Main block to Oscott College

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 11/02/2013

SF 09 SE 3/12

Main Oscott B23 COLLEGE ROAD Main block to Oscott College

(Formerly listed as Main block to St Mary's College, COLLEGE ROAD, New Oscott B23, previously listed as St Marys Seminary excluding Chapel and The Chapel of St Marys Seminary under Moseley)

25.4.52

II* 1835-38. Planned as a Roman Catholic College, following the Emancipation, by Dr Mirk, the missioner at Lichfield, with Joseph Potter of Lichfield as builder and architect but with Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin providing the decoration and finishes of the Chapel and the sculpture.

Red brick stone dressed college buildings in a simple Tudor style ranged with a main front to the south-east with gables end crenellated parapets; mullioned-transomed windows. The central block of the south-east range is of four bays on three storeys and has gables flanking the central tower with tiered large oriel window and octagonal staircase turret. Lying behind this block is the cloister flanked on one side by the Chapel and museum and on the other by the 1920s addition of the infirmary, but with original coach house range and plain service wing behind it of red brick with slate roofs. In 1837 Lord Shrewsbury introduced Pugin to the College and he immediately supplemented Potter in the decoration and furnishings of the Chapel and the firm executed much of the furniture still servicing in the College. Potter's simple still Georgian Chapel, albeit with a Tudor style roof, was completely decorated by Pugin in rich polychrome patterns which together with the furnishings, a number C15, C16 or C17 acquired in the Low Countries by Pugin and Shrewsbury during their tour in 1841, form a unique combination of medieval and Revival Gothic, following the principles enunciated in his 'Contrasts' of 1836. Pugin's only structural alteration was the provision of the shallow apse in 1861. Edward Welby Pugin added the Weedall Chantry: the four side chapels to the south-west. Stained glass by Hardman and Warrington, the latter executing the exceptionally fine east window to Pugin's design on a C14 model. To the north-east of Potter's cloister is Northcote Hall of 1859 by Edward Welby Pugin completed in 1881 by Peter Paul Pugin, red brick stone dressed in demonstrative Gothic and the library and students' common room added 1927-8 and 1950-72 respectively by G.B Cox.

Listing NGR: SP0988894038