Holy Rosary Convent, Mayfield Drive

BRIDGWATER

ST23NE DURLEIGH ROAD 736-1/7/63 (North side) 16/12/74 Holy Rosary Convent, Mayfield Drive (Formerly Listed as: ENMORE ROAD (North side) Holy Rosary Convent)

II

House, later a school. c1850-1870 with C20 rear wing. Red Wembdon rubblestone, stone dressings, plain tile roof and cream brick diagonal shafts and moulded cornices to the stacks. Complex L-shaped plan. Eclectic High Victorian Gothic style. 2 storeys with attics; 3-window range. Plain stone dressings with pointed arches to each light. Moulded kneelers to copings of Dutch gables. The range to right is stepped forward under a large Dutch gable with a single-light attic window; a 3-light stone-mullioned window to the first floor is above a single-storey rectangular bay with modillion cornice to a hipped lead roof; the boarded-up window is mullioned and transomed. To the left a chateau-like tall hipped roof crowned by an wrought-iron ornamental cage, has gablets to each side. A Dutch gable to this side has a 3-light attic window, a single-light window to left and a 2-light window to right of the first floor over a pointed-arched Gothic-style doorcase with engaged colonettes and scroll caps and double 3-panel doors. To the far left is a boarded-up full-height window or door. The right return, facing the garden to the south, has 3 Dutch gables with finials, the central bay is stepped forward, its single-storey canted bay has a hipped tiled roof and 2-light stone mullioned windows, the bay is flanked by 4-light stone-mullioned casements windows with moulded cornices. The range to the right has a hipped tiled roof to a rectangular single-storey bay. The range to the left stepped slightly forward with 4-light casement windows all boarded up. A C20 rear block to the right. The left return progresses in 3 steps; the entrance block to right has a single-light window to first floor and 2-light windows to first and ground floors. INTERIOR: 4-panel doors, high skirting boards and thick reeded cornices to very high ceilings; polychromatic floor tiles to entrance lobby, hall and service area, both of which have pointed arches leading to the central hall. To left is a stone screen of 3 pointed arches with pierced foliate spandrels and various capitals to marble columns; the arches to the sides have a low wall with pierced quatrefoils; the central arch leads to an Imperial staircase with open strings, turned balusters, fretted ends, swept and wreathed rails and curtail step. The large stair window is 4-light with ovolo moulding to mullions and transom. Windows to main rooms are similar, with panelled soffits and splayed openings. The rear service area has a closed-string staircase with stick balusters and turned newel.

Listing NGR: ST2787036608