Ranby House School

RANBY HOUSE SCHOOL

School, formerly a country house. The building has a mid and late 18th-century core, but was substantially rebuilt around 1910 with later 20th-century additions. It is constructed of red brick and red sandstone with some yellow brick, with slate roofs hipped to the 18th-century part.

The plan is T-shaped. The south front, dating to around 1910, stands 2½ storeys high with 3 gabled bays. The gables are stone coped with kneelers, single red brick ridges, and right gable stacks. The first and second floors have moulded stone bands and stone quoins. The outer bays project slightly. A central single-storey bay window with four casements faces the front, featuring stone transom mullions with small lead panes above. The lights above the transom have small lead panes, and there is a stone parapet. This bay is flanked by similar single 2-storey bay windows. Above the central bay is a single 3-light casement with stone transom and mullions, small lead panes above the transom, and a stone quoin surround. On the top floor, a central sundial is flanked by single 3-light mullioned fixed lights with lozenge-shaped lead panes, stone quoin surrounds, and Tudor-style hoodmoulds.

The west side comprises both 18th-century and circa 1910 work. It stands 2 to 2½ storeys high with 10 bays. Stone-coped gables with kneelers are present. The recessed 2½-storey left 5 bays form part of the 18th-century front, featuring dentillated eaves and first and second-floor bands. Between the gable of the south front and the left gable runs an embattled parapet hiding the roof line. There are four yellow brick stacks, a single red brick stack, and a red brick projecting stack to the front, with a further stack transitioning from red to yellow brick in the re-entrant angle between the earlier and later wings.

The projecting gable end of the south wing has a 2-light stone mullion casement with small lead panes, stone quoin surround, and hoodmould. To its left is a slightly projecting single-storey bay window with stone transom and mullions, shaped lead panes, and a brick and stone parapet. Further left is a projecting single-storey 3-bay porch with brick and stone parapet. This porch contains, from right to left, two 2-light stone mullion windows with small lead panes and stone quoin surrounds, and a single doorway with double wooden door and similar surround, with a hoodmould above extending to a band.

The recessed 18th-century wing contains, from right to left, a single glazing bar sash under a segmental arch, a doorway with wooden door and projecting pediment supported on brackets and pillars, a single glazing bar sash under a segmental arch, and two 20th-century fixed lights, the left one under a segmental arch. Above, in the south gable, is a 3-light stone transom and mullion casement with small lead panes above the transom, stone quoin surround, and hoodmould. To the left are five 2-light stone transom and mullion casements with small lead panes above the transoms and stone quoin surrounds. The left two are slightly smaller and set into a slightly projecting gabled bay. Below is an overlight to the inner porch door with single stone mullion, shaped lead panes, and stone quoin surround. The 18th-century wing has three glazing bar sashes under segmental arches. In the top floor of the south gable is a 2-light casement with single stone mullion, lozenge-shaped lead panes, stone quoin surround, and hoodmould. In the 18th-century wing is a central glazing bar sash with a similar, larger sash to the right and a glazed fire door to the left, all under segmental arches. Fire escapes lead from the fire door and above the single bay window.

The east front, dated to circa 1910, stands 2 storeys high with 3 bays and a first-floor stone band. The 18th-century part is of the same height but rises to 2½ storeys with 5 bays, plus a later 2-bay extension to the right. It has dentillated eaves and first and second-floor bands. At the circa 1910 gable ends are single stacks; the 18th-century part has four further stacks. The circa 1910 part has two doorways with glazed double doors, stone quoin surround, and hoodmould. To the right is a bow window with stone transom and mullions with small lead panes above the transom and stone parapet. Above is a central 3-light oriel window with stone transom and mullions, small lead panes above the transom, and an embattled parapet. To the left are two 2-light stone transom and mullion casements with small lead panes above the transom, stone quoin surrounds, and hoodmoulds. To the right are two similar, larger casements.

The 18th-century part, with remnants of rendering, retains a tall arched Gothick glazing bar stair light. To the left is a yellow brick bow window surmounted by a smaller bow window, both with glazing bar sashes. The smaller bow has a fire escape. Other openings comprise various sashes and casements. A 20th-century wooden extension extends from the right.

The interior contains an oak-panelled hall. In the drawing room is a late 18th-century fireplace flanked by single Ionic pilasters. On the first floor is an oak-panelled room with fitted cupboards by Thompson of Kilburn. Inscribed above the door is "Anno Domini 1933 A.E.B."