Old School Incorporating Schoolhouse And Almshouses

This is a school, schoolhouse, and almshouse complex, now used as two flats and meeting rooms, dating from 1700. It was designed and built for Sir Thomas Parkyns of Bunny Hall. The building is constructed of red brick in an English garden wall bond, with some blue brick chequering, and has ashlar dressings, including a chamfered ashlar plinth and rusticated ashlar quoins. The roof is slate-covered. A large central red brick and ashlar stack rises from the centre of the building, and there is a smaller red brick ridge stack to the right. The gables are ashlar-coped with kneelers and have ashlar orb finials.

The first floor features an ashlar band that creates a hood mould over the central doorway, extending to the right gable wall. The building follows a lobby entry plan and has two storeys plus an attic, with five bays. The central doorway features a plank door, a flush ashlar quoin surround, and a multi-paned overlight. To either side are two two-light casements. Above these are four similar casements, with a single oeil de boeuf (bullseye) window in the centre. The attic has two hipped dormers, each with a single casement. The right gable wall has a central doorway with a plank door and a flush ashlar quoin surround. Above the door is an inscribed plaque. Flanking the doorway are single oeil de boeuf windows, with two further oeil de boeuf windows above, and a single two-light casement in the centre of the gable. A single casement is also present at the top floor. Two S tie plates are visible on the exterior. The left gable wall has an inscribed ashlar band. The central doorway has a rusticated surround and originally featured a heavy plank door. Above the band is an architrave surmounted by a frieze of panelled pilasters with a central inscribed plaque and a cornice displaying a carved Parkyns crest.

Flanking the left-hand doorway are single glazing bar casements, and above them are two two-light casements with two oeil de boeufs above. In the gable apex is a plaque inscribed "S:T:P:1700", with mounted letters following the line of the gable. All two-light casements have a single ashlar mullion and ashlar surrounds. All oeil de boeufs have ashlar surrounds. All windows are fitted with lead glazing bars. A narrow, set-back lean-to addition to the left is constructed of red brick and features a single lead glazing bar casement.

Inside, the building contains large chamfered and other beams. The ground floor has a blocked-off fireplace, and several c.1700 fretted balusters are set into the ceiling of the former schoolroom. The first floor features an 18th-century panelled door. Sir Thomas Parkyns, Bart. (c.1662-1741), carried out substantial improvements and rebuilt much of Bunny according to his own designs.