THE OLD SCHOOL PRESS

A brief history of the home of The Old School Press

In 1821-2 a poor house was built on the site in Hinton Green. In 1835 it was reorganised under the New Poor Law as a workhouse (which led to a brief riot in which eighteen windows in the church were broken). A year later the village paupers were moved to the Union Work House (now St Martins Hospital in Bath) and the building was sold to Mr Willis who used it as a malthouse - one of several in the village.

In 1848 the Revd Charlers Palairet (brother-in-law of the Incumbent of Hinton, the Revd Geridot) bought the malthouse and altered it for use as a girls' school under Mrs Kempe as mistress. (The boys' school remained in Wellow Lane about half a mile away. In 1856 a schoolhouse was built next door (on the right and still there but much extended).

In 1860 the malthouse was pulled down and a new mixed school was erected by Edward T D Foxcroft, the land being made over by the Revd Palairet. The building would have looked much as it did in the photograph to the right. This was taken, we believe, in the 1890s and was in an album prepared for a local bride to take with her when she left the village to join her new husband in the USA. The school was built in the Victorian Gothic style with Bath stone.

The design was a standard one by William White. An article in an issue of Ecclesiologist in 1860 notes ''These new schools, by Mr. White, comprise a "mixed" school-room, 30 ft. by 16 ft. separated by a porch and corridor from an infant school 16 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft. They are built of stone, with more architectural detail, Early Middle-Pointed, than is common. The windows appear to be scarcely large enough; and we do not much like the treatment of a clock-face over the door. We notice however a very good chimney.'

White was  described by Mark Girouard as 'one of the most interesting and least known' of the Gothic Revival. He was a great-nephew of Gilbert White of Selborne, and after a five year apprenticeship in Leamington, joined George Gilbert Scott's London practice for two years. He then set up his own practice in Truro, but returned to London c. 1851, settling eventually at 30a Wimpole Street, which remained his professional address until the end of his life. As well as churches, parsonages, schools and houses from Aberdeen to Cornwall, he designed churches and a college in South Africa and the Anglican cathedral in Madagascar

In 1894, not long after the first photograph was taken, the back room, on the right, was extended by about a third, the entire gable-end being moved, it appears, and an office/cloakroom was built to the right of the front door (now my office). The architects for the enlargement were Browne and Gill of Bath and the builder was H G Millard of Freshford. The works cost £387 2s 6d. This photo was taken around 1900 and the new cloakroom can just be seen.

This photograph dates from around 1910. The gable end of the new cloakroom can be clearly seen.

This aerial photo can be dated from the progression of the gravestones to 1968-9. The church, St John's, is to the left, out of picture. On the right of the school is the school house (now The Old School House and much extended). Two bungalows stand on what were gardens opposite.

These two black and white photographs were taken after 1971.

The tower of the church, St John's, can be seen above the cottage on the left in the lower photograph.

When the building was converted for private occupation in 1983-5, the tall windows were extended downwards - there was no need now to prevent eyes from straying from their schoolwork. The classrooms originally extended up into the roof space, so there was ample room for bedrooms and bathrooms to be built upstairs. The bell (at the top of the gable end) and the clock (above the front door) are still in place and working.