31-39 High Street
31-39 High Street including, in particular, Mitcheldene
Photos, inside and out, mostly taken in 1992.
The building dates from 1648, the earliest deeds found, although Elizabeth Horseman may have lived here in the early 1600s in an earlier building on the site. It was referred to as the ‘Maidenhead Inn’ in 1774, when it may have been re-faced. In 1811, Mrs Guy had gone to Bishop Moss on his death bed, and pleaded the plight of the Wheatley poor so eloquently that he left a bequest of £2,000, which led eventually (1818) to the opening of a non-conformist School at Micheldene in the High Street. The girls were taught inside the house, while the boys received instruction in the two storey building, which still exists, at the back. It remained the site of the main school in Wheatley until 1858 after Rev. Edward Elton decided that it was unfit for purpose. In 1857 it was bought at auction by William Mitchell, grocer and baker, who was still trading as a shop-keeper in 1895 and 1899. Later, the building reverted to housing and stayed in the same family until the mid-1990s.
Listing details state 'House. Late C17/early C18. Colourwashed limestone rubble with timber lintels; plain-tile roof with stone and brick stack. 3-unit plan with rear outshut. 2 storeys. 4-window front has door to right of centre with C19 shop window to right and 3-light casements to extreme right and to left. Second doorway to extreme left. At first floor are casements of 2 and 3 lights, that above main entrance with small 9-pane lights. Massive stack to left of centre. Interior not inspected. Formerly used as the village school.
Also 2018 photo of the rear of the boys school-room (owned by Mitcheldene in 2018 but to be 30AA Church Road) taken from the rear.
There are many other photographs held in the WVA.
Also, an extract from the 2008 Primary School history on Bishop Moss School, see record 2291 for complete version of this history.