Description

UNIVERSITY ROAD 1. 5104 Edgbaston B15 Great Hall and Quadrant Range formerly listed as Birmingham University (Main Buildings) SP 08 SW 11/4 21.1.70 II* 2. 1900-1909 by Sir Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, the D plan group main university building of which only part were completed to the original design. The Great Hall opposite the tower is the central axial building, to its front is a square entrance hall with a giant round arched mullioned window, above an ornate frieze over the loggia doorways, flanked by tapering square corner turrets (to rear as well) which are topped by small ribbed domes. Over the hall rises a low octagonal drum supporting a large ribbed dome and a miniature lantern. Red brick and stone and buff terracotta dressings, but the conception is more Byzantine than Renaissance. Behind the domed and galleried entrance hall with ornate Renaissance grotesque relief carving, lies the Great Hall itself, a vast tunnel vaulted space with cross vaulted 2 storey side galleries. Rich grotesque carving. Lavish stained glass by T R Spence. The centrepiece of the hall has 2 storey quadrant links forming the wing pavilions, 2 to the west but only one completed to the east. These relate on a smaller 2 storey scale to the Great Hall being square on plan and with similar ribbed domes but with round corner turrets, wings extending behind. Flat lintelled window ranges on ground floor and large frescoed friezes by Anning Bell below the parapets on the first floor level. The link ranges have segmental arched windows. Modern part to east not of special interest.

Listing NGR: SP0472283539

External Links

• Wikidata Q67889578

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Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
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  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)