The Old School

The Old School is a building dating from 1859, with an extension added in 1911, originally designed by W.D. Keyworth. It was constructed as a school and is now a local museum. The building is of red brick with off-white brick facings and a slate roof, consisting of a single-story east-west main block to which three wings are attached on the southern side; the central wing is the 1911 addition. Each of the two outer wings has a chimney stack with two tall shafts, which are modern replacements for the original. A narrow plinth runs around the entire building, except for the 1911 wing and the rear boiler house. Some windows have been replaced with uPVC.

The south-facing elevation features a corner entrance porch with a segmental pointed arch doorway, a plain panel door with a stone doorstep, and a small arched side window. The two outer wings are similar, each with a large window at a stone cill beneath a segmental brick relieving arch, now containing a 12-pane window. Above is a vent set in a stone surround, and there is a carved stone finial at the apex and on the outer side, set on a kneeler. The central wing projects and includes 20th-century side windows with narrow stone cills, with no facing brick or relieving arch. The gable ends of the wings are similarly detailed with stone finials and kneelers. On the rear elevation, three windows are visible: the two outer ones mirroring the design of the front, and a central window with a stone cill, red brick relieving arch, and lacking the facing brick. Each window has 16 panes. A lean-to boiler house with a tall brick chimney stack is situated at the left end of the building.

The interior includes a porch leading to a corridor with toilets, a hall with a vaulted roof, and a kitchen. A second porch retains original doors. To the right, the rear block is divided into three rooms by wooden folding partitions. Original fireplaces remain, along with a vaulted ceiling with exposed timbers, original doors, and fitted cupboards. Radiators and pipework date back to 1911.

The school was constructed in 1859, with a later partition installed within the main block. The 1911 central wing, intended for infants, was added along with flush toilets (replacing previous earth closets) and central heating. The building was occupied by the army during the First World War. In the 1960s, headmaster Eric Johnson used the school to illustrate the "Domino" reading scheme. The school closed in 1977 and is now used as a local museum.