Bedhampton Arts Centre (The Old School)

Reasons for Designation

Bedhampton Arts Centre (the Old School) is designated for listing for the following principal reasons: * Special architectural interest as a distinctive and well-detailed village school. * The Butterfield and Woodyer connections, particularly the former, are witnessed in the irregular massing and picturesque composition of steep roofs, tall stepped chimneys, deep eaves, half hips, polychromy and tumbled-in brickwork, and hipped bellcotes. * If derivative, it is nonetheless accomplished; equal care is afforded to all elevations and the schoolhouse skilfully integrated into the composition. * It remains largely intact with original windows.

Details

HAVANT

100/0/10040 BEDHAMPTON ROAD 11-MAR-09 Bedhampton Arts Centre (The Old School)

II School and attached schoolhouse, now arts centre and offices. Built 1868 to the design of Richard William Drew. Extended 1873 and 1895. C20 flat-roofed extensions (not of special interest).

MATERIALS: Red brick laid in Flemish bond with some contrasting blue and black brickwork; stone cills; clay tile roofs.

PLAN: Aligned N-S with long hall on E side, with two classrooms set at right angles on W side. The entrance area between the classrooms has been altered and infilled. School house forms continuation of school hall on S side.

EXTERIOR: The school and house form an irregular, picturesque composition combining the Gothic and domestic revival styles, with steep pitched roofs, some half-hipped, deep overhanging eaves. Tall stepped stacks to school with tumbled-in brickwork; stacks to house are moulded. Moulded brick string-courses and window surrounds. Gothic hopper heads.

SCHOOL: N elevation: Gable end of hall has tall paired windows with moulded brick surrounds and canted arches, separated by stepped buttress. 10-light casement windows with paired lights. The top lights are canted (this detail is repeated on most windows to school). Upper part of gable has string course, above which there is blue-brick diapering; bracketed hipped bellcote surmounted by metal cross. Lower classroom has broad cross gable, also with bellcote feature, and 12-light window with segmental relieving arch above; 4-light windows to either side.

W elevation is flanked by the half-hipped gable ends of the two classrooms, the N classroom with 9-light window, that to S classroom with 12 lights. The entrance area between has been infilled with a modern block. S elevation of N classroom has tall windows breaking through eaves with tile-hung gables. E elevation of hall has three 12-light windows, the top lights with shouldered arches, with stepped buttresses between; central window modified to form a door.

SCHOOL HOUSE: One storey plus attic. One-and-a-half bays with gabled cross wing. W elevation has half-hip to cross gable; two 4-light windows with cambered top lights to ground floor, separated by stepped buttress; paired sashes above. Hipped dormer breaking through eaves. E elevation has lean-to porch in angle of crosswing set at right angle to façade; this has a pointed arch and is pierced with small arches to side. Relieving arches to windows, segmental to ground floor, Gothic to gable; tympana infilled with chequered brick. Moulded brick eaves. End stack to S gable has corbelled apron. Single-storey late C19 lean-to extension to S; this has a small modern addition on E side.

INTERIOR: Arch-braced roofs to hall and classrooms. Brass foundation plaque in hall inscribed in Gothic lettering: 'TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND FOR / THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION / OF THE CHILDREN OF THIS PARISH / THESE SCHOOLS / WERE ERECTED BY / W H STONE OF LEIGH PARK ESQ MP / A D 1868 / E T DAUBENEY MA RECTOR BEDHAMPTON'. Schoolhouse altered as offices but retains its stair.

HISTORY: The School was built in 1868 to the design of Richard William Drew, a London architect, endowed by local benefactor, William Stone MP for the children of the local parish. The men were Cambridge acquaintances, and Drew had designed Stone's mansion, Leigh Park, in the early 1860s. Bedhampton School Board was formed in 1871, and the land and school was leased to the Board in 1873 to be used as a school, Sunday school and public meeting rooms. The school was enlarged in 1873, and again in 1895 for about 180 children. It closed in 1985 and subsequently became Bedhampton Arts Centre.

Richard William Drew (1834-1903) practised in London, and was married to Ann Bletchley Starey, William Butterfield's niece. He may have been a pupil of Butterfield. He worked for the eminent ecclesiastical architect Henry Woodyer, himself a pupil of Butterfield, before setting up practice in London.

SOURCES: RIBA Directory of British Architects,

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: Bedhampton Arts Centre (the Old School) is designated for the following principal reasons: * Special architectural interest as distinctive and well-detailed village school. * The Butterfield and Woodyer connections, particularly the former, are witnessed in the irregular massing and picturesque composition of steep roofs, tall stepped chimneys, deep eaves, half hips, polychromy and tumbled-in brickwork, and hipped bellcotes. * If derivative, it is nonetheless accomplished; equal care is afforded to all elevations and the schoolhouse skilfully integrated into the composition. * It remains largely intact with original windows.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

504461

Legacy System:

LBS

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