The Old Hall

COXWOLD VILLAGE STREET SE 5277-5377 (north side) 9/32 28.2.52 The Old Hall GV II

Grammar school and master's house; now private house. School founded in 1600 by Sir John Hart, Lord Mayor of London: the building has early C18, C19 and C20 alterations. Ashlar sandstone, stone slate and pantile roofs. L-shaped plan, the school range parallel to the road, and the early-C18 master's house a wing projecting forward to the right, both of 1 1/2 storeys. Main range: 4 bays, with small staircase turret at rear to left end; on ground floor, four 4-light mullion and transom windows with some renewed stonework, and to left board door in Tudor-arched moulded ashlar surround with hood mould, and a coat of arms above it, around which rises a string course; on the first floor, four C19 pent-roofed dormer windows each with three small 8-pane sashes; stone slate roof; ashlar coping, that to left with ball finial at ridge; brick stack at right end. Right wing, south (road) elevation: on each floor a sash window with glazing bars and hood mould; moulded coping to gable with ball finial at ridge. Left return of wing: on ground floor, C20 6-panel door in chamfered surround with hood mould, and inserted double-chamfered window to its left, sash window with glazing bars and hood mould to its right; two C20 dormer windows with 9-pane unequally-hung sash windows; pantile roof with stone slates at eaves; brick stack behind the door. Rear, main blocks: 5-light matching window was blocked by late-C19 wing, since removed, and window opened up and relocated; 1 original dormer window; stair turret with some original windows. Interior: in main range, two school rooms, one to left with late-C19 panelling copying the original, also with stone inscription recording endowment of school in 1600 with 4 scholarships and 2 fellowships for its scholars at Sidney College, Cambridge. The master's house with a kitchen and dining room for the boys' meals was added c.1725: the chimney stack above the door served a large kitchen fireplace and bread oven, since demolished. Until 1806, masters of the grammar school were also ministers at Husthwaite Church (qv). From 1806, the masters of the grammar school were also perpetual curates of Coxwold Church (qv). The school closed in 1894, and the panelling formerly in the left schoolroom, and bearing boys' names carved on it, including that of architect William Wakefield, was reassembled in the Porters' Hall at Newburgh Priory (qv). VCH ii, p.8.

Listing NGR: SE5334477244