Hanmer Voluntary Primary School, Hanmer, Wrexham

History

Hanmer School was endowed in 1625 under the will of Roger Billing, but a permanent building was not erected until 1676. A late C17 sketch by Thomas Dineley shows the front of the building with 3 windows and a round-headed doorway at the R end. The school is shown in its original form on the 1839 Tithe map. It was substantially restored in 1850 (date on building), at which time the building was probably lengthened on the S side where the main entrance was situated, and new windows were inserted. The school house was added in 1871 is shown on the 1873 Ordnance Survey. In 1894 the school was extended on the W (rear) by addition of a wing parallel and at R angles, and a further parallel NW wing that was extended in 2001.

Exterior

A single-storey school of hand-moulded brick with slate roof. It comprises the original school range of 1676, oriented N-S and facing E to the churchyard. This has later extensions under the same roof line on N and S sides and a brick stack L of centre. At the S end is the former school house. On the W side (i.e. the rear of the original range) is a SW wing at R angles, and parallel W and NW wings.

The 3-window original range has fenestration of 1850 comprising stone surrounds and mullions to a central double-transomed 2-light window, under a gable added c1900, which is flanked by cross windows. To the R of centre is a diamond tablet with archaic lettering, recording the building of the school in 1676 and its restoration in 1850. On the L (S) side of the original range is a change in brickwork indicating extension or rebuilding. In this section openings have stone surrounds similar to the original range, and comprise a triangular-headed doorway with replacement half-glazed door and overlight, to the L of which is a replacement 3-light window. An uneven vertical joint and change in brickwork indicates later extension on the N side, where there is a 2-light gabled window replaced in an original opening.

At the S end is the higher 2-storey former school house, which comprises a main E-W range and rear wing, both with brick stacks. In its E wall, continuous with the front elevation of the school, the entrance is in the wing on the R, a half-glazed door and overlight. In the upper storey is a 2-light replacement window to the R and cross window to the L in the main range gable end, all openings under stone lintels and with stone sills. The S wall has 2-light and 3-light transomed windows in the lower storey, in wood frames and under stone lintels. The W gable end has a similar 2-light window in the upper storey.

Further L is a 1-storey gabled extension, behind which is the parallel SW wing. It has a large replacement segmental-headed window in its gable end, and 2 replacement N windows. A W wing parallel with the main range has segmental-headed double doors and window to its R. To its L is the parallel NW wing, which has a 3-window W wall with replacement windows, and incorporating a central projecting gabled bay added in 2001.

On the N side the gable ends of the W and NW wings project beyond the gable end of the extended main range. The main range gable end has a replacement segmental-headed window and gable louvres.

Interior

The original school room has 2 trusses in a C17 manner, but probably of 1850, on corbelled arched braces. They have tie and collar beams, with fretwork balusters above the tie beams. The rear wall of the school room, originally external, has 3 cross windows similar to the front. On the S side the wall has 2 pointed Decalogue boards and 2 round-headed boards with the Lord's Prayer and Apostles Creed, set within a plaster architrave with central pediment.

The SW wing has arched-brace trusses, and the W wing has collar-beam trusses.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special architectural interest as a C19 school building, with C17 origin, retaining C19 character and a fine interior, one of the best-preserved school rooms in the district from the period before the 1870 Education Act.

External Links

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