Building record 1053300000 - LOVETT HOUSE, 1 CHAPEL HILL

Grade II+. House. Very worn stone plaque to centre front is inscribed: 'Lovett's Charity School and Schoolhouse 17?' (1724 according to Pevsner and VCH) Possibly designed by Thomas Harris of Cublington. Red and vitreous brick with red brick quoins, window surrounds, first floor band course and moulded eaves Moulded plinth. Tiled roof with brick coped gables, and brick chimneys to gables and between bays 6 and 7. 2 storeys and attic, 9 bays Main floors have leaded cross casements with moulded brick sills, ground floor, windows with gauged brick heads, first floor windows with moulded brick lintels. Attic has 4 hipped dormers with paired leaded casements. Blocked basement window to left of centre. Entries in bays 3 and 7 have 6-panelled doors with rectangular fanlights, and moulded segmental hoods on carved scroll brackets. Right hood slightly altered. Stone plaque below central first floor window. Similar stone plaque in chamfered brick surround in left gable end. Rear is more irregular and has similar windows with gauged segmental heads, some blocked. Bay to right of centre has gable above eaves cornice, and staircase window. Interior has good early C18 staircase with twisted balusters, moulded handrail and square newel posts with pendent finials. Small stone fireplaces, stop-chamfered spine beams. Room to ground floor right may have been original school room. Short length of wall attached to N.W. corner is of red brick with blue diapers and semi- circular coping. VCH III p.415 (B1).
The School is endowed by Robert Lovell, Esq, and the Rev John Sambee. Twenty-four children of both sexes are instructed free in reading, writing, and arithmetic; but the master has the privilege of taking private scholars to board and lodge in the house. The school-house and the master's residence form a long narrow range of red brick buildings, covered with tiles. In the centre of the building is this inscription:- 'Lovett's Charity School and School-House, 1724'. The present master is Mr William Blundy, a Licentiate of the Royal College of Preceptors. Miss Blundy is schoolmistress [1862](B2).