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Summary

Description

Charles Howitt with Charles Wilson, 1848. Single storey and attic former female industrial school on prominent corner site with breaking eaves nepus gable to the east elevation. Squared coursed Lewisian Gneiss rubble with some dressed margins.

KEITH STREET ELEVATION: 5 bays with large central breaking eaves gable flanked by two narrow piended roofed dormers. Regular fenestration at ground floor with lying pane glazing partially boarded (2008); timber mullioned tripartite window to centre gable; plain rectangular windows to flanking gables. Polished inscription panel above tri-partite window reading "FEMALE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, ON THIS SITE IN 1848 LADY MATHESON THE WIFE OF THE OWNER OF LEWIS OPENED A SCHOOL TO PROVIDE YOUNG LADIES WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN A RANGE OF DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS.

IT LATER PROVIDED A MORE GENERAL EDUCATION FOR YOUNG LADIES UNTIL 1906."

SCOTLAND STREET ELEVATION: roughly 5 bays with 2-bay gable end to east and three bay wing to west. Doorway to centre of 3-bay wing flanked by windows in plain surrounds. Single window to centre of gable; 2 smaller off centre windows above. Small piended roofed breaking eaves dormers to the west.

Predominantly lying pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, some partially boarded (2008). Gablehead and ridge stacks with thin slate detailing and some clay cans. Some cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative brackets, plastic rainwater goods elsewhere.

The interior was seen in 2010 and contains former schoolrooms to ground floor with some timber dado panelling to walls and large raised platforms to one end and gallery at first floor (former 'infant galleries').

Statement of Special Interest

This building occupies a prominent corner site within the grid plan of Stornoway with a large breaking eaves gable and tri-partite window making a good contribution to the streetscape. The exposed stone is representative of early 19th century building practice in Stornoway and similar to that at Lews Castle. The school was funded by Lady Mary Jane Matheson whose husband, Sir James Matheson, acquired the island of Lewis in 1844. Lady Matheson was continuing a tradition of providing education for young women on the island from the previous owner who had founded a spinning school in 1825.

The building may have been designed by Charles Howitt with Charles Wilson who were the architects for the Matheson's own home at Lews Castle (see separate listing) which was being built at the same time. Although his authorship cannot be confirmed there are similarities in some elements of the design and in the choice of Lewisian Gneiss as the building material, something which had not been done before in Stornoway.

The plan of the schoolrooms, particularly the raised platforms and first floor gallery, were possibly inspired by the educational practices of Glasgow philanthropist David Stow who wrote two influential publications on seminary education following his work in Glasgow.

List description and Statutory Address updated in 2015. Previously listed as "Keith Street Industrial Female School".

References

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