The old Methodist School
Swains Market, village centre

The Old Methodist School as it once was
(picture from SWOP website)

As the building looks today


This village school, so long ago,
Where many children, friend or foe,
Once did their sums and learnt to read
Fulfilled, for some, the village need,
For if you couldn’t read or write
A life of hardship was your plight
And so you walked, in sun or rain,
To say your tables once again.

It's bad enough to go at all,
Especially if you’re only small,
And way back, when you had to pay,
Many pupils missed a day,
And even when you went for free
Children would much rather be
Picking cherries with their chums
(Without the knowledge of their mums!).

The ground floor of this flint faced building was the original old Methodist School. It later became the Co-Op and, later still, served as a number of different shops.

There has been some form of basic education in the village for many years. In 1832 John Wright, owner of the land of what is now the Swains Market area built a room where Wesleyans could meet. This flint faced building at the east end of the parade of shops is still there. On weekdays the room doubled as a school room charging tuppence a week. Reading classes were later given in the, then new, Wesleyan Chapel opposite. It is also believed that there were Bible classes in the old Primitive Methodist Chapel established in 1843. in Chopstick Alley, and private lessons in a couple of local houses, plus this early Methodist school in the village centre. (Reading classes were later given in the Wesleyan Chapel itself after it was built). This school later moved to the Victorian school building where the Community Centre now stands. Finally, Carrington Junior School was built on Lady Carrington's recreation ground in the 1960s where it still stands today.
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