Summary : The building, which now houses Shrewsbury Library, was originally constructed as Shrewsbury School. Founded in the 16th century as a new "Free" School, by Edward VI, the original school may have been in Rigg's Hall (next door). The present day building was constructed in two phases; 1595 and 1630, and further renovation work was carried out in the 19th century. One of the school's most famous pupils was Charles Darwin who attended from 1817 to 1825. In 1882 the school moved to new premises in Kingsland and a public library and museum was opened. The building was renovated in the 1980s.The building is constructed of course and squared rubble and has a main entrance range and tower. The entrance block dates to 1630 and is three storeys high with a five bay window range. The archway is decorated with the coat of arms of Charles I and there are two statues, representing Philomath and Polymath. The range to the left is earlier and dates to 1595. Nearby are other associated buildings including Riggs Hall and the old headmaster's house.The most famous pupil of Shrewsbury School (also known as Dr Samuel Butler's School) was Charles Darwin who boarded there from the age of eight until sixteen. He wrote about his time at the school in his autobiography and the school still has a number of his possessions including letters, an atlas and some medals. There is a statue of Charles Darwin outside the library building. |
More information : In an account of Shrewsbury in the time of Queen Elizabeth, Morris gives a concise account of Shrewsbury School. The three orders of Mendicant Friars, he says, had disappeared. The Benedictine Abbey and the collegiate bodies of St.Chad and St.Mary had been dissolved. The new "Free" Schools, founded by Edward VI, and endowed with a considerable portion of the estates of the two collegiate churches, had commenced in a timber-framed building occupying the site of the eastern part of the present structure, on the left of the archway. This was taken down and rebuilt in 1630. The tower, chapel and former library above were added in 1595, but the chapel was not consecrated until 1617. The upper part of the building was restored and the roof reconstructed early in the 19th century. The fittings of the chapel were removed when the school was transferred to new premises at Kingsland in 1882. (2) Drinkwater gives a transcript of the Consecration Deed of November 1, 1617. Previously, says Fletcher, scholars had attended service at St. Mary's; and since the school removed to Kingsland and the old buildings were used as Free Library and Museum, the old chapel had been converted into a Newspaper and Reading Room. For an historical account of the school, 1552-1952, see Oldham. (3) The school was founded in 1552 and the building dates to the 1590s and 1630. Pevsner suggests that before 1590 the school may have been held at Rigg's Hall [SJ 41 SE 60] and may date back to before the Reformation. The school buildings are stately in appearance on a par with Eton and Winchester. The earlier building lies at right angles to the later frontage. It is two storeys with a basement and tower and is made of ashlar. The building has a mixture of two and three-light mullioned and transomed windows. There are some 19th century alterations including the parapet and a Gothic end window. It contained the school's chapel (consecrated 1617) on the first floor and the library on the second. A second building was built in 1627-30 at right angles to the earlier one. It also has a mixture of mullioned and transomed windows. The entrance way is an elliptical arch with fluted Corinthian columns with the figures of two scholars on top of them (Philomathon and Polymathon) along with a Greek inscription. The floors are separated by geometrical patterned friezes. This later building contained the school's form-rooms. See also Country Life, Correspondence Feb.20, 1953. (4)
The Free Library is centred at SJ 4936 1280 on O.S.25" 1927 AO/60/ 246/3. (5) The building is constructed of sandstone ashlar and has mullion windows. It is still used as a library and museum. (6) Grade 1. (7)
Shrewsbury library, formerly Shrewsbury Grammar School. It was built in two phases; 1595 and 1630 and is constructed of coursed and squared rubble. The main entrance range has a tower at an angle and a gabled cross range to the right. The entrance block dates to 1630 and is three storeys. It has a five-window range with a central shallow segmental archway decorated with fluted Corinthian columns on high bases. These are topped by two male figures with inscriptions in Greek beneath and between them, and the date. There are four two-light chamfered mullioned windows each side to the ground floor, four-light mullioned and transomed windows above, and two- and three-light mullioned windows on the top storey. One of these is cut by the carved Royal Arms with lion and unicorn. The string courses have Greek motifs and each one is different. The parapet has fleur-de-lys finials. There is a decorated window in the gable end. There are very large sundials etched onto the stonework on each facade. The tower is positioned to the right, and has six unequal stages. The ground floor has a blocked door and there are two and three- lights mullioned windows on each stage. There is a clock in the upper stage. The parapet has embattlements with pinnacles. There is an earlier gabled range to the left which is dated 1595. The main room is at first-floor level and has a wide Decorated-style window. There are smaller mullioned and transomed window to the lower storey, and a date stone with the names David Lloyd and Thomas Lewis. There is a chamfered segmentally-arched doorway and a narrow window in the lowest stage. The interior of the building has cambered trusses and the main hall of the earlier block has been extensively modified. The ceiling has moulded tie beams and traceried decoration and is a 19th century addition. (8) The modern Shrewsbury Library was the site of Shrewsbury School from 1550 to 1882 and then it became the borough's public library and museum. In 1976 the buildings were deemed unsafe and were closed for extensive renovation, which earned a Civic Trust Award in 1984. The oldest part of the building dates back to around 1450 and it was altered various times around the beginning of the 17th century and during the 19th century. Famous pupils at the School included Sir Philip Sydney, Charles Darwin and Samuel Butler. The coat of arms of Charles I and two statues, representing Philomath and Polymath, decorate the area over the archway of the library. There is an inscription in Greek, from Isocrates, which reads "If you are a lover of learning, you will become learned". There are also sundials which show "Shrewsbury time" which is about 10 minutes after Greenwich time. (9)
Charles Darwin's first school was the Unitarian Church school in Shrewsbury however when his mother died when he was eight he was sent to Dr. Samuel Butler's school (Shrewsbury School) where he attended as a border until he was sixteen. The building was grand and on a par with the top schools in the country at the time such as Eton and Winchester. Darwin wrote about his time at the school in his autobiography and the school has a number of documents and objects owned by Charles Darwin. These include his old school atlas, some letters, a first edition of The Origin of Species and some medals. (10)
Founded in 1552, the present buildings were built in the 1590s and 1630s. The grammar school was at the time one of the best schools in the country and in the 1870s it was decided to move location to Kingsland. The school building became the public library and was renovated in the 1980s. (11)
National Grid Reference SJ4936812807 (centroid of the object) identified by digital ordnance survey mapping. (12) |