Dilhorne - Church and Grammar School: sepia drawing

Description:Dillhorne (sic) Church and Grammar School, Staffordshire.' West view showing the Grammar School as a small building in the Tudor style. Of the church, little but the octagonal tower is seen.'J. Buckler.'

Mr John Williams has kindly provided some additional information about the Grammar School:

'From Stebbing Shaw's History of Staffordshire it states...

DILHORNE Free Grammar School
Report and date 13th rep,p362 MS676 date 1825
Foundation Deed of Rev. J Whiteacres and others 24 Hen VIII
Governors to the Earl of Huntingdon with right of viewing the Master
Instruction prescribed - Science of Grammar
Freedom - Youth in Dilhorn
Income £261-1shilling rent

State- The School has fallen into decay as a Grammar School and by desire of the inhabitants expressed at a meeting in 1814, instruction given in English reading, writing and arithmetic. 55 children taught these branches by an Usher, who receives £42 a year.
( The Usher lived in what were known as the Old Grammar School House opposite the Holly Bush Inn, Dilhorne).
The Master resides a mile from the School ( Blythe Bridge...what became Blythe House ) and only attends occasionally, but expresses his readiness to give classical education to any children of Parishioners for whom it may be required.

The Huntingdon papers were destroyed by fire in 1800.

The old school in Dilhorne, by the Church was demolished in 1830 and a new one built on the same site. This was demolished in 1873 when the present school was built under the Endowed Schools Act.
The Master's House in Blythe Bridge, where the male children of gentlemen were educated, went into Chancery and was sold to Charles Harvey the Banker in 1853. He built the large tower and extended the house. After the scandalous failure of his Bank, it was sold in 1866. It was demolished in 1939.
In c1847 the Master of the Free Grammar School built a new school in Blythe Marsh, with a house for the Master. The School Room could hold 70-80 persons and was licenced by Bishop Butler for Divine services.'