Ravensbourne School (Old Buildings, Including Great Hall, Gymnasium and Dining Hall)

Details

The following building shall be added:

BROMLEY HAYES LANE
TQ 46 NW
785-/5/10001 Ravensbourne School
(old buildings, including
Great Hall, gymnasium and
dining hall)

II

Purpose-built school, originally County School for Boys, later Grammar School and finally
mixed Comprehensive School. Original block designed by H P Burke-Downing in 1908 and
built 1910-11 extended to the north-west by the same architect in the early 1930s in similar
style, providing Great Hall, dining hall and gymnasium. Queen Anne style. Built of brown
brick with red brick and stone dressings and hipped tiled roof Central block of 9 windows has
central lead cupola with central oval windows on 4 columns and egg design to plinth. Central
curved open pediment has circular windows with keystone flanked by swags. Modillion eaves
cornice. Central 24-pane window with eared architrave and 3 keystones. Ground floor has
elaborate stone doorcase with Swansneck pediment bearing shield ornamented with swags and
keystone with potto. Engaged Tuscan columns and 6 curved steps with curved solid balustrade
with ball finials. 24 pane sash windows with stone keystone. Band between floors. On either
side are 3 similar bays set back with solid brick chimney stacks with round-headed flank arches -
with stone impost blocks and keystones. There is a further bay set back on either side with
circular windows to 1st floor and ground floor window divided by stone apron. 4-light dormer
and two 12-pane sashes with triple keystone. At the ends are projecting pavilions with round-
headed pediments with modillion cornice and tall curved window flacked by oculi. Ground
floor has 3 sashes. Left side pavilion, owing to slope of land, also has basement with curved
windows and sashes. To the north east is the caretaker's house attached to the main school by
brick arch, mainly pebble dashed with gable, 1st floor window now replaced by late C20
window and Tuscan porch to ground floor. 2 pebble dashed chimneystacks. The original main
building is linked to c1933 extension to the north west by the same architect by a colonnade
of brown brick with red brick or tiled dressings. 5 round-headed arches with keystone 2 oval
windows. Great Hall is of brown brick with red brick dressings. Hipped pantiled roof Front
has central tall round-headed window and round-headed entrance below. 1st floor has oculi
at ends. Other windows are sashes. Sides of Great Hall have sculptural stone panels above
central window and high relief panels of swags over the others. Parapets have urns to corners.
Classroom block to rear of Great Hall is of 2 storeys with 9 24-pane sashes. Attached to the
north west of the Great Hall is the Gymnasium of brown brick with red brick dressings, hipped
tiled roof and 6 panels to parapet. Attached to the north west side by a colonnade of Tuscan
columns is the Dining Hall. 1 storey brown brick with red brick dressings. Hipped tiled roof
with 1 brick chimney. 3 hipped dormers. Parapet with stone coping. Stone doorcase has
panel above with carving of St George and the Dragon. T-wing has oval window and doorcase
flacked by 2 oval windows. 1911 building has Old Hall with cambered ceiling with 3 roundels
with fruits carved in deep relief Deep modillion cornice with ovolo moulding. Doorcases
with eared architraves. Panelled balcony on 3 sides, supported on 4 elaborately carved brackets.
5 24-pane windows. Central circular window with stained glass depicting school shield and
motto and similar windows (now without stained glass) at either end. Tiled walls to dado,
painted over. War Memorial Library, also in 1911 building, has cambered ceiling with 3 panels,
bracket cornice, frieze of wreaths, wall panels and dado panelling. Bolection-moulded stone
fireplace with wooden memorial tablet above. Great Hall of 1933 had auditorium with ceiling
with 4 large roundels with fruit in high relief joined by square panels with pattern of
interweaved circles. Stage has curved proscenium arch with Tuscan columns and central
keystone. 2 plain well staircases. Old Hall retained framed architect's drawing of 1911 building.

[Pevsner Buildings of England "London 2: South" pp. 167-8]


Listing NGR: TQ4068268046


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 October 2017.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

358673

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Cherry, B, Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: London 2: South, (1983), 167-168

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 30 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/11024

End of official list entry

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