Former Community House (Convent), now known as Abbe Pierre House and Holy Cross House

This former convent was built in 1876 for the Sisters of Mercy, possibly designed by the architect Henry Woodyer. The building is constructed of red brick laid in English bond with brick dressings, under a roof of plain red clay tiles.

Plan and Development

The building follows a long rectangular plan running north to south, with a rear wing extending to the north-east. This wing was further extended eastward, probably in the 1890s. A chapel was added to the south-east corner between 1893 and 1895.

Exterior

The two-storey building is designed in the Gothic style, featuring steeply pitched roofs topped with decorative ridge cresting and tapering square chimney stacks with simple moulded brick cornices. All the numerous gables have stepped brick cornices.

The principal west elevation, which faces the House of Mercy, has a moulded brick storey band at first-floor level and is divided into seven gabled bays. The five recessed inner bays are lit on the first floor by pairs of Gothic arch casement windows beneath Gothic relieving arches, the tympanums of which are decorated in basketweave brickwork. The three central bays feature wide Gothic arch openings of three orders forming a loggia, divided by buttresses with off-sets, and flanked by pairs of windows in the second and sixth bays. At each end are wide projecting gabled bays. The right-hand bay is lit by a canted bay window under a mono-pitched roof, with a large rectangular window beneath a Gothic relieving arch. The first-floor windows have been replaced with uPVC windows. The left bay is dominated by an external chimney breast with corbelled brickwork and contains the six-panelled entrance door, which retains its original letter box, bell pull and security grille, beneath a decorative gabled porch.

The north elevation is less coherent, comprising the original service wing and the late 19th-century extension with an enclosed yard. On the right is an adjoining single-storey building with a pitched roof and two gabled bays that rise through the eaves, lit by pairs of lancet windows. The east gable end is lit by a group of three tall lancets. To the right is the gable end of another single-storey range with a projecting chimney breast rising through the apex. At right angles to this is a secondary entrance with a shallow pointed arch plank door and a projecting semi-circular bay containing a revolving door, which allowed the nuns to take deliveries.

Further right is the late 19th-century extension, now known as Holy Cross House. A brick wall encloses the service yard, beyond which is a three-storey block with a stone string course engraved "SCUDAMORE MEMORIAL WING" on the principal east elevation. This range is also in the Gothic style with a steeply pitched roof, ridge cresting, dentilled brick cornicing, and projecting decorative chimney breasts with tumbled-in brickwork on each gable end, rising through the apex. The frontage is divided by buttresses into three gabled bays that rise through the eaves, lit by windows set in recessed pointed arches of gauged brickwork, arranged as single windows, pairs, and groups of three. The pair of windows lighting the attic of the central gabled bay is set within two recessed arches. The south elevation of the extension is formed by the two-storey rear wing, which has the same decorative roof treatment. It is divided into three gabled bays, with the outer bays larger than the central one, mostly lit by single Gothic windows.

To the left is the refectory belonging to the original building, dominated by a wide, double-height gabled bay lit by an expansive projecting window set within a panel of applied timber framing. The window has wooden mullions and transoms and is surmounted by a hipped gable with three trefoil-headed windows divided by decorative brackets, containing stained glass leaded lights.

At right angles to this is the long rear elevation of the principal convent range. It has eight bays, of which the third to seventh form a row of continuous gabled bays, lit on both floors by single windows, pairs, or groups of Gothic windows set within recessed Gothic arches, mostly with tympanums in basketweave brickwork. Projecting from the third bay is a conservatory with a hipped roof and wooden frame, probably added in the late 20th century. The second bay is recessed and contains a large five-light window with wooden glazing bars and moulded mullions lighting the principal staircase. Above the three central lights is a group of three pointed arch windows with diamond leaded lights. The end gabled bays are wider: the left-hand bay projects forward and has a pointed arch door on the right return.

