Yarrow Building At Thanet College

The Yarrow Building, located on the Thanet College campus in Broadstairs, was constructed in 1895 as a convalescent home for children, commissioned by Sir Alfred Yarrow, of Yarrow shipyards. The architect was likely either Barrow Emanuel or David Percival. It is a large, symmetrical building designed in a Jacobethan style. The building is primarily brick with sandstone dressings, along with pebbledash and timber framing to the gables. It has a tiled roof punctuated by eight clustered brick chimney stacks. The building rises three stories in the center, with the remaining sections rising two stories and containing attics.

The front elevation features a projecting central five-bay section flanked by two large, gabled sections with two windows each, both featuring timber framing. Full-height bays incorporate three-light windows. The central section has a recessed hipped gable with a wooden finial and a first-floor three-light window. The central doorcase is distinguished by a small pediment with shell molding, large brackets, decorated spandrels, and a double oak door. The wings, which are six bays wide, have pebbledash on the first floor and three pedimented dormers each. First-floor windows are sash windows without glazing bars. Ground-floor windows are sash windows with cambered heads, with four-light bays at the ends. Projecting timber-framed gables are supported by large brackets and have casement windows. The sides are characterized by four pedimented dormers and eight sash windows. The rear elevation features projecting end wings, three gables in the center, and a first-floor wooden verandah with Moghal-style arches and green-glazed panels, which have subsequently been glazed in.

Internally, the building incorporates glazed screens in the entrance hall featuring red stained glass, recesses, original five-panelled doors, two oak staircases with turned balusters, and original wooden fireplaces with cast iron firegrates. Sir Alfred Yarrow, a friend of Dr Barnardo, created the home after his own daughter’s convalescence abroad, with the intention of assisting families of modest means affected by illness. The home was financed through a combination of his investments and contributions, initially designed to house 100 children with an emphasis on outdoor activities, but also featuring corridors large enough for indoor play and exercise. During both World Wars, the building served as a convalescent home for soldiers, before later becoming part of Thanet College.