Architecture edit
The ensemble of buildings in the Christ's Hospital Horsham campus were Grade II listed in 1959. The complex includes a tall water tower, a dining hall facing a quadrangle flanked by collannaded wings, and a school chapel.[1]
The red brick colonnades are joined to the dining hall with stone archways which were designed by John Shaw in 1836 for the old school in Newgate Street in the City of London. These archways were dismantled and re-erected here at the Horsham site in 1902.[1]
The Big School is noted for its large Perpendicular-style windows, its octagonal turrets and a square clock tower on the roof. Another remnant of the Newgate Street school is to be found at the south end of the Big School, the portico designed by Sir Christopher Wren.[1]
The school chapel was designed by Aston Webb and E Bell. The Bath stone reredos at the east end depicts Christ in Glory surrounded by sculptures of the Twelve Apostles, and in the lower panel is Christ receiving the children. The Apostles were designed by William Silver Frith, with the central panel by William Bateman Fagan and Bell, and carved by stonemasons Daymond & Son.[2][3] Another work by Frith is s statue of the Good Shepherd in a niche above the chapel door, which was installed as a war memorial in memory of Old Blues who died in World War I.[4]
The altar, by Norman & Burt of Burgess Hill, is in mahogany inlaid with holly ornamentation. The stained-glass window is by Thomas Ralph Spence and the pipe organ was built by Alfred Kirkland.[3]
The walls of the chapel nave are adorned with a series of sixteen murals, painted by by Frank Brangwyn in tempera in 1912-23. The murals illustrate scenes from the early Christian Church, including depictions of the martyrdom of St Alban, St Columba landing at Iona, St Ambrose training his choir, and St Paul.[5]
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1027034)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ "The New Christ's Hospital Buildings, Horsham". The British Architect: A Journal of Architecture and the Accessory Arts. 57: 378. 30 May 1902. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Illustrations of Christ's Hospital School s, Horsham". The Builder. LXXXIV (3126): 15. 3 January 1903. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "The Good Shepherd". The Blue. XLVII (1): 12–13. November 1919. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Artists and places: Frank Brangwyn and the murals for the Chapel of Christ's Hospital School, Horsham, Sussex | Art UK". artuk.org. Art UK. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.