Archbishop Temple School, including landscaped pools

Archbishop Temple School is a secondary school built between 1964 and 1966 by Building Design Partnership. The school is constructed of brown brick with copper sheeting and features mainly butterfly and monopitch roofs, with blocks of varying height.

Site and Layout

The site is largely flat at the north end but slopes from north-west to south-east in the southern section. The school buildings occupy the sloping southern part of the site at the end of a long driveway running north-west to south-east from St Vincent's Road. Playing fields lie in the more level areas to the north and east, with a mixture of formal and informal landscaping to the south-east and two playgrounds to the south-west.

The school comprises a series of interlinked buildings. A long block containing the gymnasium, assembly hall, and classrooms (arranged from north-west to south-east) runs alongside the south-east end of the drive. Beyond the end of the drive, a multi-storey administration and classroom element steps down the site's slope. An enclosed link on the block's north-east side connects to a single-storey maths block, whilst an enclosed bridge walkway on the south-west side, incorporating the school's main entrance, spans the slope and links to the former commerce and dining hall block (now containing mixed classrooms and a dining hall). An oval-shaped chapel is attached to the south-east side of the dining hall block via an enclosed link. The technical block, which has a three-pronged star-like plan, connects to the dining hall block's north-west side via an enclosed link; this altered link is excluded from the listing.

Set to the north-east of the gymnasium are a small detached disused cycle shed and a detached late 20th-century or early 21st-century single-storey music block, both excluded from the listing.

Exterior

The school's original metal windows have largely been replaced by uPVC windows (not of special interest), except for clerestorey windows, which retain their original metal frames and slender external softwood mullions that appear as fins. Some copper sheeting used to break up the school's expanses of brown brick has been stolen and replaced with green mineral felt, though the majority survives. The building has felt-covered roofs, with a copper-clad roof to the technical block's tower. The building's softwood soffit fascias are splayed and follow the line of the angled butterfly roofs.

The school's main entrance is formed of a single-bay unit with a butterfly roof that projects forward on the entrance's north-west side to form a canopy. The canopy was originally supported by cedar posts at each side, which have since been replaced by or encased within uPVC-clad side panels (not of special interest). The original fully-glazed doors and surrounding screen, which are recessed and accessed via a flight of steps, have also been replaced by a modern screen and doors that are now only partly glazed (not of special interest). A large abstract stained-glass window by William Mitchell at the rear of the entrance is covered by modern perspex sheeting externally to prevent vandalism. The entrance is flanked on each side by enclosed glazed walkways that lead into the assembly hall and classroom block on the north-east side and the dining hall block on the south-west side; the walkway on the north-east side spans over the site's slope and is a bridge with a pathway underneath leading to the rear grounds.

Gymnasium, Assembly Hall and Classroom Block

The block to the north-east of the entrance, containing the gymnasium, assembly hall and classrooms, is aligned north-west to south-east. The double-height gymnasium/sports hall is located at the north-west end and has a monopitch roof with the highest point at the north-west end. The gymnasium's walls are largely blank, but metal clerestorey windows with external softwood fin-like mullions exist to the west, east and south corners with copper panelling above and below; the windows to the west corner light the gymnasium whilst those to the east and south corners light a space used for drama. The clerestorey windows to the south corner have been boarded over. The gymnasium has doubled in size through the addition of a late 20th-century extension to the north-west end, which has a reverse monopitch roof that rises to form a pitched roof with the original; this extension is excluded from the listing.

A two-storey link with a monopitch roof and horizontal windows on both sides connects the gymnasium to the assembly hall and contains changing rooms. An external concrete ramp supported by brick piers and slender painted-steel columns wraps around the east corner of the gymnasium/sports hall and leads up to first-floor changing rooms in the link. A walkway underneath the ramp provides access to ground-floor changing rooms in the link.

