Ruthin Grammar School (Architectural Competition)

COMPETITION DESIGN FOR RUTHIN GRAMMAR SCHOOL. This design for the Ruthin Grammar School, North Wales, was one of the “placed ” designs in a recent competition. The architects are Mr. T. Lewis Banks and Mr. T. Locke Worthington, of 23, Queen Anne’s-gate, Westminster, S.W. The proposed buildings include a headmaster’s residence, with accommodation for forty boarders, and eighty day scholars; class-rooms, laboratory for instruction in chemistry, swimming- bath, laundry, and the usual accessories of a first-grade school. The central school entrance gives admission to the ante-hall, to the right and left of which are respectively the dining-room and schoolroom. Communication with the playground is obtained in the rear by two separate doors, and separate cloakrooms and lavatories are provided for the day scholars and boarders. An extra entrance from the quadrangle is provided for the swimming-bath and chemical laboratory; one also to be used by the sick-nurse, adjoining the isolation staircase. The headmaster’s house is placed at the corner adjoining the main road on the Ruthin  side. The chemistry-room is placed away from the main block, with an isolation corridor. The bath is accessible from the quadrangle or the main building. The dormitories are arranged with wide corridors. Two on the right hand of the staircase have cubicles, containing a wash hand stand and dressing-table. A bathroom and night w.c. are provided for each dormitory. The third dormitory, having no cubicles, has a lavatory provided, and is intended for the younger boys. The master’s rooms are placed so as to supervise the dormitories. The sick-room, convalescent-room, and nurses’ room are situated at the extreme end of the wing. They are isolated by cross ventilation and a closed door. A separate staircase is provided. The arrangement of the buildings on the site, and the proposed position of the cricket-ground, &c., are shown by a plan in the corner of the view. T. L. W. [Builder 12 January 1889 page 31]

Reference            Builder 12 January 1889 page 31

Main building opened 1893 Architect John Douglas