The National Institute For Social Work Training And Attached Railings And Gates

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING

Grade I listed. Located on Tavistock Place, Camden.

This building was constructed between 1896 and 1898 by architects Arnold Dunbar Smith and Cecil Brewer. It was commissioned for the Passmore Edwards Settlement, which later became known as the Mary Ward Settlement, named after the best-selling novelist Mrs Humphrey Ward who founded it. The settlement was established to bridge social divides by providing accommodation where young middle-class professionals could live and spend their leisure time with local working-class inhabitants, who were able to use the building's facilities as a social club. The initiative was informed by the charitable philosophies of T.H. Green and funded by Passmore Edwards, whose initials appear on the building's doorplates and fireplaces.

The building is constructed of load-bearing red brick with a wide cement band beneath the eaves. It employs steel I-beams for floors and is roofed with slate in mansard form, featuring projecting eaves and dormers. The structure comprises three storeys, attics and basements, arranged around a rectangular courtyard plan. The ground floor of the courtyard contains a sunken gymnasium lit by a pitched glazed roof. The courtyard itself is faced with grey stock bricks.

The facade is broadly symmetrical in an advanced Arts and Crafts manner, with projecting wings flanking a recessed central hall. A wide modillion cornice is formed by the exposed undersides of the I-beams. Windows are flush sashes and casements with exposed boxing and brick sills throughout.

The main entrance features an asymmetrically placed, projecting, square-headed porch of large stonework with a segmental arch above a segmental-arched doorway fitted with two-leaf oak plank doors with strip hinges. The porch displays a delicate projecting cornice with a stone egg at either end, symbolising rebirth. Large lead rainwater heads inscribed "1897" are positioned around the building. The stonework of the porch base continues through a curve to provide a low base for area railings, sweeping upward to form low walls to entrances on the projecting wings.

Each wing contains an entrance: the left wing provides access to the hall, the right wing a secondary entrance for performers. Both feature plain, bracketed, projecting wooden hoods over two-leaf wooden doors with small rectangular glazed panels in the top third. Panels above the doors carry lamp-holders; the right-hand panel is of beaten copper (now painted) with inscription and decoration. Each wing displays three casements on opposing diagonals marking the stairs, with three further casements in vertical alignment at the top of the stair windows. The third storeys are rendered with three-light casements, the centre lights bowed. A projecting modillion cornice runs across both wings.

The recessed hall is expressed by four two-light casements with louvred shutters and a Diocletian window above the main entrance. The semi-basement of the hall has four round-arched transom and mullion windows with gauged red brick heads. A wide rendered band beneath the eaves sweeps down to third floor level, and a central dormer of Palladian window type crowns the composition.

The west elevation comprises the gabled hall end and accommodation beyond. The hall features a large Palladian transom and mullion window beneath which, in exaggerated squat columns, sit nine small sashes arranged 1:2:3:2:1. Ground floor level contains six sashes with gauged brick flat arches, whilst the semi-basement displays segmental-arched half sashes. A residents' entrance is marked by a large cantilevered canopy over a splayed, deeply recessed entrance with stone reveals and two-leaf doors. The canopy supports paired, plain brackets flanking paired single-light windows, above which sits a Diocletian window with keystone. Seven sashes occupy the second and third floor levels, the third floor being rendered. Modillion cornice and dormers complete this elevation.

The garden elevation features a central, cantilevered five-light bowed window rising from the first floor to the eaves, marking the communal rooms. To the right, three sashes appear on each floor, with a three-light canted bay rising from basement to third floor level carrying paired sashes above. To the left, five sashes occupy each floor. Semi-basement sashes are present beneath. Modillion cornice and dormers finish the elevation.

The east elevation displays the gabled hall end to the left, featuring a brick relief of trees of life beneath which three small sashes are flanked by narrow, vertical sashes. At first floor level, a seven-light bowed library window sits above semi-basement sashes, flanked by a small sash to the left and two sashes to the right. The residential area to the right contains nine sashes at the first and second floor levels. A doorway features a bracketed segmental-arched hood over a segmental-arched fanlight and panelled two-leaf doors with narrow, vertical lights in the top panels. A seven-light bowed drawing room window is positioned on this elevation, which is completed by modillion cornice and dormers.

The interior is spatially compelling and retains its original layout with the majority of original features. These include mouldings, chimney pieces and fireplaces in the public rooms designed by Voysey, Newton, Troup, Dawber and Lethaby, built-in cupboards, furniture and panelled "cottage" doors with brass furniture. A panelled library is present, and the Great Hall features a barrel vault with a Palladian window at its west end echoing exterior details. Drop-leaf oak plank dining tables, along with fitted cupboards, by Smith and Brewer are particularly well-preserved in what is now the coffee shop.

Attached to the building are cast-iron area railings of square bars set diagonally with splayed tops and posts of bars bent and riveted to form an arch. Elaborate wrought-iron gates with foliated design and entwined initials are positioned at the east elevation.

The Settlement's combination of Arts and Crafts detailing, Lethaby-inspired symbolism and well-preserved interior demonstrating its social purpose makes this an exceptional building.