Former National School and boundary wall

Former National School and Boundary Wall

This building was constructed in 1866 and extended in 1872, both phases designed by R. J. Withers. A further extension was added in 1884. Following restoration and conversion in the 21st century, it now serves as a restaurant, farm shop, bed and breakfast, and private dwelling.

The school is built of pale gault bricks with red brick detailing and features a slate roof with decorative red ridge tiles and cruciform finials above the north and south gables of the original roof. Stone mullioned windows survive throughout the front eastern elevation, with some timber casements to the rear.

The building has a simple H-plan comprising the main original school range with two porches—one for boys to the north-east and one for girls to the south-east. Two gabled perpendicular wings project from the rear: one to the north-west added in 1872, and another to the south-west added in 1884. Since 2004, a timber and glass conservatory has been constructed between the two rear gables, and a small porch has been added to the southern gable; these features are architecturally modest and excluded from the listing. A small extension added to the northern end of the school is closely integrated with the historic fabric and is therefore included in the listing.

The front elevation is single storey and comprises five bays with three projecting gables separated by two external tapering stacks, with a porch at each end. The porches feature pointed-arched timber panel doors facing the centre and are emphasised by a cat slide roof, projecting further than the gables. Each projecting gable contains a tall half-dormer with a pointed arched, mullioned and transomed window with four leaded lights below a quatrefoil window. Between the four-light window and the quatrefoil window is carved stone trefoil and arched detailing. Similar fenestration appears in the north and south gables of the original school building, though these comprise six leaded lights, two quatrefoil windows and a single trefoil opening in the point of the arch, with carved stone detailing in the same gothic style. The west gable of the 1872 extension contains replacement three-over-three timber casement windows with six lights to each window, with a fully glazed patio door inserted beneath. The west gable of the 1884 southern extension has replacement windows of simpler design but in keeping with the gothic style. An external metal chimney has been attached to this gable to serve the restaurant kitchen. A gabled brick-built porch has been added to the southern end of the school for restaurant and bar access. Red brick banding runs around the building at sill and eaves height, replicated through all phases of development, with decorative detailing continuing over and through the brick arches above primary window and door openings.

The southern elevation is dominated by the gable of the main school room with its pointed arched, mullioned and transomed window with a small trefoil-headed window above, possibly once used for ventilation but now containing stained glass. Adjacent to this, in the side wall of the small classroom, now a kitchen, is another stone mullioned and transomed window with Y tracery containing stained glass. A small extension at the lobby's northern end contains uPVC windows.

The king-post roof structure survives throughout with principal rafters and short wind braces cut with a scalloped edge to dramatic effect. The principal rafters split at eaves height, partially sitting on a double dentilled band at the top of the wall, while the remainder extends down the wall to rest on simple, carved stone corbels.

The wooden floor of the main school room is intact. A folding dividing screen was repositioned to provide a partition between the kitchen and entrance hall; its original position is evident in the floor. Against the east wall of the main school room are two large stone fireplaces, one engraved with the inscription "THIS SCHOOL ERECTED FOR THE TRAINING OF THE CHILDREN OF THIS PARISH IN THE LOVE OF GOD AND IN THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH WAS OPENED JULY 26 1868 W.M. ALLEN INCUMBENT." The other is plain.

During conversion, a mezzanine floor and stair were inserted into the northern end of the main room to provide bedrooms and a bathroom. A low raised platform and bar have been inserted at the southern end. A pointed arched doorway in the western wall has been partially infilled with a fish tank, and a new opening replicating the pointed arch has been made further north in the same wall. Another opening links the main school room to the conservatory, in use as a restaurant. The ground floor at the northern end is now used as a private dwelling incorporating the original lobby, girls' and boys' toilets and cloakrooms, most of which remain legible in the plan and structure. The former infants room in the 1872 extension originally had galleried seating, no trace of which now remains. It is currently used as a sitting room with a 21st-century double-leaf glazed door leading to the garden and a 20th-century timber fire surround with tiled insert and ornamental wood burner. The original roof structure is retained and replicates that of the main school room.

The gault brick boundary wall runs along Eastgate Street with a rounded brick coping and separate gate entrances for boys and girls. The boys' gate at the northern end has been infilled but the gate piers remain evident. At the southern end the wall drops in height and would presumably have originally had railings above to secure the playground, now replaced with modern metal post and wire fencing. The former playground surface is tarmac with some paving and is now used as a car park and main access to the school building.