Mary Ward House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mary Ward House |
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Mary Ward House, as viewed from Tavistock Place
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| General information | |
| Type | Conference centre |
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts |
| Address | 5-7 Tavistock Place |
| Town or city | Bloomsbury London, WC1H 9SN |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°31′31″N 0°07′39″W / 51.525207°N 0.127383°W |
| Construction started | 1896 |
| Completed | 1898 |
Mary Ward House is a very old and special building in Bloomsbury, London, England. It is used today as a place for meetings and events. This building is famous for its beautiful design and its history of helping people.
What is Mary Ward House?
Mary Ward House is a building that was finished in 1898. It is located on Tavistock Place, between Tavistock Square and Marchmont Street. Today, it works as a conference centre, which means it's a place where people can hold meetings, workshops, and other events.
A Special Building
Mary Ward House is a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historical building in England. The government protects it because of its special design and history. It was listed on April 7, 1960, for its historical value.
The building was designed by two architects, Arnold Dunbar Smith and Cecil Claude Brewer. It is seen as a masterpiece of late Victorian architecture. It is also considered one of the best examples of the Arts and Crafts movement style in London. This style focuses on traditional craftsmanship and simple forms.
Who was Mary Ward?
The building is named after Mary Augusta Ward. She was a famous writer and social reformer. A social reformer is someone who works to make society better. Mary Ward helped pay for the building, but most of the money came from another person named Passmore Edwards.
Mary Ward House was once the main office for the National Institute for Social Work Training. This group taught people how to help others in their communities. This was part of a bigger idea called the "settlement movement." The settlement movement created centers in poor areas to offer education and support to people who needed it.
Not to Be Confused
It's important not to confuse Mary Ward House with the current Mary Ward Centre. The Mary Ward Centre was once located in this very building at 5-7 Tavistock Place. However, it later moved to a new location in Queen Square. The new building was also named after Mary Ward. Later, the Mary Ward Centre moved again to Stratford.
