1980s music school, The Walden School (EHER 81124)

A brick-built music school which was designed by Jolly and Millard and dedicated to Helen Radley, a former member of staff at The Walden School (EHER 81116). The building was constructed in 1984 to replace and consolidate existing music rooms.

June 2023. Heritage assessment. The music school, designed by Jolly and Millard (B.H. Jolly and R.E. Millard of Bishop Stortford) was completed in 1984 alongside the sports hall (see EHER 81130). The aim was for the building to ‘relieve pressure on the existing music rooms, accommodate the school’s growing number of musicians and provide ‘stimulating surroundings in which to learn and teach’. The existing arrangements for music were described as ‘scattered and sub-standard’ reflecting the fact that they were housed in temporary classrooms from the Second World War, relocated from the Isolation Hospital at Hilltop Lane. These had been re-sited and improved adjacent to Crosfield but also accommodated a Girl Guides group. This block was named after a former member of staff Helen Radley, to whom the 1984 music room was subsequently dedicated. The music suite comprises an L-plan suite of small teaching, rehearsal and recording spaces culminating in a main music room which abuts the rear of the assembly hall (EHER 81123). The exterior is faced in red brick whilst the interior comprises buff yellow breezeblock. The main music room contains an interesting ‘egg-box’ sound baffling ceiling and series of large paintings of musicians hang along one wall. <1>