1 RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY

Name of school Photo reference Wickmere Provided Elementary WICK1-28 Grid Reference TG16823263 Is the building listed? No School Address The Old School House, Wickmere NR11

Photograph Photograph

General view of school and school house General view form south from north

Document references

Building plans in NRO -

Building plans in - other Sale particulars in - NRO Sale particulars in - other Log books in NRO C/ED 2/105,106 1884-1960

Log books in school -

Photographs in NRO Other docs in NRO C/ED 143/76; Man Mins C/ED 5/24 1903-1955 and C/ED 129/860; Acc 2009/304 p.445 Photographs in other Other doc.sources

Directory entry White’s Directory 1883 p.790 A Board School is now (1920s or nearest date) building for Wickmere, Wolterton and Calthorpe. Kelly’s Directory 1925 p.561 Public elementary (mixed) for 2 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY the united district of Wickmere, Calthorpe and Wolterton, built in 1884 for 90 children; master Charles Simmonst; Rev W Hilyard correspondent NCC Ed.Com. Development Plan 1947 p.113 44 children 5-14 Closure 1952/3 Date of construction 1884

Architects (if known) -

Position within parish South edge of parish, away from centre of village; close to . Open elevated site. Catchment area in 1940s Wickmere, Wolterton, pt Calthorpe

Plan – describe or include scan

NRO Acc 2009/304 p.445 3 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY

1951 plan In 1950s the two classrooms were 612 sq ft and 256 sq ft(infants)

How many storeys (School) one story (house 2 storey)

How many rooms Originally two plus cloakrooms

Present use Private house

Name of present owner Mr and Mrs P Withers

Condition (1 =derelict – 5 = good) 4

Is there a teacher’s house Yes integral associated with school? Give some idea of date, size and style

Building Features 4 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY Windows: number, position, size, no of lights, style (sash, leaded, etc)

WICK5

WICK7 Relieving arch 3 brick courses

Chimneys: number, style

Three tall decorative

WICK9 Ventilators: number, position See grille below. Two roof ventilators in the schoolroom now closed off. Bell tower may also have acted as ventilator. Arrow slit type on gable end Doors: number, position, inscription over (Boys – Girls) style Porches: number, position, inscription etc

5 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY Bell towers/clock and other ornamentation Fine bell tower WICK8

Bell cord came through ceiling of main schoolroom

Overall style Gothic/ecclesiastical (pointed windows and Mixed styles doors Classical/Georgian (triangular pediments, sash windows) Tudor/flat headed windows with drip Three tall fine chimneys, at least one rebuilt moulding, ornate chimneys to same style Plain and functional with no ornamentation

Inscriptions, coats of arms etc

WICK22

Building materials Roof-note decorative features (coloured Dog-tooth denticulated cornice under and fancy tiles eaves; tiles Walls-note decorative work (flint work, Red brick-chequer work brick panel on diaper bricks etc) gable end around ventilator

For architectural terminology, see the glossary in Pevsner

Internal (room by room) materials and features such as: Panelled walls Original in schoolroom, old infants room and passages Fire places/heating appliances Two original fireplaces in schoolrooms, both dated 1884 see WICK20-22.

6 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY Plaster/modern ceilings, open to roof Open to roof [no plans at present to alter)

WICK17 Original cupboards x

Room divisions/folding doors Dividing partition removed

Permanent art work Initials in external bricks ‘RM 1934’ etc

Floors: original floorboards in schoolrooms and tiles in hall

WICK16 Ventilator grille on window sill in kitchen (formerly infants room)

Building sequence 7 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY

Built 1884; 1949-50 major work to house as new teacher wanted 3 rd bedroom (£50) WICK28. Bathroom moved downstairs; improved playground surface Ap 1951 (see WICK27); improvements to floors and lavatories; and work in house 1954 Feb (£102). Development plan ‘to be closed 1952/3’ but 1954 still open, No more work was to be undertaken. (Well was already at maximum depth, 4’6” but would have to wait for water supply in due course) Closed 20 December 1960; remained largely unchanged for c40 years by the Misses Bradshaw; new owners restoring sympathetically retaining old features or replacing (eg coat peg numbers -up to 90; new bell to be found for tower). Old infants room now the kitchen. A later extension with corrugated iron roof was at side.

Playground Size (approx)

Type (tarmac enclosure, field – nature Old tarmac and grass play area. Garden now garden, climbing frames, games painted on ground Playing field (6000 sq yds) lent by trustees of Boundary –original brick, iron fencing etc. Wolterton estate for football & netball (1933) Buildings – out houses, mobiles, ‘offices’ Toilet block at rear see WICK13-15 inc ventilated eaves. Latrines were converted from Vault type to Bucket system in Apr 1948

WICK15

Include here any additional material (scans of sketch plans, old photographs, oral evidence, etc, précis of school history

The school was opened December 1884 by certified teacher Amelia Hammond with 48 scholars in the morning and 1 more in afternoon. ‘Many of the children have attended no school for some time and several although over 7 years have never attended any school.’ 1894 average attendance was 48. By 1913 the well was frequently out of use and all water had to be carted from the Saracens Head PH. The Earl of Orford, who lived a few metres away in Wolterton Hall, was a regular visitor and in 1917 he and Lord Northcliffe went to see the children. Some ‘old soldiers’ also called in that year. The average attendance was 54.2. The Earl gave snow boots to many 8 NORFOLK RURAL SCHOOLS SURVEY of the children in January 1926. In November 1927 the boys played football against School in Wolterton Park but lost 8.1. From 1949 his heir Lord Walpole and his wife preside over the managers’ meetings. Very few meetings had been held 1915-1920 and none 1933-36 and 1938-45. Mrs Simmonds, the head resigned in April 1926 after long term illness. Mrs Hewitt replaced her. Miss Grace Bristow came as head in 1928 but she was frequently ill, with a nervous breakdown causing an absence of over a month; Miss Clarissa Burgess taught the infants from 1927. The Rev Hildyard was a weekly supportive visitor. Miss R G Leeder was appointed head in April 1929 (the other candidate being a Wesleyan). Miss V Baker left April 30 1949 after 15 years; Miss Millicent Gidlow asked for house improvements and moved in 1950. She resigned in April 1960. A.E Chapman was in charge for the last term, starting in September with 15 juniors. Miss Peckham (now of Itteringham,100) taught the 12 infants here. The managers wanted the school to remain open and be enlarged ‘to supply needs of and Calthorpe’ but new sites were being discussed. 1954 Numbers on books was 49 (13 seniors). On closure, the plan was for seniors to attend proposed Aylsham sec modern; juniors and infants to proposed Primary to serve Wickmere and Erpingham. However the surviving log book ends Dec 1960 with ‘after the holidays [the children] will be attending Aldborough.’ A presentation was made to Miss Peckham the infant teacher on 13 December.

When sanding the floorboards in the infants room, masses of tiny leads flew up from crevices. Old coatpegs and numbers (90) still there.

Date of survey November 2010

Name(s) of surveyor(s) Maggie Vaughan-Lewis