TQ 7567 CHATHAM HIGH STREET 762-1/4/14 Old Theatre Royal 05.10.88 GV II Theatre. 1899, by G E Bond, damaged by fire c1965. Painted faience tiles and moulded decoration, yellow stock brick with red brick dressings and hipped slate roof. Free Italianate style with Moorish turrets. PLAN: deep rectangular site with front foyer and rear auditorium at right angles. EXTERIOR: foyer section 2 storeys; 2 bay range. Entrance has mid C20 altered ground floor, an open first floor arcade of 2 paired round arches with balustrade and enriched capitals, dentil cornices to ground and first floors extend to the right return, and a raised open pediment with a central plinth flanked by octagonal Moorish domes; behind the arcade are 4 round-arched casements as the front with moulded surrounds and glazing bars. The right hand return includes 2 first floor sashes and a central lateral stack with curved side supports and ball finials; behind are 2 further brick linking sections of 3 and 4 windows; the back of the large rear auditorium has a central square tower fronted by a pediment to the street, with a raking roof each side up to a tall hipped roof with square cupola vents over the proscenium, and a raking lower roof behind to the auditorium. Irregular rear elevation. INTERIOR: auditorium has central dome with decoration of plasterwork swags and 2 tiers of balconies. The upper tier has painted plaster panels and moulded cherubs. The lower tier is much damaged but has a decoration of cherubs, swags and console brackets. The boxes have been removed and the proscenium arch blocked up. The balconies are supported on cast iron columns, but the ground floor ones are encased in concrete. No seating remains. The foyer retains one tiled panel, probably representing one of Shakespeare's female characters. Original staircase with twisted balusters and column newel. Former bar ceiling has strapwork decoration and coved cornice. Top floor retains some floral tiled panels and dado rail. Listing NGR: TQ7558867933