The School House, Staines-upon-Thames, UK

[1] The School House is located at 20 Hale Street in Staines-upon-Thames in the north of the county of Surrey and is within the Staines Conservation area.

The house was purpose built early 1800s as a one-room school and the starting point of Miss Margaret Pope's contribution to bringing education to all.

[2] One room schools were common place in UK, Europe and the US in the early to mid 19th century with the increase in education for children.

[9] In 1980s the brickwork was painted cream, the lintels remained white, and dark blue shutters were added to the front windows.

In 1982, André Goulancourt was granted planning permission to add an upstairs master bedroom, bathroom and downstairs a utility room, cloakroom and extend the kitchen.

One of the Informatives to the Applicant that formed part of the planning permission decision notice was that the county archaeologist would like to visit the site once excavations had started.

In the late 1990s the area at the north end of Hale Street was redeveloped and a five year archaeological study undertaken which discovered significant Roman artefacts.

[12] To access the new master bedroom and upstairs bathroom a doorway was added at the top on the stairs at the high point of the vaulted ceiling of the former school room.

It is unsubstantiated but it is believed that the carved newel post forming the corner of the gallery was from a deconsecrated church in neighbouring Ashford.