Heritage Commentary | Proposed Terrace Bar, River Terrace, , London

The site and its heritage designations Somerset House was built on the site of Tudor palace, between 1785 and 1803 to the designs of Sir William Chambers. It was the first purpose-built office complex built for Government use (alongside Navy and arts society uses); it continued to be in mixed Government use until 2014 when the last HMRC occupied spaces were vacated. Today Somerset House is a popular cultural destination housing an inspirational creative enterprise community. It provides audiences with access to the site for year-around events associated with its public programme of contemporary arts and culture. Somerset House Trust (SHT) also hosts an active learning programme, welcoming schools and local community groups. Overall, the site has over 3 million visitors each year.

Somerset House occupies almost the entire block north of Victoria Embankment and east of Lancaster Place; these form the south and west boundaries respectively. The north boundary runs behind the commercial and King’s College (KCL) frontages on the Strand but includes the entrance block that houses the Courtauld Institute. The east boundary runs to the rear of the KCL building on Surrey Street.

The Somerset House complex is statutorily listed at Grade I. The South Wing is therefore a designated heritage asset as defined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The list description encompassing the whole site is included as Appendix A of this report. The complex is also within the Strand Conservation Area and Lundenwic and Thorney Island Area of Special Archaeological Priority.

Other designated heritage assets in the vicinity are Waterloo Bridge (Grade II*) and the wall and lamp standards of Victoria Embankment (Grade II). The present Waterloo Bridge and the steps from the Embankment were constructed in 1927-42.

History and significance Somerset House is acknowledged to be one of the finest and largest public buildings of the 18th Century; and one of the most accomplished Palladian buildings in England. The site was originally designed as four wings arranged around a central courtyard. It was the masterpiece of Sir William Chambers, one of the most accomplished architects of the 18th century with later sympathetic additions from James Pennethorne in the 1850s. This is recognised in its Grade I listed status as a building of outstanding significance for its architectural quality and historic interest.

Somerset House comprises a variety of uses and plan form behind a unified composition and substructure. It is exceptionally rare as a large purpose-built complex of the eighteenth century. The complex as a whole is united by the use of Portland Stone on the main facades, with a coherent programme of architectural ornament following Palladian principles. The principal Portland Stone facades remain of the highest architectural significance.

Refurbishments have taken place throughout all wings of the Somerset House complex at different stages in the past century. These works have been principally undertaken to accommodate the changing needs of an office environment, including improvements to services and technology, and minor reconfigurations, including the removal and insertion of walls and the creation and blocking of openings. Works were carried out in several wings in the 1970s and in subsequent years. The areas were original fabric and plan form exist remain of higher heritage significance.

South Wing | In 1786, the Embankment Building, known today as the South Wing, was completed. The East and West Wings were completed two years later. Around this time, The Navy Board moved to Somerset House and eventually occupied one-third of the site; the Stamp Office, responsible for taxing newspapers and other documents, joins the board in the South Wing. Having merged in the mid Nineteenth Century, the Stamp Office and the Board of Taxes joined with the Board of Excise to form the Inland Revenue, which remained in residence at Somerset House for more than 150 years.

In 1864 work begins on the Victoria Embankment, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette; the Embankment was completed in 1870. This introduced major changes to the South Wing, in particular the Embankment entrance at lower ground floor level. This was in response to ‘The Great Stink’ of 1858, which prompted Parliament to allocate some £3 million to the Metropolitan Board of Works, who undertook to lay a vast, new sewage and drainage system, with new roads formed along the Victoria, Albert and Chelsea Embankments. The development of the Victorian Embankment in itself is a significant and important engineering project. However, the introduction of the Embankment had the effect of distancing the river from the buildings along its north bank, including Somerset House, which had been carefully designed to rise directly from the water. The new Embankment truncated the elevation of Chambers' masterpiece; the Aberdeen granite base of the Embankment Building was concealed by the substructure for the road, two Watergates were demoted to being entrances from the new raised carriageway, and the Great Arch with its two adjacent barge-houses became landlocked. This has some bearing on the significance of the arrangement at lower ground floor level.

The River Terrace, which is where the proposals are located, is raised above the Embankment level. It runs the full length of the south elevation and is a wide, paved space affording important views over the River. The river views (and view of the terrace itself) are concealed by the canopy of trees on the Embankment. Nonetheless, it is acknowledged as an important part of the setting of Somerset House.

Joseph Farrington, View of Somerset House and the Adelphi from the Thames. Engraved by Joseph Constantine Stadler, published 1791 Construction of Victoria Embankment. Date of photograph unknown

Character of the Conservation Area The Strand Conservation Audit (2003) states that Somerset House is a dominant set piece development of distinct character forming a landmark structure along the Strand. It acknowledges the large ‘self-contained’ block of Somerset House, which has a strong building line that interlocks well with the remaining small-scale plot pattern fronting the Strand. Internal courtyards provide important open spaces; that of Somerset House linking to the terrace on the river side providing a valuable public resource.

Somerset House has an imposing presence from views from within the Conservation Area. Rising above the tree lined Victoria Embankment, the distinguished Portland Stone façade is the strongest influence when entering the conservation area from the south.

