Description

PLYMOUTH

SX4554 PARADISE ROAD, Stoke
740-1/54/680 (North side)
01/05/75 Plymouth College of Further
Education (Devonport Annexe)
(Formerly Listed as:
PARADISE ROAD, Devonport
Plymouth College of Further
Education, Devonport Annexe)

II

Municipal science, art and technical school. 1897 by HJ Snell.
Plymouth limestone with Bath stone dressings; steep slate
roofs with parapets which are arcaded towards centre, coped
gable ends and tall stone and brick stacks with moulded
cornices. Netherlandish Renaissance style (Pevsner).
PLAN: rectangular central block with flanking wings
incorporating staircases set back.
EXTERIOR: 2 tall storeys over squat basement; 5-bay front with
pair of windows to each bay: within segmental arches to ground
floor and basement and flat chamfered heads to central
1st-floor bays plus round-arched windows to gabled bays. Set
back at either side are 1-window-range wings which also have
tall round-arched mid-floor stair windows. Original windows
with glazing bars except stair windows which have round
tracery. Front of main block is slightly articulated with tall
central tower and cross wings at left and right slightly
projecting. Basement as plinth, entablature under 1st-floor
windows. 4-stage entrance and clock tower has large
round-arched ordered doorway approached by a bridge with stone
side walls; entablature linked to parapet framing elliptical
arch above 1st-floor windows; next stage, which rises above
ridge line, has buttressed pilaster corners, central
ventilator and moulded and machicolated cornice below narrower
upper stage for which the buttresses step in to become
octagonal and surmounted by domed finials. Between these
buttresses are open-pedimented aedicules with niches
containing bells; above this is a tall entablature containing
a clock face to each side; this is surmounted by a bell-shaped
roof and weather vane. Cross wings have corner pilaster
buttresses rising to moulded and domed finials. There are
carved cartouches to gable centres and the gables are
surmounted by aedicules with vases and round pediments.
Returns of cross wings have moulded strings rising as round
arches over 1st-floor windows framing carved tympanae. Further
to right-hand return is another round-arched doorway

approached by a flight of steps. This doorway has carved
spandrels and a panel with SCHOOL OF ART in relief. Above the
doorway and above a transomed 2-light window with round-arched
lights on its left are hoodmoulds with double scrolled
centres. Panelled doors and glazed fanlights with vertical
glazing bars.
INTERIOR: not inspected but noted as having original joinery
with staircase and stained glass to stairhall. A very
distinguished example of late C19 school design.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-:
658).

Listing NGR: SX4583254945

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26666029

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)