The two-storey assembly hall section, which also contains offices, toilets, a staff room and part of the library internally, has a butterfly roof and is taller than the adjacent changing room link, projecting outwards on both the north-east and south-west sides. The north-east side of the assembly hall range incorporates a mixture of horizontal and vertical windows of varying size to both floors, including two very large windows that span between the floor levels, providing floor-to-ceiling windows to the first floor that light a library and a staff room internally. The south-west side is formed mainly of a large expanse of full-height glazing.

A three-storey administration and classroom range is located at the south-east end of the gymnasium and assembly hall block and steps down the site's slope with a series of butterfly roofs. It has copper spandrel panels set below large windows and angled side walls with glazed corners; the lowest panels are now of solid uPVC (not of special interest). The butterfly roofs retain their original softwood and metal clerestorey windows, painted plywood fascias and cedar-board cladding to the underside of the eaves. The south-east end elevation has horizontal window bands to each floor with copper sheeting bands above and below, apart from below the ground floor, which is of roughcast render.

Maths Block

An enclosed walkway on the north-east side of the classroom range connects to the single-storey maths block, which has a monopitch roof incorporating a large clerestorey dormer rising out of the centre, lighting the main internal circulation space. A 1974-1975 extension added by Building Design Partnership lies at the north-east end and is identically styled to the rest of the block. Two horizontal bands of windows lie alongside each other on the south-east side; that to the north-east end marks the 1974-1975 extension. A series of nine windows exist to the north-west elevation; the three to the left (north-east end) form the extension and are identically styled to the rest. The block incorporates clerestorey windows on the north-west side in the same style as those to the rest of the school.

Landscaped Pools

Running alongside the south-west side of the assembly hall and underneath the entrance link bridge are two tiered pools. The upper pool, which runs alongside the assembly hall, is constructed of concrete with York-stone copings and is raised, whilst the lower pool, which is smaller and sunken, is of concrete with coursed-stone facings to the walls. The pools originally contained water fed by concrete spouts bringing rainwater off the roof and were stocked with fish. The upper pool has since been planted and the lower pool is now empty, but the spouts survive, including a waterfall spout that connects the two pools.

Dining Hall Block

The dining hall block on the south-west side of the entrance link is aligned north-east to south-west and consists of a double-height dining hall to the centre rear (south-east side) with exposed structural steel members in the style of fins, which form a frame to the timber trusses internally. Green mineral felt sheeting exists to the roof parapet and replaced original copper sheeting. The dining hall is flanked by two blocks that are similarly styled to each other. The blocks are two-storey on the south-east side due to the sloping ground (providing ground floor and lower-ground floor levels) and single-storey on the north-west side. Both have acutely angled butterfly roofs with bands of copper sheeting set above and below horizontal window bands. The block to the south-west end, which has a roughcast rendered lower-ground floor, has lost a flat hood that was originally located above its south-east entrance and the clerestorey glazing to the upper part of the south-east elevation has been replaced (or covered over) by uPVC cladding (not of special interest). The clerestorey glazing to the north-east block survives, but the copper sheeting below the lower-ground floor windows has been replaced by uPVC cladding (not of special interest).

Chapel

Projecting from the dining hall block's south-east side is an enclosed link with later uPVC cladding (not of special interest) that connects to a single-storey oval-shaped chapel, which was originally an additional dining room. The chapel has alternate solid and glazed bays separated by very slender projecting timber fins that form part of the internal timber portal frames; the solid bays are clad with green mineral felt (a replacement to the original copper sheeting), whilst the glazed bays have replaced uPVC glazing with solid uPVC aprons (the uPVC elements are not of special interest) that were originally also glazed. Copper sheeting exists to the parapet, whilst that to the plinth has been replaced by mineral felt. The chapel's original copper-clad roof is now covered by felt.

Lying alongside the south-east wall of the dining hall and spanning across to the chapel link are two pools with low concrete side walls surmounted by later glazed-panel fencing (not of special interest), one of which incorporates a built-in bench seat. The pool nearest to the chapel originally contained a fountain.

