The Community Centre And Museum

SX 9073-9173 BISHOPSTEIGNTON SHUTE HILL (west side), Bishopsteignton 13/72 The Community Centre and Museum

GV II

Village School and master's house, converted to community centre and museum. School master's house probably C18, 3 classrooms dated 1850, 1876 and 1923 respectively. Colourwashed and plastered, house said to be cob, classrooms stone ; slate roofs, gabled at ends, house with brick end stack and bargeboards to the gable. Plan: A picturesque irregular group on a raised pavement above Shute Hill. The schoolmaster's house, to the north, is gable on to the street and adjoins the parallel classroom which is slightly set back to the left (south). The 1876 classroom is further set back to the south with the 1923 block to the rear (west) of the 1850 building and at right angles to it. The scale and detailing of the 2 later classrooms is sympathetic to the modest Gothic details of their 1850 predecessor. Exterior: The schoolmaster's house to the right of the group has 2 casement windows in the east end wall and a C20 door ; 2 similar windows to the left return. The 1850 classroom has a symmetrical 3-bay front with rusticated quoins and a central gabled porch with a painted arched outer doorway with a hoodmould with label stops. 4-light timber windows to left and right with high transoms, glazing bars and hoodmoulds, similar window but with a pointed arched head in the east gable end, overlooking Shute Hill. The 1878 block with a bellcote has a porch set forward from and adjoining the east gable end ; ornamental bargeboards to the gable end and porch. Crank arched window in east gable end with timber glazing bars and a hoodmould, 2 crank arched windows on the south side. The porch has a similar arched doorway with hoodmould and 1-light windows to each return with hoodmoulds, similar window to linking block to right of porch. The 1923 classroom is partly concealed behind the other two and is said to have originated as the stable block to Cross House (q.v.). It has a corrugated asbestos roof and arched windows with timber glazing bars, no hoodmoulds. Interior: The schoolmaster's house retains 2 chamfered crossbeams. The school was founded by Christopher Colman of Radway in 1726 and built on land bought by him (old list description). An attractively-scaled irregular group marking an important contribution to the streetscape.

Listing NGR: SX9104573688