Old School Room, Chew Magna

Old School Room
The Old School Room on the left with the NatWest Bank to the right
LocationChew Magna, Somerset, England
Coordinates51°21′58″N 2°36′33″W / 51.36611°N 2.60917°W / 51.36611; -2.60917
Builtc. 1510
OwnerChew Magna Old School Room Charity
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated21 September 1960[1]
Reference no.1135935
Old School Room, Chew Magna is located in Somerset
Old School Room, Chew Magna
Location of Old School Room in Somerset

The Old School Room in Chew Magna, Somerset, England was built around 1510. It is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

It was built as a church house for the neighbouring Church of St Andrew. The upstairs room was the local school from the mid or early 15th century, with the village poorhouse below. The ground floor was divided into cubicles which housed the destitute and occasionally prisoners. It also served as the meeting place of the Court leet.

The building was declared unsafe in 1965. In 1971 the building underwent major renovation, which included replacement of oak beams supporting the upper floor were replaced and preservation work on the wooden roof carried out.[2][3][4] The building was then used as a youth club until it was purchased by the parish council in 1981 as a village hall. Since then it has been a venue for social activity in the village.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Historic England. "The Old School Room (1135935)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  2. ^ Durham, I. & M. (1991). Chew Magna and the Chew Valley in old photographs. Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-872971-61-X.
  3. ^ "Chew Magna conservation area character appraisal" (PDF). Bath and North East Somerset. p. 15. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Parish Council Profile". Chew Magna. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Chew Magna is the best village in Britain, according to new survey". The Post. Retrieved 7 September 2013.