Heritage Merit
The Heritage Merit is due to two factors.The first is the schools connection with Wilderspin and the second is the architectural style of the building.
The Wilderspin connection
The importance of Wilderspin’s contribution to early Victorian education is virtually unknown in this country, although he is more widely acclaimed abroad. The school is unique in that it was designed in conjunction with Wilderspin, and for the fact that he taught there from 1844 until his retirement four years later. Although this may not seem along time to spend in one place, in the context of Wilderspin’s career it is the longest time he spent in any one school. Most of his life was spent promoting his views on education throughout the British Isles and he rarely spent more than six weeks in any individual school.
Architectural context
The school is one a number of fine Victorian public buildings in Barton. The school building is in Tudor revival style, built in red brick with stone dressings and a Welsh slate roof.
A detailed description of the building can be found in Appendix 1.