Gorse Hill Primary School
Location/Address
Burleigh Road, Stretford M32 0PF
Type
Description
A primary school comprising a tall single-storey range of 24 bays, with contiguous 7-bay blocks at each end
Dating to 1905, this asset provides a fine example of an Edwardian primary school. The fabric of the main range comprises stretcher bond in red brick with a string course of pale-coloured stone at windowsill level, a dentillated course of brickwork immediately beneath the eaves, and a hipped slate roof. Four sections of the facade contain pediments, with those at each end of the building being 2 bays and the two adjacent sections in the centre each being four bays, with a blocked bulls-eye window with stone detailing set into the pediment. The 7-bay blocks at each end of the main range are of a lower height, but are similarly composed of red brick laid in stretcher bond, a continuation of the string course of stone at windowsill level, a dentillated course of brickwork immediately beneath the eaves, and a hipped slate roof. The main facade has well-considered proportions, and overlooks the western side of Burleigh Street. A range of contiguous buildings to the rear comprise two L-shaped buildings either side of a rectangular-shaped range. The building materials used are the same of those employed in the front range. The school was designed by Alfred Ernest Woodhouse (Manchester City News, 14 January 1905), who was the architect behind many of the Council schools for Stretford Education Authority. The footprint of the school buildings shown on early 20th-century mapping persists today, together with a modern, detached, square-shaped block.
Statement of Significance
Age
The school opened on 7 January 1905. Initially, it served purely as a junior school, although an adjacent infant school opened in 1911. The school dates from the initial phase of the large-scale development of Gorse Hill as a residential suburb.Architectural and Artistic Interest
The school retains much of its historic character, and provides a fine example of an Edwardian school. It is also a good example of an educational institution designed by Alfred Ernest Woodhouse, who became the architect for many of the Council schools for Stretford Education Authority.Group Value
The school has a group value with the Wesleyan Church on Wesley Street / Chester Road, and other Edwardian schools in Stretford that were designed by Alfred Ernest Woodhouse.
Date Listed
16 May 2023
Last Updated
28 Dec 2021
Find Out More
Find out more about this Asset in Greater Manchester Local Heritage List:
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/greater-manchester/asset/6226
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/greater-manchester/asset/6226