Building Name

Moravian Day and Sunday School, Dukinfield

Date
1853
District/Town
Dukinfield, Tameside
County/Country
GMCA, England
Architect
Work
New Build
Contractor
Heaton and Hollas

OPENING OF THE MORAVIAN DAY AND SUNDAY SCHOOL, DUKINFIELD. A tea party took place yesterday week in the New Schools, Dukinfield, for the purpose of celebrating the opening of the schools ... The building is built in the late Perpendicular style. The interior arrangement is simple, there being two rooms, each 54 feet by 18 feet, for boys and girls respectively, divided by a row of chamfered wooden pillars; and an infants’ school 38 feet by 18 feet, placed transversely at the upper end, opening into the boys’ and girls’ school, and lighted at the ends by large mullioned and transomed windows. The openings between the pillars dividing the schools are fitted with movable shutters, so that the whole area may be thrown open, as was done on this occasion, the shutters forming excellent tables. The roofs are open-timbered, with arched principals, and the whole of the interior woodwork is stained in imitation of old oak, and varnished. In the rear of the school is a large classroom, with cellars for heating apparatus under a commodious house for the master which faces the new road. The principal or front entrance of the school is in the old road, and consists of two high pitched gables, with mullioned, transomed and traceried windows. Over these, high in the peaks and set on a moulded string, with carved bosses at the ends, are square cuspidated panels enclosing shields and finished with hood moulds, having lozenge shaped returns. On one side of the front is a gabled porch to the boys= entrance, with a segmental pointed arched doorway, and quatrefoil window over. On the other side is a clock and bell turret, 50 feet high, with very high pitched gabled stone roof, worked in stages, and surmounted by a floriated cross. The belfry windows in the gables of the turret are arched and cinquefoiled. Those on the sides are square and filled with tracery; and over these in the slope of the roof are small open foliated dormers. The staircase is enclosed on one side of the turret, boldly weathered in stages. In the line of front adjoining the turret is the arched and battlemented entrance to the girls’ and infants’ playground, into which open the entrance porches to the respective schools. Mr Eaton of Ashton is the architect, and Messrs Heaton and Hollas of Ashton are the contractors. The sub-contractors were Mr Burton, joiner of Ashton; Mr Jeffreys, plasterer, Dukinfield; Mr Breen and Mr Briggs of Stalybridge, the plumbing and slating work; and Mr Shepherd, painter of Ashton. .... The school is to be conducted by two pupil teachers, and no particular creed will be taught in the day schools, which will be subject to the government inspector of schools; but the Sunday School will be under the control of the Moravian church. [Manchester Guardian 6 April 1853 page 7]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 6 April 1853 page 7 - opening