The Old Grammar School Buildings And Flats 1-7 The Old School House

Grammar School, now store, offices and divided into flats. Dated 1848 (rainwater heads), extended in the early 20th century. Four separate blocks, consisting of the main block with hall, former science block to its right, probable former schoolmaster's house to left and probable former coach house to far left. In a Neo-Jacobean style.

Main block: red brick with blue brick diapering and yellow/grey sandstone ashlar dressings. Slate roof. T-plan with 3-bay projecting cross wing (hall) to right. One storey and attic and 2 storeys. Chamfered plinth, moulded ground-floor cill string to right forming continuous hoodmould to left, moulded stone cornice, parapet with moulded coping and square corner pinnacles with ogee caps, and shaped gables to cross wing with finials at apices. Lateral stack to left of cross wing consisting of octagonal brick shaft with moulded cap. Hall to right has full-height canted bay with 1-:3-:1- light moulded mullioned and transomed stone window, patterned cast-iron glazing bars, frieze and moulded cornice, and balustrade above to 2-light chamfered stone attic window with dripstone. Left-hand range of 3 bays. First-floor square oriel with 3-light mullioned and transomed stone window and flanking one-light windows. Ground-floor with stone cross window to right, central one-light window and door to left with 3 tall panels, 2-part rectangular overlight and chamfered reveals. Right-hand return front of 3 bays with tall 2-light moulded mullioned and transomed stone windows. Dated cast-iron rainwater head to left. Rear of hall range with tall 3-light mullioned and transomed stone window. Gateway adjoining right-hand side consisting of nail-studded door with 3 tall panels, moulded Tudor archway, moulded string course above and shaped gable with carved coat of arms and datestone (illegible at time of survey in November 1986), and tall obelisk finial. Gateway links main block with former science block: red brick with blue brick diapering and yellow/grey sandstone ashlar dressings. Hipped slate roof with glazed centre. 2 storeys. Chamfered plinth, moulded cill strings, moulded string course, moulded cornice and parapet with moulded coping. Pair of integral lateral brick stacks to rear, each consisting of 3 octagonal shafts with moulded stone caps. 4 bays; 3-light moulded mullioned and transomed stone windows with cast-iron patterned glazing bars. 6-panelled door to left with rectangular overlight and 3-light window above.

Former schoolmaster's house: now flats. Red brick with some grey sandstone ashlar dressings. Hipped slate roof. 3 storeys. Chamfered plinth, moulded string course between ground and first floors, and parapet with moulded coping. Dentil brick eaves cornice to the left-hand side. Pair of brick integral lateral stacks to left and pair of stacks to right at rear, consisting of grouped square shafts with chamfered corners, chamfered stone bases and moulded stone caps. 1:1:1 bays; pair of full-height square bays with shaped kneelers and shaped gables with obelisk finials and obelisks at feet. 3-:2-:3- light wooden mullioned and transomed windows with cast-iron patterned glazing bars and chamfered reveals. Link to main block set back to right with first-floor cross window and 6-panelled door with moulded stone architrave. Full-height canted bay to rear with 2- and 3-light mullioned and transomed windows.

Former coach house to left: red brick with grey sandstone ashlar dressings. 2 storeys. Chamfered plinth and parapeted gable end to front with shaped kneelers, moulded stone coping, and obelisks at left. Integral lateral brick stack to left consisting of 2 square shafts with chamfered corners, chamfered stone base and moulded cap. One 2-light wooden casement to each floor, with cast-iron patterned glazing bars and chamfered reveals. Chamfered narrow rectangular opening in apex of gable. Early 20th-century doorway to right. Ground-floor door and window inserted in the late 20th century, replacing large doors. Late 20th-century addition at rear. Short link wall to right with chamfered stone plinth and moulded stone coping, stepped up to centre. Central chamfered Tudor-arched doorway with dripstone and nail-studded door with 4 tall panels and strap hinges.

Interior of main block: hall with 3-bay ceiling consisting of moulded tie-beams resting on large scrolled brackets, moulded cross beams with carved bosses. Strapwork to the soffit of the front bay. Moulded architraves. Interiors of other blocks not inspected.

Whitchurch Grammar School was founded in 1548 by the Reverend Sir John Talbot and opened in 1550. The oldest building on the site now is No. 13, Bargates to the south-east, which is dated 1708. The 1848 blocks might be on the site of earlier buildings.