PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The Plympton St Mary National School was established in 1844 in the Poor House at Ridgeway, on the north-eastern corner of what is now George Lane. It admitted both boys and girls. Over the next twenty years the number of pupils grew and the premises soon became too small and inconvenient. Under the leadership of the vicar of St Mary's, the Reverend E G Hunt, a group of ladies and gentlemen of the parish began to seek a site and raise subscirptions towards a new school building. Work began on the erection of the new building in Market Road, near the Church, in 1864. It was officially opened by the Eral of Morley on Thursday April 5th 1866. Among the large numebr of guests who atytended the ceremony were the vicar of Plympton St Mary's, the Reverend E G Hunt;Mr G Soltau Symons; Major Strode; Mr W H Evans and Mr H Trevy. At Midday the school children gathered at the old building in Ridgeway and marched off, headed by a brass band. They paraded around the parish of St Mary's for nearly three hours, while the bells of the church rang out continuously. At 3pm they arrived at the new school, where they were joined by the guests named earlier. They all then enetered St Mary's Church for Divine Service. The site of about ¾ of an acre was given by the Earl of Morley, although whether he gave it freely is unclear as it was reputed to have cost £1,000. The building was designed in the Gothic style by Mr H Elliott of 5 Princess Street, Plymouth, and constructed by Mr B wyatt, of Holbeton, with the assistance of Mr J S Radcliffe, of Yealmpton. It consisted of a school-room, 65 feet by 20 feet and one class-room of 16 feet by 20 feet, to which was joined the teacher's residence. The school-room was fitted with patent Windsor desks. The walls were of limestone, hammer-dressed on the face, and built and pointed with blue lias mortar. The window frames were of Bath stone with arches of lighter-coloured Lee Moor bricks. Spacious playgrounds were connected to the main building by means of covered lobbies, which were fitted for reception of the children's caps and bonnets. In order to sabve expense, the original plan to have a bell-turret was droppped. After the service the children and guests moved off to the School, where after the Earl of Morley had declared it "open", they all partook of tea and cakes. This is now known as Plympton St Mary Church of England Primary School.
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