All Nations Christian College Easneye

TL 31NW STANSTEAD ABBOTS HOLLYCROSS ROAD (east side) 5/15 Easneye (All Nations Christian College)

GV II*

Country house, now a college. 1867-8 Alfred Waterhouse for Thomas Fowell Buxton (drawings at house). Red brick with black diapering, moulded ornamental brickwork, and red tiled roofs banded with scolloped tiles. Ornamental ridge. Asymmetrical plan of 3 blocks in echelon stepping outwards NE to enclose the recessed entrance into S block of 2-storeys and attics containing the principal rooms ranged round S and W sides of a vast beamed hall, entered off-centre by a vestibule and project gabled porch. Staircase with traceried windows arranged in NW corner rising to a toplit upper hall serving the bedrooms. The middle block has the dining room and servants hall, with nursery over, and is expressed externally as part of the south block. The N block is for kitchens, dairy and staff. It is equally decorative but of one and a half storeys with giant lacarne windows and gables. Each function is expressed externally in this muscular Gothic style. Crow-stepped gables, only 3-bay windows (2- storeys, canted). Undivided sash windows with moulded brick surrounds and moulded segmental arches all struck from a radius of 9 feet (note on drawing). Main elevation faces E and has moulded double plinth, diaper patterned brickwork, deep band of moulded relief lattice panels at 1st floor, impost band, equilateral arches with hoodmoulds and decorated roundel in tympanium over upper windows, arched and corbelled eaves table. Crow-stepped gables with finials, and similar windows to 1st floor lighting the attic floor. Patterned octagonal chimneys, with moulded caps and bases. 3-storeys gabled projecting entrance porch expanded at base with battered buttresses to accommodate front door in pointed arched Gothic red terracotta doorway with segmented spiral shafts and moulded caps similar to portals of Natural History Museum London of 1872. Contemporary interior with hall fireplace and carved capitals and corbels in Mansfield stone. Granite ringed shafts to stair arcade. Dining Room panelled, with Jacobean ribbed ceiling and red and green granite Norman chimney piece. Stained glass on staircase and front window to hall (dated 1868 and with naturalistic roundels of birds, bats, butterflies, etc.). Of outstanding interest as an unaltered example of Waterhouse's country-house work with complete contemporary interiors. Estate buildings and design drawings also survive.

Listing NGR: TL3806113430