King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls with boundary gates, railings and piers

King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls with boundary gates, railings and piers

A girls' grammar school designed by P B Chatwin, built between 1908 and 1911, together with associated boundary gates, railings and gate piers.

The building is constructed in red brick with ashlar dressings and a plain tile roof. Windows are a mixture of leaded lights and multi-pane timber sashes with top lights.

The structure is orientated roughly north to south and forms a long linear range with short projecting bays to the west. The interior is arranged around a central double-height hall, with a symmetrical plan featuring staircases and suites of classrooms and offices at either end. A parallel range contains a corridor and further series of classrooms.

The building comprises two storeys plus a basement beneath a steep hipped roof with a central octagonal louvred cupola topped by a spire. The symmetrical west frontage features a central aedicule flanked by gabled projecting wings and hipped end bays. The aedicule is composed of Ionic columns supporting a deep entablature and segmental pediment displaying the coat of arms of King Edward VI, with a carved lion and dragon holding a shield above the motto "DIEU ET MON DROIT". This frames the centre of five leaded windows with stone mullions and transoms set in deep moulded dressings. The flanking projecting wings are encased with giant Ionic pilasters supporting the continued entablature and blank segmental pediment with dentils. Both wings feature a large arched entrance door within a hooded porch on moulded consoles, reached by curved stone steps. Above each door is a single first-floor window in stone surrounds, with pairs of windows to both floors on the side faces. The coped stepped gables feature bands of stone and circular windows in ornate stone surrounds with swan-neck pediments. The adjoining brick bays have six windows grouped in threes to both floors beneath flat brick lintels, with prominent keystones to the first floor and basement. The outer bays have hipped roofs and break slightly forward, articulated with a deep stone band and a single window to each floor flanked by pilasters.

The east elevation comprises seven bays of three storeys. Ground and first floor bays each contain three windows with flat brick heads and keystones; basement windows have segmental heads. Link-detached wings flank either end of this elevation, including the former caretaker's house to the north, which has three bays of sash windows to the first and second floors, a dormer window and large stack to the hipped roof. The ground floor of the south elevation features a bow window with stone mullion and transoms and a deep moulded cornice.

Internally, the projecting west bays both contain vestibules. The north vestibule has internal doors with top and side lights featuring decorative leaded glazing with rose, crown and fleur-de-lys motifs. The south vestibule contains a modern reception area with desk and automatic doors.

The interior centres on a double-height barrel-vaulted hall embellished with pilasters and ceiling ribs. Each bay features an arched doorway with a large fanlight incorporating decorative leadwork. Above are leaded windows with mullions and transoms at first-floor level, the central one slightly bowed. Lunette dormer windows rise to the roof above. The hall contains fine plasterwork by G H Cox, including the coat of arms of King Edward VI flanked by relief figures, bands of flowers and foliage to the ceiling ribs and walls, and shields to the pilasters with lions in aedicules below. An open pediment supported on pilasters stands below the coat of arms at the head of the hall, with a wooden clock at the opposite end. Hanging light fittings feature metal foliage and fleur-de-lys emblems.

The stairwells to either end of the hall are entered through arches and have open arches to the sides. They feature 18th-century-style swept-up rails and newels with royal ciphers and ball finials. Ground and first-floor corridors are arcaded and retain moulded cornices, terrazzo floors, original doors and door furniture. Classrooms and offices typically retain cornicing, picture rails, skirting, parquet floors and built-in corner cupboards. The staff room contains a timber fireplace and an arcade of three arches.

The boundary to the east frontage comprises brick piers with stone caps, brick plinths with stone coping, and metal railings with plain and fleur-de-lys finials. The pairs of gates feature King Edward VI monograms. The section to the south appears to have been added at a later date.