Abbey Hall For The Disabled

TORQUAY

SX9163 ROCK ROAD 885-1/17/224 (West side) Abbey Hall for the Disabled

GV II

School, now used as hall. 1853 (Ellis, p.456). Designed by Edward Appleton (Wilson). Local grey limestone, brought to course with Bathstone ashlar and hammer-dressed grey limestone dressings; hipped slate roof. Italianate style. PLAN: Rectangular on plan. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. The Rock Road elevation has a 5-window front with deep boxed eaves and projecting sill bands. Ground-floor sill band originally broken by 2 round-headed doorways at each end with proud arches and recessed 2-leaf door to the left, right-hand doorway blocked. 5 first-floor round-headed windows with proud arches and a platband at the springing of the arches. Windows glazed with 12-pane sashes with margin panes and radial glazing bars. Upper tier of windows high under the eaves are paired round-headed windows with a similar platband to the ground floor which acts as a capital for the central mullion. The left return has 3 similar second-floor windows. The right return has a central round-headed doorway which breaks the sill band below 2 outer round-headed first-floor windows glazed with 12-pane sashes with margin panes and radial glazing bars. Similar central window with 2 over 3-pane sash. 3 second-floor windows matching those on the Rock Road elevation. INTERIOR: Not inspected but may retain features of interest. HISTORY: The school was established as the British School in 1853, for boys and infants and conducted by "managers in premises adjoining" (Ellis, p.456). Attribution to Appleton by Wilson (ex info). Creates a good pair with the Old Town Hall. (Ellis CA: An Historical Survey of Torquay, 2nd edition: 1930-: P.456).

Listing NGR: SX9167463889