History

The Charity School was constructed in 1793 by the Girls School Foundation, a local charity funded by public subscription. The charity also purchased the adjoining no.24 Church Street, part of the surviving earlier 18th century range, to create a small cottage for the School Mistress. The building is still owned by a successor to the original charity.

The Charity School is a simply designed front-gabled building, constructed of yellow brick with red rubbed brick voussoirs, a single central door flanked by tall sash window and a statue of a girl holding a prayer book/bible in a central arched recess set into the gable. The construction history of no.24 is not clear, though it is faced in brick and has replacement casement windows on the first floor. The buildings were extended to the rear in 1827.

The Charity School reflects the 18th century concern to provide education for poor children, in this case girls - the aim was to provide them with the skills necessary for domestic service.

There will be displays of information about the history of the school and about some of its pupils