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Summary

Grade II listed National school built 1859 and used as a primary school until 1990; in use in the 21st century as a boarding and day school for overseas students

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1221037: ST NICHOLAS SCHOOL - ERROR IN NAME (NO LONGER CURRENT)

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): 1/265 St. Nicholas School
  1859. Architect, Butterfield. Large red brick building on corner site with tower at corner. Traceried windows. Two storeys and attic. Red brick, tile roof. Gabled tops to first floor windows. Patterned brickwork. Pointed roof to tower.

Monument Type(s):

• NATIONAL SCHOOL (Mid to Late 19th century to Second World War - 1859 AD to 1944 AD?)
• PRIMARY SCHOOL (Second World War to Late 20th century - Present - 1944 AD? to 1990 AD)
• PRIVATE SCHOOL (Late 20th century - Present to Early 21st century - 1990 AD? to 2050 AD)

Full Description

St Nicolas School was purpose built in 1859 as a National School, following the establishment of the school elsewhere in Newbury in 1811 <11>. It consisted of two large blocks linked by a spired stair-tower at the corner, and is of red, patterned brickwork with traceried windows with gabled dormers. It is described in the Revised Pevsner Guide <5> as an 'original and aggressive job'. One wing included the schoolmaster's house. It is a Grade II listed building <1>.

Research into the work of architect Henry Woodyer <4> discovered that he had designed St Nicolas School for the Rev Randall, rector of Newbury. This contradicts the listed building description <1> which puts William Butterfield as the architect but is accepted by the Revised Pevsner <5>. Woodyer was a pupil of Butterfield's. Woodyer is named as the designer of the Rectory, 100m to the east on Pound Street.

The building cost £1,750 in 1859, and started with about 200 children, the numbers rising steadily to between 400 and 500. Soon after the Second World War, when there were about 350 children in 9 classes, younger children began to use the “Annexe”, a separate building to the east in Station Road in Newbury <11>. This latter large site, where there had also been a Senior Council school which had suffered bombing damage during the War, was used to build a new St Nicolas Junior School starting in 1989 and opening in 1990. The building on the site in Enborne Road was sold.

Old St Nicolas School was renamed Newbury Hall when it became a language school for overseas students. The building was also extended at the beginning of the 21st century to provide boarding accommodation <12>.

West Berkshire Museum has a photograph of an undated black and white drawing of the school building <10>.

[Note - the spelling of this school's name seems to have sometimes had an H in Nicholas.]

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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