The Old National School - Sampford Spiney, Devon - Former Schools on Waymarking.com

"It was probably called the Church House either due to its proximity to the church or, perhaps, as a private house of charity let by the Lord of Sampford Spiney Manor. The parish registers between 1815 and 1830 list various paupers as living there. The 1841 Tithe lists the building as the Church House in the ownership of the trustees of the late Humphrey Hall and occupied by John Spurrell. The 1851 census lists the building as the Poor House. In 1861 it was the Church House, 1871 the Church Cottage and 1881 Hall Old Poor house. When Huckworthy School closed the Rev Hall Parlby came to the rescue and offered the old Poor House/Church House as the new school. In a deed dated 11 Feb 1888 the Rev John Hall Parlby conveyed the building to the trustees for (a) the Board School, (b) use by the Rector for Sunday School and (c) the holding of parochial meetings (before which they had usually been held in the church). In just under six months rudimentary conversions had taken place and the building was ready to house fifty pupils. As the school progressed numerous other additions and alterations took place.

The school logbook finishes in 1923 when the school finally closed down and the few pupils left either went to Walkhampton, Horrabridge or Whitchurch. The building continued to be used for PCC meetings and as a small village hall. The building had never belonged to the church and had been used by Devon County Council as a school yet it was the Church Commissioners who offered the building to the parish for £1. At the time the PCC did not want the liability so the Commissioners sold it on the open market in 1974. It is now a private dwelling."

SOURCE - (visit link)

"School, originally church house, and now a private house. Circa late C16 church house, extended and converted into school in 1888 and extended again in 1899; converted into house in late C20. Coursed rock-faced granite, original north wing granite rubble with large dressed granite quoins. Dry slate roof with small half-hipped ends with brackets to moulded bargeboards; asbestos slates on rear wing. Gable end and lateral stacks with rebuilt brick shafts. Plan: small circa 1888 school room with porch and small outshut at the left end in the angle with a rear (north) wing set back at right angles. The rear wing was originally the church house and had a first floor doorway in the rear gable end where the ground level is higher. In 1899 the school was extended and the rear (right hand) wing is probably of this period. Converted into a private house in late C20 when first floor of former church house was removed.
Exterior: 1 storey. Asymmetrical south west front. Main former schoolroom has 2 large windows breaking eaves, their round heads in half-hipped dormers. Gabled porch to left with deeply chamfered basket arch and lean-to on left in angle with original rear wing (church house). The left side of former church house wing is blind except for a small blocked opening near ground level to left of centre with a granite frame. The north east end of wing is built into bank and has a blocked narrow first floor doorway with granite monolith jambs and small later casement above. The inner right side of wing facing small yard has large granite masonry on right with flight of granite steps to higher ground level at rear, and on left wall rebuilt and 2 large full-height windows inserted. At the right (south east) end of main range 2 low single storey ranges.
Interior: much altered in late C20 conversion. Original church house north wing's first floor removed and roof structure replaced. History: The rear (north) wing was probably the church house in the enfeoffment of 1585 (West Devon Record Office). It is also depicted as the church house in a plan on the indenture of 1888 when it was presented by Revd J H Parlby and extended and converted into a Board school. It was extended again in 1899. In late C20 it was converted into a house."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Address: The Old National School Sampford Spiney, Devon England PL20 6LH Web Site: Not listed

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