Description

BRISTOL
901-1/0/10119

FAIRLAWN ROAD

Fairlawn School

II

24-JAN-02

Fairlawn School, bounded by Fairlawn Road, Fairfield Road and Falkland Road. Built 1898 for the Bristol School Board, by William Larkins Bernard FRIBA (1843-1922). Squared Pennant Sandstone rubble, red brick and terra cotta dressings, double Roman tiled roofs.

EXTERIOR: main south-facing elevation has a pair of pedimented doorcases (left hand now blocked) below three-storey projections in front of central hall; plain ashlar side wall to left; three bay classroom block with gable end to right, with arched openings to ground floor, small square windows to offices on first floor, tall windows to classroom at upper floor. West elevation to Fairlawn Road with three gabled units, each containing two orders of windows to classrooms divided by brick pilasters. North elevation similar to south front, but with gable ends to left and right wings; low projection to left. East elevation with recessed centre containing two orders of arched windows, two to ground floor, four to upper floor, lighting the central halls. Square ventilation louvre with finial and weathervane to central roof ridge. Lower L-shaped block to south-east occupies corner of this triangular site. Two parallel ranges to Falkland Road with segmental gabled ends over arched windows to first floor, lower continuation to north with two lower segmental gables and pediment over windows; pedimented door cases contain Bristol School Board monogram and date of 1898 in tympana. North-facing return of three bays with pediments over windows, segmental gable ends to roof ridge. Southern return to Fairfield Road of five bays with pediments over tall first floor windows, arched windows to ground floor, segmental gabled ends to roof ridge; tall boiler house chimney behind with corbel table to upper slatted section. Lower link connects to parallel ranges with segmental gabled ends, three tall windows to right hand range. Two further ranges run, in line, behind these latter ranges, with segmental gables to west ends of ridges and with a square louvre to the higher roof ridge. Most windows are original sash windows in a variety of configurations.

INTERIORS: Main block comprises a central hall with classrooms at corners and along west side, with staircases at either end. Ceilings to classrooms and upper hall have been lowered otherwise interiors are intact, with arched windows looking into halls. Staircases are lined with glazed bricks with circular bosses above. Lower hall contains a war memorial screen. Lower L-shaped block, former infants' school with recreation hall and boiler room attached, has undergone more recent alteration internally.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached rubble stone boundary walls and railings; long narrow block along south wall formerly lavatories and washrooms. The main block sports a metal plaque erected in 1996 by the British Film Institute recording that Cary Grant (a.k.a. Archibald Leach) was a pupil here in 1915-1918.

A highly picturesque composition, little altered, forming a good example of a Board School. Bernard was principal architect to the Bristol School Board from 1888.

This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15 March 2017.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26669125

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 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)