Description

Possibly Alexander Shairp, 1873; Shairp 1894, 1901 additions. 2 storeys over partially exposed raised basement, with 14-bay principal facade. Asymmetrical school building with French style detailing, built into hillside. H-plan main block with 1901 addition to N end, and square 3-storey tower in S re-entrant angle. Bull-faced squared and snecked basement, stugged, squared and snecked sandstone walls, and stugged dressings to quoins and chamfered openings.

W (PRINCIPAL) FACADE: advanced gables in bays 1-3 (1901), 5-7 and 12-14, 3-storey entrance tower in re-entrant at bay 11. Bays 1-3 windows evenly spaced, bay 4, linking stair bay with transomed, bipartite window at intermediate level, door with roll-moulded surround below. Bays 5-7, windows closely spaced, 1st floor centre window with pointed-arch panel over, slit window in gablehead. Bays 8-10, windows evenly spaced. Bay 11, 3-stage tower with principal floor slightly advanced flush with neighbouring gable; main entrance door with moulded surround, pointed arch panel over, window to N face; slit window at 1st floor W face, bipartite at N face; staggered string course at 2nd floor, bipartite windows above, and bracketted cornice at eaves. Bays 12-14, 3 windows, closely spaced at principal floor, roll-moulded surrounds, stepped tripartite at 1st floor, with polished pink granite colonettes.

S ELEVATION: 6-bay elevation composed of 2 gables with connecting single bay gablet between. Bays 1-3, principal and 1st floor windows evenly spaced. Bay 5, tripartite window at 1st floor level and window at bay to outer right.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: 3 gable elevation corresponding to principal front, with early 20th century infill at century.

10-pane timber sash and case windows except for 3-pane in narrow tower windows. Timber boarded doors, with 3-pane fanlight to rear elevation. Grey slate roof with exposed rafter ends, ventilator bases at ridges. Swept eaves to tower with decorative brattishing at apex. Cast-iron downpipes and guttering. 2 coped stacks, single flue with decorative can to rear elevation, shouldered and coped wallhead stack to S corner of N addition.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND PLAYSHELTER: semi-circular cope to rubble boundary wall with cement-rendered pointing. Capped ashlar gate posts, hoop railings along W front of building. Brick playshelter with piended slate roof, cast-iron columns. Adjoining brick toilet block with pyramidal slate roof.

Statement of Interest

A very complete and little altered example of a Board School, its building instigated by the 1872 Education Act. Dean of Guild plans record "new lavatories, coal cellars etc at Public School for Oban School Board 1894, Minor alterations 1894, and New classrooms, playsheds etc by Alexander Shairp, architect 1901".

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17773938

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.

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