Building record 0152801000 - WENDOVER HOUSE SCHOOL

Grade II Special school, formerly the Manor House. N.W. part early C18, altered and greatly extended c.1870 by George Devey. Red brick, diaper patterns in blue headers to C19 parts. Stone dressings to C19 bay windows. Tiled roof, large central chimney to C18 wing, moulded brick eaves and gable verges. 2 storeys, C19 part with attic and raised above basement. N. front has C18 wing to LH, gable on left with 3-light segmental arched casement to each floor, smaller gable in centre with 3-light upper window, 4-lights below, 3-light window to ground floor each side, all segmental arched. Modern 1st floor windows. C19 part to RH with high gable containing 2-storey canted bay window with moulded parapet, 2-light attic window above, 2-light gabled dormer to centre. Large projecting brick chimney to RH, now taken down to eaves level with tiled capping. 3-arched wood verandah to main entrances with tiled lean-to roof, 4 stone steps, door to LH, oval window in stone architrave to RH, second circular window in brick surround to 1st floor RH. Garden elevation has curved wall to entrance verandah and semicircular arched doorway on left, tall gable with 2-storey square bay window having hipped tile roof, 3-light attic window over, 5-light 1st and ground floor windows. Recessed part to RH with stone bow window of 6-lights in angle, C18 brickwork to RH. Interior. Principal rooms of c.1870 in C18 style including 4 fine late C18 carved wood chimneypieces (ground floor former Dining Room and Dining Room; 1st floor landing and N.E. bedroom.) Ground floor room to S. of entrance hall has c.1870 wood chimneypiece with overmantel on corinthian columns, framing oval window, and mirror glass reveals also with oval frames.(B5).
Watching brief carried out by Babtie in August 1999 during service trenching in the courtyard to the east of the house recorded the remains of two brick walls, possibly the remains of an 18th century outbuilding or former wing of the house, presumably demolished by the early 19th century as they are not shown on a map of 1844 (B8).
House designed by George Devey for Lieutenant Colonel Philip Smith and built in 1876-7. Devey's cashbook records payments of £171 in April 1876, £100 in April 1877 and £50 in October 1878. The manor is a rather unsympathetic building in harsh red brick in a plain Jacobean design and has been much altered. There is a photograph in RIBA's Devey Collection (B10).