Hitchin Hidden Gems: British Schools Museum on Queen Street

Have you visited the wonderful British Schools Museum on Queen Street recently?

British School Museum is a local gem of heritage that is largely kept alive and well through local gems of volunteers and helpers of all sorts – and they're always welcoming volunteers, be it in their collections space, maintenance of their iconic buildings, or even with helping visiting schools understand the site.

Get set for the British Schools Museum Summer Craft Fair this weekend

The British Schools Museum provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of a Victorian school, with unaltered classrooms and a wealth of information on Victorian education.

The museum offers regular events for school groups and families, and children will love experiencing the 19th-century classrooms.

History

The history of the museum goes back to 1810 when an old malthouse on Queen Street was transformed into a schoolroom for 200 boys and 100 girls, the children of Hitchin's poorest residents.

There are four authentic school classrooms that make up the museum experience.

One is the Monitorial Classroom, built in 1837. The Monitorial classroom is a huge hall, built to hold 300 boys, taught by a single Master with the aid of 30 monitors, or older students.

This style of teaching was based on the Lancasterian method established by Joseph Lancaster and is the only surviving example in the world. It is also home to one of the last standing original Galleried Classrooms in the country.