Bronte House Preparatory School

HORSFORTH APPERLEY LANE SE 13 NE 1495-/7/10004 Bronte House Preparatory School II

House, now shool. 1872, enlarged 1899 for William Akroyd, Mayor of Bradford, converted to a school 1934. C20 alterations and additions. Ashlar with ashlar dressings and slate roofs with raised coped gables with kneelers and finials, plus various chimney stacks. Chamfered plinth and bands. 2 storey plus attics. Gothic Revival style. Entrance front 4 bays topped with gables. Off-centre projecting single storey porch with decorated battlements, has 2 moulded round arches, that to the left with a 3-light casement, that to the right open, within a segment headed doorway with panel door and overlight and to the left a lancet window. Above a pair of sashes with pointed arched head containing a carved roundel inscribed 1872. Above again a triple sash with taller central light. To the right a single bay set back with a single plain sash, and above another single sash with pointed arched head with roundel, topped with a gable. To the left, 2 projecting gabled bays with a large 3-light square bay window, and a single sash to the left. Above 2 pairs of margin light sashes, and above again 2 triple casements with larger central light. Garden front, 3 bays. Central pair of plain sashes, with above a pair of smaller sashes, topped with a gable. To the right a shallow 3-light square bay window, with above a pair of plain sashes with central column and pointed arched head with carved roundel, topped with a gable. To the left a projecting single bay with a 3-light canted bay window, and above a pair of plain sashes with a central column and pointed arched head with carved roundel. Above in the gable a triple sash with larger central light. Beyond to the right a single storey, former billiard room, with 3 canted bay windows, each with a 3-light mullion and transom window topped with battlements. Interior. Rooms to the right of the entrance retain interior features of 1872, including deep plaster coving and fireplaces. The Dining room, staircase and present Common room retain features of 1899 including plaster ceilings, doors and doorcases. The Dining room has 3 arches; bay window arch, a buffer arch and an inglenook arch with a fine tiled fireplace with wooden surround and overmantel. The staircase and entrance hall has a coved and glazed ceiling, a Jacobean style staircase and arched screen, good quality fireplace with glazed tiles, wooden surround and overmantle. The former billiard room, has an ornate coved and decorated plaster ceiling with wooden coving, panelling and a stone inglenook arch with a good quality fireplace with wooden surround and overmantle. This house replaced in 1872, an earlier house on this site called 'Underwood House' where Charlotte Bronte was employed as a governess from March to December 1841.

Listing NGR: SE1985038706