Gorey Village School

The school, also known as Hilgrove Hall School, was built in 1850 for the children of families working in the oyster fishery

Hilgrove Hall in Gorey Village was built as a Church of England School in 1850, when the Gorey oyster fishery was at its zenith and the population of the little town under the shelter of Mont Orgueil Castle was growing rapidly.

Built on land purchased by Magdalene Turner, one of the three inheritors of Prairie House from her brother Frederick, Hilgrove Infant School was officially opened in December 1859. In 1865, Magdalene donated the land and buildings to the school Trustees.

Built for the working-class infant children of the area infants and girls of the village, Hilgrove School was one of several schools that served the village community, and one of two public schools in the area (the other being the Gorey National School which was for boys only).

Hilgrove School finally closed because of lack of numbers in 1939. The school was sometimes known as Hilgrove Hall School, but more usually as Gorey Village School.

The old buildings were demolished in the 1990s and Gorey Variety Youth Centre opened on the site in 1993.

The Youth Club retains some of the features of the old school in the gables and windows of the current sports hall.