| Description | Fronting Manor Square is the former 'Prince Henry's Grammar School', latterly the 'Manor House China Shop', which closed in 1999. It is a fine 17th century stone building with a 3 bay symmetrical façade. Tudor arched doorways flank a central canted bay featuring large transom windows on each floor. It has a three gabled front decorated by unusually tall finials.
Founded by Thomas Cave in 1602, it was built in 1611 as a single storey school house. It was apparently rebuilt and raised to its present height following a restoration in 1861, re opening in 1866, and closing as a school is 1874 (WYAS, 2000. Thornborrow, 2003).
Attached to the right of the building is a wide late medieval stone arched doorway with bratished frieze, brought to the site in 1959 from Caley Hall when it was demolished. To the left of the building, at the side of a flagpole, is a bronze statue on a tall ashlar plinth. This is of Thomas Chippendale (1718 1779) and is the work of sculptor Graham Ibbeson (un veiled in 1987). A plaque on the building records the birth of Thomas Chippendale in Otley (English heritage, 2007. WYAS, 2000).
The exterior of the building is mostly unspoilt and original, but the interior is much altered. The building is a grade II* listed building.
A copy of the above information, including photograph of the Statue is held on file at West Yorkshire HER. |