Technical Block

Projecting from the centre of the dining hall block's north-west elevation is an enclosed link that connects to the technical block. The link, which has been enlarged through the addition of two flanking classrooms added in the late 20th century, is excluded from the listing. The technical block has a three-pronged star-like design where each projecting range has its own butterfly roof. Rising from the centre of the block is a 40-foot copper-clad flat-topped tower with a triangular plan and inward angled windows to the tower's three vertices that are now covered externally by opaque sheeting. The block incorporates fully-glazed corners and its original metal clerestorey windows survive to each projecting range with external timber fin-like mullions. Square windows exist below with replaced uPVC glazing (not of special interest). A modern pod-like entrance, excluded from the listing, has been added to the south side.

Set to the north-east of the gymnasium is a single-storey former bike shed and a detached late 20th-century brown-brick and painted-render music block with a corrugated-metal roof, both excluded from the listing.

Interior

Internally there are mahogany wood-block floors in the corridors and classrooms, and a mixture of floorings elsewhere, including wood strip floors. Angled ceilings can be found throughout the school, particularly to the classrooms, with yellow-cedar boarding pinned directly to the timber roof trusses. Some original veneer doors and hardwood doors with strip glazing survive, but others have been replaced. Original built-in cupboards survive in some of the classrooms and offices.

Main Entrance and Walkways

The main entrance and flanking connecting walkways that lead off into the classroom and assembly hall block on the north-east side and dining hall block on the south-west side have a slate floor. The entrance has lost its original cedar-board ceiling cladding. A large abstract stained-glass window by William Mitchell forms the main entrance's three-sided rear window; originally an open space, a modern reception desk and a glazed timber screen (both not of special interest) have since been inserted in front of the window.

At the north-east end of the entrance walkway a short flight of steps lead down into a wide corridor that accesses the assembly hall on the north-west side and leads north-east to an enclosed external walkway connecting to the maths block. Secondary corridors off to the north-west and south-east sides lead to the changing rooms and gymnasium, and classroom range respectively. A staircase with two continuous flights separated by a low-level landing is set alongside the corridor's north-west wall and leads up to the library. The stair has hardwood treads hidden by modern coverings and a modern replaced balustrade with metal rails and toughened-glass panels to the lower flight (not of special interest); the upper flight, which was originally open, is now enclosed. The library's cedar ceiling cladding is now largely hidden by later cladding panels (not of special interest) placed on top with lights and vents, which is replicated in some of the classroom range's top-floor classrooms and also in the dining hall block's classrooms.

Assembly Hall

The assembly hall, which has a walnut strip floor, has a stage at the north-west end and a physical education store at the south-east end with a large tiered modern seating stand (not of special interest) installed in front. The hall has a timber roof constructed of Douglas fir and formed of a series of inclined girders with their apices inverted. The girders, which are clad with yellow-cedar boarding, taper in depth with the deepest part at the south-east end of the hall. The walls are also clad with cedar boarding. The stage has access stairs to each side and an additional later stair flight inserted to the centre front. The stage surround is of dark-grey brick with a square-headed concrete proscenium with scored decoration.

Gymnasium and Changing Rooms

The gymnasium has a modern vinyl floor that replaced the original maple strip floor, and yellow-cedar cladding to the ceiling of the original part of the gymnasium. Rooflights have been covered over externally. The adjacent changing rooms have terrazzo floors.

Classroom Range

The classroom range contains a cantilevered concrete stair with a replaced stair balustrade (not of special interest) in the same style as that to the library stair. The classrooms are generally plain, apart from the top-floor rooms with their angled cedar-clad ceilings (some of the cedar cladding is hidden by later cladding panels placed on top with lights and vents) and clerestorey windows.

