Sevington School, Grittleton
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Sevington School opened in 1849 with 22 pupils. The building of the school and its associated teacher's house was financed by Joseph Neeld who had been lord of the manor of Grittleton since 1828 and MP for Chippenham since 1830.
The school buildings were constructed partly from materials salvaged from two demolished cottages nearby, but most notably from sections of the former church of St. Margaret at Leigh Delamere. A new church had replaced this - again financed by Joseph Neeld - in 1846. The new school incorporated the chancel, bell-turret, stone reredos and some arches from the old church, whose 14th century chancel arch too was now used as part of the school porch.
According to HM Inspector William Warburton's report on Wiltshire schools in 1859, the school at Sevington served both that hamlet and Leigh Delamere. Its 15 to 20 pupils were taught by one mistress. The Rev. Warburton described the school and teacher's house as 'very picturesque'.
Logbooks from the school do not survive and only limited records remain. However, it is known that Miss Elisabeth Squire took up the post of schoolmistress in approximately 1856 and remained there until its closure in 1913, when the three remaining pupils were transferred to Grittleton Church of England School. It is known that Miss Squire died at the age of 86 in 1928. Her grave lies in Leigh Delamere churchyard.
The school buildings were constructed partly from materials salvaged from two demolished cottages nearby, but most notably from sections of the former church of St. Margaret at Leigh Delamere. A new church had replaced this - again financed by Joseph Neeld - in 1846. The new school incorporated the chancel, bell-turret, stone reredos and some arches from the old church, whose 14th century chancel arch too was now used as part of the school porch.
According to HM Inspector William Warburton's report on Wiltshire schools in 1859, the school at Sevington served both that hamlet and Leigh Delamere. Its 15 to 20 pupils were taught by one mistress. The Rev. Warburton described the school and teacher's house as 'very picturesque'.
Logbooks from the school do not survive and only limited records remain. However, it is known that Miss Elisabeth Squire took up the post of schoolmistress in approximately 1856 and remained there until its closure in 1913, when the three remaining pupils were transferred to Grittleton Church of England School. It is known that Miss Squire died at the age of 86 in 1928. Her grave lies in Leigh Delamere churchyard.
Sevington school took on a new lease of life when, in 1986, local teachers became aware that many original features of the 19th century school remained, including the desks and stove, and that books used by its pupils many years ago were still to be found in the cupboards. A registered charity was established to manage the school as an education resource which would enable modern-day schoolchildren to gain some experience of the learning and life of a Victorian pupil. The school reopened for this purpose in 1991 and today 21st century children walk on the wooden parquet flooring noted in the Inspector's report of 1859.