ABSTRACT

Britain has a rich heritage of school buildings dating from the later Middle Ages to the present day. While some of these schools have attracted the attention of architectural historians, they have not previously been considered from the educational viewpoint. Even schools of little or no architectural interest are important sociologically, since the changing architecture of schools reflects changing ideas about how children should be educated and organized for teaching purposes. Documentary material relating to education is often fragmentary, and buildings may thus constitute the only real source of knowledge about the development of particular schools and can also throw light on general educational history. Originally published in 1971, this book is, therefore, not only a major contribution to architectural history but also a study in the development of educational ideas and practices from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century.

chapter One|11 pages

The legacy of the Middle Ages

chapter Two|21 pages

The new schools of the sixteenth century

chapter Three|12 pages

Town and village schools 1600-60

chapter Four|17 pages

The changing grammar school 1600–60

chapter Five|17 pages

Schools of the Restoration period 1660–1700

chapter Seven|28 pages

Schools for the poor in the eighteenth century

chapter Eight|32 pages

The building of elementary schools 1800–40

chapter Eleven|40 pages

Middle-class schools 1840–70

chapter Twelve|4 pages

Conclusion