Listed Building: DERBY INDEPENDENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL, RYKNELD ROAD (1278717)

Small country house now Special Hospital. Built c1780 for Josias Cockshutt. c1806 enlarged possibly by Wyatt, 1826 south front re-faced for Cockshutt Heathcote to the designs of an amateur architect Richard Leaper of Derby. 1881-3 enlarged again for Sir Abraham Woodiwiss. C20 institutional alterations and additions. Brick rendered, and ashlar faced with ashlar dressings. Slate hipped roofs behind a parapet. Entrance front of 10 bays with a rendered 3 bay, 2 1/2 storey projecting wing to the north-east which was the original house. The ground floor has a single glazing bar sash to the left, the remainder is obscured by an inappropriate C20 single storey extension, above 3 glazing bar sashes,with above again 3 smaller glazing bar sashes. The central recessed 2 storey, 5 bay addition of c1806 has another addition of 1881-3 in a similar style and 2 bays to the south-west. This block has a plain plinth,and first floor cill band, with a moulded cornice topped by acroterion. The entrance bay projects slightly and is topped by a pediment, it has a projecting tripartite porch of 1881-3 articulated with Roman Boric pilasters upporting an entablature.The central doorway is emphasized by 2 slightly projecting Roman Doric columns supporting a pediment. The half glazed double doors are flanked by narrow side lights. Above and behind; a small tripartite glazing bar sash. Either side are 2 glazing bar sashes in moulded surrounds, beyond to the right is a slightly projecting bay, with a plank door and glazing bar overlight in a tall ashlar pedimented surround, beyond again is another single similar glazing bar sash. Over the entrance is a single glazing bar sash in a moulded surround, within a shallow segmental arch supported on small Roman Doric columns, the arch itself is moulded with a keystone. Either side are 2 more glazing bar sashes in moulded surrounds, beyond to the right a 3 small C20 casements and beyond again another glazing bar sash in a moulded surround. The 2 storey,8 bay south-east front has a moulded plinth, ground and first floor plain bands and a moulded cornice topped by acroterion. The ground floor is rusticated with rusticated pilaster strips, the first floor has Roman Doric pilasters. The central 2 bays are flanked by 2 storey bow windows and beyond these are flanked by 2 more bays. The 2 central bays have tall glazing bar sashes in finely moulded surrounds,either side the bow windows have 3 glazing bar sashes to each floor,the surrounds have exceedingly tall and slender Roman Doric pilasters supporting an entablature Either side again are 2 more glazing bar sashes in finely moulded surrounds. The upper floor has a similar window arrangement. INTERIOR. The oval former 2 storey staircase hall, from which the staircase has been removed and which has then been floored in to make 2 rooms. There is now a fine wooden pedimented ' doorcase and niches ' in the lower room, and niches and a bracketed cornice plus a late C19 overlight in the room above. The former saloon still retains its wreathed and swagged Adamesque plasterwork with low relief panels and an ornate cornice and ceiling rose. Above another room has similar wreathed and swagged plasterwork and cornice, plus later raised and fielded panelling with thin pilasters to the picture rail. The present,l881-3 staircase hall has an oak single flight stair with turned balusters supported on Corinthian columns, plus C17 style square panelling topped with an entablature, and incorporating an oak fireplace surround re-using some pieces of original C17 panelling. The ornate plasterwork C17 style ceiling also dates from 1881-3. In a ground floor room, in the original block is a large very fine stone fireplace with overmantle, this fireplace is largely early C17 and of very high quality probably brought in at a later date and slightly altered. It has crude Ionic columns supporting a manted piece entablature with a probably mid C18, ornately carved arabesque frieze, the overmantel has Ionic pilasters with carved panels supporting an elaborately carved entablature, the central panel contains 2 fruit and foliate wreaths with ribbons, they are divided by an ornately turned baluster. Another upper room has heavy C19 Roccoco style plasterwork.