The historic Sir Gilbert Claughton School
Sir Gilbert Claughton School in Dudley was an Upper Standard School that opened in June 1904 for 12 to 18-year-olds. Originally it was called The Dudley Upper Standard School but in 1907 it became the Higher Elementary School and in1929 changed again to the Dudley Intermediate School. It was in 1957 that the name was finally changed to Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar Technical School, named after a Worcestershire-born 19th century businessman and politician. The last of the pupils left in 1990 although it is understood intake was stopped a couple of years previously. Since then the building has been an office block, which was used by Dudley Metropolitan Borough (Claughton Centre)
In May 2019, the site was sold by SDL Auctions Bigwood at Villa Park for £405,000 - even though it had a guide price of £200,000.
But, in 2020 a major fire deliberately started burned the heart out of the former Victorian school. 80 per cent of the roof collapsed to first and ground floor levels, leaving four gable ends in a dangerous and unstable condition. Like so many other abandoned properties we explore there seems to be a pattern where developers buy them, then they allow a site to fall into dis-repair, usually almost always there is a fire and hey presto! Next up the building is only ever good for demolition!
Take a look at the video footage, sadly the windows have been smashed, as have the internal fixtures and fittings and the fire has ravaged the roof. Despite the damage the building has in places some amazing brickwork, a beautiful entrance and the remains of an internal skylight. It absolutely drives me insane to see places like this just left to crumble. An old historic school where many generations of children have been taught surely could have been saved but now it is absolutely wrecked with its heritage ruined.
Horrifying!
Sir Gilbert Claughton School in Dudley was an Upper Standard School that opened in June 1904 for 12 to 18-year-olds. Originally it was called The Dudley Upper Standard School but in 1907 it became the Higher Elementary School and in1929 changed again to the Dudley Intermediate School. It was in 1957 that the name was finally changed to Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar Technical School, named after a Worcestershire-born 19th century businessman and politician. The last of the pupils left in 1990 although it is understood intake was stopped a couple of years previously. Since then the building has been an office block, which was used by Dudley Metropolitan Borough (Claughton Centre)
In May 2019, the site was sold by SDL Auctions Bigwood at Villa Park for £405,000 - even though it had a guide price of £200,000.
But, in 2020 a major fire deliberately started burned the heart out of the former Victorian school. 80 per cent of the roof collapsed to first and ground floor levels, leaving four gable ends in a dangerous and unstable condition. Like so many other abandoned properties we explore there seems to be a pattern where developers buy them, then they allow a site to fall into dis-repair, usually almost always there is a fire and hey presto! Next up the building is only ever good for demolition!
Take a look at the video footage, sadly the windows have been smashed, as have the internal fixtures and fittings and the fire has ravaged the roof. Despite the damage the building has in places some amazing brickwork, a beautiful entrance and the remains of an internal skylight. It absolutely drives me insane to see places like this just left to crumble. An old historic school where many generations of children have been taught surely could have been saved but now it is absolutely wrecked with its heritage ruined.
Horrifying!
