Barnards House, Brentwood School

Barnards House, Brentwood School

Barnards House is the former residence of the second Master of Brentwood School. Built in the early 17th century with early 18th-century alterations, it is constructed of red brick with burnt headers in Flemish bond, with peg tile and slate roofing. The building forms an L-plan of three units.

The exterior is two storeys with attic accommodation. A parapet with dentilled cornice and coping runs along the top, with a plain brick string course between ground and first floors. The west front elevation displays five bays, with a lean-to ground floor addition featuring a window at the north end. Windows throughout are segment-headed flush sashes with glazing bars, most containing 3x4 panes. The central front door has four fielded panels and a rectangular fanlight with seven oval lights, topped by a cornice hood on console brackets. Two dormer windows with hipped roofs contain casement windows set behind the parapet.

The rear east elevation incorporates a timber-framed section, rendered and ashlar-lined, forming a gable end of the rear west-east wing. A central 19th-century stack rises from this range, with ground floor lean-to structures around stacks. The north side contains a small casement window. Two attic windows (one single, one double) have casement lights with glazing bars in 2x2 panes. To the south, the roof continues down over a 20th-century brick lean-to. A ground floor double casement window displays 4x2 panes with glazing bars, and a first-floor sash window is also present. Behind, to the north, the rear of the front range features a north lean-to with a 19th-century door containing two central glazed lights and narrow side lights, topped by a rectangular fanlight.

The north elevation shows the principal brick range to the west with burnt headers. Two first-floor windows are blocked; one retains a 2-light window with upper transom. A timber-framed range extends to the east, rendered and ashlar-lined. The ground floor has a triple casement window with glazing bars (6x3 panes) and a plain 20th-century door with simple hood. The first floor contains two sash windows with glazing bars (3x4 panes) and simple hoods, with another similar window at lower level at the west end. A dormer window with hipped roof holds two casement lights (4x3 panes) with glazing bars. The south end elevation shows the principal brick block to the west with central stacks and a blocked first-floor window to the east of the stack. A 20th-century rendered brick lean-to with weatherboarded first floor and slate roof addition contains a 2-light casement window and simple boarded door at ground floor level.

Internally, the rear timber-framed wing features axial ceiling joists on ground and first floors, both displaying distinctive early 17th-century lamb's tongue chamfer stops with additional decorative V cuts. Primary bracing timbers are exposed throughout this section. Although now of brick construction, the principal range retains an early 17th-century timber-framed core. The principal roof trusses employ sling bracing, with the braces necessarily terminating on storey posts; this design frees the attic of tie-beams, allowing free movement throughout. An early timber stair survives, and the hall area retains early 19th-century panelling. Ground floor rooms contain internal shutters, and one fireplace is decorated with roundel decoration on the architrave.

The house was acquired by Brentwood School before the Second World War. Originally called The Hollies, then Newnum House, it was subsequently renamed Barnards House in commemoration of Daniel Barnard, schoolmaster from 1655 to 1695. Barnards House forms a group with School House and Old School, all part of Brentwood School.