Adjoining the south-east corner of the principal range, via a flat-roofed corridor with a projecting entrance and Gothic arch door, is the chapel built in 1893-1895. It is also in the Gothic style, of red brick with stone dressings and a red clay tile roof covering, except for the slate-clad apse. The main body of the chapel is under a pitched roof with a carved stone eaves cornice and a parapet on the east gable end with trefoil stone kneelers. Rising from the apex is a decorative broached fleche with trefoil-headed, two-light openings on each face. The clerestory is lit by lancet windows with leaded lights and stone arches, and a stone band runs across at sill level. On the principal south elevation, the aisle is under a lean-to roof lit by lancet windows, with two tall projecting gabled bays at either end lit by three tall lancets—the right-hand group under a moulded stone arch. The north aisle has three gabled bays lit by pairs of lancets with stone arches and sills.

At the west end is a double-height circular extension dating to the 1950s, with a conical roof featuring corbelled brick eaves and a row of pointed arch windows around the top. At the south end is the five-sided apse, separately roofed and lit on three faces by lancets filled with stained glass under cinquefoil-headed arches. The other two faces are recessed and contain upper stone panels carved with sunflowers. On the left of the apse is the gable end of the south chapel, lit by an elaborate star-tracery window. On the right is a single-storey range under a pitched roof, likely the vestry, with dentilled brick cornice, two dormer windows and a decorative chimney stack. It is lit on the east gable end by a five-light window with brick mullions and a shallow pointed relieving arch with basketweave brickwork in the tympanum.

Interior

The interior has relatively plain fixtures and fittings, many of which survive along with the original plan form. Most of the corridors have quarry-tiled floors and are punctuated by pointed arches, around which are painted bands with biblical quotations. The doors are mostly of the vertical plank type, some with chamfered stiles and rails.

The principal north-south aligned range has a long central corridor with rooms along either side, many retaining plain wooden fireplace surrounds with cast iron insets and grates, though two fireplaces have stone surrounds. At the northern end is a large room likely to have been the original chapel, with a canted ceiling featuring scissor braces resting on shaped corbels and matchboard cladding to dado height. One of the rooms at the south end has similar cladding as well as panelled window jambs. Also at the south end is the principal open well staircase with quarter-pace landings, a panelled soffit and closed string. The balusters and newel posts are chamfered, the latter with faceted finials and engraved crosses. The first floor has a similar long corridor with a canted ceiling and exposed tie beams resting on shaped brackets, with small rooms on each side that were very likely the original cells for the nuns.

The rear north-east wing of the original convent, which has a similar stair (though with less decorative newel posts), contains the former service areas and the refectory. The refectory is lit by the seven-light window and has trefoil arch roof trusses with ornately chamfered tie beams, two purlins and arched wind braces. The room is lined in matchboard cladding to dado height, set into panels with chamfered edges. At the northern end, the panelling forms the lower half of a screen with six arched upper panels filled with leaded lights, rising to form the wooden front of the gallery. The service rooms include the former kitchen, which retains the substantial surround to the range (now removed), and a room lined with fitted cupboards.

The late 19th-century extension to the rear wing, now known as Holy Cross House, also contains former service rooms, a few of which retain wooden work benches. Other rooms have plain wooden fireplace surrounds with cast iron grates. The first floor and attic contain small bedrooms, a few with small decorative fireplace surrounds.

The chapel is entered via the linking corridor through a pointed arch door with fillets and, above it, a large memorial stone to Mother Lavinia, the superior and foundress of the convent. The nave has an arcade of four moulded Gothic arches resting on circular piers, with an open wooden screen consisting of rows of two-light trefoil-headed arches forming the top of the stalls. In front is a row of closed back benches with shaped ends. Above the clerestory windows is a continuous panel of sunflowers, probably in terracotta but now painted white. The boarded roof has two purlins and braced trusses in the form of trefoil arches with decoratively carved tie beams. The south chapel contains a panelled and painted altar with a triptych depicting the crucifixion, and has a painted ceiling incorporating Tudor roses and fleur-de-lys.

At the east end, the moulded stone chancel arch springs from three attached shafts on stone corbels. The apsidal chancel itself is richly decorated. The ribbed ceiling is painted blue with golden stars and has a frieze painted with a biblical quotation. Around the walls is a painted blind arcade with delicate ogee tracery and brattishing in gold leaf. Behind the altar, the reredos depicts painted figures of saints in delicate arches surmounted by finials, also picked out in gold leaf. At the west end, the lofty circular mid-20th-century extension is dominated by four concrete ribs, painted white, which rise to the apex of the timber-lined conical roof. Stairs give access to the organ loft, which is supported on timber piers.