Old House, Rydal School

Cadw's description

Location

Parallel to Lansdowne Road, the building forms the N range of 2 quadrangles to either side of the school dining hall.

History

Old house is the earliest building on the Rydal School site and was built as a private house, Rydal Mount, in 1883. It was acquired by T G Osbourne, a leading Methodist educationalist, for use as a school in 1885 and was extended 1890 with the addition of buildings which now include the school library ect. The extensions were designed by T E Lidiard James, architect, of London.

Exterior

Rusticated coursed and squared rubble with slate roofs with scalloped bands and red tiled ridge cresting throughout. The original house forms to the west end of the range and is dated over the door 1883.

Entrance Front: faces S, the entrance in advanced full height gable canted in plan,
with segmental arch with vermiculated voussoirs, and decorative leaded lights with
stained glass to overlights. Heavy cast iron lamp standards to either side of doorway. Wider gable to the left has 2-light mullioned window on each floor with high set transomes, and shouldered stone lintels. Gable apex projects slightly over a corbel table; fretted bargeboards. To the right of the entrance is a 2-light mullioned and transomed windows with decorative glazing on each floor, lighting the staircase. 2-window range beyond. Return elevation to left is a 5-window range with polygonal corner tower surmounted by spirelet. Full-height canted bay window beneath gable with fretted bargeboards towards right. Dormers in roofs with hipped roofs supported on moulded brackets.

The Additions of 1890: extended the original house towards the E, and face Lansdowne Road. They are in a very similar domestic style, but the wood mullioned and transomed windows are distinguished by their flat lintels with relieving arches over, a different form from the earlier design. 2 advanced gables to either side, and paired windows in the right hand gable. Roofs overhang on struts; finials to bargeboards. Rear (facing the school quadrangles) has recessed 2-window range with paired windows on each floor, and covered way linking the house with the dining hall; 3-gabled block advanced beyond, then recessed bay with narrow gable over secondary entrance. Wide gable to the right, with paired windows on each floor.

Reason for designation

The original part of the Old House is a good example of the late C19 domestic gothic villa which forms one of the components of Colwyn Bay's urban development. Historically significant as the first part of Rydal School, together with its extension it forms a significant part of the complex of school buildings.