King Offa Primary Academy, Down Road

King Offa Primary Academy, Down Road
LL ref:	8
Start date:	1907
Architect:	Henry Philip Burke Downing
Builder:	unknown
Original use:	School
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Built in 1907-12 as Down Elementary School, the design was won in a competition by the architect Henry Philip Burke (1865-1947) of London.

He was a noted architect specialising in church and school building. Many of his buildings elsewhere are Grade II listed including: St Barnabas Church and its church hall in Mitcham, war memorials at Hildenborough in Kent and Merton Park, Ravensbourne School (Bromley) and Singlegate School in Mitcham.

Antram in Buildings of England describes it thus: brick and pebbledash with banded brick and stone quoins. Contemporary brick and stone piers and railings with overthrows, originally incorporating lanterns.

This was Bexhill’s first state (rather than church) school, the northern wing and entrance block with its elegant bell tower cupola was completed first, in 1907, the south wing was added in 1912. By 1937 it had a roll of 335.

Gallery

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  East elevation
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  West elevation
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  Relief
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  Interior
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  Tiling