Stockport College of Further and Higher Education Annexe, Brinnington and Central, Stockport

Description

701/0/10042 GREEK STREET
04-APR-08 (Southeast side)

Stockport College of Further and Higher Education Annexe

Council secondary school, 1909-10 by Cheers & Smith of Blackburn and Twickenham. Red brick, stone dressings and banding, terracotta mouldings, Westmoorland graduated slate roofs, red terracotta ridge tiles. Tall brick stacks. Cast-iron railings.

PLAN: Modified U-shaped plan with attached former caretaker's house on its south-west side which has a sub-triangular plan with canted bay. Lower and upper halls in central range flanked by classrooms on three sides with staircases at either end.

EXTERIOR: Symmetrical principal elevation (facing north onto Greek Street) with moulded stone sill bands to 1st floor and stone cornice to 2nd floor. Four-storey square corner towers with plinth, banded corner pilasters from 1st floor to cornice, 3rd floor above with shaped parapets and slated pyramidal spires topped with ventilator cupolas. Three multi-pane sash windows to each floor, with segmental heads on the ground floor, flat-headed on the 1st and 2nd floors with a wider central window, and segmental heads on the 3rd floor in-filled with stone cartouches. Central four-bay range of four storeys with sunken ground floor and glazed mansard roof to 3rd floor. Four wide segmental-arched windows on ground floor, with multi-pane hopper windows to the upper part. Stone heads with projecting voussoir blocks and console keystone. Tall, round-headed windows rising through 1st and 2nd floors, with paired 6 over 6 light sashes with multi-pane overlights. Similar carved stone heads. Upper windows separated by banded pilasters with individual carved stone mottos, which read: SCIENCE, LITERATURE, ART (left to right).

West, side elevation irregular. Cornice to tower (to left) inscribed SECONDARY SCHOOL 1909. On south side of tower is main, raised entrance doorway with curved steps and semi-circular stone balustrade. Stone door surround with broken-base pediment canopy. Panelled double door with glazing to uppermost panels and large overlight. Irregular fenestration to tower. Paired two-light sashes on 1st floor adjacent to doorway, single 6 over 9 pane sash on south side of 2nd floor, two windows on 3rd floor similar to those in north elevation. Tall chimney stack in south-west corner. Attached on south side is four-storey range with shaped Dutch gable. Three segmental-arched windows on ground floor, wider mullioned central windows on the upper floors, flanked by narrower windows. Multi-pane sashes. On south side is narrow canted stair bay with multi-pane sashes and upper oculi. Tall chimney stack in south-east corner. Second similar four-storey range with shaped Dutch gable set back from building line. Attached former caretaker's house with canted bay.

INTERIOR: Lobby of main entrance doorway (w elevation) has glazed tiles with Art Nouveau motifs, and a mosaic floor. Two brass plaques record the opening of the school in 1910 and the names of the education committee. On the north side of the central four-bay range is a lower hall, formerly a gymnasium, on the ground floor, with cast-iron columns with decorative capitals. Gallery with iron balustrade along north side. Upper hall, former assembly hall, rises through 1st and 2nd floors. Iron balustrade around three sides with decorative cartouches (boxed in). Walls have three-quarter height fielded timber panelling (some painted). Ceiling has moulded cross beams supported on decorative plaster consoles. A 1st-floor classroom retains similar fielded panelling and built-in panelled and glazed bookcases, and a corner fireplace with moulded timber chimneypiece with mirror to the overmantel. Other classrooms retain corner fireplaces, tiling to dado level (painted), fixed cupboards, and blackboard frames. Parquet flooring, cast-iron radiators, picture rails, and moulded cornices throughout. Original part-glazed room divider to larger classroom. Original doors are four-panelled with 15-pane glazing to upper part and brass Art Nouveau door plates. Many have tall segmental-arched hopper overlights, which open to provide cross ventilation. Doors to larger classrooms have small-paned side windows with hopper overlights above both. Multi-paned segmental-arched borrowed lights between some classrooms and corridors, with hopper top lights retaining original metal opening rod mechanisms. On top floor were more specialist classrooms. Art rooms lit by north-facing glazed mansard roof. On south side of corridor is large room, perhaps science laboratory, with attached store room/preparation room. Decoratively treated timber ceiling beams.

Most corridors have terrazzo floors, tiling up to dado level (now painted), and moulded cornices with decorative plaster consoles.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Cast-iron railings, wall, and brick and stone piers to area in front of sunken ground floor on north side of central range.

HISTORY: Designed as a Municipal Secondary School for Girls by Cheers & Smith for the County Borough of Stockport. The same architectural practice also designed a pair of schools for Stockport; Hollywood Park Council School (q.v.) and North Reddish Infant and Junior School (q.v.). In 1970 the school merged with the Technical School, situated to its immediate east, which subsequently became Stockport College of Further and Higher Education. The two buildings are linked by a modern corridor.

The modern corridor on the east side of the Greek Street annexe linking it to the former Technical School, now Stockport College of Further and Higher Education, is not of special interest, nor is the main college building.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
The Stockport College of Further and Higher Education Annexe, Greek Street, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a strong representative example of designs for council secondary schools dating from the early C20
* The use of an inventive Queen Anne and Renaissance style gives the building a strong visual impact
* Close attention has been given to the architectural detailing of both exterior and interiors
* The original plan form survives intact with only minor alterations
* There are numerous original fixtures and fittings relating to its function as a school

Reasons for Listing

* It is a strong representative example of designs for council secondary schools dating from the early C20
* The use of an inventive Queen Anne and Renaissance style gives the building a strong visual impact
* Close attention has been given to the architectural detailing of both exterior and interiors
* The original plan form survives intact with only minor alterations
* There are numerous original fixtures and fittings relating to its function as a school

External Links

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