St Francis'S Home

TL 1439 SHEFFORD HIGH STREET 8/110 (south side)

6.8.79 St Francis's Home

GV II

Former orphanage and seminary attached to the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis of Assisi. Established by the Rev. Canon Collis in 1869, the buildings were designed by S J Nicholl, and probably paid for by Mrs Lyne- Stephens of Lynsford Hall, Thetford, Norfolk. They bear the dates 1879 and 1884. Red brick. Clay tile roofs with decorative ridge cresting. 2 storeyed range to E, 3 storeyed block to W adjoining church. E block: balanced asymmetry of design. Gabled outer bays. LH one has ground floor sash surmounted by canted oriel, above which the gable is jettied. RH one has Tudor arched carriageway surmounted by 2 first floor single-light casements which flank a small niche (possibly intended for statue of St Francis) with letters S F below. To central bay are 3 unevenly spaced gablets. LH one is above canted oriel and Tudor arched carriageway. 2 RH ones are above 2 storey canted bays. Outer gables have heavy ogee-shaped bargeboards, and mock timber framing with rose decoration. W block: 2 bays, with 2 storey canted bay windows. 2nd floor is hung with fishscale tiles, and has 2 tall French windows opening onto balcony with plain wood balustrade. The gable apices are jettied out to line with balcony, and have mock timber framing and simply moulded bargeboards. Windows in both parts have glazing bars, and are mostly sashes. (Kelly(s Directory of Beds, Hunts and Northants, 1885, p.107).

Listing NGR: TL1426939019