Main Building (North & South) at Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls

Cadw's description

Location

On prominent elevated site, about 600m north of Monmouth centre.

History

The High School for Girls was first opened in 1892 at Hardwick House, Monnow Street. The present main building was designed by Henry Stock, and formally opened 25th October 1897.

Exterior

Built of squared red-brown sandstone rubble, with Bath stone dressings and plain tiled roof with stone chimneys. Largely symmetrical Tudor/Jacobean style. The main front faces south and has two-and-a-half storeys. Nine bays with mullion-and-transom windows; the second, central and eighth bays are advanced. The ground floor windows are 4-light with a king mullion except for 3-light ones in bays 1 and 9. The first floor the same except for a 3-light one over the entrance and 2-light ones in bays 1 and 9. The central bay has a four storey gabled tower with octagonal buttresses, 4-centred doorway with relief spandrels, 3-light window above and 2-light above that, the top level has a 3-light window with the Haberdashers' arms obscuring the lower lights, further heraldic shield in the gable above and gargoyles to the parapet. Two crow-stepped gabled wall dormers to each side of tower each with a 4-light king mullion window; four large groups of octagonal shafted stone chimneys, two either side. To the right a stepped back, three-storey block with two crow-stepped gables links with the main building via a recessed section with doorway. Four bays with paired single light windows, the gabled section is set forward. The west return has a crow-step gable, and further shaped gable to rear.
Rear elevation in simplified version of same style with projecting bays, single and 2-light windows and a multi-gabled roofline. At right angles, dining hall block with four large flat-topped dormers (modern glazing to east, and modern extension to east). Then attached two storey service block in same style with two gables facing east, these have 4-light mullion-and-transom windows on the upper floor.

Interior

Interiors seen were entrance, main stair, board room and dining hall, all plain. The dining hall has a wide span 4-bay roof with traceried trusses. Large ties supported on brackets, vertical struts to main rafters, arch braced centre.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well-designed purpose-built girls' public school, with definite and well-preserved character, on a prominent site above the historic centre of Monmouth.