Elmslie School
Encyclopedia
Elmslie School was an independent girls' school in the English seaside resort of Blackpool
, Lancashire
from 1918–2000. The school was started in a former house called The Elms, and later expanded into other buildings on the site. The Elms has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage
.
's Board of Finance ran the school from 1948. Elmslie closed in 2000.
On 15 March 1995 English Heritage
designated The Elms a Grade II listed building.
front façade
. There are three bay
s at the front, the left-hand of which is gable
d. Both the left and right bays have small turret
s on either side of the upper windows; the left turrets are topped with pinnacle
s, the right with crenellated
caps. The central front entrance has a porch
with marble
columns. Internally, many of the building's original fittings are intact.
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
from 1918–2000. The school was started in a former house called The Elms, and later expanded into other buildings on the site. The Elms has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
History
The Elms was originally the family home of William and Sarah Powell, built in 1896 to a design by T. P. Worthington. Elmslie School was founded in 1918 by sisters Elizabeth, Polly and Peggy Brodie. The school, which occupied the former home of the Powell family, had just 11 pupils to start with; Elizabeth Brodie was the first headmistress. The Diocese of BlackburnDiocese of Blackburn
The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...
's Board of Finance ran the school from 1948. Elmslie closed in 2000.
On 15 March 1995 English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
designated The Elms a Grade II listed building.
Architecture
The Elms is a two-storey house built on an L-shaped plan, of red brick, with a sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
front façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. There are three bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
s at the front, the left-hand of which is gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d. Both the left and right bays have small turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s on either side of the upper windows; the left turrets are topped with pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s, the right with crenellated
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
caps. The central front entrance has a porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
with marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
columns. Internally, many of the building's original fittings are intact.