Royal Holloway College

Royal Holloway College

College building, built 1879-87 by W H Crossland (assistant Taylor), designed in French 16th-century style and largely modelled on Chambord. Sculptures by Fucigna. The building is constructed of horizontal bands of stone and red brick with tiled roofs, turrets, and ornate chimney stacks. It is four storeys with an attic storey, arranged on a rectangular plan with two courtyards.

The north-east and south-west elevations are four storeys with attic and roof. The walls are red brick with stone band courses and dressings. The elevation features shallow projecting pavilions: primary pavilions at the ends and centre with full-height semicircular bays containing two windows, the centre bay being flat with three windows. Secondary pavilions are flat with pairs of Composite columns in recess, with stone quoins at each floor. Tertiary pavilions have splay-sided bays running the full height. All windows are four-pane sashes, separated by brick and stone pilasters with reduced entablatures above and below as string courses. The main entablature has a stone baluster. Windows have stone architraves with curved rectangular keystones. Balusters sit below the first and second floor cills, with a semicircular-headed door in a rusticated arch, a flight of steps, and balustrade. The primary pavilions rise through the roof with conical roofs and lucarnes, with an additional storey on the centre pavilion and an ornate entablature. Behind stands a domed roof with a lead-roofed bell turret on turned wood balusters. Dormers feature mullions, stone pilasters, entablature pinnacles, and voluted supports to a shell-centred pediment. Small lead lucarnes pierce the roof. Massive brick chimney stacks are decorated with stone strapwork motifs of diamonds and a shell motif capping twenty-three stacks to the main roof. The elevation contains sixty-five windows per floor.

The north-west elevation serves as the entrance front. Corner pavilions repeat those from the side elevations. In the centre, an arch and three storeys rise to the main entablature and balustrade, with ornate cornices, pinnacles, and a clock face. Chimneys are capped with a Phoenix motif. Six bays on each side feature fielded pilasters to the main order. Windows are four-lights with small panes, with swags on cills and heads on keystones. The entrance comprises brick barrel vault steps and wrought iron screens leading to the Chapel and Gallery. Four centre arches open to blind arches on each side.

The south-east elevation has a central pavilion with four circular turrets rising to radial buttresses with orders, urns, and a louvred bell turret. The central entrance is vaulted. On each side, three storeys rise to the four storeys of the wings. Six bays feature fielded pilasters, balustrade with urns, four-light windows with arched heads, and circular windows above. The west side has single windows in the base.

The north courtyard features centre pavilions on residential wings with semicircular pediments and carved tympanum. Triple windows sit on two storeys above doors with bullseyes above. Shallow bays flank each side. A wing between the courtyards has a central octagonal turret. The main order consists of pilasters, balustrade, and urns with a single-storey colonnade and balustrade. Windows alternate between plain and semicircular pediments. The turret is crowned with radiating quarter arches with order and buttresses to the lantern. Eight windows with arch heads line the main order on the north side, with similar colonnades on the south side.

The Dining Hall, situated between the courtyards, has six bays with a massive moulded coffered ceiling and full-height pilasters. Windows are four-light with small panes, stone transoms and mullions, and bronze light fittings. A dado cornice runs around, with an octagonal servery featuring Corinthian columns and pedestals.

The Picture Gallery, west of the entrance, has a solid lower wall with small cornice, pilasters, and double cornice above. The ceiling is a barrel vault with fret ornament on the ribs, and the central three coffers are decorated. Windows have semicircular heads and are four-light with small panes. Five brass chandeliers light the space.

The Chapel, east of the entrance, has six windows in the Composite order, similar to those in the Gallery. A shell niche sits between windows. The depressed barrel vault ceiling features bas relief figures linking the window heads. The west end splays into three arches. A wrought iron decorative balcony with organ case occupies the centre, with galleries at the sides. The organ case has pipes arranged in three groups, with horizontal pipes at the base and small light fittings on brackets. Pews have pierced fronts. The apsidal end is in three bays subdivided into three arched openings, with painted Saints in the centre and iron grilles in the remainder. A semi-dome features bas relief of Adam and Eve. A simple carved oak altar table sits on a stepped base. The floor is of checker pattern marble. Two windows next the apse contain stained glass; other windows have modern glass.