The Old School

This house began as an early 19th century laundry building for Erlestoke Park estate, and was later enlarged in 1893 to become a village school. It is constructed of rubble stone with plain tile roofs. The original laundry section, located on the right side of the building, is in a picturesque cottage style. It features a semi-circular front with a large, overhanging bargeboarded gable. The front has three casement windows on each floor; the lower window incorporates a reused carved keystone, possibly dating from the Jacobean period, while the upper window has a cambered head, raised keystone, and two heavy corbels on either side which support the ends of timber bressumers carrying stonework above. Curved timber brackets extend from the walls beside the bow, carrying the outer ends of the bressumers. A lean-to addition is present on the east side. A ridge stack is also visible. The schoolroom section, to the left, has a hipped eaves roof with three metal vents on the ridge. The front facade features a long, three-light oak mullion and transom window to the left of the entrance door, with a tall overlight reaching to the eaves. Four cambered-head triple casement windows are on the west side.