Hunt House at Rydal School

Cadw's description

Location

Faces Old House across a courtyard and adjoins the school dining hall on the S side of the yard.

History

Rydal School was founded in 1885 by a leading Methodist educationalist, T G Osborn, and was originally established in a private house, Rydal Mount, which forms the nucleus of the present Old House. Extensions to the school in 1899 involved the construction of the dining hall and Hunt House, both designed by T E Lidiard James, architect, of London. Hunt House originally comprised school rooms and boarding house.

Exterior

Coursed and squared rusticated rubble with slate roof. 3 storeys, 4-window range facing N into the courtyard. Advanced gable to right, the entrance alongside it, to right of centre in gabled porch with segmentally arched doorway. Mullioned and transomed stair window above the porch, forming a grid with blind panels between the windows: these have the letters R S and a shield in low relief. 2 storeyed canted bay window in the gable, the tripartite window in attic. Paired windows on each floor to left of entrance, and triple windows in gables dormer above. Single window on each floor in left-hand bay. Windows all have flat chamfered lintels with hood-moulds; relieving arches to first floor windows. Similar detail to return elevation facing Pwllycrochan Avenue, with full height canted bay window in wide upper gable. Long rear elevation has windows grouped 2-3-2, reflecting the layout of classrooms and the original bedrooms etc inside.

Interior

Original internal layout survives almost intact, as does the original staircase distinguished by ornate arcading on hall and landing.

Reason for designation

Significant as one of the early additions of Rydal School, the building forms a key element in the group of buildings on the main school site.