Description

William Williamson, 1914-15 with later extension. 17-bay (grouped 2-1-2-7-2-1-2), single, 2-storey and part basement, Queen Anne style school on ground falling steeply to S with weathervane-finialled cupola. Narrow blocks of bull-faced rubble with contrasting red sandstone dressings. Deep sandstone base course and eaves course. Segmental-headed, corniced and pilastered red sandstone doorcases with blocking course and flanking ball finials; keystoned and voussoired round-headed window to centre; channelled pilasters, and cupola. Chamfered arrises.

W (NORMAND ROAD) ELEVATION: symmetrical. 5 taller, advanced bays to centre with round-headed window over deep sandstone apron and flanking windows below moulded date stone in gablehead and flanking pilasters, 2 windows to each side and further flanking pilasters. 2 bays to right each having tripartite window with raised centre breaking eaves into swept and piended dormerhead, and blind sandstone apron; bays to left mirror this. Penultimate bay to right with steps up to doorcase marked 'BOYS', with 2-leaf panelled timber door; similar bay to left marked 'GIRLS' but without steps. 2 windows to outer bays.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: largely symmetrical elevation with service bays to raised basement and classroom windows over, some with dormerheads breaking eaves.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical elevation including segmental-headed windows to raised basement (see Notes) and sympathetic 1990s extension adjoining to right.

N ELEVATION: narrow gable to centre with windows to ground and 1st floor (see Notes), raised centre tripartite window to left and lower wing to right with 2 bipartite windows and further window to outer right.

9-, 16- and 24-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows; decorative astragals to centre W window. Small grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks and ashlar-coped skews.

INTERIOR: central corridor with circular rooflights and flanking classrooms all with dado rails or boarded dadoes. 7-bay gym-hall with shallow barrel, ribbed roof. Cellar with round- and segmental-arched openings.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, GATES AND RAILINGS: low saddleback-coped ashlar, and high semicircular-coped rubble boundary walls; square-coped sandstone ashlar gatepiers with decorative ironwork gates and plain railings. High rubble boundary wall with segmental arch to E (Hill Street).

Statement of Interest

Dysart Burgh School was formed in 1881 with the amalgamation of the North and South Schools. This building was opened in September 1916 as Blair Hill School. Owing to the steep gradient on which the school is built, the only 1st floor room is situated to the N, with 2 basement rooms to the S. There is a long service tunnel below the building with round-headed brick openings, but not vaulting.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77772380

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  For the Record
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)