North Eastern Block Of Buildings At The British Schools

The north-eastern block of buildings at the British Schools is a former boys' school, consisting of three classrooms and attached outbuildings. It was built in 1837, with additional construction in 1853 and earlier elements, along with early 20th-century alterations and additions. The structure is made of red brick laid in Flemish bond and has Welsh slate roof coverings.

The front of the building features a single-storey, six-bay aisled schoolroom from 1837, oriented on an east-west axis. Along its south side, there is an early 20th-century six-bay schoolroom that projects slightly westwards, with a lean-to porch at the angle of the two ranges. At the north-west corner, the 1853 schoolroom includes a side lean-to and 20th-century outbuildings extending westward. The 1837 section has large boarded-up windows at each end, set beneath gauged brick arches, and pedimented gables, each with an oculus. Blocked gauged brick arched window openings are present on the western end, and at the eastern end on the left, steps lead to a six-panel double door. To the right, there is a re-set date stone reading 'WW 1810'. The clerestory features continuous twelve-pane windows. The early 20th-century block has three eight-pane sash windows and a gable oculus at the western end, along with four two-light windows with eight-pane sashes on the right return. The 1853 schoolroom has doors at each end on the south side, a hipped roof with lateral chimneys on the north side, and a lantern with continuous glazing made up of six-pane lights.

Inside, the 1853 section has a five-stepped floor, a small hearth on the north wall, a six-panel double door, and arch-braced tie beam trusses.

Historically, the school was founded in 1810 by William Wiltshire, a lawyer from Hitchin. The 1837 schoolroom was designed for 300 pupils and was built following the principles of Joseph Lancaster, the founder of the British and Foreign School Movement, based on the monitorial system of teaching. The 1853 schoolroom is a rare surviving example of a galleried classroom, constructed according to the recommendations of Matthew Arnold.