Maths Block Interior

The maths block is split-level internally due to the site's sloping ground, thus the north-west side of the block is set at a higher level and the rooms on this side are accessed via short flights of steps. The entrance, which has a slate floor and cedar-clad ceiling, is flanked by offices to each north-west and south-east side; that to the north-west side is accessed via a short flight of terrazzo steps. Modern carpet tiles cover most of the flooring in the block. The entrance leads into a central circulation space/atrium, which originally contained a fountain and formal garden and has glazed partitions to the north-west and south-east sides with classrooms behind, which were demanded by the Chief Education Officer at Preston Corporation to create a 'look through' quality that would teach the students concentration. The partitions incorporate fins in a similar style to those to the exterior of the blocks, with further fins set horizontally acting as a form of ceiling below the large clerestorey dormer. The classroom on the north-west side is accessed via a short polished-concrete stair and small landing area, which also provides access into a further classroom and the 1975 extension beyond. A doorway in the central space's north-east wall leads to a corridor accessing classrooms on the south-east side and north-east end; the corridor is a 1975 insertion into an original classroom and was inserted to create internal access to the 1975 extension. The original classrooms have cedar-clad ceilings, some of which have been partly covered by later cladding.

Dining Hall Block Interior

The dining hall block has a split-level, top-lit spine corridor on the ground floor with classrooms off to each north-west and south-east side with cedar-clad angled ceilings and some original built-in cupboards, and a double-height dining hall set to the centre on the south-east side. The lower-ground floor has a kitchen at the north-east end and stores and toilets at the south-west end. The dining hall, which has yellow-cedar boarding to the ceiling and upper section of the north-east wall, is set on different levels. A short stair leads down from the spine corridor onto a mezzanine gallery with a further stair flight leading down into the main body of the double-height dining hall. Another stair flight alongside the north-west wall leads down to a narrow corridor with a mahogany strip floor that accesses the kitchen and the chapel. All the stairs, including a further one at the south-west end of the block, which is accessed through an original glazed timber screen incorporating two sets of double doors, have original deep mahogany handrails, projecting C-shaped mild-steel balusters (carried through on the mezzanine gallery balustrade) and hardwood treads (the treads are hidden by modern coverings). The main part of the dining hall is set on two levels. Originally there was a large square, raised seating platform with balustrading in the same style as that to the stairs and mezzanine gallery, but the platform has since been extended outwards with a modern balustrade (not of special interest) to meet the bottom of the mezzanine gallery and also across the full width of the dining hall, and a new stair (not of special interest) inserted down into the smaller lower dining area. Originally there was a timber screen underneath the mezzanine gallery with the space behind intended to imitate the atmosphere of a coffee shop, but the screen has since been removed and the space is now open to the rest of the lower dining area. The dining hall has replaced flooring and the original pendant lights and wall lights have been removed and replaced by overhead strip lights (not of special interest). In addition to the glazed south-east wall, the hall is lit by a series of rooflights. Two original large openings in the lower section of the north-east wall connect into the kitchen and chapel corridor.

Chapel Interior

The oval-shaped chapel was originally a small dining room. Its Douglas fir frame is left exposed internally with thirty rafters connected at the roof apex to an oval-shaped compression beam with a rooflight above. The rafters are supported by braced timber columns with panels of yellow-cedar boarding set in between. The chapel's original mahogany strip floor, which was laid to reflect the roof layout, has been replaced by a woodblock floor, and a small altar platform has been inserted at the south-west end.

Technical Block Interior

The technical block is comprised of six rectangular classrooms (two to each of the block's 'prongs') separated by irregularly shaped store rooms and toilets that project out into a central circulation space located beneath the tower. The tower is used to bring light in and also to act as an exhibition space. Yellow-cedar boarding exists to the walls and ceilings in the circulatory space and the tower, and a mahogany strip floor has been laid to reflect the angles of the building. The classrooms, which do not have cedar-clad ceilings, have a mixture of painted-brick, plastered and cedar-clad walls, and some later suspended ceilings have been inserted.