1 Church Lane

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Summary:

Earliest records: 1868
Date of building: 18th century
Grade II Listed
Commoner's Rights: No

Thumbnail History:

Miss Sweeting's Preparatory School for Little Boys from 1868-c.1900. Later Toc H meeting room, Town Library, Labour Exchange, and now a private residence.

Description of property:

From Listed Building records: Meeting Room now house. 18th century. Hipped tiles roof, corbelled eaves, red brick with grey band at first floor and rendered architrave to main, West window. Rectangular plan. Two storeys. West elevation: 20th century lean-to and door to ground floor, tripartite glazing bar sash with central semi-circular head to first floor. South elevation: five semi-circular headed windows with rubbed arches and stone keys on ground floor, two glazing bar sashes and one 20th century casement on first floor.

Photo Gallery:

croft - library - 20010819a

croft - library window - 20010819a

school adverts 1871-library

LHS-141 Feb 1989

LHS-142 Feb 1989

LHS-143 Feb 1989

LHS-144 Feb 1989

- Advert for Library Cottage School, 1871.

- Library Cottage under renovation, February 1989.

- Library Cottage, August 2001.

- West window, August 2001.

Timeline:

(Many local people have thought this had been a Quakers' Meeting House. However, Fred Whitby wrote to Quaker Friends Society, Euston Road, London, who say there was no Quaker meeting house in Hungerford. Fred wondered if the Literary and Scientific Institution was here?)

Miss Sweeting's Preparatory School, 1868-c.1890:

1868 (Parish Magazine) Date that Miss Sweeting's Preparatory School started as stated in the 1871 Parish Magazine advert.

1871 (Parish Magazine) Miss Sweeting's "Preparatory Day School for Little Boys, (established upwards from 3 years), "A thoroughly sound English Education imparted with Plain & Fancy Needlework, of all descriptions" (!)

1871 There is a suggestion that the west window of the old Georgian 1786 Town Hall was re-used in building Miss Sweeting's school building in 1868. However, the old Town Hall was not demolished until he autumn of 1871, so this seems unlikely.

c.1890? Date school closed? The school is not listed in Kelly's Directories of 1877 and 1891.

TocH meeting Room, 1916-1918:

1918 (Dorothy Kittel) The Toc H (founded 1915) branch in Hungerford was based here.

The Library, 1940s:

1940s (Joan Macey, died 2007) During the 1940s Library Cottage was used as the Town Library (downstairs) and the Labour Exchange (upstairs). Follow this for more on Libraries.

Private House:

1970's Rev. Ardagh Walter & his wife Hazel lived here in their retirement.

1987 Mr. Steve R. Hodges bought "The Old Town Library", renovations to the building. (He later bought The Three Swans Hotel).

See also:

- Miss Sweeting's Preparatory School, Library Cottage