Leahurst (EHER 15865)

Leahurst was built as the District Nurses' home in 1939. It was designed by E. Vincent Harris with statuary and lettering by Eric Gill. The hostel was commissioned by William Julien Courtauld. The building is built to a rectangular plan and is of two storeys. It is Neo-Georgian in style with thin, pale brown Northwick bricks laid in English bond and Portland stone dressings. The building has a gabled roof with two tall brick ridge chimneys. The main entrance is to the south and comprises a heavy, two-leaf door of five panels. Above the door is a stone plaque with the carved letters 'WJC' and a pediment above. A small rectangular niche contains a statue by Gill depicting a nurse with a child. At the north end is a arched vehicular entrance with timber panelled gates. Original rain water hoppers and pipes have the initials WJC. At the south end is the flat roofed, single storey element with was the district nursing office. The north elevation overlooks public open space and has a first floor oriel window resting on a stone base which has a carved Fleur de Llys. A curved frieze above is inscribed with the words 'This building was given by William Julien Courtauld J.P 1939'. Internally the accommodation comprised a long corridor at the west with rooms leading off it on both the ground and first floors. The layout remains largely unaltered although the facilities have been upgraded. There are few historic fixtures and fittings. The garden is enclosed by a brick wall; the original garage block has been replaced with a late 20th century single-storey common room for residents. More recently the hostel has been used as a hostel for young people. the building is listed Grade II.

Leahurst is a two storey building with 'WJC' inscribed over the main door and on the rainwater hoppers, while under a first floor window is the inscription 'This building was given by William Julien Courtauld, J.P., 1939'. There is a statue above one of the doors. At right angles to this building is a further single storey building in the same style with 'WJC' over one door and 'CCC' over the other. These buildings are close to the William Julien Courtauld Hospital. <1> NRHE data transfer: January 2010. Listing. Leahurst was built as the District Nurses home in 1939, designed by E. Vincent Harris with statuary and lettering by Eric Gill and commissioned by William Julien Courtauld. A descendent of the textile manufacturing family, William Julien Courtauld was both a philanthropist and patron of architecture and the arts. Leahurst forms a group with the fountain, square and almshouses of 1936 to the north and east, also commissioned by WJ Courtauld, both buildings being designed by Harris. An article in the Architects Journal of February 1st 1940 describes the individual building and provides a plan of the group and public open space. In recent years, Leahurst has been used as a hostel for young people, utilising the accommodation provided for the nurses. There has been some minor remodelling, and the facilities in the rooms have been upgraded, but the exterior and interior are little altered. A two-storey rectangular building of 1939, constructed in Neo-Georgian style with thin, pale brown Northwick bricks laid in English bond and Portland stone dressings. At the south end, a single storey flat-roofed element housed the district nursing office. The gable roof has Delabole slate coverings with two tall brick ridge chimneys. There are parapets to the long elevations and Dutch gables at the north and south. The façade faces west. At the south end, the main entrance comprises a heavy, two-leaf door of five panels with original door furniture. The prominent stone quoin surround is surmounted with a deep cornice incorporating a stone plaque with the carved letters 'WJC' and a pediment above. A small rectangular niche above contains a statue by Gill depicting a nurse with a child, reminiscent of the Madonna and Christ. At the north end, a shallow arched vehicular entrance with timber panelled gates leads to the rear. The six-over-six sash windows with straight brick heads are in a staggered arrangement on the ground and first floors. Original rainwater hoppers and pipes have the initials WJC. Overlooking public open space and the fountain beyond, the north elevation has a late 20th century first floor oriel window with three sashes, faithfully replacing the original, resting on a stone base which has a carved Fleur de Llys. A curved frieze above is inscribed with the words 'THIS BUILDING WAS GIVEN BY WILLIAM JULIEN COURTAULD J. P 1939.' The rear elevation has six tall six-over-nine sash windows at ground floor, with one late 20th century replacement at the centre, matched by six-over-six sashes at first floor. A tall stair window is to the south and a late 20th century emergency stair has been added to the north. The garden is enclosed by a brick wall; the original garage block located to the rear of the vehicular entrance has been replaced with a late 20th century single-storey common room for the residents. The plan-form of the nurses accommodation comprised a long corridor at the west with rooms leading off it on both the ground and first floors. At ground floor were the common rooms, kitchens and district nursing office, with bedrooms and bathrooms located at first floor. The layout largely remains unaltered although the facilities have been upgraded and the former district nursing office has been remodelled to form modern offices. There are few historic fixtures and fittings; the plain staircase remains at the south end and there are some simple dado rails and cornices. The sash windows retain their chain hangers and latches. The building is recommended for listing at Grade II. <2>