Former National School at St Dennis

Location/Address

The Old School, Fore Street, St Dennis

Type

Building

Roofed and walled permanent structures.

Description

National School built c1840 at Trelavour hamlet, recorded as further extended c1880, OS 1st and 2nd Edition of the 1:2500 1880 and 1907 maps Becoming an Infant School after 1907, on construction of County Primary School at Hall Road to the north. (HER No.139372). Now run as a training, work and community centre by the not-for-profit organisation, ClayTAWC. http://claytawc.co.uk/ Their website highlights the history and present community importance of the building as follows... The building has been an integral part of the Clay County since its construction. The Infant school closed its doors in July 1996, after educating so many generations of pupils and preparing them for the outside world. The village school was considered a focal point of the community, as it still is today, a place where the community could come together, socialize and be educated. The twentieth century provided mixed fortunes for the old school, two world wars bought tragedy and sadness, with influenza and scarlet fever bringing despair. However there were many happy times too, including school treats (like the Summercourt fair), a visit from the Circus in 1904 and the seasonal community activities of Christmas and Easter. In January of 2000, work commenced on the old school building, turning it from a beloved infants School to a new Training and Work Centre for local people of the Clay Area, who may have needed some support with further education to seek new jobs. In 2013, ClayTAWC received funding to retrofit the building to improve the energy efficiency so the money saved could be ploughed right back into the community. In 2021 ClayTAWC is still serving as a vital community space, expanding from its educational roots to now providing skills workshops, social activities, children’s workshops and so much more! The building was nominated for inclusion in the CLHL as the result of community consultation.

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Statement of Significance

Asset type

School

Age

c1840

Group Value

One of a large group of Victorian schools within and beyond Cornwall, resulting from the founding in 1811 of the "National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church in England and Wales".

Historic Interest

A building at the centre of the lives of local people for 180 years; there will be many individual and collective memories and stories associated with it.

Images and Documents

Date Listed

n/a