The Old British School, 36 Wycombe Road
Location/Address
None recorded
Type
Description
Nineteenth century elementary school built in 1847 and closed in 1913, later in various uses and now an office.
Locally listed. The Princes Risborough British School was established in 1836, apparently in the upper room of a house, with the present building erected in 1847 at a cost of £450, opening in September 1847. The building sits on the junction of Wycombe Road and Station Road, on a slight rise afforded by the relief. It is prominent in the streetscape, not least due to the large plaque on the gable end that proclaims its foundation
The original buildings remains in situ, although there have been a number of later additions, not all of them in keeping. However the original structure remains and could be restored. The building sits on a flint base, with plain Bucks multi brickwork in a Flemish bond above. Few of the original windows remain, but their rubbed brick header gauged flat arches remain in places to indicate the height of the original windows. The roof has a dentil coursed eaves detail. There are two signed bricks on this elevation, one, high up the wall, has a date which appears to be 1847 and the initials ‘W D’, the other, under cover of ivy, only has initials, probably ‘D P’.
The 1878 OS base shows a large hall with a porch to the front. Later pictures from the late 19th century show two additional structures to the south side, possibly children’s entrances. One of these remains in situ, with rubbed headers to the window and detailing picked out in red brick in contrast to the greyer bricks of the facade. This too has a dentil course eaves. The other entrance has been rebuilt into an extension.
The school closed in 1913, and by 1920 the building was in use as a cinema. A lobby and projection room were added (these are the extensions to the main façade, which blocked off the original windows and rebuilt the porch.) Probably at this time the original date stone from the buildings was moved to the north side – it has been placed across the junction of old and new section, and reads 'Sir C Steven September 13th 1847' (B1).
Since the school closed in 1913 the building, which still stands at the junction of the Station and Wycombe Roads, has been variously used as a dance hall, cinema, roller-skating rink, factory and a computer-age education and communication business (B2).
Statement of Significance
Asset type
Nineteenth century elementary school built in 1847 and closed in 1913, later in various uses and now an office.
Date Listed
n/a