1874-75; extended 1894-95 · 67 Gala Park · Category C listed, LB50688
John Starforth's finely detailed 1874-75 schoolhouse forms an important surviving pair with Burgh Primary School.
Last reviewed: 17 July 2026
Quick Facts
| Date | 1874-75; extended 1894-95 |
|---|---|
| Location | 67 Gala Park |
| Building or site type | Former schoolhouse |
| Designation | Category C listed, LB50688 |
| Architect or maker | John Starforth; extension by J. and J. Hall |
| Current use | Private residence |
| Public access | Exterior only; private property |
Why It Matters
The schoolhouse records the status and responsibilities of the Victorian head teacher while completing the architectural setting of the adjacent burgh school. Its unusually good interior and exterior joinery strengthens the case for treating educational buildings as a group.
The Story
The house was built in 1874-75 with the neighbouring Burgh Primary School. Placing the head teacher's residence beside the school reflected the close connection between professional authority, supervision and the daily life of the institution.
Starforth gave the two-storey house an asymmetrical Gothic composition with advanced gables, pointed openings and overhanging half-hipped roofs. Whinstone walls, sandstone dressings and carefully designed timber windows create a level of finish appropriate to the public complex.
J. and J. Hall extended the rear in 1894-95. HES notes that the later work was matched so carefully that the two phases are difficult to distinguish, a useful example of sensitive Victorian enlargement rather than abrupt contrast.
The interior reportedly retains an etched-glass screen, panelled doors, cast-iron stair balusters and detailed windows. Sold by the council to the resident headmaster in 1970, the house later became an independent private home while retaining its visual relationship with the school.
Things to Notice
- The paired advanced gables
- Pointed-arched door and ground-floor openings
- Decorative bargeboards and overhanging eaves
- Traditional sash windows and cast-iron rainwater goods
- The shared boundary and visual dialogue with Burgh Primary School
Timeline
- 1874-75 – schoolhouse and Burgh school are built
- 1894-95 – J. and J. Hall add a rear extension
- 1970 – the council sells the house to the resident headmaster
- 2006 – the building is added to the statutory list
- Today – it remains a private house within the educational group
Significance Scores
| Criterion | Score | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural interest | 4 / 5 | John Starforth’s Gothic composition, detailed joinery and carefully matched later extension are notably accomplished. |
| Historical importance | 4 / 5 | Built with the burgh school, it records the organisation and professional status of Victorian public education. |
| Social significance | 4 / 5 | The residence reflects the close relationship between a head teacher’s household and the school community. |
| Rarity | 4 / 5 | Its unusually complete exterior and recorded interior fittings give it strong rarity as a schoolhouse. |
| Townscape or landscape contribution | 4 / 5 | The house, boundaries and neighbouring school form a coherent and prominent educational group. |
Scores follow the Heritage Directory’s published methodology. They are interpretive judgements, not statutory designations.
Notes and Uncertainties
This is a private residence and no public access is implied. Interior information comes from the 2006 HES survey and may not describe every later alteration.
Image and Licence Notes
The principal photograph by Victuallers is reused from Wikimedia Commons under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. No exposure or structural alteration has been made to the source image; a well-exposed original was selected instead.