History

Adjoining the former Grammar School at right-angles, and built in 1742 as dormitories and headmaster's house. Projections and rear wings probably late C19.

Exterior

Symmetrical 5-window 3-storey range with central entrance. Constructed of red brick under a slate roof with brick end stacks, that to L set back behind ridge; moulded wooden eaves cornice, raised stone copings to S gable end. The windows to ground and 1st floor are 12-pane hornless sashes under flat-arched heads of gauged brickwork, only those to lower R and upper L original. Windows to 2nd floor are 3-over-6-pane sashes immediately under the eaves. Entrance contains double panelled doors, the panels fielded, under a plain overlight. Leaded swept porch canopy supported on decorative brackets.
Two blocks adjoining S gable end: to R, a narrow 2-storey block under a hipped roof, with plain-glazed sashes. Lower hipped-roofed block to L, above which is a small segmental-headed window. Rear has irregular fenestration, including 4-pane and small-pane sashes and C20 wooden windows, mainly with segmental brick heads. Shallow brick lean-to to ground floor. To R, a narrow full-height hipped-roofed projection with late C20 brick porch, above which is a 4-pane sash with sandstone lintel. Converted single-storey range at right-angles to far L, probably a former outbuilding; its E gable end is of rubble stone with moulded kneelers and raised stone copings, with a small brick stack. Adjoining N gable end of main range, a 2-storey wing with hipped roof, projecting beyond Church House and partly built over an earlier stone boundary wall. It has 3 x 4-pane sashes with sandstone lintels to upper storey, and a 3-light wooden casement under a segmental brick head to L of ground floor; N end has tripartite sash to ground and small 4-pane sash to upper storey; R-hand return has boarded door and a narrow C20 light above.

Interior

The interior was recorded by RCAHMW in 1996 before it was converted to apartments. It has classical-style detail, including panelled doors, moulded architraves, beamed ceilings, and a fireplace with eared and fluted surrounds; other fireplaces are C19. Original C18 staircase with columnar balusters, square newels conjoined with caps, and moulded handrails; upper flight has been altered; window seats in front of stair-lights. Good range of cellars beneath, one with a deeply-chamfered ceiling beam, probably re-used from elsewhere, another with a half-vault.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as an unusual building type retaining early-Georgian character and detail, and for group value with the adjoining Church House. The building makes a valuable contribution to the historic landscape of this fine parochial close.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29481369

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)