Purbeck House (Convent Of Our Lady Of Mercy)

HIGH STREET 1. 5190 (south side) No 91 (Purbeck House) SZ 0278 NE 5/81 (Convent of Our Lady of Mercy) II

1. Built 1875, replacing an 18th century house on the site. Architect: G Crickmay. Built for George Burt, nephew and successor of John Mowlem, as his own house. An imposing house in a "baronial" style, asymetrical in design, of stone, with tiled roof. The main facade has 2 storeys, plus attics and basement, raised above pavement level on a paved terrace with stone parapet walls. Crow-stepped gables at each end of the facade, Projecting granite porch, large square bay window west of this, and west again a projecting square tower, continuing above roof line as an octagon, finished with battlements. The main elevations are faced with granite fragments left over from the base of the Albert Memorial, London, which Burt was building at the time. Various other fragments from London buildings incorporated in the house, and a number of stone and terracotta plaques of classical design, from the Exhibition of 1851. Part of the terrace paved with decorated encaustic tiles from the Houses of Parliament. Windows mainly sashes in stone surrounds. Gabled dormers to attic. Single-storey former billiard room - now Chapel - the east of the main house, with lead roof and walls partly of stone, partly of terracotta tiles. Modern extension to Chapel in stone with a copper roof. Interior retains some original features. Mosaic pavement in entrance hall copied by Burt from a Roman pavement discovered during excavations at the Mansion House, London, in 1869 and now in the Museum of London. Two of the ground floor rooms retain moulded and painted ceiling decoration and fireplaces of Carrara marble designed by Crickmay. Purbeck Stone walls to garden at rear of house.

Listing NGR: SZ0291878719