Rhuallt Administrative Education Centre (Former Rhuallt Village School)

Cadw's description

Location

At south side of Holywell Road in the village of Rhuallt. Iron railings around playground, set at front on a low wall with gates between stone piers.

History

Rhuallt village school, built as indicated on the front elevation, in 1915. The two large classroom windows at the front are an early instance of the use of steel casements; this innovative construction is confined to the north-facing front elevation.

The school was enlarged by the addition of a link and an east block probably in the 1920s.

Exterior

A village school in a slightly vitrified multi-coloured brown brick, with bullnosed arrisses; bold hipped tiled roof and small decorative finials at the apex of each hip. Tall chimney at right with ribbed faces and a stone cornice. A lateral chimney at the rear has been reduced to below the eaves.

At front the school has two large five-light classroom windows in steel. The small porch windows at each end are in timber. The flat-roofed dormer serves two classrooms, and consists of two ranges of four tilting lights with a central panel giving the school name and date. An original porch remains at right with two original timber windows and a replaced modern door. At left the porch has been converted to a link to the additional classroom. At rear there are four original timber windows with segmental heads and a truncated chimney.

The later hip-roofed, brick and tile east addition imitates the style of the original block; this also has a large steel window in its north elevation to the road. Another flat-roofed early wing extends to the south.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of an early C20 educational building, well-illustrating contemporary best-practice in small rural school building, with its clearly articulated plan, well-lit class rooms and well-mannered scale and detail.