NHER 49704 (Building record) - Old School Court

Large H-shaped building of flint with brick detailing and pantiled roofs. West wing has cupola on roof. Openings much altered when converted to housing in mid 20th century. Northeast quoins of west wing at base are medieval limestone presumably from adjacent church.
This was a school founded by the Upcher family who bought the estate in 1819; the school must date from between that time and 1840 when it appears on (S1). (S2) says that Humphrey Repton, who designed the Hall and park but died in 1818, wanted to build a workhouse here that looked like a hospital; the workhouse which was opposite the church was converted to two cottages when Beckham “Palace” Union Workhouse was built.
The school certainly looks like a hospital but is far too big to have been just two cottages and is not strictly speaking opposite the church; the only pair of cottages directly opposite are at TG14384178 and look like any other pair of cottages of that period. Possibly Repton’s designs were used for the school instead.
E. Rose (NLA), 8 December 2006.

October 2009. Norfolk Rural Schools Survey.
The school was originally part of the workhouse, which was built in around 1815, and was in use from 1850. The school close in 1949.
See (S3).
S. Howard (HES), 20 July 2011.