Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 25 November 2021 to update the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

SO9423SE
630-1/5/884

CHELTENHAM
SWINDON ROAD (North side)
Francis Close Hall (University of Gloucestershire)

(Formerly listed as St Paul's College, Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education, previously Listed as: SWINDON ROAD St Paul's Training College)

12/03/55

GV
II*

Training college, now part of University of Gloucestershire. 1849 with later additions and alterations. Architect, SW Daukes. Stone with ashlar dressings and plain tile roof. Quadrangular plan with rear projecting blocks.

EXTERIOR: two-storey central porch with octagonal tower between single-storey, four-bay ranges and with outer two-storey-and-attic gabled blocks with two first-floor windows and further outer porches to recessed ends. Three-storey porch to rear range. Quoins to angles. Buttresses between bays. Three- and four-light mullion and transom windows, those to ground floor with cusped heads, in double-chamfered surrounds and with hoodmoulds, some with foliate or head stops. Central pointed entrance has studded plank doors with hoodmould. Similar fenestration to return elevations with chamfered, straight-headed mullioned windows. Rear porch with tower, similar pointed-arched opening with castellated two-storey oriel with four-light mullion windows. The quadrangle has castellated breakforward to ground floor; first floor has alternate two-light and single-light cusped windows.

INTERIOR: simply detailed with stone staircases. Porch has quadripartite vault with chamfered pointed archway and plank studded doors.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Founded as 'an Institution for the training of masters and mistresses upon scriptural and evangelical principles in connection with the Church of England'. The grounds, together with »500, were donated by Miss Jane Cook. This site houses 82 male students. St Paul's Training College is often regarded as the greatest achievement of Revd Francis Close, incumbent of the parish Church of St Mary (qv). A very fine Gothic Revival composition, this being the style chosen for other Church Training Colleges built in the period, such as at Bristol.

Forms a group with Entrance Lodge, Gates and Boundary Wall (qv).

Verey states, 'the best C19-20 Gothic work (in Cheltenham) is to be found here'.

(Beck WE: A History of the Cheltenham College of St Paul and St Mary: 1947-; The Buildings of England: Verey D: Gloucestershire: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: London: 1970-: 137; Hart G: A History of Cheltenham: Stroud:1965-1990: 198-199).

Listing NGR: SO9465023028

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535829

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.

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