 1946 (it was recently on the market for just under £14 million). Wells must had some familiarity with the area before moving to it, as he set the Martian invasion’s final base in The War of the Worlds on nearby Primrose Hill.

Sussex Place

Next comes Sussex Place (1822-23), which differs considerably from Nash’s other terraces, and indeed all of the other terraces that surround the park. Shaped like a bow from above, it comprises a long, Corinthian colonnaded frontage with wings that curve through ninety degrees at each end, enclosing a large garden. It is the only terrace within the park that curves, and the curve is so extreme that the ends of the two wings look like stand-alone houses from many angles. Its other distinct feature are the ten octagonal turrets topped by pointed domes, arranged in pairs at either side of the houses at end of the wings and along the centre. Neither a dome nor an octagon is seen on any of the other terraces, which generally have a cross section that only makes use of right angles. It is at least the same colour as the other terraces, being painted from top to bottom in Regent’s Park cream.

*Figure 6: One of the two end houses of Sussex Place*

Sussex Place’s unusual features are said to have been adapted from one of Nash’s designs for the rebuilding of Carlton House, the Prince Regent’s palace on the Mall. The domes and turrets also bring to mind, although with somewhat less exuberance, Brighton Pavilion, which Nash had designed for the Prince Regent in the previous decade. Its name comes from the Duke of Sussex, one of George IV’s younger brothers (a title now held by Prince Harry). As with every terrace surrounding the park, Sussex Place was built as a series of terraced houses, but after suffering damage in World War II it was renovated to become the home of the London Business School.

Clarence Terrace

The final landmark on this section is Clarence Terrace (1823). This is the smallest terrace in the park, originally only containing 12 houses. It consists of a central section set behind a small garden, a large part of which is taken up by a grand Corinthian columned portico topped by an elegant pediment. This is flanked by two large pavilions that extend out to the street, each of which would constitute a considerable stand-alone house. The pavilions are framed by six Corinthian ‘pilasters’ (i.e. mock columns), and are joined to the central section by a line of double columns. The overall effect is very pleasing, and perhaps more like a grand country house than any of the other terraces given its (relatively) small size. Clarence Terrace was designed by Decimus Burton, son of James Burton, who built and financed several of the other terraces and villas in the park. It was named after George IV’s younger brother, the Duke of Clarence, who eventually succeeded him as William IV.

*Figures 7.1 and 7.2: Clarence Terrace rear elevation from Park Road*

Clarence Terrace was rebuilt in the 1960s after suffering damage and falling into disrepair during World War II, a fate shared by almost all of the other terraces to some degree. The majestic facade was retained but the rear of the building, and presumably part of the interior, was rebuilt in a more modern style. This can be seen quite clearly if you walk or run around the corner to Park Road and look at the rear of the block – see figures 7.1 and 7.2 above. It has the appearance of a smart but relatively nondescript post-war block of flats, and you would be forgiven for thinking that you are looking at a different building entirely.

*Figure 8: Clarence Terrace and in the distance the clock tower of Abbey House, the former headquarters of Abbey National*

Immediately after Clarence Terrace there is a right fork in the road (Clarence Gate) that leads down Baker Street. If you are planning to run to Hyde Park or beyond, this is where you should leave Regent’s Park. If look down Baker Street from here and move your eyes to the skyline, you should be able to see a tall grey tower (actually a clock tower) with a large arched hole in it on the right hand side of Baker Street – see the picture above. This is Abbey House, the former headquarters of the Abbey National building society, which is now part of Santander. It was originally the Abbey Road building society, founded in nearby St. John’s Wood on the Abbey Road later made famous by the eponymous Beatles album, so very much a local business. An attractive art deco building constructed in the 1930s, its address is 219-229 Baker Street and it is therefore on the site of the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes at 221b Baker Street. Apparently Abbey National used to employ a member of staff who sole responsibility was to respond to letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes. Only the facade is original – the building was completely rebuilt into apartments following the Abbey National leaving in 2002.