Colony Hall

A village hall, formerly sanatorium buildings, of about 1900, re-sited and modified to form a community hall and school in 1925.

MATERIALS: timber framed with timber cladding and some later cladding in modern materials. Both ranges have corrugated-iron roofs with timber bargeboards and finials.

PLAN: rectangular on plan, the community hall is of five bays facing south east and is single-storey with lit roofspace. A cross range (the former school room) is of two bays, of lower height and attached to the north east flank. A verandah is attached to the front elevation of the community hall and extends slightly beyond the eastern and western ends.

EXTERIOR: the principal elevation of the main hall stands under the steeply-pitched roof and attached verandah, which is supported on turned timber posts that stand on concrete pad stones and are joined by timber arches with keystones. Cast-iron brackets support the roof. The front wall has late-C19 and later replacement weather-boarding and a double-width central door with formerly opening lights to each side. There are two pairs of tall late-C19 two-light timber casements with upper four-pane opening lights to each side of the door. The side and rear elevations also have weather-boarding. The lower half of the western gable end was rebuilt in 2017 and there is a late-C19 three-light window in the gable above. The gable retains its late-C19 vertical cladding set between raised moulded stiles. The east gable end also retains late C19 timberwork and a three-light window. The north elevation was re-clad in shiplap in the C21 and had new windows inserted. A mid-C20 store, with a lean-to roof, is attached to the eastern end of this elevation.

The front and rear gable ends of the cross range line up with the front and rear elevations of the main hall range. Its south end was rebuilt in the mid-C20 with new weatherboarding, otherwise the fabric is of late-C19 date except for some re-cladding and a replaced window unit.

INTERIOR: the hall is lined by vertical, beaded cladding of early-C20 date. The inserted ceiling is of mid-C20 date and covers the original scissor-braced roof. The bases of the trusses on the north side of the hall rest on ogee-shaped corbels.

The former school room has late-C19 six-panelled doors and fitted cupboards and shelving of 1925 date. The roof is supported by a late-C19 king-post truss with struts. There is a cellar under the schoolroom range.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21/02/2018