The Adult Education Centre

The Adult Education Centre is a historic building located in Glossop, originally constructed between 1899 and 1901. It was funded by the 2nd Lord Howard of Glossop and has served as a technical school, grammar school, and now an adult education centre. The building is made of ashlar stone with ashlar dressings and features graduated Westmorland slate roofs. It has three moulded stone chimney stacks and stands two storeys tall over a deep basement, with a moulded plinth, first floor band, and eaves cornice.

The north entrance front showcases a recessed five-window center flanked by three-window gabled wings. The central round-headed doorway features double panel doors and an ornate iron fanlight, with an ashlar surround that includes pilasters and a moulded keystone. On either side of the doorway are two small windows in moulded surrounds, above which is a central double window flanked by two single windows divided by ashlar pilasters. The projecting wings have quoins and three glazing bar sashes in moulded ashlar surrounds on the ground floor, with three round-headed glazing bar sash windows on the upper floor, all featuring linked and moulded ashlar surrounds. The gables are topped with ashlar coping and ball finials.

The west front includes four glazing bar windows in the basement and four glazing bar sashes above in moulded ashlar surrounds. The upper floor has two pairs of glazing bar sashes, with the right pair being round-headed in a single through-eaves gabled dormer. The east front has a low two-storey wing with various small glazing bar sash windows. The south front features five large glazing bar sashes in the recessed center on the ground floor and three smaller similar sashes above. The slightly projecting wings have three large glazing bar sash windows on the ground floor and three similar round-headed windows above.

Inside, the building boasts a dramatic two-storey hall and staircase. This hall includes an elaborate wooden internal porch with half-glazed doors, overlights, and panelled sides. On either side, there are two-light Imperial staircases leading to the upper gallery, featuring ornate cast-iron balustrades and moulded mahogany handrails.