Building record 0651200000 - The Grange (Holy Cross School)

At the entrance to the village, standing in a small park and hidden among trees, is the Grange, once the home of the Peningtons. The present house, the seat of Mr J Leeming, has been almost entirely rebuilt since Penington's time. The estate was purchased before 1635 by Sir Isaac Penington, fishmonger, and afterwards Lord Mayor of London. The Grange was settled by the alderman on his son Isaac on his marriage with Lady Springett in 1654, but they did not reside there until 1658, soon after their conversion to Quaker beliefs. Their house at once became a centre for the Friends, and in 1660 and 1661 the meetings were broken up by soldiers and Penington with several others taken to Aylesbury Gaol. Thomas Ellwood, the well-known Quaker, a constant visitor to the Grange, was made tutor to the Penington's children in 1662, and he and Penington suffered many imprisonments between this date and 1665, when they were finally turned out of the Grange. There is a local tradition to the effect that Judge Jeffreys lived at the Grange while the house at Bulstrode was being built, but there is no history attached to it after the ejection of the Peningtons (B2).
Core of school building appears from exterior to date to c.1880-90. Main block is red brick with fine central pediment and porch in rubbed brick and terracotta, 2 terracotta roundels carrying initial 'R' for Canon Russell who is said to rebuilt it. 2-storeys of 5 plate glass sashes with shaped aprons, those to ground floor left replaced by large c.1930s bay window. Parapet with blind brick balustrade and terracotta corner urns. Hipped slate roof with central hidden valley. To the left is a further bay with a canted bay window and an octagonal ogee roof clad in decorative lead and slate, topped by a wooden cupola and weathervane. Ballroom/dining room further to the left was built c.1930 to replace service range. Further school extensions beyond. To the right, the original single storey range with Dutch gables (shown in a 1920s drawing illustrating a guide leaflet by Clive Rouse) has been completely replaced by 2-storey school extensions with further modern building beyond. Rear of central build has remnant of a winter garden with curved glazed panels. These are fine quality for the period but the winter garden has been reduced from 2 storeys to one, leaving a scar to rear wall. Original form shown on picture in house. Interior thoroughly re-worked late C19, with patterned fibrous plaster ceilings in Tudor style to some rooms, some with Art Nouveau elements to frieze. Grand wooden open-well stair with pierced ornamental panels to balustrade, ceiling panels with diagonal planking and grill for gas lamp. Back stair with turned spindles. Core may well be a re-working of an 18th century double pile house but there is little evidence of early structure now visible at ground and first-floor levels. Cellar retains some flint and brick walls with narrow 16th - 17th century bricks and triangular-headed wall niches that could be of early date, and a re-used c.1600 door with small panels, obviously not in its original position. Roof structure contains 16th - 17th century beams re-used as principal rafters, collars and purlins, but not in any original configuration. All rafters are 19th century (B3).
The Grange comprises a core of an ?18th century house with possibly 17th century cellar. Extensive 19th century remodelling and 20th century extensions for Holy Cross School (B4).
After a short spell as a hotel in the mid-twenties, The Grange was bought by a community of nuns and opened as The Holy Cross School in 1929 (B5).
DCMS decision not to list building. See letter and report for detail (B6).
Detailed desk-based assessment report (B7).