Work on Old Grammar School unveiled
The Old Grammar School is one of Market Harborough’s most iconic buildings and after 10 months of renovation, is finally ready to be revealed.
WW Brown & Sons were delighted to be the main contractor on the £400,000 restoration, which was funded by The Market Harborough and The Bowdens Charity and public donations. The main aim of this renovation was to restore the exterior of the building to achieve the look it had when it was first built. The more well-known black and white colours have now been replaced with golden brown and cream, whilst the supporting pillars have been replaced and the old school bell has been renovated, ensuring that it now tolls.
Although the building looks much as it originally did in the early 17th Century, the roof now acts as a time capsule. The roof has eight parts to it, seven of which children from local primary schools have created artwork for, leaving one section for The Market Harborough and The Bowdens charity to create their own images for. The roof will be in place for at least a century, “creating an interesting legacy for the town” says project manager Mark Brown.
Local historian Robert Hakewill, the author of The Old Grammar School of Market Harborough said he thought the new look was “brilliant”. “The new golden colour blends in with the mellow colour of St Dionysius Church. And that’s how it would have looked when it was first built.”
For more information about the restoration, visit www.mhbcharity.co.uk.
