Old Bluecoat School

The Old Bluecoat School is a building located on Bishopgate in Wigan, dating from around the mid-18th century. Originally known as the Church Little House, it was later used by a charity school and has more recently served as a garage/workshop and an exhibition room. The Bluecoat school itself was founded in 1773, but references to the building date back to church accounts from 1743, suggesting it may be older. The structure likely underwent restoration in the 19th century and was remodeled, being reduced from two storeys since 1951. It is constructed of coursed sandstone rubble and has a slate roof, currently presenting as a single cell with a canted outshut at the rear.

The exterior features a gabled, single-storey facade with two windows facing Bishopgate, which is symmetrical in design. The square-headed doorway, now blocked with stone, is flanked by two-light mullioned windows, all of which have double-chamfered surrounds and hood-moulds. Above the doorway, there is a double-chamfered lancet in the gable, now serving as a ventilator. On the right-hand side, the former left window has been enlarged to create a garage doorway, now filled with a modern door, while to the right is a cross-window, both with hood-moulds. Below the latter, there is a blocked cellar window. The rear gable features an extruded chimney, and the outshut has a cross-window on its east end.

Inside, the eastern gable wall contains the timber frame of one bay from a likely 15th-century house that was formerly located at No.76 Standishgate, which is not included in this listing. This frame includes a four-centred arched doorway and chevron patterning, along with a king post truss supporting the roof.

The Old Bluecoat School is part of an important group of buildings centered around the Church of All Saints.