Early 20th century school, Tabor House, Coggeshall Road (EHER 49922)

Tabor House, the former County High School in Braintree, was built in 1904-7 by Essex County Council to a design by F. Chancellor. The school is constructed of red brick with stone dressings and slate-covered gable roofs. Originally the school was of two storeys however, in the mid 20th century an additional storey was added to the east and west blocks. The facade is symmetrical and comprises a central projecting panel and central arched entrance. In the centre of the roof is a timber cupola with domed metal-clad roof and weathervane. Gates were added in 1951 as a memorial to those of the school who lost there lives during the two World Wars. The school closed in 1992 and was converted into offices which resulted in the insertion of a mezzanine floor in the hall and the removal of many fixtures and fittings, although the plan-form of the school remains legible. The school was assessed for listing in 2008 but failed to meet the required criteria.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: November 2008. Listing file. Courtauld's estate close to the town centre, was unoccupied prior to the construction of the school. The school was designed by F. Chancellor and opened in 1907. It closed in 1992 and was converted into office accommodation. The exterior of the building is little altered except for an additional third storey added to the east and west blocks probably in the mid 20th century. The fenestration to the rear block has been replaced with Crittall windows, and there have been some inserted door openings. The gates were added in 1951 as a memorial to those of the school who lost their lives during the two World Wars. The conversion to offices in the 1990s was sympathetic but nevertheless resulted in the insertion of a mezzanine floor in the hall, a lift near to the south-west corner and removal of many fixtures and fittings, although the plan-form of the school remains legible. The County High School in Braintree, is constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond with stone dressings to the façade and slate-covered gable roofs with end stacks. It has a square plan formed by four ranges (north, south, east and west) with a central hall. The north and south range are of two storeys, the east and west have three, the second floor added probably in the mid 20th century. There are single storey rear wings to the north block accommodating separate toilets. The symmetrical façade is at the south block and comprises a central projecting panel of stone incised at ground floor with a central arched entrance with shield boss above. On the first floor above is a six-over-six light sash window with stone surround and arched head containing a carved coat of arms. Above is a broken pediment supported on a pair of pilasters with dentil details, framing an oculus with carved foliate surround. To the right and left of the central panel at ground floor are four six-over-six light sash windows, the central pair having stone surrounds, the others having straight brick heads with enlarged stone voussoirs. Above the central pairs on the first floor is a carved stone panel with three sash windows, the central arched, with a curved pediment containing a cartouche above. In the centre of the roof is a timber cupola with domed metal-clad roof and weathervane. The east and west elevations have a pier and panel construction and are similar in detailing. There are stair towers at the south- east and north-west corners, and pairs of six-over-six light sash windows with six pane top lights at the ground floor with stone surrounds. The first floor windows have mullions and are similarly detailed on the second floor. The north range has five large lights on the first floor comprising 15 glazes in a Crittall frame. Above is a stone frieze carved with the date AD 1906. The plan-form comprises a central hall with corridors around it at both ground and first floors. The class rooms were arranged on both storeys of the east, west and north ranges, the first floor studio of the latter being the art room. The south range comprised offices at ground floor and classrooms above. All rooms have been converted into offices and are devoid of fireplaces or fixtures and fittings, but generally retain their original divisions. Some tiled walls in the corridors and some original doors remain. On the ground floor, a mezzanine has been inserted into the hall. In an arched recess on the north wall is a stone and brass memorial to Sarah Lucy Courtauld who is described as a 'Lover of education/ who did much by her influence and generosity/to establish this school which was opened/May 1st 1907'. The classrooms on the second floor of the east and west ranges have been remodelled. There are two further wooden memorials in a first and second floor room to the fallen former students of both World Wars. The former Braintree County High School, now known as Tabor House, is not recommended for designation for the following principal reasons: * When judged against other listed schools of the same date, it does not possess the requisite standard of exterior architectural quality. * The east and west ranges have an additional storey which is a significant alteration for a building of this date. * Many of the school's interior fixtures and fittings have been removed. * Although designed by Frederick Chancellor, a prolific local architect, the building does not match the design standard of his listed pieces. <1> 2014. Building survey. The County High School in Braintree was built in 1904-07 by Essex County Council on land donated by Mrs Sydney Courtauld of Bocking Place. The land, at the south-west end of the Tabor House was formally known as the Braintree County High School and was built in 1904 to 1907 by Essex County Council on the land donated by Sydney and Sarah Lucy Courtauld. The building was designed by Frederick Chancellor (1825 – 1918), architect to Essex County Council who was a prolific local architect responsible for a number of highly regarded buildings in Chelmsford and London. The school is built predominantly in red brick with York stone detailing and slate tiles and is generally three storeys high. Architecturally, the school has strong resonance with the Baroque and Queen Anne / English Renaissance style of the late 17th and 18th centuries, with the south elevation presenting a particularly fine example of this. Later additions have been made, represented by the entire third floor, added sometime in the 1920s and minor extensions to the projecting ranges on the north elevation. <2>