Opening in 1849, the first National School was a one room building, erected along with a school house, on donated land next to St. Catherine’s Church. An initial grant of £100 was made by the National Society. By 1862 numbers had risen and an infant’s schoolroom was funded by Lady Erskine of Pwllycrochan. The school was funded by a government grant and annual voluntary subscriptions.
Some of the children were Nonconformists and in October 1866, on refusing to attend church on Sunday they were dismissed, resulting in a new school starting in the hay loft of the Plough Inn.
In response to increasing numbers, new premises with four classrooms were built in Chapel Street in 1888 costing £1,400 and enlarged in 1896 (£350). The original building was then used as a Sunday school and village assembly hall and since the 1930s has been the Churchmen’s Club.
The school house was bought by the County Council and demolished in the 1970s to extend the playground. The National School closed in 1981 and was purchased by Colwyn BC in 1982 for £13,000. The Council renovated the building and it opened as the village community centre in 1984.
Built of limestone with a slate roof and with a red brick chimney, the building has limited architectural interest, although it is worth noting the inscription on the western gable “Erected to the memory of the Rev. D. Jones late vicar of Colwyn 1888”. However historically it is of interest, standing within the densely developed area of attractive terraced houses.
