Convent of St Paul

The Convent of St Paul, also known as the Generalate, dates from the early 19th century and was originally Selly Park Hall. It is constructed of brick with a slate roof. The building is two and a half storeys high and consists of three bays, with the central bay projecting forward and topped by a pediment. The ground floor has a central door with a fanlight and side lights, set within a simple stucco surround, alongside two tripartite windows featuring elongated volutes, each set under a shallow relieving arch. The first floor mirrors the ground floor’s windows, but the central window has a blind balcony and a segmental relieving arch, while the other two windows are also set back with blind balconies. The attic windows are three almost square sashes, sitting on a band. A finely moulded and dentilled eaves cornice runs along the top. Curved walls extend to the left and right, with their upper parts added in the later 19th century. Inside, an elegant flying staircase rises within an oval room to the first floor balcony landing, featuring a balustrade with detailed foliage. The first floor walls feature large and small arched panels, with entrances leading off the landing. Only this section of the Convent’s buildings is listed.