Description

PLYMOUTH

SX4554 PARADISE ROAD, Stoke 740-1/54/680 (North side) 01/05/75 Plymouth College of Further Education (Devonport Annexe) (Formerly Listed as: PARADISE ROAD, Devonport Plymouth College of Further Education, Devonport Annexe)

II

Municipal science, art and technical school. 1897 by HJ Snell. Plymouth limestone with Bath stone dressings; steep slate roofs with parapets which are arcaded towards centre, coped gable ends and tall stone and brick stacks with moulded cornices. Netherlandish Renaissance style (Pevsner). PLAN: rectangular central block with flanking wings incorporating staircases set back. EXTERIOR: 2 tall storeys over squat basement; 5-bay front with pair of windows to each bay: within segmental arches to ground floor and basement and flat chamfered heads to central 1st-floor bays plus round-arched windows to gabled bays. Set back at either side are 1-window-range wings which also have tall round-arched mid-floor stair windows. Original windows with glazing bars except stair windows which have round tracery. Front of main block is slightly articulated with tall central tower and cross wings at left and right slightly projecting. Basement as plinth, entablature under 1st-floor windows. 4-stage entrance and clock tower has large round-arched ordered doorway approached by a bridge with stone side walls; entablature linked to parapet framing elliptical arch above 1st-floor windows; next stage, which rises above ridge line, has buttressed pilaster corners, central ventilator and moulded and machicolated cornice below narrower upper stage for which the buttresses step in to become octagonal and surmounted by domed finials. Between these buttresses are open-pedimented aedicules with niches containing bells; above this is a tall entablature containing a clock face to each side; this is surmounted by a bell-shaped roof and weather vane. Cross wings have corner pilaster buttresses rising to moulded and domed finials. There are carved cartouches to gable centres and the gables are surmounted by aedicules with vases and round pediments. Returns of cross wings have moulded strings rising as round arches over 1st-floor windows framing carved tympanae. Further to right-hand return is another round-arched doorway

approached by a flight of steps. This doorway has carved spandrels and a panel with SCHOOL OF ART in relief. Above the doorway and above a transomed 2-light window with round-arched lights on its left are hoodmoulds with double scrolled centres. Panelled doors and glazed fanlights with vertical glazing bars. INTERIOR: not inspected but noted as having original joinery with staircase and stained glass to stairhall. A very distinguished example of late C19 school design. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-: 658).

Listing NGR: SX4583254945

External Links

• Wikidata Q26666029

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Recommended Books

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)