In reference to the character of the Conservation Area, the Conservation Audit states that the topography and riverside location of the conservation area are of particular significance and shaped its street layout and development as can be seen in major projects such as Victoria Embankment. It acknowledges that the land falls towards the Thames providing good views from within the main body of the Conservation Area. The built frontage to the river contributes to the wider central Thames corridor, Somerset House being of particular importance. The views of the northern riverside from vantage point of Waterloo Bridge are of metropolitan if not national significance.

The Victoria Embankment provides a major route along the riverbank with riverside footway and is one of the finest projects of its kind from its era. The level change, particularly in relation to Somerset House, is most evident and makes this linear open space quite distinct. The changes in level create a richness, with steps and alleys, and varied views, However, the Embankment is a major traffic thoroughfare which forms a physical and visual barrier between the main body of the conservation area and the Thames, including visual links to the South Bank.

Impact of proposals on significance

While the exceptional significance of the South Wing, its principal facade and the juxtaposition of the River Terrace is noted, the proposals do not seek to permanently alter any of the existing historic fabric. Rather they involve the placement of a temporary structure on the River Terrace, for its ongoing use as a bar during the warmer months of the year.

Overall, the proposals may have a neutral to a very minor and temporary impact on significance; namely associated with the effect of the temporary structure on the setting of the Grade I listed building while it is in situ. However, this impact is only really apparent from views contained within the site, when on the terrace itself. Further, important views from Waterloo Bridge and within the wider setting of the Conservation Area are not affected greatly due to fairly extensive tree coverage. The impact is further minimised by the sensitive design, colour and low and contained nature of the structure.

While considerable importance and weight is given to any harm caused, this is a temporary and completely reversible change with harm being more than outweighed by the public benefits that will be delivered, namely the on-going facilitation of public access to the site, which in turn better reveal its architectural attributes and historic interest; in addition to the generation of revenue to enable SHT to invest and continue to maintain its estate in a befitting manner in line with its significance and importance.

Appendix A: Somerset House Listing Description

SOMERSET HOUSE AND KING'S COLLEGE OLD BUILDING Details

TQ 3080 NE CITY OF WESTMINSTER STRAND, WC2 73/43 Somerset House and 5.2.70 King's College Old Building G.V. I Government offices and college. The New Public Offices 1776-96 by Sir William Chambers; sculpture by Carlini, Bacon, Cezacchi, Banks, Nollekens, Silton;and Coade stone urns; the east extension for King's College 1829-35 by Sir Robert Smirke and the west extension of offices to Lancaster Place by Sir James Pennethorne, 1853-56. Portland stone to all main elevations, stock brick for rear to subsidiary courts, slate and leaded roofs. Chambers' dignified neo-classical interpretation of established Palladianism, but with some markedly Parisian neo-classical details, rising to features of Piranesian originality in the river front but not entirely resolved as design,viz the scale of the dome - all executed in the finest masonry and with excellent examples of late C18 sculpture. Smirke and, more remarkably for the date, Pennethorne, laudably followed the precedent set by Chambers. The Strand block with carriage archway leads into grand quadrangle of buildings with subsidiary courts and the later flanking ranges of the east and west extensions; the great river front is raised on a mighty basement/terrace, originally opening directly on to the Thames with water-gates. 3 main storeys throughout on 2½ storeys of basements. The Strand block has a 9-window wide entrance front. Rusticated arcaded ground floor, the central 3 bays open as carriage arches into finely detailed triple vaulted,columned vestibule and on into the quad. Piano nobile with pilastered and pedimented windows with square architraved windows to half storey 2nd floor, articulated by giant order of Corinthian columns; full entablature with balustraded parapets flanking 3 bay central attic with wreathed oculi with statues on vertical accents and crowning sculptural group. Quadrangle side similar but able to be fully developed across width of site behind Strand with projecting, 3-bay, giant order dressed wings and plainer subsidiary wings. The quadrangle building on the south, east and west sides is completely rusticated (with greater emphasis to ground floor) with giant order centre-piece pavilions, that to the south with modest pedimented attic and dome, the other 2 with small cupolas; arcaded ground floor fenestration; pediments to piano nobile windows of pavilions. Rusticated gateways link north ends of side ranges with Strand side range and give access to subsidiary courts and Smirke's King's College range to east (25 bays wide with central and end pavilions with giant orders of columns and pilasters respectively) and on the west to Pennethorne's extension; the latter has a 13-bay front to Lancaster Place flanked by 4-bay projecting wings and admirably reworks Chambers' design for the quadrangle elevation of the Strand block. To the river front the whole vast complex presents one great facade of which Chambers' original work forms the major portion, a monumental palace elevation 45 bays wide with central 5-bay giant order pavilion, surmounted weakly by the pediment-attic-dome, and, the most original feature, the giant ordered, pedimented colonnade screens set on giant semicircular archways, providing the 2 major flank accents linking the wings. The massive arcaded basement/terrace has central semicircular water arch and water gates flanked by pairs of giant rusticated Tuscan columns. A number of Chambers' very fine interiors survive, of particular note the former rooms of the Royal Acadamy and the Learned Societies with their staircases; the Navy staircase with its flying span in the west end of the south block; chimney pieces, doorcases etc. Smirke's King's College retains classical entrance hall and staircase either side; low great hall with chapel above remodelled 1861-72 by Sir in Normano-Byzantine style with painted and mosaic decoration, arcaded semi-domed altar apse, etc. Sir William Chambers; John Harris 1600 History of the King's Works; Vol VI

Listing NGR: TQ3077880767