Listed Building: ST GEORGE'S CENTRE (382018)

PORTLAND SY6871 REFORNE, Easton 969-1/4/57 (North side) 21/09/78 St. George's Centre (Formerly Listed as: REFORNE Portland St Georges County Infant School including Hall and Wall to road) II Former school, now community information and activity centre. Opened April 1857; contractors Hansford and Waight, at a cost of »775. Rubble with ashlar dressings, but set-back wing to right in ashlar; slate roofs. A wide, flat H plan, with schoolrooms to centre behind arcade leading to gabled cross wings at either end, plus an extension, to rear of the right wing; centre back has a square projecting unit. At the left end a gabled doorway links with the later school hall (qv). In two storeys, with coped gables to bold moulded kneelers. Gables left and right facing the street each have small ventilating slit above 6-pane casement over 2-light 8-pane casements, all in chamfered surrounds. The long schoolrooms between are set back behind a one-storey 6-bay arcade of flat four-centred arches to slate lean-to roof, covering wide paired plank doors to bays 2 and 5, and plank doors on returns, giving access to wings, Clerestorey above arcade has series of 4:4:3 - 3:4: cast- iron 9-pane casements with stone mullions, but one 4-pane centre-hung light to each group; centre has blank wall beneath a pointed, lead-covered bellcote, renewed in 1984. At either end of classroom unit a very deep and lofty stack in brick. Return to wing, right, has single-storey canted bay, then door tight in corner and 4-pane sashes at each level. At the rear of this wing a further canted bay partly concealed by the addition of the extra unit. At left end a gateway with segmental arch until small gable. Projecting unit centre back is hipped towards the classroom block, which has identical clerestorey fenestration to front. There are several lean-to units at the back. Interior: the two classrooms, refurbished in 1984, comprise one space with timber screen divider; six-bay roof with composite rod and rafter trusses, and heavy doubled timber trusses below the bellcote. Stone fireplace at each end of room. The original school building benefited from a large compensatory sum (»20,000) received by the Parish when Portland Breakwater (qv) was being built. It is a splendid formal composition, remaining in use as a school until 1865, carefully restored by the St. George's Trust in 1984 as a community centre with added workshops. At that time characteristic 'contemporary artefacts' were sealed in the new bellcote before it was set in place. Listing NGR: SY6886672006

Record last edited

Aug 18 2014 3:39PM