2894

 

II  

Designated  

21/07/1993  

08/09/2000  

Itton Village Institute  

 

Monmouthshire  

Devauden  

Chepstow  

Itton  

349123  

196081  

NE  

About 500m south east from Itton Common on the road to Chepstow (B4293). At the roadside with a grassed and railed forecourt. Situated with a farm access to the right and Itton Church and Itton Court to the south.  

Domestic  

 

Built in 1901 and designed by Guy Dawber, the well known late C19/early C20 country house architect who was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and was a leading member of the Art Workers Guild, also sometime President of the RIBA. This village hall was built for the Curre family of Itton Court.  

Arts and Crafts village hall typical of the Cotswold vernacular style for which Dawber is best known, the character of which has been described as 'friendly gravity'. Single storey and L-plan with rubble elevations and stone tile roof, now partly replaced with tiles at the rear, the slightly swept eaves are also stone tiled with kneelers; stone plinth. Distinctive square stone chimney stack set forward at the angle between hall and cross wing. Small pane, mostly camber headed, casements including tall 2-light transomed windows to the gable ends; 4 and 6-light windows to the two front elevations and 3-light windows to the central gable on the west side. The porch, with its stone tile hung gable, projects from the right hand corner of the gable end facing the road; side entrance to the right with inner door and the rectangular opening to the south unusually has an inset timber balustrade. To the right of the porch is a dressed stone plaque inscribed 'E & A Cuerre Sept 11 1888- 1913'; this commemorates the Silver Wedding of Edward and Augusta Curre of Itton Court (qv).  

The interior was not seen at the time of listing or at resurvey, but the hall is now ceiled at collar level and has steeply raked struts - above this may remain the secondary collars and arches between vertical struts all of which are found at the similar Village Hall at St Arvans; this is also by Guy Dawber but now enlarged and altered. Fireplace to right hand wall.  

Listed as a good Arts and Crafts building that has retained its original character and is a Welsh example of the work of the architect Guy Dawber.