Description

BOVINGDON OFF LONDON ROAD (A41)
TL 00 NW Hemel Hempstead (west side)

4/31 Westbrook Hay School
-

- II

Country house, now a school. Mid C18 possibly with older parts, central
pedimented top storey and flanking roofs added between 1800 and 1840,
refronted and extended both sides giving present appearance in 1850's.
The seat of the Ryder family. Used by RAF in 2nd World War: the Hemel
Hempstead New Town Commission thereafter. Became a school 1963. Red
brick, largely stuccoed, with slate roofs. A large irregular country
house with N entrance front, garden fronts on W and S and ancillary
buildings attached on E. 2-storeys, part attics, and basements. Oldfield
drawing c.1800 (HRO) shows a 7-bays long, 2-storeys and basement, brick
house with parapet and 3-bays projecting centre. Buckler drawing c.1840
(HRO) shows a 3-storeys pedimented centre and steeper roofs. 1850's
alterations provided new reception rooms on W, a new facade 12ft in
advance of the old N front and 70ft long with a grand porch all in
stucco, as well as extended service quarters. N front of 2-storeys and
7-bays, has plinth, minor cornice, dentilled major cornice, and a roof
balustrade with dies. 2nd and 6th bays project with panelled pilasters
flanking the windows. Pilastered cubic porch with 3/4 Ionic columns
flanking entrance with half-glazed double doors. Similar doors give
access to hall. Recessed sash windows with moulded lugged surrounds to
ground floor and an entablature on trusses to 1st floor. Armorial
centrepiece to parapet. Older front extends to LH set back. Red brick
2 storeys and basement. Gauged flat arches but windows 6/6 recessed have
Egyptian style architraves with lugs . Upper floor has band at sill level
in stucco. 3 receding planes of wall and 2 windows. W Garden front 2
storeys. Central 2 storey 3 window segmental bay projecting, 1 window to
LH and then narrow 1 window wing. On RH single storey 3 window projecting
bay with parapet and triplet of windows above central one with
entablature on trusses. Similar to bay. Glazed verandah in cast iron
columns and openwork brackets at rear. Portland stone terrace of 3 steps
with central landing and 3 more steps. Stone octagon table on landing
with leaf carved pedestal. S front central 2 storeys segmental bay
windows 3 with balustrade at 1st floor. LH triple sash over French
window, RH 3 window projecting wing with former conservatory now dining
room in W side. Pump attached to end of wing. Bleak 2 storeys and attics
5 window stucco wing to RH with pretty Gothick 9 bay wooden cloister with
trefoil spandrels to arched beams for posts. Higher central W end barge-
boarded gable to front (S). Formal terrace garden to W and remains of
flint grotto garden to S. (Pevsner(1977)183: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL0258205494

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Westbrook Hay Prep School at Wikipedia
• Westbrook Hay Prep School official website
• Westbrook Hay at Wikipedia
• Wikidata IDs Q7987170 Q99937508

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record