High Gilston

High Gilston is a village school that has been converted into a house. It was built in 1856, as indicated by the quatrefoil datestone on the porch, for William Hodgson as part of the Gilston Park Estate. The building features Gothic ornamental red brick and faces west. It has steep old red tile roofs with tall moulded chimneys, which are uniquely grouped into two elongated octagonal shafts above a moulded base.

The structure includes a tall single-storey schoolroom on the north side and a two-storey cross wing on the south side. There is a steep gabled porch with bargeboards that projects at the angle of the wings. The front wall is decorated with black headers arranged in diamond and diaper patterns. The porch has heavy scissors bargeboards, a trefoil pierced design, and a central moulded pendant. The cross wing showcases more elaborate pierced and cusped bargeboards and pendants.

The windows in the cross wing are tall timber mullioned designs, with two-light and three-light configurations, gauged arches, flush stone sills, and diamond lattice cast iron windows. The schoolroom has been converted to one and a half storeys, featuring a box dormer and small paned sash windows. The original porch doorway has been altered to a window.

Originally built as a Public Elementary School for 39 children, it was founded by William Hodgson and was in use from 1856 until 1959. This handsome 19th-century Gothic schoolhouse reflects the style of the Gilston Park Estate buildings associated with the Hodgson brothers, with added elaboration in the bargeboards and the diaper work in black headers. It is part of a picturesque group of estate buildings, which includes the School Cottages built in 1852 to the south.