Beaumont College

Details

OLD WINDSOR

SU97SE BURFIELD ROAD
599-1/14/7 (South side (off))
10/08/51 Beaumont College

GV II*

Large country house in parkland, now offices and training
school. Original house 1705 by James Gibbs for Lord Weymouth.
Re-built and extended in early C19 by Henry Emlyn of Windsor
for Henry Griffiths; altered and extended in 1870 by Hansom;
altered and further extended in late C20.
MATERIALS: part painted stucco, part stock brick; slate roofs
of different heights.
PLAN: original house on north-west; C20 extension in similar
style, adjoining on north-west. C19 extensions adjoining
original house on south-east, forming a large L-plan, with a
former service court on the north, closed on the north side by
the chapel. There is a C20 extension on the north side of the
chapel and a C20 extension on the south end of the 'L'.
EXTERIOR: mostly 3 storeys, part 2 and 4 storeys. Several
chimneys with clay pots. Sash windows with glazing bars, some
without glazing bars. Original house, north-east front:
present exterior based on the "Britannic Order" composed and
published by Henry Emlyn, of which few examples survive.
Symmetrical. 9 bays. Moulded cornice and parapet. 3-bay
central feature with pediment and entablature with Prince of
Wales feathers in frieze. 2 pairs of round columns in centre
and one pair of square columns at either side, the pairs
merging on ground floor with joins covered by Garter insignia;
and composite capitals also formed of patriotic devices. First
and second floors of centrepiece are recessed with cast-iron
balcony rail above ground floor; windows have moulded
architraves. Ground floor windows have rounded arched heads
with radiating glazing bars; the central one has a later,
wooden door inserted in the lower part, with 3 steps to
stylobate. 3 bay outer sections on either side; the centre
ground floor window of each is a 3-light canted bay with
balustraded parapet.
Original house, south-west front: 9 bays. Central 3 bays
projecting with centre window on the ground floor a canted bay


with balustraded parapet.
To the right of the original house is a late C19 section of 2
storeys, 7 bays with hipped roof. Windows in stone surrounds
those on the ground floor with round arched heads. Adjoining
this on the right and forming the corner of the 'L' is a late
C19, 3-storey block of 9 and 6 bays. At the south end of this
section is a 4-storeyed section with attics in the 'French
Chateau' style. 3 bays. Steeply pitched pyramidal roof with a
lucarne on each face. Moulded cornice arched over top windows.
2 large chimneys joined by a decorative iron balustrade on the
top of the roof.
INTERIOR: much altered but retains a good geometrical
staircase with iron balustrade and handrail in an apsidal
space in the original entrance hall.
HISTORY: in 1786 the house was bought by Warren Hastings from
the Duke of Cumberland on his return from India for »2,000. He
lived there during part of his trial. It was formerly known as
Beaumont Lodge and was purchased in 1854 by the Jesuits who
established a school for novices in 18@
(Victoria County History: Vol III: 81; Buildings of England:
Pevsner N: Berkshire: Harmondsworth: 1975-: 189; Murray's
Berkshire: 151).




Listing NGR: SU9898873260

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

469351

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Berkshire, (1975), 189
Ditchfield, P H, Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Berkshire, (1924), 81
Murrays Architectural Guide in Berkshire, (1949), 151

End of official list entry

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