Klooster, Baroniestraat 22

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction.

On the Baroniestraat, St. Ursula and the Ursulinenpad is located the Roman Catholic CONVENT St. Ursula, in which a TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE was housed.

The entirely detached U-shaped building stands on a site bounded on the west by a row of linden trees along the garden of the adjoining presbytery of the Heilig Hartkerk. Between the front of the building and the street stretches an open space with two curved driveways leading to the main entrance located centrally in the front facade. At the rear of the building is an open courtyard, largely enclosed by a school building dating from 1931. Behind this, on the opposite side of the Smalwater, originally stretched the convent garden (now largely built up). On behalf of the Dutch Province of the Roman Union of the Order of Saint Ursula, architect Leo Goyarts from Tilburg built the convent complex in 1910-1911. Contractor company Bedouw and Van Eyk carried out the work. The building shows stylistic influences of Transitional Architecture, whereby in this case elements from Traditionalism are combined with details from Art Nouveau.

The Ursuline sisters were attracted by the parish to provide education at the new girls' schools. Since 1908 the order has been established in Boxtel. Various changes of function over the years resulted in several structural interventions and extensions. In 1936 the teacher training college was already closed and in 1942 the Provincialate of the Order of St. Ursula was established in the building. In 1947 a MMS arrived, in 1970 a HAVO. In 1985 the Ursuline sisters left the convent, which in 1987 led to a renovation, reconstruction and conversion of the convent section into offices and residential units. On this occasion the roof was particularly simplified. A large part of the slate roof covering, as well as several roof dormers, some cross-shaped finials and chimneys have disappeared.

Description.

The partially basement building in brick occupies a U-shaped floor plan. The front facade has three storeys with an attic storey, and the side facades two storeys with an attic storey under a mostly flattened hipped roof. Tower-like extensions have four-sided and octagonal tent roofs. The original covering with slate tiles, roof dormers under lean-to roofs and ventilation chimneys laid in differently coloured brick are still present in the front section of the west facade. Cross-shaped finials are still present on the tower spires. The building is constructed from brick laid in cross bond. The facades are enlivened with bands of glazed and unglazed yellow brick and by extensive use of natural stone for mouldings, plinth stones and end pieces, drip moulds, window frames, more or less decoratively worked lintels, the plinth and the cuts towards the towers and gabled ends. The facades are finished with largely continuous, slightly profiled gutters on cut brackets. The symmetrical front facade consists of a central projection and two corner projections. At the corners of the central projection are octagonal towers, at the outermost corners of the corner projections are square tower structures. In the recesses of corner projection and gable wall are two-storey, polygonal intermediate structures and one-storey extensions in front of the corner projections above which is a balcony with a brick balustrade. In the gable wall are mostly wide multi-paned windows with glazing bars and multi-paned fanlights under segmental arch. In the walls of the projecting parts on the first two storeys are sturdy windows with glazing bar and fanlight and on the third storey coupled or uncoupled casement windows with fanlight as mentioned. In the one-storey extension in front of the left corner projection is an ornately worked porch with (coupled) stained glass casement windows, moulded stone, tile floor and glazed stained glass hinged door with matching fanlight. The central projection consists of nine bays of which the middle one is wider and projects slightly forward. In it is the main entrance above which is a round-arched arcade and a tile plaque with the name of the convent. On the second floor is a sculptured figure under a stone baldachin and on the same console, representing Saint Angela Merici, foundress of the congregation of the Ursuline Sisters. The bay is crowned with a flattened spout gable above which is an open balustrade. Below the roof gutter is a colourful frieze of figured stones. The other facades are executed more soberly using the same architectural means. On the facades facing the inner courtyard, not visible from the street, the bands are executed in unglazed yellow brick. In the west facade on the first and second storeys for the lighting of the schoolrooms are predominantly tall, arched, composite windows placed with therein glazing bars and window panes with cathedral glass. The three-storey stairwell (right) projects slightly and has two stone facade plaques with text 'ANNO' and '1910' in Art Nouveau lettering. On the left side is a one-storey seven-sided enclosed extension under a flat roof. In the east facade are two slightly projecting gable sections with flattened spout gables. On the gable end at the rear is a one-storey square extension under a flat roof. Sturdy windows with fanlights. Basement lights.

From the interior of the school are noteworthy: stairs with wrought-iron stiles and partially marble plinth, terrazzo floors, tiled wall panels, profiled door frames, original toilets, stained glass in porch. From the convent interior (simplified during 1987 renovation) is noteworthy: stairs with stiles, marble window sills and some door frames. The original 1910 layout of the teacher training college and convent was as follows. In the west wing: classrooms with rooms for management, teachers and administration at the front, gymnasium with sewing room on the upper floor (replaced by new building in 1974) and dormitory on attic (rebuilt 1952). In the front facade: divided lengthwise by a partition wall, parlours at the street side, behind it a hall, above attic storage rooms. In the east wing: ground floor at the front living quarters for the superior, rectory and behind it a hall with kitchens, refectory and temporary chapel (until 1926); first floor at front a hall with storeroom, behind it cloister with cells and a hall with laundry; second floor at front a hall with linen room and behind it cloister with cells.

Evaluation.

The building is of general importance. It has cultural-historical values as a particular expression of the development of the Order of Saint Ursula with regard to its function and appearance. Furthermore the building has cultural-historical value as a unique expression of the building type, convent together with boarding school. It has architectural-historical value because of the combination of building styles used, the detailing of various components and the importance of the building for the oeuvre of architect Goyarts.

The building has ensemble values as an essential component of a historically developed ensemble, further consisting of the convent chapel and the adjoining Heilig Hartkerk with presbytery and burial ground. This ensemble forms an important part of the Boxtelse station district, which developed around 1900 into a separate parish. The building is as a distinctive component of the historic buildings on the Baroniestraat of particular significance for the appearance of the village. It is important because of its rarity in architectural-historical and typological terms.