History
The building was designed by the fantastically named Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail, and constructed in 1878-79 for the St. Austell School Board. The famous historian, poet, and author A.L. Rowse was educated at the school. The building was closed in 2010, when a new school was constructed, although the nursery next door is still open. Despite calls for redevelopment from many local residents, the old building has been allowed to fall into a state of increasing dereliction. English Heritage declined an application to have the building listed in 2016.
On July 8th 2020 the building was hit by a major fire which destroyed nearly half of the roof. Cornwall Council is currently preparing to have the dangerous fire-damaged roof timbers and debris cleared to allow surveyors access to the building.
The Explore
I’ve been aware of the building’s dereliction for several years. However, it’s always been heavily boarded up, so even if I could get in, the vast majority of the interior would be in darkness. I was passing earlier in the month and stopped by to find the building had unfortunately been damaged by arson, but this meant some of the interior would now have light. I returned later in the month one foggy morning to have a proper look around. Although much of the magnificent slate roof has been destroyed, the walls still appear solid and the fire damaged rooms are actually quite photogenic.
The rear of the building in the fog.
A couple of weeks earlier, showing the schoolmaster’s house on the left.
Entrance corridor, leading to the hall.
At the centre of the building is the hall. A decade of abandonment has led to the destruction of most of the lower woodwork.
The hall from the other end, showing some of the fire damage.
Looking into the hall from the kitchen.
All the other large rooms had false ceilings, covering up the roof timbers and the tops of some of the windows.
The large classroom damaged by the fire was much more interesting to photograph, with collapse of the false ceiling exposing the original height of the room.
The schoolmaster’s house appears to have been where the fire began.
Detail of the carved newel post.
Thanks for looking
The building was designed by the fantastically named Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail, and constructed in 1878-79 for the St. Austell School Board. The famous historian, poet, and author A.L. Rowse was educated at the school. The building was closed in 2010, when a new school was constructed, although the nursery next door is still open. Despite calls for redevelopment from many local residents, the old building has been allowed to fall into a state of increasing dereliction. English Heritage declined an application to have the building listed in 2016.
On July 8th 2020 the building was hit by a major fire which destroyed nearly half of the roof. Cornwall Council is currently preparing to have the dangerous fire-damaged roof timbers and debris cleared to allow surveyors access to the building.
The Explore
I’ve been aware of the building’s dereliction for several years. However, it’s always been heavily boarded up, so even if I could get in, the vast majority of the interior would be in darkness. I was passing earlier in the month and stopped by to find the building had unfortunately been damaged by arson, but this meant some of the interior would now have light. I returned later in the month one foggy morning to have a proper look around. Although much of the magnificent slate roof has been destroyed, the walls still appear solid and the fire damaged rooms are actually quite photogenic.
The rear of the building in the fog.
A couple of weeks earlier, showing the schoolmaster’s house on the left.
Entrance corridor, leading to the hall.
At the centre of the building is the hall. A decade of abandonment has led to the destruction of most of the lower woodwork.
The hall from the other end, showing some of the fire damage.
Looking into the hall from the kitchen.
All the other large rooms had false ceilings, covering up the roof timbers and the tops of some of the windows.
The large classroom damaged by the fire was much more interesting to photograph, with collapse of the false ceiling exposing the original height of the room.
The schoolmaster’s house appears to have been where the fire began.
Detail of the carved newel post.
Thanks for looking
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