Description

Dated 1887. Single storey near-symmetrical 10-bay Gothic former primary school with dominant gabled ends and pointed-arched windows. Stugged and snecked red sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Base course; continuous pointed-arched hood-mould with carved terminals over 3 light trefoil windows to centre; hood-moulds with carved terminals over plate traceried outer windows; eaves course; cills below central gablethead openings; stepped string course to gableheads; moulded surrounds to windows with chamfered mullions; long and short quoins.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 10-bay, grouped 6-4. 6-bay group to right: 3-light window in bay set to right of centre; small tripartite slit opening to gablehead; lattice detail and finial to gable apex. 3-light window in bay to right of centre. 3-light plate traceried window in advanced bay to outer right; small tripartite slit opening to gablehead; trefoil detail and finial to gable apex above. 3-light window in bay set to left of centre; small quatrefoil opening to gable; trefoil and slit detail and finial to gable apex. 3-light window in bay to left. 3-light plate traceried window in advanced bay to outer left; small tripartite slit opening to gablehead; trefoil detail and finial to gable apex above. 4-bay block, set back to left: segmental arched doorpiece with steps to replacement door and fanlight in bay to extreme right; stone plaque, carved ?BOYS? above arch; gablet above. Window, irregularly disposed in remaining 3 bays to left.

W (ELEVATION): irregular 7-bay, grouped 3-3-1. 3-bay block, set back to centre: window in bay to centre. Segmental arched doorpiece with (blocked) door and fanlight in bay to left; carved scroll plaque, 'GIRLS', over lintel with lattice detail to gablet above. Narrow window abutting re-entrant angle in bay to right. 3-bay block to left: 3-light plate traceried window with pedimented plaque, 'ERECTED 1887' above; quatrefoil opening to gablehead; lattice detail and gablet finial to gable apex. Shouldered tall window in each bay flanking; bipartite window to gabled right return; gablehead stack above. 3-light plate traceried window in bay to right; small tripartite slit opening to gablehead; trefoil detail and finial to gable apex above.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: irregular 11-bay, grouped 2-2-2-2-3. Long 2-bay lean-to block to left of centre: square-plan, lean-to porch (window (blocked) in left return; door (blocked) in right return), with window flanking to left, in bay to left. Window in bay to right. 2-bay advanced block to outer left: tall bipartite window in each bay. 2 bay gabled block, slightly advanced to right: window in each bay. Window in each bay to 2-bay block to right. Window, irregularly disposed, in each bay to 3-bay block to outer right.

Predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case windows, all now blocked; grey slate roof with decorative red clay ridge and louvered ventilation gablets; slate to lean-to at rear; blocked ashlar skews with steps to front central gables; ashlar coped stack to SW; cast-iron rainwater goods.

DINING HALL: single storey rectangular-plan 5-bay near symmetrical dining hall, set to E of school. Stugged pink sandstone. Base course; eaves course; chamfered surrounds to windows; long and short quoins.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: square-plan pitch-roofed entrance porch in bay to centre; window, with narrow slit motif to gablehead above; replacement door with fanlight to right return; tall wallhead stack close to re-entrant angle to left. Window in each bay flanking.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: 7-bay with window in each bay.

W (SIDE) ELEVATION: gabled wall with window, offset to left; double slit opening to gablehead above.

2- over 4-pane timber sash and case windows (ones to rear blocked). Grey slate roof with decorative red clay ridge and louvered ventilation gablets; slate to porch; ashlar skews; ashlar coped stack to N elevation; cast-iron rainwater goods.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: chamfered square-plan piers with carved gothic motifs to each face; faceted gothic cap with trefoil motifs and faceted base. Stugged ashlar sandstone walls with ridged ashlar cope and irregularly disposed shouldered piers along its length; painted cast-iron railings and (replacement) gates.

Statement of Interest

This Protestant primary school was built in 1887 to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of school children in the area as a result of the opening of a large number of coal mines. Its ecclesiastical treatment provides an impressive eye-catcher at the top of the hill from the centre of the village. Although the main building is now unoccupied, having closed its doors as a school in 1987, the detached dining hall is now in use as a nursery school.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17846421

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)