School House

SO 8005 SE STONEHOUSE BATH ROAD (south side)

7/141 School House

II

Former detached house, now part of school. Late C17; mid C18; extensive rebuilding and refronting of c1890, for G.W. Sibley. Coursed rubble and ashlar limestone; render; rebuilt artificial stone chimneys; stone and Welsh slate roofs. Two-storey with attic; built around internal courtyard. Late C19 gabled classroom block at east end is not of special interest. Front: 2 unequal pedimented gable ends either side of central symmetrical facade with 3-window fenestration, tripartite sashes either side of central break forward, with 2-light to central upper floor having round-arched heads; central doorway with projecting Tuscan porch having moulded cornice and plain blocking course. Small panelled centrepiece to main parapet with scrolled supports. Two-window sash fenestration to left gable with beaded architraves; small 2- light with round-arched heads to attic in dentil-enriched open pediment. Similar larger pediment to gable end to right with attic 2-light flanked by sashes and with oculus over; 2-window tripartite sash fenestration below. West side: mid C18 part to left with 4-window upper floor sash fenestration, all 12-pane with thick glazing bars in keyed beaded architraves with bull-nosed sills. Roof raised c1890 with 3 eaves-mounted hipped roofed dormers. Part to right appears early C19 alteration with 6-window sash fenestration, outer narrow 4-pane, others 12-pane with plain beaded architraves; central dividing and corner pilasters; plain upper floor band and hollow moulded eaves. Two C19 gabled roof dormers. Rear: large angled gable to left with plain 4-pane sash fenestration. Brick linking service range; stone gable end of wing-to right having indications of c1890 roof raising. Interior: 2 rooms wth good C18 panelling, the best on upper floor with Doric chimneypiece and dentil cornice. Later panelled room on ground floor with niches either side of chimneypiece. Late C19 staircase with cast-iron balustrade. Formed the main school building upon foundation of Wycliffe College by G. W. Sibley in 1882. (Illustration of building before c1890 rebuilding in J.H.A. Anderson, Stonehouse: a Pot-Pourri of the Past in Pictures, n.d.)

Listing NGR: SO8080905017