National School for Girls, Malmesbury

This was opened on 2nd February 1857 in the Cross Hayes to accommodate girls and infants. In 1858 there were 220 pupils and in the early 1860s the numbers ranged betwwen 200 and 300. In 1900 there were 140 girls and 100 infants and this increased in the 1920s when the infants were moved from Westport Church of England School to the Cross Hayes. Owing to an increase in numbers during the Second World War (because of evacuees) and after (because of the baby boom) classes also had to be held in other buildings in the town. It remained an elementary school until 1954 when the Secondary Modern School began and at that point the Cross Hayes school became a primary school. It closed in 1964 when a new primary school was built at Tetbury Hill. The old school now (2003) houses the town library.