Description

BIRKENHEAD

SJ3088 SHREWSBURY ROAD, Oxton
789-1/10/229 (West side)
Birkenhead School Preparatory
Department

II

School. Early 1870s (the hall 1871). Original designs by Lucy,
executed by Walter Scott. Chapel of 1883 by F.W.Hornblower and
H.Townsend. Brick with stone dressings and Welsh slate and
concrete tiled roofs. Tudor gothic style. Group of buildings
comprising hall linked to school house and headmaster's house,
with chapel to rear. Hall, formerly open to the roof, now with
inserted floor of 1888-9. Five bays divided by buttresses and
with full-height 4-centred arched windows, traceried above,
mullioned and transomed below, the two parts separated by
panelled frieze. Entrance block to the right, 2 storeys,
3-window range with central pedimented gabled porch with
moulded 4-centred arched doorway, and flanking mullioned and
transomed windows. Traceried transomed windows beneath gables.
Coped gables with finials. Tower to the rear of this block
with pyramidal roof. The hall is linked by a short wall to the
main boarding house block of 1878. Three storeys, 4-window
range with entrance to left of centre in advanced gable.
Moulded arched doorway, with full-height oriel window with
traceried lights above. Paired windows each side of entrance
block, with arched tympana to ground floor and attic windows
which are partly in the gables over each bay. Recessed to the
left of this block, to which it is linked by a short cloister
range, is the headmaster's house (a somewhat later addition).
2 storeys with attic, wide hipped roofed wing to left, with
arched doorway to right with hood mould. Squared bay window to
its left with paired sash windows and parapet. Traceried
mullioned and transomed window above with gablet over typanum.
Recessed to the left, a 2-window range with wide gable with
arched attic window. Chapel to rear, between hall and
schoolhouse: red brick with blue bands and steep Welsh slate
roof. Nave with undivided chancel, divided into 5 bays by
stepped buttresses. Square-headed foiled mullioned and
transomed 3-light windows with brick relieving arches over.
Canted porch with hipped roof to west, added 1884. E window of
5 lights, and coped eastern gable with cross finial. Interior
has undivided chancel raised up steps. Hammer beam roof and
traceried panelling to reredos and organ loft. Stained glass
in E window, c 1914-17.

Listing NGR: SJ3003888144

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26497435

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)