Reasons for Designation
* It was designed by the notable Chester architect, T M Lockwood
* It is a rare example of a large scale multi-storied British School with multiple classrooms to each floor
* It is unusual in that it remained in use as a British School until 1909 before transferring to the city Corporation
* The school has a well-detailed exterior and a well-preserved interior
* Later extensions respect the composition and massing of the building and do not detract from its overall special interest
* Its plan form clearly shows the development and growth of the school without masking the original 1870 building
* Original interior features survive throughout including doors, flooring and classroom screens
Details
CHESTER CITY (IM)
595-1/0/10012 VICTORIA ROAD
11-DEC-07 (West,off)
ABBEY GATE SCHOOL
II
Former British School, 1870 with late C19 & early C20 additions, by T M Lockwood, brown and red brick, light coloured brick banding and diaper work, slate roof. Asymmetrical gabled elevations, multipaned casement windows. Vernacular Revival style, 2 storeys.
PLAN: Originally C-shaped footprint with rear range and two front projecting wings. Now rectangular footprint with infill to former central courtyard and extensions to N and S ends. Yard areas to N of site and SW corner. Both areas have been enlarged in the mid C20 and end C19 respectively; that to the N contains a detached mid C20 timber dining room (not of special interest and excluded from the listing). Site enclosed by high brick wall with sandstone copings. Internal plan: Off-centre corridor running length of original 1870 building with large classrooms to rear, smaller cloakrooms, toilets and an office to front. S extension containing large classroom and cloakroom at right angle to corridor, accessed through rear classrooms (all inter-connected) and front office. N extension containing one large classroom accessed through adjoining rear classroom. Plan replicated to first floor.
EXTERIOR: Flemish Bond to brown brick sections, English Garden Wall Bond to red brick. Small capped ventilators to ridge lines, one ridge stack and one external stack to SW elevation. Ground floor windows with segmental arched heads; those to first floor have square heads. Main front elevation: Central brown brick section with two projecting 2-storey gabled sections to each side flanking 3-bay section with hipped roof; all with light coloured banding detail incorporating simple diaper work. Gabled section to right is late C19 infill (probably c.1877) in same style as original 1870 sections to the left, partly glazed doorway to ground floor left, mock half timber framing to gable, spire (open to lower part) surmounting ridge above. Red brick block to immediate right (stair tower) with corner stone reading 'THIS CORNER STONE WAS LAID BY THE MOST HONOURABLE THE MARQUIS (sic) OF WESTMINSTER PATRON OF THESE SCHOOLS ON THE FIRST OF AUGUST AD 1870', two small ground floor windows to left, single large window to first floor, large brick bell cote surmounting roof. Door with multipaned overlight and flat porch above to right return with large stair window above. Larger early C20 red brick extension set back to right (gable faces N, blank to front elevation). Late C19 red brick extension to S end with first floor Venetian window and dentil band, projecting single storey block of same date in front with windows to front and left side, panelled door to right side with arched segmental head and lamp above. Both extensions have gables with timber framing detail. Rear elevation: 7-bay 1870 brown brick range with 6 full height buttresses, windows to each floor (those to bays 3 & 6 are paired to the ground floor), later inserted door to bay 7 with window to left. Extensions to each N & S end; former is blank whilst the latter has an external stack with small window to ground floor left, three windows to first floor flanking stack. Fire escape leads down from first floor door into small rear yard area. Yard has a late C19 outdoor toilet/storage area to SW corner. S end elevation: Two 2-storey gable ends (that to left projects slightly forward) with 2 windows to each ground floor, dentil band above. 3 windows to first floor of left gable end with stone lintels and sills; that to centre is horizontal and raised. One large window to left of first floor to right gable end. N end elevation: Bargeboards with decorative bracing to gable apex, 3 large ground floor windows, large Venetian window above with keystone to centre light. Two later small single storey brick lean-tos to right.
INTERIOR: Enclosed arched brace roof structure. Floor plan remains relatively intact although a couple of walls near the c.1877 ground floor entrance have been knocked through. Original dog-leg stair survives to NE stair tower, glazed brick dado (now mainly painted over). Movable partially glazed partition screens to each classroom (one removed to ground floor centre classroom) possibly installed in 1910 by P H Lockwood to both floors, allowed classroom spaces to be enlarged or a hall created. Glazed brick fire surround (painted over and hearth removed) to S extension classroom. Original timber board flooring, panelled doors and radiators survive throughout.
HISTORY
The British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) was formed in 1808 under the name of The Society for Promoting the Lancasterian System for the Education of the Poor/The Royal Lancasterian Society by Joseph Lancaster, a Quaker who first established a school for the poor in Southwark in 1798. He developed a method of non-sectarian education that involved older pupils (having first been taught by the school master) teaching the younger children and acting as 'monitors'. The society changed names to the BFSS in 1814 and after the government took over responsibility for education in 1870 the society continued to sponsor teacher training institutions. The society still exists today although its work now solely relates to administering trusts and funds in the advancement of education.
The Chester branch of the British and Foreign School Society was established in 1867 in temporary premises on Windmill Lane. Victoria Road was originally named Windmill Lane, as it had provided access to the Abbot's windmill in medieval times. As the lease for the temporary premises expired in 1870 construction for a new school called Victoria Road British School began on an adjoining site in March 1870 (the lane became known as Victoria Road in 1871) to the designs of the Chester architect, T M Lockwood. T M Lockwood has 24 listed buildings to his name in Chester and also did remodelling/extension works on 6 other listed buildings in the city.
A corner stone was laid by the Marquess of Westminster (the school's patron) on the 1 August 1870. William Gladstone also presided over several of the Chester British School Association's annual meetings.
The school opened in 1871 with three departments for boys (first floor), girls and infants (ground floor), and was extended in 1873 (to the designs of Lockwood). Further extensions were added in 1877, 1886, 1895/6 and 1905.
Chester did not establish a School Board and the school remained as a British School until it was transferred to the City Corporation in 1909 (following the 1902 Education Act) and its name changed to Victoria Road Council School. The infants' and girls' departments were amalgamated in 1927 and in 1948 the school became a mixed primary school with the older pupils transferred to Love Street and Chester College Schools.
The school remained in council use until 1973 when it moved to new premises on Cheyney Road and the building was closed. The building subsequently reopened as an independent primary school called Abbey Gate School and remained in use until the school moved to new premises on Clare Avenue in 2006.
SOURCES:
Chester City Archives
Lewis C P & Thacker A T. 2003. A History of the County of Chester: Volume 5 Part 1
The British & Foreign School Society. 2007. Available on HTTP:
http://www.bfss.org.uk
The British & Foreign School Society. 2007. available on HTTP:
http://www.devon.gov.uk
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
Abbey Gate School is designated, for the following principal reasons:
* It was designed by the notable Chester architect, T M Lockwood
* It is a rare example of a large scale multi-storied British School with multiple classrooms to each floor
* It is unusual in that it remained in use as a British School until 1909 before transferring to the city Corporation
* The school has a well-detailed exterior and a well-preserved interior
* Later extensions respect the composition and massing of the building and do not detract from its overall special interest
* Its plan form clearly shows the development and growth of the school without masking the original 1870 building
* Original interior features survive throughout including doors, flooring and classroom screens.
