Description

In the entry for:

SJ 65 NE FORMER BOROUGH OF CREWE VICTORIA AVENUE

1/78 Webb Orphanage now Webb
House

GV II

The item no shall be amended to read:

SJ 65 NE FORMER BOROUGH OF CREWE VICTORIA AVENUE

1/66 Webb Orphanage now Webb
House

GV II

(This building was added to 30th list by 1st amendment, dated 25 July 1989).

------------------------------------
The following building shall be added to the list:-

SJ 55 NE FORMER BOROUGH OF CREWE VICTORIA AVENUE

1/78 Webb Orphanage now Webb
House.

GV II

Formerly an orphanage, 1909 (porch foundation stone) by John Brooke, architect,
of Manchester for the Trust set up under the will of Francis William Webb, Chief
Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Western Railway Company. The building
is now the British Rail Board Operations Training Centre. Accrington red brick
with stone dressing and slate roof. 2 storeys, with attic to the 5 centre bays
only, 23 bays arranged 1-8-5-8-1 with end and centre bays projecting forward.
Back to back "E" shaped plan. A Tuscan Distyle in Antis, single storey porch,
with flat roof and flanking bay windows, in pairs, fronts the centre gabled
projection. Central first floor sash with moulded stone architraves, large keystone,
and open segmental pediment is flanked by pairs of similar sashes with head cornices.
The two end bays slightly project with solid stone above window head level, this
flanks a raised panel with the words "Webb Orphanage". The gable is a stone open
pediment with stone single keyed oculus and festoons in the brick filled tympanum.
The 8 bay wings, which flank the entrance porch, are set back 8 yards. Recessed
sashes, plain lower light, glazing bars above, on sill band at ground floor and
moulded string above all with wedge arches. The soffit ovolo mould and ogee moulded
gutter intersect with the stone cornice moulds from the end gables. The projecting
bays have half brick projecting corner pilasters with alternate bands of brick
and stone. These flank single storey canted stone bay windows with sashes, moulded
cornices and flat roofs with pairs of sashes at first floor level. The brick filled
stone gable pediments each contain a plain central cartouche. A square timber
clock turret sits astride the ridge of the central section, this has four clock
faces and cupola. High standing brick ridge and lateral chimneys and stone caps.
Interior. The entrance to the building is via a pair of 5 panel doors flanked
by semicircular headed niches under a three light overlight with glazing bars.
A small internal porch fronts a vestibule screen which consists of a pair of half
glazed doors with pulvinated lock rail which is flanked by narrow wing lights and
surmounted by a 3 light overlight with glazing bars. Panelled Entrance Hall, 2
panels high and has projecting dado and frieze rails. There are two 5 panelled
doors each side with pulvinated lock rail. To the rear, a long panelled public
room, again with moulded dado and frieze rails, with a pair of half glazed doors
with wing lights but no overlight. Wings to left and right of the Entrance Hall
have matching 5 panel doors, moulded dado and frieze rails to plastered walls.
Stone staircases with square metal balusters with scroll features and metal moulded
handrails. The small secondary staircase to the attic is of timber. Many original
panelled doors survive throughout the building.
Rear elevations and support buildings are in keeping and the fenestration is
unaltered.

Sources. A history of Francis William Webb and the Webb Orphanage commissioned
by the British Rail Board Operations Training Centre.

Listing NGR: SJ6868855975

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26429578

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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