Rickmansworth: St Joan of Arc Catholic School

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 19 Apr 2015

The building in the centre of the photograph was originally a house, called "The Elms", that was built in 1728 and was once the home of George Elliot, the pen name of the novelist Mary Ann Evans (1819 - 1880) who lived here in 1876 when she was writing her book Daniel Deronda. The School was formed in 1904 using premises just down the road and purchased the house in 1922 in order to expand its facilities. The original house, not the adjoining school buildings, is Grade II Listed and the English Heritage website describes this exterior facade thus:- "House, now school. c.1720-30. Red brick, tiled roof. 5 bays. 2 storeys and attic. Central entrance: 6 fielded panelled door, panelled reveals, moulded lintel and jambs, Ionic doorcase with engaged fluted columns, pediment. Glazing bar sashes in shallow reveals, gauged brick flat arched heads. 9 pane sashes in attic. Moulded brick plinth and cornice. Stone coped parapet." The statue in front is of St Joan of Arc and was designed by Joan Jackson, the Head Girl of the school in 1939. The School's website is here http://www.joa.herts.sch.uk/

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