After 10 years of waiting, permission has been given for plans to replace the medieval roof at Stoke College by Clare, located on the border of Suffolk and Essex. The college is in a historic house and is an independent school for 3-16 year olds.
St. Edmundsbury council gave permission for the properties outbuildings to be demolished and sold off for development. Six new homes will be built on the land in a crescent shape in the style of the 19th century almshouses. The money from the land sale will be used to replace the medieval roof on the original schoolhouse.
St. John the Baptist church houses Mathew Parkers Pulpit
The college has been in the building for 58 years, the building dates back to 1420. Mathew Parker former archbishop of Canterbury and Chaplain to Anne Boleyn occupied the building at the time English Reformations. In 1124 Richard de Clare moved the Benedictine Priory that had been established at his castle in Clare to Stoke by Clare, in 1415 the Priory was replaced by Stoke College.
Estimated cost of roof repairs is just less than 1 million pounds, approximately $1.96900 million U.S. dollars. According to the college head teacher, also named Mathew Parker, some of the roof timbers have been there since the 1700’s and need to be replaced.
A false roof will cover the original one while the work is being completed. Mr. Parker hopes to have the new roof in 18 months.
