Details
LINGFIELD
188/9/10004 BLACKBERRY LANE
28-JAN-97 College of St Barnabas
II
Retirement home and nursing home for retired clergy and their wives and widows. 1899-1910. E-shaped, facing an open court to the south, with chapel in central projecting arm. West range, west part of north range and core of chapel by Charles H. Rew of Berkhamsted, 1899-1902. East range, east part of north range and enlargement to chapel by C. M. Oldrid Scott of J. Oldrid Scott and Sons, 1908-10. Small mortuary chapel attached to east range at the back, 1928. Vernacular revival style, in red brick with stone dressings, high tile roofs, timber gables and leaded lights.
EXTERIOR: The west range and adjacent work of 1899-1902 is of two main storeys, the ground floor of brick, the upper floor faced in roughcast with some tile-hanging at rear. Tall chimneys with ribbed stacks. Some barge-boarded gables and dormer windows. Single-storey canted bay windows on west face and on south face of north range. Diamond-leaded lights throughout. Along the east face a covered timber walkway, open towards the court with elliptical arches between timber columns. Along part of south face of north range, a first-floor balcony carried on timber columns.
The east range and adjacent work of 1908-10, is of one main storey, of brick with sandstone dressings. West face has roof pierced with pedimented dormers ending in narrow two-storey pavilion with weather-boarded gable. Below, a covered timber walkway, flat-ceiled on this side and with openings towards court carried on straight entablature between Tuscan columns. On east face, pairs of single-storey bay windows and continuous dormers in roof. Along south face of north range, further single-storey bays and first-floor balcony carried on timber columns. Square-leaded lights throughout.
The chapel wing projects from centre of north range by three bays divided by buttresses, the first-floor chapel of 1900-02 having been extended southwards in 1908-10 over a porte cochere. Brick with sandstone dressings. On upper storey, two-light cusped windows and niches to sides with statues by Bridgeman of Lichfield, five-light windows at the north and south ends. Timber and lead cupola on roof towards rear.
North range has three main storeys at rear owing to fall of ground, with various projections and gables. Lower storeys advance in centre, perhaps a later addition. Recent lift tower near east end of range. The mortuary chapel of 1928 behind east side has an open ground floor and a high hipped roof.
INTERIOR. Chapel mostly of 1908-10. Collegiate arrangement with oak stalls (1909). Six-bay panelled roof with arched braces, the two nearest the altar pierced and painted. Organ gallery at rear, the front richly painted with angels and adoration by Jackson. Painted reredos and altar front. Stained glass: the five-light window over altar by C E Kempe, 1906, the side lights by F C Eden, 1914. On the ground floor of north range, a library west of centre, a common room with tiled fireplace beneath chapel, and a refectory east of centre with ornamental plasterwork on ceiling beams and two fireplaces with eared architraves and Delft-style tiled surrounds. In the residential wings, original fireplaces in many rooms. West wing has residential staircases with diagonal stick balusters and square newels. East wing has ground-floor flats with nursing accommodation over.
ADDITIONAL FEATURE: the Warden's Lodge, situated to the south. Designed by J Oldrid Scott & Sons, 1908-9: of two storeys, designed in a similar idiom.
HISTORY: a late example of a college for retired clergy, designed in a picturesque revivalist style, retaining high quality fixtures.
