Summary

Earliest information: 1796 (?1777)
Original estate:  Church land
Common Rights?  No (but 41 HS does have Common Rights)
Date of current building: 1814
Listed?   Grade II

Thumbnail History

Description of property

From Listed Building records: National School, now showrooms and offices. Founded 1814. Hipped slate roof, dentil course to eaves, brick with grey headers and red stretchers. Two storeys. Four bays divided by brick piers, tripartite 20th century glazing bar sashes in wide openings with cambered heads, door to left of ground floor 20th century in semicircular headed opening with radiating fanlight.  Terracotta plaque at ground floor states that this was a V.A.D. hospital in the Great War.

Timeline:

1777 (CL) James Porter (Stockbridge for Mr Shipton – all deleted) and widow Porter
1781 (CL) James Porter, widow Porter (nos. 84,85). Ann Porter buried 1788
1787 Royal Exchange Insurance "on a house and barn thatched, tenants Ann Porter and Francis Stockbridge, insured by churchwardens"
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1796 (Berkshire Poll Book) Robert Rosier for messuage and lands occupied by self.

1814 National School established – the Church of England equivalent of the Non-Conformist's British and Foreign Schools. Primary education only. Charge of one penny per week. Admissions register of 2,000 names exists (see BFHS). Monitorial system – i.e. one master taught a large number of pupils through the senior monitors. Close link to Parish Church, e.g. in 1855 the whole school went to St. Lawrence's church for two mornings each week. [In 1858 a night school for older (over 12 years) was set up, fee of 2d per week. Was this at the National School?]

The National School was erected, and the adjacent building (41 High Street) was refurbished for the head master – clad in Bath stone.

1819 (EA) "Church Wardens"

1843 (CL) [35=Thomas Angell; 36/7=John Sims; ?rectorial; 41=Joseph Hiskynes; ?rectorial; 46/47=Thomas Rosier (John Dyke deleted)].
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1844 (PD) Joseph Hoskyn – Master of National School – boys and girls. Mary Hoskyn – Mistress.
1847 (KD) Joseph Hoskyn – Master; Mrs Ann (sic!) Hoskyn – Mistress.
1847 (CL) Church Wardens for National School (On north 35 occ by Thomas Angell and widow Hinton; ?36/37 by Joseph Alexander and John Batt; 43 Joseph Hoskins for National School; 44/47 Thomas Rosier himself).
1850 (SL) Joseph Hoskyn – Master; Mrs Ann (sic!) Hoskyn – Mistress.
1851 (CS) Joseph Hoskyn (3), National School Master
1861 (CS) Josiah Warry (29), National School Master
1861 (CL) Church Wardens for National School (On north Snook ?36/37, Townsend 35; on south Thomas Rosier 44/47?).

1864 (BD) The National Schools (sic!) are situated in the High Street. Average number of scholars in both: 130. Samuel Brook (Master); Emily D. Brook (Mistress)

1869 (PO) Thomas Pearse (Master); Mrs Jane Pearse (Mistress)
1870 (PM) Mr & Mrs Pearce paid £50 per annum – 180 boys and 145 girls. 9am – 12; 2-4 daily except Sarturday. Payments 1d, 2d and 6d per week.
1870s (NF) Option for boys elected to the Latin Foundation at the Free Grammar School in The Croft (yet lower standard in 3R's at the Grammar School!).

Nov 1871 Mr Newhook, Master at Farnborough, Hants., took over from Mr Pearce.
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1876 Managers of school able to adopt a graduated scale of fees due to the good reputation and competition for places – Labourer's 2d per week; Mechanics and Artisans 3d; Tradespeople 6d.

DHC Solicitors, 42 High Street, Feb 2007

V.A.D. Hospital, c1917

Part of William Francis' Map, 1794
showing upper High Street

DHC Solicitors, 12.10.2006

Partial transcript of photocopied indenture now framed on the wall of the reception area of DHC Solicitors, 17.10.2007.
(Original in possession of Robin Tubb – found under floorboards of 1st floor, along with old school books when building refurbished.)

This indenture, made 20^th April 1835 between John Westall of Hungerford, linen draper, and William Parsons of Folly Farm, Hungerford, farmer and Churchwarden of the one part, and Edward William Leybourn Popham of Littlecote Park, John Willes of Hungerford Park, George Henry Cherry of Denford House, Rev Walter Kitson of Chilton Foliat, Rev William Cookson of Hungerford, Clerk, Richard Barker of Hungerford, surgeon, John Brown of Hungerford, brewer, trustees for managing the Hungerford and Chilton District School in Hungerford for the other part.

Indenture (lease) dated 26^th October 1817 between Thomas Major of Hungerford, surgeon, Thomas Reeves of Hungerford, maltster, Churchwardens of Parish Church, of the one part, and EWL Popham, John Pearse, Esq., John Willes, Walter Kitson, Rev John Bradford, Richard Barker, (continuing trustees of the school) - annual rent of £10 for thirty years

John Westall and William Parsons continue the lease arrangement, but agree to the trustees taking down the present dwelling house belonging to the said school, and to lay out within 12 months £150 and erecting and building in a proper manner a messuage on the site.

Site described as bounded on the east by the High Street, west by land belonging to [blank], north by a cottage and garden of the late Richard Townsend, south by a cottage and garden of [blank].

New lease for £5 to be paid on the usual days 7th October and 6th April.

[It is unclear at present just what property this indenture refers to – HLP]