Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 6 September 2021 to update the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

TQ 19 NW
6/68

BUSHEY
Bushey
THE AVENUE (Northeast side)
Former Royal Masonic School for Boys

(Formerly listed as International University, previously listed as Royal Masonic School)

2.12.74

GV
II

Very large college group. Built 1899-1902 by Gordon, Lowther and Gunton as Royal Masonic Institute for Boys. Red brick, stone dressings. Slate roofs. Free Tudor Gothic style. Buildings ranged around a quadrangle: symmetrical front with central tower, square corner towers with radiating boarding blocks, hall to rear, south-east side closed by cloister only.

Front range: two storeys with three storey projecting ends and very tall four stage entrance clock tower. 'RMIB 1900' in shield in Tudor arched head to central entrance in porch. Diagonal buttresses. Pierced quatrefoils in parapet with end pinnacles. In lower stage of tower over porch a large window with a four centred arched head and panel tracery. Tall second stage: two large three-light traceried lancets to each face in ashlar with blind traceried heads. Rising full height of two lower stages are brick semi-octagonal clasping buttresses with ashlar ogee caps with crocketed finials.

Third or clock stage and upper bell stage all ashlar. Clocks in four centred arched headed recesses with blind tracery and balustraded bases. Chamfered angles. Bell stage with eight openings to each side and blind traceried angles. Leaded ogee shaped pavilion roof. Flanking tower are two-storey ranges: one-bay link to slightly projecting four-bay ranges with two-bay projecting ends. Six-light stone mullion and transom casements, chamfered surrounds, cusped and foiled heads to leaded upper lights. Plinth. String courses. Stone coped parapets with stone pinnacles. Octagonal turrets at angles with finialed ogee caps. Hipped roof with end and centre stacks with stone caps. Two bays at ends have larger windows and a pair of cross windows in an attic. Ashlar gables with arms in relief. Diagonal stone shafts from ground floor to ridge.

Linked at ends are three storey boarding blocks which are paired to form L's with four stage square towers at angles. Paired and single lancets in upper stage of towers. Octagonal corner turrets with finialed ogee caps. Crenelated parapet with pinnacles. Two storey blocks flank towers in front of three storey blocks. To rear of front range facing quadrangle: a two-storey canted and buttressed central projection. Ground floor cross windows with cusped heads, leaded panes. First floor arched headed windows. Attached to rear are cloisters with four centred arches. Cloisters interrupted to left of main range or north-west by a two storey block.

Rear block has a nine-bay hall with large rectangular stone mullion and transom six light windows with leaded panes. Angled shafts rise to pinnacles over stone coped parapet with intermediate smaller pinnacles. Octagonal end piers with pinnacles. Steeply pitched roof with stone coped gable ends. Flying buttresses to central three bays over cloisters. Gable ends of hall have large arched traceried windows. Canted bay to rear of hall. Linked to sides of hall are boarding blocks paired as at front with square towers. Further extensions and additions.

Interior: groin vaulted Gothic entrance hall to imperial stair with gallery. (Pevsner 1977).

Listing NGR: TQ1291496170

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26468131

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5