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Summary

Unlisted 1960s block of a secondary school, created in the grounds of the Elizabethan Shaw House

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Shaw House and St Mary's Church, Shaw
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1001446: Shaw House

Monument Type(s):

• SECONDARY SCHOOL (Mid 20th century to Early 21st century - 1964 AD to 2050 AD)

Full Description

A brick school block was built in the grounds of the Elizabethan mansion of Shaw House by Brandon-Jones, Ashton, Broadbent & Arnold in 1964. The revised Pevsner describes it as 'well-mannered in deference to the house' <1>. Shaw House itself was first put to educational use during the Second World War when the Newbury Senior Council schools were bombed. The school continued to occupy the mansion until 1985, and during this period many extra buildings and structures were erected in close proximity to it as facilities for secondary school pupils. The 1960s block was of larger area than Shaw House, but of similar H-shaped plan and orientation, with the addition of an attached square courtyard <2>. It was probably built over the former location of the medieval manor house of Shaw, although this had long been demolished; however no archaeological investigations are recorded as having taken place during the 1960s.

The school lies within the Registered Park or Garden of Shaw House; the 1960s school building is named in the description <3> as the Astley Building of 1963, 'bounded to its west by a raised terrace which slopes down in westerly direction to a rectangular lawn'.

Shaw House School and nearby Turnpike School were both closed in 1999 with the new Trinity School reopening on the site the following term. A programme of further building work was carried out in the early 21st century, expanding Trinity School as a Performing Arts College with sixth form. New buildings were constructed to the west and north of the Astley Building, within the Registered Park.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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