Closure and vandalism hit fine Victorian school
The Sheffield School Board wanted the best and employed pioneering school architect ER Robson to design its Board Offices and two schools, of which Heeley Bank is one.Heeley Bank, built in 1880, is a rare example of his schools outside London.It is in his distinctive style yet follows Sheffield School Board’s preference for the use of cream-coloured local stone throughout.
The sloping site is well-used with a sequence of gables and gablets adding interest to the roofline.Owned by Sheffield Council, the school has been empty since 2008.The street front was boarded up but the back was not, and vandals have got in.Lead has been stripped from the roof and there is increasing water damage.
This fine school building is currently for sale, and its future is uncertain and has been jeopardised by the failure to properly secure it.We urge Sheffield City Council to act quickly.