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Summary

Description

Dated 1866. Single storey and attic 5-bay L-plan former Schoolhouse and School, cottage orné. Predominantly squared and snecked tooled sandstone (The Old School House painted). Overhanging eaves, chamfered openings. Unusual diagonal pattern leaded lattice glazing to N, E and S elevations.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: off-centre decorative timber piended porch with single storey advanced piended wing to left with projecting single storey and attic gable corbelled between ground and attic floors. Canted 4-light bay window to ground. To right 4-bay single storey wing with central gable containing 1866 datestone, modern door opening to right.

S ELEVATION: advanced single storey and attic gable with timber detailing at apex, slightly recessed single storey 1-bay wing to right, generously recessed low wing to left.

N ELEVATION: single storey and attic gable with timber detailing at apex, narrow low wing to right with possible original entrance to school.

Predominantly original leaded pane glazing to E, S and N elevations. Graded grey slates. Old Schoolhouse: clustered 4 can ridge stack, chimney stalk to W gable end. The Old School House: simple ridge stack and tall stack parallel to W.

INTERIOR: Old Schoolhouse - not seen (2003). The Old School House, former schoolroom, now two rooms but possibly always so. Schoolroom(s) originally open to timber roof, but now floored to form attic rooms. Good quality timber throughout, nicely detailed 4-panelled doors. Original access from Schoolroom(s) to Schoolhouse now blocked up. Small room to rear with cast iron tiled chimneypiece.

BOUNDARY WALLS: to NE, sandstone rubble wall with flat rubble coping.

ANCILLARY STRUCTURES: (The Old School House) Single storey squared and snecked tooled sandstone possible former school lavatory to NW.

Statement of Special Interest

See also notes to 18 & 19 Carriden Brae.

Built as a girls school and an important part of Admiral Sir James Hope's (1808-81) model village, Muirhouses. Constructed in the cottage orné style this group of cottages, school and library housed the workers on Carriden Estate. The grouping is very well designed and carefully executed and is particularly picturesque.

Constructed on the site of a previous school, see 1864-65 OS map. This earlier school is probably the one mentioned in the New Statistical Account as having been founded around 1636. There is an early photograph of the School in Bo'ness in Old Picture Postcards which shows that the timber decorative finials to gable ends are now missing and the ridge stack to The Old School House is a later addition. In addition, the entrance porch, now glazed in, was originally open. An entrance has been made in the East elevation for access to The Old School House, however, the original entrance to the school was at the rear.

The Old School House interior is particularly good and presumably matched that of the Old Schoolhouse. Low single storey recessed wing to South Elevation possibly original Assistant Teacher's quarters.

Part of a B-group with: The Library House, 1-8 Hope Cottages, 18 & 19 Carriden Brae, 20 Carriden Brae & Carriden Cottage.

References

Bibliography

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