Former National School

A former National School, built in 1845 to educate local girls. Since the mid-C20, it has served as the church hall to the adjacent Church of St Michael and All Angels.

MATERIALS: red brick with stone quoins and plinth.

PLAN: T-plan form with infilled range to the rear. The building also has two single storey eastern protrusions, with attached toilet block.

EXTERIOR: the former national school is single storey with gable walls to the cross-wing. To the eastern elevation, there are two single storey gabled protrusions; one is the entrance and porch to the building, and one houses the former headmaster’s office. They both have a single, centrally placed, mullion window and the largest gable also features a false slit window. Attached to the porch is a mid-C20 extension housing a toilet block, with a flat roof. This extension partially blocks one of the two windows to the main eastern elevation.

The western elevation is four bays, with a large gable wall forming part of the T-plan form, and three smaller gables which fill the recessed section. The centrally located bay of the three smaller gables features an entrance, currently blocked, and is flanked by a single mullion window to each side, each with a false slit window above. The larger gable wall also features a single mullion window, with slit window above, and an off-centre door. There is evidence in the brickwork for the original location of the doorway.

The northern elevation is three bays; one is a slightly protruding gable. Each bay has a single mullioned window, and the central bay has a datestone above inscribed National School 1845.

The southern elevation is a single bay, gable end with a single mullion window centrally located with a false, stone slit window above.

INTERIOR: the interior of the building is divided into two rooms, one now serving as a kitchen. A lowered ceiling has been inserted throughout, complete with coving; it is understood that the original timber roof structure survives above. A shared chimney stack is located between the two rooms, although the fireplaces have been removed and the openings bricked up and partially concealed by panelling.

The main entrance leads into the larger of the two rooms, which has two supports, thought to be cast-iron.

From the second room, now the kitchen, there is access to the former headmaster’s office located at the eastern side of the building. There is also access to the rear of the building via a modern opening and evidence of the original door opening is visible in the brickwork.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: to the rear of the building is an enclosed yard enclosed by a brick wall topped with stone coping stones. The wall features regularly spaced brick piers, and a wooden gate at the northern section.