This late-Victorian mission building was designed by Herbert O Ellis in 1898 for St Mark’s Church, Dalston. Originally the parish of St Mark’s had very close links with Highgate School – an independent school founded by Sir Roger Cholmeley in 1565. During the 19th century Highgate School was one of England’s leading public schools and like Eton College and Merchant Taylor’s set up missions in the deprived areas of east and north-east London. This Gothic mid-terrace building is two-storeys with a later rear extension. The primary west facing elevation onto Boleyn Road is of red brick with natural stone detailing. The central bay of the symmetrical composition has a projecting first floor bay window with stone mullions, transoms and trefoil tracery, with leaded lights, parapet roof, and gable over with bulls-eye window. Original cast iron rainwater pipes descend from hoppers to each side of the gable, beneath carved stone volutes. At the ground floor level there is a cornerstone beneath the bay and set within stone banding. It says: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY LT COL THE RT HON HORATIO D DAVIES MP. LORD MAYOR OF LONDON ON THE 5TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1898. REVD A B SANDERS MA VICAR OF ST MARK’S, DALSTON. W NORETON? PHILLIPS. THOMAS J RUSSELL, CHURCHWARDENS. HOLLIDAY AND GREENWOOD CONTRCTORS. HERBERT O ELLIS ARCHITECT. Two symmetrical identical flanking bays contain entrances comprising pitched shallow projecting porches with banded brick/ stone detailing, and recessed doubled boarded doors with simple fanlights over; the doors have interesting decorative wrought iron strap hinges. First floor paired windows are set in stone surrounds with flat arched heads and banded stone/ brickwork. The parapet walls to the side bays terminate with brick castellation. The building has been extensively altered and extended to the east of the roof ridge although the building fabric appears to be historic. The building was originally used as a Sunday School, mission hall, working men’s club and soup kitchen. The interior hall is intact.
This building is a reminder of the many philanthropic interventions in 19th-century Hackney. Formerly Highgate School Mission it is a rare survivor that marks the involvement of public schools in trying to ameliorate poverty in East London in the late 19th century. Many similar buildings paid for by England's elite public schools are now, either, demolished and lost forever, or at risk.
These buildings were identified by the Love Local Landmarks surveyors, and added to Hackney's Local List in 2012.
Ad hoc additions - Buildings added after the bulk adoption resulting from the Love Local Landmarks project in 2012
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