Listed Building: BRANDON COURT FLATS (1333169)

Orphanage and convent, later school, now flats. c1900, later north wing, altered c1985. By Leonard Stokes. MATERIALS: 2 shades of red brick in Flemish bond. Steep pitched Welsh slated roofs, wide external brick stack with vertical triangular section brick strips and moulded cap on far left and far right, to left and right of central facing gable and to left and right of gable ridge; 3 brick stacks along ridge of north wing. PLAN: large irregular H-plan. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 11 bays (1/2/1/1/1/2/1/1/1/2/1). Main east elevation has strong vertical emphasis with fretted skyline of tall chimneys and gables. Wide brick pilaster at first floor with wavy coping at left flank and on right of bays 1 and 6. Ground floor brickwork rendered c1985. At centre of east elevation facing Lawrence Road is a 1-storey projecting flat roofed porch with on left the original recessed boarded door with patterned iron strap at top and bottom, and a small iron barred viewing panel set under flat brick arch recessed behind opening with stepped brick jambs and brick ogee arch, brick coped parapet with pediment over entrance. On left and right return is a recessed casement set under flat gauged brick arch within opening with elliptical brick arch and brick label. To left of porch are 6 casements, each with central transom, pivoted upper leaf 2-panes wide with segmental glazing bars and 4-pane lower leaf. At far left is a similar paired casement. To right of porch are 8 similar casements, the 4 right-hand casements within the slightly recessed north wing are wider. Stepped brick band at first floor. On far left is first floor 18-pane sash with transom and 6-pane casement set under flat gauged brick arch with drip mould, flanking vertical triangular brick strips running through third floor, moulded brick band. On third floor is a 24-pane sash set under flat gauged brick arch, cornice and dormer facing gable. On right and to right of centre part are similar paired first and second floor sashes, cornice and dormer facing gable, each first floor bay is flanked by a late C20 12-pane sash. At left and right of centre part is a similar 18-pane first floor sash with transom and 6-pane casement to left window. Left sash has on left a late C20 12-pane sash. Third floor has similar 24-pane sash set under flat gauged brick arch, curved brick pediment. At centre is an 18-pane sash set within projecting brick bay over porch, flat gauged brick arch, stepped brickwork back to recessed face. First floor has 18-pane sash set under flat gauged brick arch, curved pediment. Second floor has a round-headed 15-pane unequal sash with radial glazing set under round brick arch. Heads of sashes are higher than flanking windows. To right the recessed north wing has on first and second floors six 12-pane margin glazed sashes, each with transom and 2-pane fixed casement with segmental top glazing bar set under flat gauged brick arch. Each of the 3 right bays has facing brick dormer gable with kneelers. At centre of rear elevation is a 4-storey tower, 2 bays wide with the elevation divided into 4 narrow bays by vertical brick strips, heavy moulded brick castellated parapet crowned with an open copper domed cupola. The west chapel wing has a large elaborate Neo-Perpendicular stone mullioned south window, stone decorated strips flanking, surmounted by figure finials. INTERIOR: not inspected. (Balfour A: Portsmouth: London: 1970-: 66; Lloyd DW: Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs: Portsmouth: 1974-: 106; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Lloyd DW: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Harmondsworth: 1967-: 449). Selected Sources Books and journals Balfour, A, Portsmouth, (1970), 66 Lloyd, D W , Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs, (1974), 106 Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, (1967), 449