The Abbey, Storrington
Encyclopedia
The Abbey, Storrington at Storrington
in Sussex
, England
, was originally a rectory
, later a small country house and then a convent
school.
It is an irregular five bay, two and three storey house built in 1871-1872 by the Rev George Faithfull in the Victorian Gothic style, reusing material from the 1621 rectory which was demolished at this time. In the 1880s it was the residence of Colonel Walter George Stirling, a Baronet who had a pedigree herd of Jersey cattle. Successive tenants altered the house; in 1911 (semi-timbered work) and 1930 (brick range) when Colonel H.V. Ravenscroft added a billiard room and ballroom designed by John Leopold Denman
.
In 1953 the house became a Dominican
Convent and boarding school. The school closed in 1999. Inside, the oldest part of the building has the former Dining Room (now Chapel) with good quality 19th century linenfold
panelling and frieze, plastered ceiling with strapwork
ribs and stained glass windows. The Drawing Room has early 18th century panelling and a fireplace with engaged columns; and the former Library (currently Meeting Room) has a 16th century stone fireplace. There is an elaborate oak main staircase with turned balusters and a painted well staircase with turned baluster
s and chamfered square newel posts with ball finials.
Storrington
Storrington is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England, and one of two in the civil parish of Storrington and Sullington. Storrington lies at the foot of the north side of the South Downs. As of 2006 the village has a population of around 4,600. It has one main shopping street...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was originally a rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, later a small country house and then a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
school.
It is an irregular five bay, two and three storey house built in 1871-1872 by the Rev George Faithfull in the Victorian Gothic style, reusing material from the 1621 rectory which was demolished at this time. In the 1880s it was the residence of Colonel Walter George Stirling, a Baronet who had a pedigree herd of Jersey cattle. Successive tenants altered the house; in 1911 (semi-timbered work) and 1930 (brick range) when Colonel H.V. Ravenscroft added a billiard room and ballroom designed by John Leopold Denman
John Leopold Denman
John Leopold Denman was an architect from the English seaside resort of Brighton, now part of the city of Brighton and Hove. He had a prolific career in the area during the 20th century, both on his own and as part of the Denman & Son firm in partnership with his son John Bluet Denman. ...
.
In 1953 the house became a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Convent and boarding school. The school closed in 1999. Inside, the oldest part of the building has the former Dining Room (now Chapel) with good quality 19th century linenfold
Linenfold
Linenfold is a simple style of relief carving used to decorate wood panelling with a design "imitating window tracery", "imitating folded linen" or "stiffly imitating folded material". Originally from Flanders, the style became widespread across Northern Europe in the 14th to 16th centuries...
panelling and frieze, plastered ceiling with strapwork
Strapwork
In the history of art and design, the term strapwork refers to a stylised representation in ornament of strips or bands of curling leather, parchment or metal cut into elaborate shapes, with piercings and often interwoven...
ribs and stained glass windows. The Drawing Room has early 18th century panelling and a fireplace with engaged columns; and the former Library (currently Meeting Room) has a 16th century stone fireplace. There is an elaborate oak main staircase with turned balusters and a painted well staircase with turned baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s and chamfered square newel posts with ball finials.
External links
- http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk Statutory list description