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Summary

Description

Andrew Haxton, 1913. Single storey T-plan school with lower single storey flat-roofed projection to S. Harled, base course, some stone mullioned and transomed windows, gable-headed windows breaking eaves, some segmental.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central 3-bay section with central tripartite window breaking eaves enclosing carved panel, 'PITTENWEEM PUBLIC SCHOOL ERECTED 1913' flanked by segmental-gabled single light windows with long stylised keystones. Flat-roofed front projection (now painted cream): inner 2-bay section with tripartite window flanked by 3-light canted bay windows. At outer bays, slightly recessed 1-bay section with oculus flanked by recessed single bay piended sections with gabled bipartites with re-entrant angle containing entrance doors.

W ELEVATION: central 2-bay section with gabled windows breaking eaves, to right very advanced single bay piended section with off-centre gabled window. To left, advanced single bay piended section with central gabled window.

E ELEVATION: mirror image of W elevation.

N ELEVATION: slightly advanced entrance with stylised keystone above flanked by segmental-headed single light windows. Door to far right with 4 steps set at right-angles.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows with horns, 8-pane over 2-pane. Hopper windows to upper parts of transoms. 2-leaf timber doors to W, E and N with margined glass panels above. Those to W and E with top-curved fanlight above. Graded grey slates. Corniced ridge stack to N of W elevation.

INTERIOR: very good complete interior with few alterations. Large assembly hall with decorative pierced roof vents. Timber boarding to dado. Doorcase to N contains memorial to First and Second World Wars. Predominantly timber 3-panel doors with margined glass panels above with original handles. Classrooms mostly as built. Room to NW contains black range with white tiles set into white tiled area. To left, fitted timber bookcases with margined glass panels above.

GATE PIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: predominantly brick with flat coping to W, N and E. Simple square brick gate piers to W. To S, very low outer wall surmounted by railings curves inwards to simple square gate piers with corniced caps. Simple pier to outer right. High rubble wall with triangular coping runs S to N forming courtyard entrance to school.

Statement of Special Interest

This unusually designed school by the Fife architect Andrew Haxton replaced two schools (since demolished) built close to this site on James Street. Plans in the RCAHMS show that Haxton & Watson produced drawings in 1911 incorporating the old Gothic style school but later on in the same year these were abandoned and plans for the new school were drawn.

The school is designed around the assembly hall with classrooms flanking it on either side and a corridor leading northwards with further classrooms leading off. The lower flat-roofed front section contained female and male teachers rooms and boys and girls cloakrooms. Girls entered on the W, boys on the E.

Pittenweem Primary School has a remarkably intact interior. The range in the classroom to the NW was part of the 'Cookery and Manual Instruction Room'. There is a brick shelter to the north west of the playground with a slate roof and two cast-iron columns.

References

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