THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD

THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD, PRIOR PARK

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1394469
Date first listed:: 05-Aug-1975
List Entry Name:: THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD
Statutory Address:: THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD, PRIOR PARK

Prior Park Old Gymnasium. View across ball-courts towards main two storey building. — Uploaded by Elspeth Faulkner This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1394469
Date first listed:: 05-Aug-1975
Date of most recent amendment:: 15-Oct-2010
List Entry Name:: THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD
Statutory Address 1:: THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD, PRIOR PARK

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: THE GYMNASIUM TO NORTH OF NORTH ROAD, PRIOR PARK

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: ST7641462866

Details

656-1/38/1998 05/08/75

PRIOR PARK, Combe Down The Gymnasium to north of North Road

II*

Open air ball-court or gymnasium and fives court. c1840, associated with foundation of Prior Park College by Bishop Baines, with Rev. James Baines, Bishop's nephew, as patron, and HE Goodridge as architect . PLAN: Built into a quarry, with the main level below that of adjacent terrace tennis courts. EXTERIOR: Long narrow two storey range faces into large courtyard with high boundary walls, and higher fives wall on east side. Single storey elevation to west has central Palladian opening, flanked by severe rectangular opening wide spaced each side, and a small door extreme right, to staircase giving to roof terrace. Slight plinth, bold platband cornice, blocking course and parapet, these continued to all fronts. In short north return blocked opening. Interior face has row of thirteen arches with impost band, two and twelve being blind, above colonnade of twelve bold Tuscan columns with end responds. Between levels full width recessed panel, and arch impost band continues as coping to long side walls, plain ashlar block to bold coping, on south side wall badly broken along much of length, and on north side has been cut down to higher earth level, with drop of approx 2.5m to courtyard level. East wall rises to approx 5.75m with heavy square coping, side walls being swept up on either side, and lower centred dividing wall, stopped to square pier, also swept up to rear wall. Outer face of east wall has random series of putlog holes. INTERIOR: Lower floor of pavilion has barrel vault, remaining only in part and screens of two columns at each end, and upper floor had three rooms, finely cut barrel vaults remaining, under terrace roof, with iron stair balustrade at south end. Building in poor state and unused at time of survey. HISTORY: A highly unusual structure, of dramatic scale and massiveness, which displays the scope of Bishop Baines's vision for the new Catholic college. Among the most grandiose, if unfinished- of rackets courts, it was abandoned and used in later C19 as poultry yard. Its imposingly austere masonry is readily sensed: it is a stylistic fusion of Wood's Palladianism and French-inspired neoclassicism. SOURCES: Clarke G: Prior Park: A Compleat Landscape: Bath: 1987-: 68, 75.

Listing NGR: ST7641462866

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 509869
Legacy System:: LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.