Woburn Lower School

SP 9433-9533 WOBURN BEDFORD STREET 8/99 22.10.52 Woburn Lower School (formerly listed as The old Infants School) GV II School. Free School Charity founded and school built 1582, by Francis Earl of Bedford. Reworked c.1830 by Edward Blore. Some late C19 reworking. Coursed ironstone with ashlar dressings. Clay tile roof. Substantial rectangular structure, formerly of 2 storeys and attics. First floor removed. S elevation: ground and first floors each have 2 4-light stone-mullioned windows. Attic has 4 gabled dormers (reworkings by Blore) with 2-light mullioned windows. These have moulded surrounds with drop finials, their gables with moulded bargeboards and finials. All windows have leaded lights. To RH is late C19 gabled porch with 4-centred-arched doorway surmounted by carved panel showing Bedford crest. To centre is late C19 integral chimney stack surmounted by pair of octagonal red brick shafts with moulded bases and caps. This replaces central mullioned window to ground and first floors, similar to outer ones. Original gable end and ridge stacks removed. Moulded stone coping to both gables and to porch. W gable end: first floor has 2 3- light mullioned windows, attic has small blocked 2-light mullioned window. E gable end: first floor has 3-light mullioned window, attic has blocked 2- light mullioned window. Adjoining to-ground floor and projecting to road is small gabled block by Blore. Possibly built as a bier house serving the Church, used as a fire station late 1860's to late 1930's, later became part of school. Road frontage has central gable containing 4-centred arch with double doors, surmounted by image in niche flanked by 2 panels containing shields. Flanking this are 2 short stretches of ironstone wall with ashlar dressings. LH part contains one plank door in moulded square-headed surround, and terminates in a pier with cusped recessed panel, moulded cornice and pyramidal cap. RH part contains similar doorway and a later one to RH. Interior: N wall has 2 late doorways at ends, above which are 2 early fireplaces with moulded 4-centred-arched heads. J D Parry, History and Description of Woburn and its Abbey, 1831; Bedfordshire Record Office: CRT 130 Woburn 8, notes on the Free School Charity 1582 - 1875; CRT 130 Woburn 12, an Account of Woburn Free School and later schools.

Listing NGR: SP9486233246