Building record 669/2 - Old Schoolhouse

Old Schoolhouse, School Lane. Now craft shop and meeting room. Built 1600 for Sir John Deane. Small brown brick with red sandstone dressings, stone-slate roof and oak-framed end-gables (1). Full architectural description (1) and (2).

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /6/97 (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /22/12/3 1964 (Report). SCH2744.

<3> Peter de Figueiredo (Independent Consultant), The Old School Room, Great Budworth: Heritage Impact Assessment (Client Report). SCH5266.

Around 1600 the Old schoolroom was erected to the north east of the church, fronting what became School Lane, but located wholly within the Churchyard. It has been suggested that it was built at the expense of Sir John Deane, but this is an incorrect interpretation fo his endowment of a separate school in Witton.

A rare example of an early 17th century country village school surviving in its original form. It is especially siginficant by its location within a churchyard. The building has played an important role ibn the life of Great Budworth community, first as a school, then as a reading room, and for activities connected with the church and village.