Charnwood Street School

SK 5904 LEICESTER UPPER CHAPNWOOD STREET (west side)

8/10092 Charnwood Street School

II

School. 1876-77, with Late C20 alterations. Designed by Edward Burgess for the Leicester School Board. Red brick with ashlar dressings and plain tile roofs. Moulded brick plinth, ground floor brick band raised gables with ashlar coping and ashlar kneelers. Central hall with classrooms round. 2 and 3 storey. North, original entrance front has central triple arched entrance set back between gabled wing and tower. Central narrow pointed arch has single window and inscribed panel dated 1877, either side single broader arches with doorways, that to left now partially blocked inscribed "INFANTS ENTRANCE" and that to right with original door inscribed "GIRLS ENTRANCE". Above 3 pairs of casements in moulded ashlar surround. Above again a plaque inscribed "SCHOOL BOARD of LEICESTER, Charnwood Street School" with single light and 3-light ashlar mullion windows to left. Above, caves dormer window with 2- and 3-light casements, and to right octagonal brick stair tower, open timber bell chamber topped with octagonal tiled spire and iron weather vane. To left 3 storey gabled wing with deep brick buttresses, has 2 shallow pointed brick arches with 2-light ashlar mullion windows each. Above 2 tall cross casement windows and above 5-light wooden casement window in gable. To right projecting square tower with tall buttresses, ground floor largely blank with small 2-light ashlar mullion window. Above simple lancet and above again large 4-light ashlar cross casement with pointed tops to lights. Moulded eaves band, plain brick parapet [rebuilt] set back square ventilator with 2 louvred openings to each face topped with tall pyramidal roof with leaded ridge piece. Beyond, to right 2 storey wing with half-hipped roof, partly obscured by single storey addition, has two 3-light wooden cross casements. East front has recessed 6 window centre with gabled cross rings at either end, that to right taller. Central section has tall central buttress and lean-to verandah, with 6 former 3-light cross casements, most now with inserted doors. Above 6 further 3-light cross casements. Left cross wing has 3-light cross casement with brick mullions and similar window above, topped with circular window with star tracery. Right 3-storey cross wing has similar 5-light windows to lower two floors and 3-light similar window in gable. Irregular south front has off-centre open porch with square glazed bay above cinder lean-to hipped roof, flanked by 3 windows to left and 2 pairs of windows to right. West front has 4 tall segment headed windows to hall and to left taller 2 window block topped with pair of hipped roofs. History: This school was the first designed by Edward Burgess for the Leicester School Board, it was erected to accommodate 790 children and 382 infants.

Listing NGR: SK5992404846