The Old School House Leyburn
If you are looking for a distinctive setting for your activity or meeting, then The Old School House can meet every eventuality from a small business meeting to a pantomime performance.
The facilities include: wireless broadband, fully equipped kitchen facilities on two floors, meeting rooms. The auditorium with high quality seating and HD projector with surround sound system is fully sound proofed. There is a café and licensed bar, an accessible toilet, a garden space, ample parking and a meet and greet service if required.
The weekly film screenings, in the 64-seat auditorium appeal to all age groups. The meeting rooms are used for a variety of activities including , portrait painters, coffee mornings, dance classes, birthday parties and are widely used by local clubs and societies.
The Old School House is a focal point for the hugely popular annual 1940’s weekend held in July. In the summer months, the garden area comes into its own.
Visit The Old School House and receive a very warm welcome from our staff and volunteers.
Brief History of St Peter and St Paul School 1836-2011
The RC school of St. Peter and St. Paul was built in 1835 and the work was carried out by the Leyburn firm of Chapleo & Sons and the building stone used was local limestone from Washfold Quarry near Leyburn.
It was the tradespeople of the town who provided the impetus for the building of the school and John Chapleo had collections made in different places to cover the cost of £2000 for the building of both the school and the church. The school appears to be unusual in that, other than a very small endowment of £4 per year from the local Riddell family its establishment and support seems to have been funded by the people of the area.
Its establishment was not dependent on initiatives from the hierarchy or religious community and until the Dominican nuns came in 1895 all the teachers were members of the laity. The school served the people of Leyburn, both Catholic and non-Catholic, for 176 years.
Following the closure of the school in 2011, because of falling numbers, the opportunity arose for the existing building to be re-developed for the benefit of the local parish and the wider community of Leyburn and the surrounding areas. Many local families will have fond memories and mementoes of their time spent as pupils in the school and will no doubt want to become involved in helping to re-establish it as a much needed community centre, cinema and arts venue for the area.
See the document - St Peter and St Paul Roman Catholic School, Leyburn. The Early Years 1836 - 1872.