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The Old Grammar School, Queen Street, Lostwithiel, Cornwall. 18th April 1965
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Royal Cornwall Museum
The Old Grammar School, Queen Street, Lostwithiel, Cornwall. 18th April 1965
The photograph shows the front elevation of the Grammar School in a dilapidated condition after years of neglect. Situated on Queen Street is a granite facade on which there is the Coat of Arms of Viscount Mount Edgcumbe and Valletort (Valletort being the title inherited on the death of a relative in Plymouth). This is the only remaining part of the Old Grammar School which was built by Lord Edgcumbe in 1781. The building was erected over the former Market Hall, with the upstairs intended for an Assembly Room and Concert Hall. However, became the Grammar Schoolroom instead. The Corporation paid twenty pounds per year, which enabled it to nominate six local boys to be educated free. The Grammar School closed in 1842, but schooling on the premises continued with a Writing or Commercial School until the end of the 19th century. It has had many uses since, including balls, concerts and meetings. Soup kitchens were run from the building in 1898-1899 and again during the Depression in the 1920s-1930s. Before the town had a cinema, silent movies were shown in the upstairs room and school children were taught the art of butter-making. The Sherwood Foresters were billeted there during the First World War and the Town Band later used the building for their practice room. The forecourt was used as a garage for repairs, car hire and petrol sales for over 20 years until the Second World War when it was used to billet US soldiers. After many years of neglect and disrepair, a redevelopment scheme provided sixteen flats for local senior citizens. This development retained the old facade and opened on 15th September 1981. Photographer: Charles Woolf
Royal Cornwall Museum is the UK's Greatest Museum For Cornish Life & Culture
TRURI : LOStn.16
Media ID 18842317
© RIC, photographer Charles Woolf
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The Old Grammar School - A Testament to History and Resilience
EDITORS COMMENTS
. This print captures the front elevation of The Old Grammar School in Lostwithiel, Cornwall on a somber April day in 1965. The image reveals the unfortunate state of neglect that had befallen this once grand building. Standing proudly on Queen Street, its dilapidated condition tells a story of forgotten glory. The granite facade showcases the Coat of Arms belonging to Viscount Mount Edgcumbe and Valletort, serving as a reminder of its prestigious past. Lord Edgcumbe himself commissioned the construction of this remarkable structure back in 1781. Originally designed as an Assembly Room and Concert Hall above the bustling Market Hall, fate intervened and it became a Grammar Schoolroom instead. Although the Grammar School closed its doors in 1842, education continued within these walls with various schools operating until the late 19th century. Over time, this versatile building witnessed numerous transformations - from hosting balls and concerts to becoming a soup kitchen during times of hardship. During World War I, it sheltered brave Sherwood Foresters soldiers while later serving as a practice room for the Town Band. Silent movies entertained local children upstairs before they were taught butter-making skills. In more recent years, neglect took hold until redevelopment breathed new life into this historic gem. Today, thanks to a thoughtful redevelopment scheme implemented in 1981, sixteen flats now provide comfortable homes for senior citizens while preserving the cherished old facade that has stood witness to centuries worth of memories. Through all its trials and tribulations over generations gone by, The Old Grammar School remains an enduring symbol of history's resilience against time's relentless march forward.
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