Heritage experts have issued a global warning over the worsening condition of King Edward’s School, a historic building situated in the heart of Bath. The Bath Preservation Society has submitted an application to the World Monument Fund seeking to add the old school building on Broad Street to its prestigious watch list.
The imposing grade II* listed structure has stood empty since 1990. Its owner, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, has faced criticism over its long-term neglect, evidenced by repeated signs placed on the building that call out the brewery for leaving it unused and deteriorating.
Despite some superficial repairs, the Bath Preservation Society reports that the building continues to visibly degrade. It is currently listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, a stark indictment for a building within a world-renowned Georgian architectural and urban planning heritage site.
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The World Monument Fund, dedicated to protecting cultural heritage in 112 countries, compiles a watch list every two years to spotlight sites in urgent need of preservation. The latest list will be announced in 2027.
Constructed in 1752 by renowned local architect Thomas Jelly, King Edward’s School ceased educational operations in 1990 when the school relocated to Bathwick. Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery purchased the building with plans to convert it into a pub, yet more than three decades later, the site remains unused and increasingly dilapidated.
Bath Preservation Trust states that King Edward’s School reflects a widespread global issue where historic architecture is abandoned and allowed to decay. The building has attracted considerable local and national attention, with many hopeful it could become a model project for community-led restoration.
The trust has reached out repeatedly to Samuel Smith’s Brewery urging them to honor the building with proper care, but these efforts have gone unanswered. Since 2024, local circus performer and former pupil Scott Harrison (also known as Stanley Sprocket) has taken a creative approach by placing signs on the building highlighting its neglected state. Most recently, Harrison directly called out brewery owner Humphrey Smith, posting a sign that reads: “Shame on you.”
Harrison has also proposed purchasing the building to transform it into a circus school, stating, “As an old boy of the school, if nothing is being done, I feel I have the right to ask for the key.”
Meanwhile, Bath and North East Somerset Council has taken steps to compel the brewery to address the building’s decline. The future of this iconic Georgian structure remains uncertain as local advocates push for meaningful preservation.