The former Girls’ Charity School and the adjacent cottage at no.24 Church Street in Edmonton are both Grade II listed, and located within the Church Street Conservation Area. Both properties and the Conservation Area are on the Heritage at Risk Register.
The Charity School was built in 1784 and for many years provided education for local girls, while the adjacent cottage offered accommodation for the school-mistress. [See our article on Church Street in the Enfield Heritage series.] In recent decades the school building has been used for various community activities, however for the last ten years, its poor condition has prevented public access and regular use.
The Trust has secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Architectural Heritage Fund to commission and oversee the delivery of an Options Appraisal, through which a solution for the buildings will be identified. (As an Options Appraisal Enhancement, the study builds on work carried out in 2012). The Enfield Society has offered financial help the Appraisal as well as a number of other aspects with the restoration.
The Appriasal’s aim is to find an end use for the buildings that once again allows them to benefit the local community. To achieve this the Trust is working closely with Enfield Council, the Enfield Society, the Diocese of London, Learning for Life Charity, and West Lea School. A lead consultant will be appointed to deliver the Options Appraisal following a competitive procurement process.
During the delivery of the Options Appraisal, the Trust will also be running a programme of community consultation and project activities. These will be detailed here shortly. To protect the vacant buildings from vandalism, Live-in Guardians will be moving in soon. They will be undertaking emergency repair works, and have generously offered a donation in-kind of £12,000.