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© Mrs Jo Parsons LRPS
IoE Number:
412431
Location:
CANFORD SCHOOL, CANFORD MAGNA (east side)
POOLE, POOLE, DORSET
Photographer:
Mrs Jo Parsons LRPS
Date Photographed:
03 September 1999
Date listed:
14 June 1954
Date of last amendment:
13 September 1995
Grade
I
The Images of England website consists of images of listed buildings based on the statutory list as it was in 2001 and does not incorporate subsequent amendments to the list. For the statutory list and information on the current listed status of individual buildings please go to The National Heritage List for England.
POOLE
SZ0398 CANFORD MAGNA, Canford Magna
958-1/9/219 (East side (off))
14/06/54 Canford School
(Formerly Listed as:
MAGNA ROAD
Canford School)
GV I
Large country house, now boarding school. 1825-36, extended
1848-1853 and 1888, with C20 alterations. By Edward Blore. For
William Ponsonby, Lord de Mauley. Partly remodelled and
considerably extended 1848-1853 by Sir Charles Barry Jnr for
Sir John and Lady Charlotte Guest. Altered 1873-6 by David
Brandon and further extended 1888 by Romaine Walker and
Tanner. Extensive C20 alterations for Canford School.
White brick in Flemish bond with Portland and Bath limestone
dressings, slate roofs and white brick internal stacks.
Extended courtyard plan. Tudor style with many other
references. Picturesque composition chiefly of 2 storeys and
attic with towers rising to 4 storeys.
EXTERIOR: entrance front to N has large, projecting 4-storey
porch tower to left end. This, the Victorian Tower, is Barry's
chief contribution to the exterior and has square turrets to 3
corners, supported to front by offset angle buttresses and
taller octagonal stair turret to rear left corner. Bottom
stage is open on 3 sides to form porte-cochere; many-moulded
and shafted archways with 4-centred heads and blank tracery to
spandrels with shields of arms in quatrefoils. Stone
quadripartite vault inside with ridge ribs and tiercerons,
closely based on crossing vault of Beverley Minster, but with
large circular stone monogram panel instead of bell-hole to
centre. Arches are surmounted by Royal arms to N side, Guest
arms to E and W sides. 3-storey oriels, corbelled out over
shields of arms, with battlemented parapets. Similar parapets
to turrets which rise above tower roof, the stair turret
higher than the rest.
Square bell tower to other end of entrance front, breaking
forward slightly, with Perpendicular doorway to ground floor;
tall stone mullion and transom window above and a 2-light
window to each side of top storey with cusped Y-tracery and
pointed head projecting above string course, which is
continued over them as hoodmoulds. Battlemented parapet,
stepping up over window heads, with heraldic beasts bearing
standards to corners, enclosing ridged stone sloping base to
octagonal bell turret. Fanciful double-slope roof to bell
turret with tall finial and weather vane.
5-window front between towers has tall stone mullion and
transom windows to ground floor, 2-light stone mullion windows
to 1st floor flanking central oriel of Bath stone, probably
inserted by Brandon, and 3 attic gables punctuating coped
parapet with 1-light attic windows in chamfered stone
surrounds.
Garden front to S has varied composition of full-height bay
windows and higher octagonal turret with garden doorway to
left of centre. Similar, somewhat smaller, turret rises to
rear left of garden front range which projects beyond left
side elevation. Long 2-storey and 1-storey and attic, former
billiard room and smoking room wing, added 1888, projects to
west of entrance range.
The whole composition has a picturesque skyline of traceried
and battlemented parapets and stone-coped attic gables around
taller hall roof, which has 7-light gable windows with
Perpendicular tracery and 4-centred heads.
INTERIOR: long gallery has Elizabethan-style ribbed plaster
ceiling, linenfold panelling and white marble Italian
Renaissance-style hooded fireplace, probably installed late
C19. Garden porch has similar panelling and important
chimneypiece and overmantel of Biancone with some contrasting
panels of deep pink veined marble, signed to bottom of
overmantel Pegrassi Salesio/ di Verona/ facie 1866. Piers
flanking fireplace and overmantel surround are finely carved
in relief with hanging drops of game, chiefly fish and fowl.
Salesio Angelo Pegrassi was employed at Kingston Lacey, where
Bassy was also architect. The drops at the head of the Marble
Staircase at Kingston Lacey, dated 1846, are comparable to
carving at Canford.
The Headmaster's Secretary's Office, formerly Lady
Charlotte's, has 3/4 panelling, doors and doorcases of fine
re-used late C15 and early C16 continental carved woodwork
with Flamboyant blank tracery panels, coats of arms and
figures of saints. Carved wood chimneypiece and overmantel,
incorporating woodwork brought from a house near Salisbury,
with Ionic columns on openwork bases flanking fireplace and
Corinthian columns to overmantel and upper tier dated 1625
with Royal arms of Charles I to centre flanked by round-arched
panels. Columns have strapwork ornament including the
double-headed eagle crest of the City of Salisbury.
Headmaster's study, formerly boudoir, has gilded plaster coved
cornice and plaster ceiling in Regency-style inset with
C18-style painted cartouches. Panelling and chimneypiece which
belonged with this removed before sale to school.
Hall has splendid 5-bay arch-braced collar truss roof, resting
on carved stone corbels with ornamental arch bracing to wall
plate, 2 tiers of arch-braced purlins and ridge piece, all
with polychromatic decoration. Armorial stained glass by
Hardman 1850 in W gable window. Windows are continued below
transom by blank lights, filled with niches which have nodding
ogee canopies and are decorated by full-length historical
figures in mosaic. Renaissance-style panelling to lower walls,
carved wood screen and gallery to W end in similar style.
Large stone chimneypiece to centre of E wall opposite with
Tudor-arched moulded fireplace opening, carved spandrels,
frieze of shields in quatrefoils and ridged stone hood.
Fireplace is tiled inside and has original grate with Tudor
royal arms to fireback and fire-dogs of cast-iron and brass
with large Tudor rose encircled by garlanded briars; possibly
designed by AW Pugin.
Library has original Renaissance-style carved wood fitted
bookcases, green damask wall-hangings in poor state and
original curtain pelmets. Important Louis XV chimneypiece of
white marble with ormolu mounts. Fireplace opening is flanked
by console terms with fine ormolu Chinese lion-dog heads.
Similar consoles to sides. Ormolu decoration to flutes of
consoles, fireplace opening and frieze. Possibly an original
C18 piece re-used. Mid C19 cast-iron grate and curved polished
cast-iron fender.
Drawing room and dining room have been dismantled. Staircase
Hall has grand carved wood stair beginning in one flight and
returning in 2 to landing gallery, with fat twisted balusters
which have Corinthian capitals and bulbous acanthus feet;
Renaissance-style carving to newel posts, panelling and
pilasters at 1st-floor level and frieze they support. Pointed
tunnel-vaulted ceiling divided into square panels framing
rosettes and incorporating top lighting. Mosaic panels to
either end of roof. Stained-glass staircase window with
heraldry and figure of Queen Victoria. Fine bronze
Renaissance-style candelabra to major newel posts.
Open-well back staircases with scrolled flat balusters in
Rococo style and carved tread ends; balusters may be C19 and
re-used.
Crown Dormitory, formerly the bedroom used by the Prince of
Wales when a guest at Canford, retains coroneted tester of
former bed.
Canford Manor was sold by the Guest family in 1923 to become a
boys' public school, Canford School.
(RCHME: County of Dorset (South East): London: 1970-: 211-212;
Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Newman J: Dorset: London:
1972-: 126-127; Mitchell A: Kingston Lacey (Guide Book):
1990-: 40-41).