Old Paton's Mill School, Greenside Street

John Melvin (senior), dated 1864, re-roofed early 21st century; wings added by John Melvin (junior) of John Melvin & Son 1900. Well-detailed 2-storey, 3-bay, rectangular-plan former school with 4-stage centre tower and shaped pedimented windowheads; later tall single storey wings comprise shaped gable fronts with Gibbsian doorpieces. Stugged sandstone ashlar with ashlar dressings; roughly coursed snecked rubble and relieving arches to sides and rear. Base course, string courses and eaves course. Round-headed 3-light windows in recessed segmental-arched panels, those to ground under stepped and semicircular string course forming hoodmould, those to 1st floor under shaped pediments. Stone mullions, chamfered arrises and projecting cills.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal elevation to N with symmetrical 1864 bays with centre tower incorporating deep-set doorpiece with vertically-panelled timber door, raised centre tripartite window under moulded datestone at 1st stage, roundels in moulded lozenges at 3rd stage and louvered tripartites at 4th stage giving way to pierced battlements with decorative angle pedestals. Flanking bays have window at each floor and raised panels on pediments. Later angled bay projecting at outer left with swag over Gibbsian doorpiece giving way to small triangular-pedimented panel bearing relief carved lion head and monogrammed panel at gablehead with initials 'J P S & Co' (John Paton, Son & Co). Similar gabled wing to outer right with large triangular-pedimented tripartite window, blocked door to left and datestone '1900' at gablehead. All original doors of panelled timber. 3-bay, regularly-fenestrated S (rear) elevation with nepus gable.

Largely plate glass glazing pattern in timber sash and case and top-opening windows, all boarded 2010. Regular grey slates (see Notes). Ashlar stacks (truncated?) with cans. Ashlar-coped skews with some moulded skewputts.

INTERIOR: little-altered floor plan with large school room space at each floor of 1864 building, cast iron columns at ground, part of 1st floor removed and newel stair with timber handrail. Unusual form to timber-lined later E wing roof. Some dado rails.