Britannia House (Alice Otley School)

Britannia House is a large red brick house with stone dressings that became a school in 1883 and continues in that use. Dating from 1730–50, it is reputed to have been designed by Thomas White, a local stone carver also associated with the Guildhall. The building exemplifies the finest Georgian architecture of Worcester.

The main façade is symmetrical, divided into three unequal bays by a pair of chamfered rusticated pilasters. Full-height quoins and pilasters are interrupted by a moulded cornice. Each flanking wing has a pair of recessed rectangular panels to the parapet; the centre bay features a segmental arched pediment carved with the figure of Britannia, with moulded coping throughout. The roof is partially concealed, hipped, and covered in plain clay tiles.

The house is two storeys with a double-depth, central hall plan and a later rear range. The first floor has five windows arranged 2:1:2. The centre window is a 12/12 sash with a moulded sill and architrave; it has a putto keystone with carved drops to the sides and a carved apron below. The remaining windows are 9/9 sashes set under gauged brick segmental arches with incised keystones, moulded sills, and scalloped aprons. All windows are in near-flush frames with arched heads. The entrance comprises two roll-edged semi-circular steps leading to a door of eight raised and fielded panels, flanked by fluted pilasters and surmounted by a segmental-arched cornice. The doorcase has a foliate frieze with putti and a further putto at the door head.

The interior retains original features of high quality. The hall contains an open-well mahogany staircase with carved decoration to the tread ends, three balusters per tread with a rod between barley twist elements, all supported on carved vase and square knops. The newel is columnar with a shaped and ramped handrail. A black and white diamond-pattern marble floor paves the hall, which has a raised and fielded panelled dado to the staircase.

Ground-floor rooms to the left and right of the staircase have two levels of panelling with a dado between; they contain Victorian marble fireplaces and modillion cornices. A timber screen to the kitchen, dating to circa 1895, is reputed to have been made up of balustrading from the former attic stairs and pieces of furniture. The landing retains some panelling and a modillion cornice.

The first-floor room to the right has panelling similar to the ground floor, with dado and shutters. The room to the left is similarly panelled with a marble fireplace concealed behind a bookcase. The rear range features moulded cornices and an ornamental neo-classical pine fireplace with swags and masks. Raised and fielded six-panel doors throughout the house have panelled reveals; some retain L-hinges.

A larger replica wing adjoins the original house to the left and forward. This extension opened in 1893 and is two storeys tall with nine first-floor windows arranged 3:3:3. It echoes all the architectural detailing of the original façade except for the carving of Britannia; however, its fenestration consists of 1/1 sashes rather than the larger panes of the original. Also dating to 1893 are the ranges to the rear, which originally contained the main hall, art studio, gymnasium, and science room. These retain much of their original internal joinery and plasterwork. Several late 19th-century fireplaces and panelled ceilings are present in some rooms. The art room features a pseudo hammer beam roof with wall panelling. The hall has exposed trusses with arched spandrel braces.