Old School Coffee House Formerly Horwoods School

OLD SCHOOL COFFEE HOUSE FORMERLY HORWOODS SCHOOL, CHURCH LANE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1385105
Date first listed:
19-Jan-1951
List Entry Name:
Old School Coffee House Formerly Horwoods School
Statutory Address:
OLD SCHOOL COFFEE HOUSE FORMERLY HORWOODS SCHOOL, CHURCH LANE
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Location

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Date:
2004-06-19
Reference:
IOE01/12633/02
Rights:
© Dr Ann Allen. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1385105
Date first listed:
19-Jan-1951
Date of most recent amendment:
29-Sept-1999
List Entry Name:
Old School Coffee House Formerly Horwoods School
Statutory Address 1:
OLD SCHOOL COFFEE HOUSE FORMERLY HORWOODS SCHOOL, CHURCH LANE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
OLD SCHOOL COFFEE HOUSE FORMERLY HORWOODS SCHOOL, CHURCH LANE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Devon
District:
North Devon (District Authority)
Parish:
Barnstaple
National Grid Reference:
SS 55862 33151

Details

BARNSTAPLE

SS558331SE CHURCH LANE
684-1/9/97 (East side)
19/01/51 Old School Coffee House, formerly
Horwood's School
(Formerly Listed as:
CHURCH LANE
(East side)
The Former Horwood's School)

GV II*

School, now in use as restaurant. 1659, restored 1917 (date
plaque). Local stone rubble; slate gable-ended roof; left end
stack with old brick corner shaft.
C17 plan intact. Single schoolroom on the ground floor, heated
at left end, with cross passage entrance to right. Stair in
rear projection rises from end of passage. First floor divided
into 2 rooms, the left one heated from the same stack, the
right one unheated.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2-window range, one window
to the ground floor. Fine doorway to right with original
moulded frame with elaborate carved stops and original
panelled studded door. 4-light window to left, probably 1917,
with ovolo-moulded timber mullions, original chamfered stone
cill and the remnants of the original stone hoodmould. 2
first-floor original 3-light ovolo-moulded mullioned windows,
all windows glazed with C20 diamond-leaded panes. Slate plaque
over door carved "A H 1659" with coat of arms and inscription:
"this school was founded and built for 20 poor maids by Alice
Horwood, restored 1917".
INTERIOR: schoolroom divided from passage by original screen
with moulded planks. Original moulded doorway with elaborate
stops blocked and replaced with new doorway. Schoolroom has
fine moulded segmental-headed stone fireplace with plaster
decoration above: the initials AH, Tudor Rose and Prince of
Wales' feathers. 3-light mullioned window on rear wall (now
internal) is probably 1917. Narrow moulded plaster cornice
breaks forward slightly on rear wall. Heavy moulded timber
attached to screen retains some large pegs for coats and hats
and may be original.
Stair with turned newels, probably 1917. Ovolo-moulded doorway
with bar stops to doorway at top of stairs. Larger upper room
has apparently original internal porch. Upper rooms divided by
original moulded plank screen with original moulded stopped
doorway and plank door with strap hinges, similar door with
closet adjacent to fireplace. Coved plaster ceiling over both
rooms with slender moulded cornice to match the one
downstairs. Recess next to stack may have contained original
cupboard.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the building stands adjacent to Horwood's
almshouses in Church Lane (qv). The school was founded by
Alice Horwood's will of 1652 in buildings erected together
with the almshouses. A new building was erected for this
school and the Blue Coat Boy's School in 1844 at North Walk,
and the two schools were amalgamated. In 1882 the girls were
moved to the new National School (Bovett).
This is an exceptionally well-preserved small C17 charity
school.



Listing NGR: SS5586233151

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
485567
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Old School Coffee House Formerly Horwoods School

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 19:09:58.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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