Description

BISHOP AUCKLAND

NZ2129NW SOUTH CHURCH ROAD
634-1/12/119 (East side)
King James I School, Lower School

GV II

Grammar school, later lower school of comprehensive school.
Founded 1604, first building on this site schoolroom and house
in 1864. Extensions 1873-4 to accommodate boarders; front
block 1897 addition of technical workshops and physical
laboratory. 1864 building by Austin of Newcastle (Brodie 1955
p.11), probably Thomas Austin.
Front block, thin courses of squared stone with ashlar plinth,
quoins and dressings, and polychrome brick rear block. Welsh
slate roofs with grey ridge tiles.
Front block: Gothic Revival style. 2 storeys, 1:2:3:2:1 bays.
Symmetrical, ends projecting under gables and centre
projecting under polygonal hipped roof. Central entrance bay
has steps up to diagonal boarded double doors and plain
overlight in double chamfered surround with Tudor arched head
under dripmould. Large carved stone above has inscription
SCHOLA REGIA AD 1605 AUCKLANDENSIS and heraldic device.
Continuous dripstring over this and moulded stone mullion and
transom windows, 3 lights in end bays and 2 in others,
recessed in panels with low relief carving in soffits of
pointed-arched roll-moulded heads. Similar lights to upper
windows, those in outer bays with relieving arches. Louvred
slits in gable peaks which have coping on moulded kneelers and
ashlar mid-slope blocks and apex, with moulded stone finial.
Small gabled louvre vents in ridges between gable and centre.
High central octagonal louvre with fleche which has swept
eaves and moulded lead covering point.
Right return one bay 1897, abutting 1864 house and schoolroom,
now classrooms. 1 storey, 3 windows. Left bay gabled to front.
Step up to boarded door with fillets between 2nd and 3rd
windows, in surround of projecting brick, with bracketed
gabled doorhood with scalloped edge. Other ground floor
windows are C19 inserted canted bays with matching brick below
windows with wood pilasters on mullions, and top cornice.
4-pane sashes to these and to windows with projecting stone
sills in gable of first bay and in gabled half-dormer to left
of door.
Red brick bands at sill level and at impost of Gothic arch
outlines, paired in first bay and single over door and other
windows. Grid patterned eaves band interrupted by upper
windows, which have red lintel bands and the left a Gothic
arch above. All roofs half hipped. Transverse ridge red brick
chimneys. Right return of this building has 2 gabled bays with
similar detail.
INTERIOR shows tongue-and-groove boarded dado, half-glazed
folding wood screens between classrooms, 4-panel doors in
architraves. Rear wing has boarded door leading from front
range, with elaborate wrought-iron hinges; other 4-panel doors
with Gothic detail, and some C19 chimney pieces. Late C20
plaque on front of building commemorates Arthur Stanley
Jefferson, (Laurel of Laurel and Hardy), a pupil 1902-1903.
(Brodie A: A Short History of King James I Grammar School,
Bishop Auckland: Bishop Auckland: 1955-).

Listing NGR: NZ2137829547

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26491105

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)