This
was Rishton's first known Church School, which was originally sited on
High Street, close to the junction of
Harwood Road.
John Simpson, a roman Catholic
opened the school, who in 1804 had about 20 pupils.
In 1819 George Petre, Lord of the
manor, built its successor, and transferred the name to the new building.
The Hermitage was a converted
joiners shop, the costs of the alterations for it to be made into a school were
met by generous donation from Mr. Thomas Seed and Mr. Bernard Smith among
others.
By 1830 the
school seems to have closed and was let to three tenants. In 1851 Richard
Bilsborough, who was a tenant, taught pupils, but this was probably only on
Sundays, as Richard is listed as being a Calico printer. The building is now in
private residence.
The Church/school
opened on the 11th January 1886, and the first head teacher was Miss Houseman. The mass
that day was read by Father Harford, S. J. of Accrington,
with prayers in the afternoon read by Canon Dunderdale, of
Saint Huberts, Great Harwood, and Father Hothersall, of
Enfield, in the middle of October 1886.
In 1892 Father
Lathouwers was appointed to Rishton and secured land in Station Road for a new
Church which was dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo.
Saint Charles
Church and School was known as The Hermitage
Roman Catholic School, this was
until 1959.
References
Rishton on Record, The Festival of Britain 1951.