St. Margaret's Schools. Bury Old Road Prestwich

Tenders for the schools were returned on 26 July 1859 and the foundation stone laid on 20 August 1859 by the Rev. H M Birch, MA, Rector of Prestwich, on a site given by the second Earl of Wilton. The architects were again Travis and Mangnall, who had been responsible for the design of St. Margaret's Church. The school building was completed in 1860. Originally it consisted of one large room 70 feet by 26 feet, divided by a wooden partition, with two projecting porches. On the wall between the porches and facing the main road the following inscription is cut in large old English letters:  St. Margaret's Church Sunday School Erected by Parishioners and Friends to the Memory of Mary Margaret, Countess of Wilton A.D. MDCCCLIX.

THE LATE COUNTESS OF WILTON MEMORIAL SCHOOLS - On Saturday afternoon the corner stone of a school to be in connection with St Margaret’s Church, Prestwich, was laid on a plot of ground between Rooden Lane and the boundary wall of Heaton Park, the school intended to be in the memory of the late Countess of Wilton, who took deep interest in all matters relating to the parish of Prestwich, and especially to the education of the young. ....  Messrs Travis and Mangnall, architects, Manchester had been desired to furnish plans for the school; and the original estimate of the cost upon the plans submitted being £750, it had been decided to have alterations so as to reduce the amount to £550. ..... The school building will be of one storey in the Decorated English style, with three gablets and two porches to the front; the roof having a high pitch. There will be two rooms, each 35 feet by 25 feet, and capable of accommodating 150 children. [Manchester Guardian 22 August 1859 page 2]

The final cost of the building totalled £605 13s 4d, including architects fees (Travis and Mangnall) £29 14s 9d.

In 1869 a small classroom at the back of the big room was added at a cost of £77.  Another classroom, 32 feet by 27 feet (the present Infants' School together with a boiler house adjoining the small classroom, was built in 1883 at a cost of £330, a further sum of £100 being spent on heating apparatus, enlargement of the School porches, etc. The next and last addition in 1892 consisted of two Classrooms 20 feet 6 inches by 16 feet, a kitchen, 23 feet by 17 feet, Cloakrooms, Cellars and Offices and cost £1,275. The Classroom built in 1869 was then pulled down. The school yards were enlarged, the land for the purpose being given by the Earl of Wilton; the Boys' Yard to 408 square yards, the Girls' to 301 square yards; the 186 square yards in front of the School is planted with trees and shrubs. Both yards were asphalted in 1926; half the cost was borne by the Lancashire Education Authority and half by the parishioners.

Reference    Manchester Guardian, Saturday 16 July 1859, Page 2 - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 22 August 1859 page 2 - foundation stone