Wilderspin National School (formerly Queen Street School)

Queen Street SchoolThe Wilderspin National School (Queen Street School) is one of the most important schools surviving in England. built in 1844, it is unique because of its association with the educational pioneer, Samuel Wilderspin, one of the best known educators of the 1830s and 1840s, a pivotal period in the history of educational and the development of school buildings.

Wilderspin had a profound impact on educational practice and on the design and furnishing of school buildings and grounds. He helped design and equip Queen Street School in Barton and used it as a model school and a base for promoting enlightened infant education throughout Britain.

Queen Street SchoolWilderspin set up infant schools throughout the British Isles. His influence, however, spread far beyond Britain, to the continent and to North America. The School is the only purpose-built Wilderspin school, where he taught for a significant period and which is the only example in the UK on a purpose-built Wilderspin school surviving intact. It has now been restored as a heritage centre

The School was closed in 1978 and, in 1993, the Queen Street School Preservation Trust was set up to save the building. The Trust is managing the current restoration project with funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire Forward and English Heritage as part of the South Humber Bank Heritage Tourism Project co-ordinated by North Lincolnshire Council.

Restoration is complete and the building is now open.

The opening times are :

Thursday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Sunday 11am to 4pm (with Scholars Coffee Shop opening from 10.30am)
School bookings available Mondays - Thursdays.

for more details Tel 01652 635172.

or visit the Wilderspin School website.

Queen Street
Barton upon Humber
North Lincolnshire
DN18 5QP

The refershment area.It is now known as The Wilderspin National School to celebrate its unique connection with the Victorian infant education pioneer Samuel Wilderspin and the National Schools movement.

There are seven main areas to the school.  There is a reception area with a shop.  This area was originally the girls classroom.  From here you can see the original main entrance and to the left of that is the Uppleby Room, which contains an interactive area.  Through the door from here is the Wilderspin Room.  This was opened in 1845 for 2 to 6 year olds and was the infants area of the school.  Wilderspin stayed at this school for 4 years and the original gallery has been replicated and stands against the far wall.  To the side of the gallery is a door leading out to the playground, and in the playground is a privy and the school cloakroom.  Returning back through the Wilderspin Room and the Uppleby Room, opposite is the Victorian school classroom and leading from here is the Ward room and the refreshment area.  This was originally the boys classroom until in 1954 all three departments merged.

The school is now used as a heritage, education and business resource and is part of the South Humber Collection, North Lincolnshire which links a number of heritage and green tourist attractions along the South Humber bank and won national recognition with a 2007 British Urban Regeneration Award.  For more details visit www.south-humber-collection.org.
What a Difference!
Queen Street School 2005 Wilderspin School today
The school looking run-down in 2005 The school after preservation
Classroom pre-renovation Classroom after renovation
One of the old classrooms before restoration began (Uppleby Room). The same classroom (facing the opposite direction) after restoration.
Reception area pre-renovation Reception area now.
The reception area before restoration began. The reception area now.
A classroom before restoration. A classroom after restoration.
 The Victorian classroom before restoration.  The same classroom after restoration.
The (old) front door before restoration. The (old) front door after restoration.
The (old) front door before restoration. The (old) front door after restoration.

 

More pictures
The shop area now offering much more than before. The shop area now offering much more than before.
The cafe offering more space and a relaxed atmosphere. The cafe offering more space and a relaxed atmosphere.
A Christmas feel to the school classroom. A Christmas feel to the school classroom.
The Wilderspin room, again with a Christmas feel. The Wilderspin room, again with a Christmas feel.


For more information, contact Ian Wolseley, Development Officer, 01652 632928.
 

Click here to view Newport the link between 51 Fleetgate and the Wilderspin National School.

For more detailed history of Barton upon Humber visit www.inbarton.co.uk

Copyright 2012 Barton upon Humber Civic Society and www.inbarton.co.uk.
All images and material in the following pages are the property of the above and may not be reproduced without prior written permission.