Pittville Pump Room

The Pump Room is a monument to more than 100 years of fame which Cheltenham enjoyed as a Spa town. The waters were first discovered in around1715 on a site now occupied by Cheltenham Ladies College. In 1788 George III and Queen Charlotte came to take the waters. Their visit set the seal on Cheltenham’s future. From that day on it grew and prospered. New wells were dug near Bayshill House where the King stayed.

Some years after the visit a banker named Joseph Pitt commissioned John Forbes, the architect, to design a pumproom, later to be called Pittville. The foundation stone was laid on May 4th 1825 and work completed in 1830. In the interim the Duke of Wellington visited the site. A feature of the design is the columns facing the lawns which are based on those of a Greek temple. The total cost of the project was over £40,000 not small by today’s standards, but incredibly high at that time. The decoration is based on the Ionic order and the great hall reflects the genius of John Forbes with the spa opening on the north side and the gallery and dome surmounting the hall. The original official opening of the 6th July 1830 was postponed because of the death of George IV until 20th July. A grand public breakfast and ball marked the occasion.

Unfortunately Pitt ran into financial difficulties. The building went out of favour and was eventually sold to the Borough of Cheltenham for a mere £5,400 in 1890 – a fraction of the original cost. During the second world war the Pump Room housed British and American army personnel. People were too busy fighting a war to fight the dry rot which began to creep through the structure. Only after the war was the full extent of the damage revealed. Plaster, brickwork, timber, nearly everything had been affected. The dome was only held in position by a shell of plaster; the timber had been eaten away by the fungus.

Public subscriptions came to the rescue. These were accompanied by Public Works grants and Historic Building Council contributions. A total of £43,250 was realised and by 1960 the building was partially restored to its former glory and re-opened in 1960 by the Duke of Wellington. The old card room had been replaced by a new foyer, cloakrooms and second staircase. Heating and new lighting was installed.

Inevitably the decoration has been modified to reflect the mood of today while showcasing the architectural features of yesterday.

Pittville Pump Room is in use most days of the year for private and public functions and is one of Cheltenham’s most popular wedding venues.

Spa waters are still available, being pumped to the fountain in the main hall from a well 80ft deep.