Description

PORTLAND

SY67SE
969-1/1/145

THE GROVE, Grove
(North side)
HM Young Offender Institution, East
cell block

GV
II

Prison cell block, Grenville and Nelson wings. 1898. Fine
coursed Portland ashlar, some rock-faced masonry, slate roofs.
One of two parallel blocks, a long narrow building in 5
storeys and 29 bays, set N/S; to W bays grouped 14:1:14, and
to E 6:1:15:1:6, the single bays being projecting service
towers (not staircases). Windows are small square-headed iron
small-paned casements with external horizontal bars in
chamfered flush surrounds and very heavy weathered cills;
service towers set in returns, with plain outer wall rising to
steep coped gable. Most ground-floor windows modified, and
openings extended to meet underside of first-floor cills.
Coped gable ends on heavy 3-course kneelers have 4 x 3
close-set vertical casements in flush chamfer surrounds, but
at ground floor are 3 wide-spaced square lights, some of these
blind. Entrances at ends of block and to base of service
towers. Six lofty large square stacks with rock-faced quoins,
a plain necking band, and dentilled cappings. The eaves in two
continuous chamfered courses above bold dentils.
Interior partly inspected, retains most of original structure
and fittings: adjoining service towers are stone flush-soffit
dog-leg stairs to simple rail balustrades, cell doors
original, access balconies on cast-iron brackets, iron rod
trusses to roof with long runs of lay-lights to each slope,
and all to painted brick walls and partitions. This building,
with the Raleigh/Drake/Benbow block (qv) to the W, although of
the late C19, is a characteristically bold design, carried out
in very splendid masonry showing little signs of
discolouration or deterioration. It replaces the timber clad
1848 structures of the original prison group, and the two
blocks figure prominently in views from many parts of the
Island.

Listing NGR: SY7022772341

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26501419

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

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living