Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 24 March 2023 to amend a typo in the description

SP 7840
1/93

Stony Stratford
HIGH STREET (North East Side)
Former St Anthony's Franciscan Preparatory School

[Part was previously listed 12.10.54. as Mr Fegan's Homes]

GV
II

Consists of a large chapel with wings extending from transepts. The south-east transept wing meets a range at right angles to the street front of 4 houses and forms a quadrangle. Founded as St Paul's School in 1863 and enlarged since. From 1900 it became one of 'Mr Fegan's Homes' for Orphans and was latterly a Franciscan Preparatory school. Chapel: attributed to Goldie and Child [George Goldie] by Persuer circa 1860-70.

Large abbatial-type church with uninterrupted tiled roof. Rock faced rubble with brick quoins, dressings and modillion cornice. Four bay nave with buttresses, transepts and apsed chancel. Low narthex to south-west. Pointed windows. Main emphasis to south-west where a string course is stepped up and pointed to form a label over a large rose containing smaller circles. The apse is unlit, decorated with blind brick arcading in two series below the eaves, and five buttresses. The interior is aisless with a barrel vault on corbelled corinthian columns. The rest of the buildings are also tiled, and, except for the street front, of rock faced rubble with brick dressings.

Gate Tower: to right of chapel. Three storeys. Crow stepped gable above giant pointed arch containing the entrance, a three light oriel on the first floor, and two pointed windows on the second floor.

Turret: to right of gate tower projects from building. Octagonal with belfry stage and steeple. Statue of St Anthony over double doors to right.

Other buildings in the Quadrangle and to north-west of Chapel are of two storeys with attics. Half hipped dormers to quadrangle, and having bargeboards and finials to north-west. Mainly pointed windows, some cusped in the quad, mostly joined under relieving arches. North-west wing of seven bays separated by butresses. North-east corner has a stair turret with belfry stage and pointed roof.

Street front: circa 1860s-80s incorporating earlier buildings. Four three storey houses, the end house to south-east to be described separately. High pitched tiled roofs, with banded colours on house to north-west. Moulded cornice. Irregular ashlar fronts, brick chimney stack. Moulded kneeler to verge at north-west end. Two gabled dormers on house at north-west end, and three on house to south-east 4+2+3 windows, two light sashes except for three light windows on ground and 1st floors to house to left of south-east end house. Windows set in moulded reveals and have stone mullions and keyed heads. House to north-west has triangular light and the next house a pointed arched light above doors. No door to third house from north-west. The dated sundial mentioned in the previous list now gone. Adjacent to house at north-west end is an arched entrance of two orders with a panel above. The end house to the south-east has been recently reduced by one window and rendered with incised coursing. Low pitched slate roof. Two windows, glazing bar sashes. Triangular light over door. Brick built at rear.

The former St Anthony's Franciscan Preparatory School and the low street wall in front form a separate group.

Listing NGR: SP7852240711

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26418386

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
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  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
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  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)