Building record 7198/4/2 - Our Lady's Convent Preparatory School, Hall Lane (Formerly Middlewest)

Former preparatory school, built as a private house. Early C20th. Probably by A. Bamford for a Mr. Berrill (formerly attributed to Gotch by Pevsner). Red brick ground floor and wide corner pilasters and pebbledash first floor. Wide elaborate modillion eaves cornice and hipped plain tile roof.

{1} 1900 by J A Gotch. Red brick and pebbledash, tiled roof. L plan of varied outline. 2 storeys and attics, sash and casement windows.

{3} Former preparatory school, built as a private house. Early C20th. Probably by A. Bamford for a Mr. Berrill. Red brick ground floor and wide corner pilasters and pebbledash first floor. Wide elaborate modillion eaves cornice and hipped plain tile roof. L plan. Carolean or Artisan Mannerist style with wooden or stone mullion and transom windows with fine leaded lights. 2 storeys and attics. Main front of house faces rear towards the garden.
The entrance front towards the lane has the wing projecting on left. In section to right the entrance door has flat hood and 2-light casements either side and a large 5-light window over. Further stone windows to left and on left return, and on the front of the wing a window on the first floor over a door and blocked window. 3 2-light casement dormers with curved roofs on main range and another on the wing. Right side has further windows and a dormer above and left side has a triple window at first floor over sashes and 2 dormers over. Garden front is a symmetrical design of 6 windows at first floor over a polygonal bay either side of a central stone doorcase with stone window either side. 4 roof dormers, the outer of 2 lights with curved roofs, the inner of 3 lights with flat and pedimented roofs.
INTERIOR. The entrance door leads to entrance hall with stone chequer floor from which leads an fine oak open-well staircase with column-on-vase balusters and massive column newels. Curving steps lead down under to cloaks which has black and white mini-chequer floor and some original tiling. The entrance hall leads to a study on right with a c.1700 style fireplace and then down to the lounge hall which has a stone bolection fireplace. Original doors lead to the reception rooms which also have original fireplaces and to the service corridor. Bedrooms have original doors and fireplaces with cast-iron grates and one has become a second attic stair in addition to the back stairs.
This house is a fine quality essay in the Carolean style with little alteration to the interior which is carefully designed and has high quality fittings including excellent leaded-light windows.
The house was mentioned by Pevsner in 1961 where it was mistakenly attributed to Gotch (q.v. Bryn Hafod, the Convent next door, with which Middlewest forms a group) but he specifically described this house.
The classroom extension to north of c.1973 is not of special architectural interest.
[SMR Note: copy of Listing Schedule retained in Supplementary File RN:8577001.]

{4} Including pers comm.. From R.K.Hardgrave re. attribution to Bamford.

{7} The List description of Middlewest was updated to reflect the attribution to the architect A.Bamford rather than J.A.Gotch.
Between 1900 and 1926 a second large house, Middlewest, was built to the north of Bryn Hafod, along with a separate cottage. The architect may be A.Bamford.
The building stands to the north of the Convent House and in many ways is similar to the Wicksteed house. It is now attributed to A.Bamford for Mr. Berrill. It too is built of red brick with stone dressings; the brick on the upper floor is clad with pebble dash. It's main entrance faces onto Hall Lane. This house is essentially as built with very little alteration; almost all rooms retain their original features.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 2/57 (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H15 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100754.

<3> DCMS, 2004, Listing Schedule, 1.5326 (checked) (Schedule). SNN104967.

<4> Hardgrave R.K., 2003, Assessment and Building Evaluation for The Convent of Our Lady, February 2003, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105056.

<5> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.265 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<6> Prentice J., 2003, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment & Building Evaluation For The Convent of Our Lady, Hall Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105981.

<7> Prentice J.;Brown J.; Walker C., 2014, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Building Evaluation for The Convent of Our Lady, Hall Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire, December 2003, p.1-2 (checked) (Report). SNN109893.

<8> Ashleigh Murray and Helen Ensor, 2014, Bryn Hafod and Middlewest, Hall Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording (Report). SNN116610.

Record last edited

Sep 27 2024 9:52AM