Summary
Wrought iron gates, brick piers and boundary wall, c1871, attributed to SS Teulon, which surround the Church of St Stephen and the former Church Hall (now Hampstead Hill School), Hampstead.
Reasons for Designation
The Gates, Piers, and Boundary Wall to the Church of St Stephen, Hampstead, of c1871, and attributed to SS Teulon, are listed for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: an inventive design in good quality, well-crafted and matched materials, attributed to the notable architect SS Teulon;
* Degree of survival: the structure survives intact and largely unaltered;
* Group value: the structure surrounds the Church of St Stephen (Grade I) and is of a similar date, style and materials.
History
The gates, piers and boundary wall to the Church of St Stephen were probably conceived as part of the wider church ensemble which was designed by SS Teulon. The Church of St Stephen was opened in 1869 and a historic illustration of a similar date does not show a boundary wall. It is known that building work continued on site for a further two years after the church was consecrated in order to complete outstanding work including the spire. A historic photograph from 1899 clearly shows the gates, piers and boundary wall in situ, but they were probably constructed by 1871 as part of the finishing works. A number of repairs have occurred over the C20 predominantly with recycled purple Luton bricks, but there are some modern equivalents. The original iron railings that stood between the wall piers have also been removed and replaced with timber fencing or trellis. To the NE corner the wall has been opened up to form a driveway for the school within, and to the S, the wall now projects in two locations to accommodate maturing trees. Also in the C20, a gate designed in a similar style to the C19 originals has been added to the centre of the N section to enable access to a car park space.
Details
Wrought iron gates, brick piers and boundary wall, c1871, attributed to SS Teulon, which surround the Church of St Stephen, Hampstead.
MATERIALS: purple Luton brick, stone, and wrought iron.
PLAN: the wall surrounds the Church of St Stephen and the Hampstead Hill School. It is stepped and follows the fall of the land from NW to SE.
DESCRIPTION: it is formed of a low brick wall interspersed with taller brick piers. The wall and brick piers are built predominantly of purple Luton bricks in a Dutch bond, with a chamfered horizontal stone string-course at mid-height, and surmounted by chamfered stone coping. Along the length of the wall to the N and W there are a number of rebated areas which house built-in timber benches. There are three sets of C19 gates which are formed from wrought iron, and stand on the N and W sections of the wall. They all have doors and overthrows in a scroll design, and the principal gates at the NW main entrance also have an iron finial to the centre of the overthrow, and scroll work atop the wall where it returns to the E and S. The supporting piers to the C19 gates are surmounted by stone finials, carved with pediments and inset roundels with floral motifs.
Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that the timber fencing and trellis above and behind the wall are not of special architectural or historic interest.
