The first known record of any school in Llangollen, approx 1726, is associated with St. Collen's Church. In 1753 the school became established in a building within the churchyard, later developing into the National School.
Funded by voluntary contributions and Church collections, it was one of the earliest schools to receive financial support from Central Government and was established during a period of rivalry between the established Church and the nonconformists.
Opened as a Day School in 1840 and further enlarged in 1873. Boys and girls were educated in separate schoolrooms within the building. By 1895 the school had merged with Eglwyseg National School as a 'group' of separate schools, boys, girls and infants, with separate head teachers. In 1907 the school became "Junior Mixed", "Senior Mixed" and "Infants". The earliest surviving Log Book is dated 1862.
The Eglwyseg school building was closed on 30/9/1909. The school was still on-going in 1912.
From 1st September 1983 the Infant and Junior Schools merged, to become Ysgol Bryn Collen C.P. School. In 2013 the main building is occupied by the Health Centre and Church Hall.
This collection includes log books, admission and attendance registers and managers minutes.
Location of original school
Street name: Regent Street, Llangollen. The school entrance is from a lane off Regent St. that leads to St. Collen's Vicarage and Church.
25 inch O.S. maps (1872 - 1912) - Llangollen National School is on sheet 34-15.
Related material held at Denbighshire Archives-
DD/DM/921/5- Building accounts for the National School. 1840-1843
ED/SBD/19,21,39,40- Plans of schools in Llangollen
DD/DM/407/1- Building agreement for National School. 1872
PD/63/1/80- Llangollen National school annual statement of accounts. 1892
DD/DM/927/150-9- Lecture notes etc concerning Llangollen schools, Blue Book, 1841 and Intermediate Education Act, 1889. 1910-1950
Related material held elsewhere-
http://www.llangollenmuseum.org.uk/english/home.htm [last accessed 16/01/2014]
Secondary material:
Trevor Roberts, Tales of Llangollen Past and Present, Bk 2. (2006)
M. Seaborne, Schools in Wales 1500 - 1900, (1992) pp. 102 - 104.
G.D. Nash, Victorian School-days in Wales, (1991) pp. 11 - 13.
Pamphlet, Curiosities from St. Collen's Churchwardens' Accounts, 1694 - 1891, pp. 6, 12, 32.