27A, Holywell Hill

TL 1406 NE 14/334

HOLYWELL HILL No 27A

GV II

Conservatory and seed hall. Circa 1930, (plans submitted 1930 by Percival C. Blow for messrs Ryder and sons, seed and bulb merchants). Rendered brick, reinforced concrete and steel frame with a patent glazed roof with semi-circular gable ends and with a small central dome overcrosswing. Rectangular on plan hall with main entrance on the west end giving directly into from Holywell Hill and with wings at rear flanking yard. Classical details and Art Deco type glazing. 1 storey. Symmetrical 3:3:3. west front, the outer windows in canted bays with pilastered piers, metal frame window with patterned glazing bars, moulded cornice and blocking course. Central doorway with panelled and glazed double doors and overlight and window left and right with margin panes. Over the centre the glazed semi-circular gable end of the roof has 5 tall lights with glazing bars. The cornice of the flanking bays continue around left and right hand (north and south) returns of 3:3:3 bays with similar metal frame windows and pilaster and similar semi-circular glazed gable end over centre 3 bays. The central cupola over the crosswing has a rendered drum and shallow ogee copper-clad dome with a small ball finial. These were originally done over the corners where the roof is now flat. Interior: reinforced concrete ribs spring from square piers to a ring over the crosswing which rises above the roof as the drum of the cupola. The intermediate ribs of the vaults, the purlins and glazing bars are of rolled steel. A suspended ceiling at springing level has been inserted. Note: Built for Samuel Ryder the seed merchant, whose office No 27 (qv) is situated immediately to the north. It was built for displaying the firms merchandise. Ryder became Mayor of St Albans in 1905 and a deacon of Trinity. He was the presenter in 1927 of the Ryder Cup, the Great Britain Versus U.S. golf tournament trophy.

Listing NGR: TL1466906943