Schoolmaster?

Today I decided that it was really time to get some serious botanical recording underway, so Pete and I went up to Crowland and spent a couple of hours scouring the town in a bone-chilling northerly wind - around 150 species found, of which 69 were new to the tetrad. 

Crowland's an interesting settlement - a typical fen town with a semi-ruined abbey and some rather lovely old buildings, but much of it feels rather dilapidated and run-down - the centre could be described as shabbily genteel. 

We came across a rather splendid Victorian brick building that initially looked rather like a church, but turned out to be the Old School. It was clearly disused, with all the windows and doors protected with sheets of perforated zinc. I was intrigued by several carefully carved limestone heads that seemed rather out of keeping with the rest of the building - perhaps they were the founders of the school or previous masters, keeping a stern eye on the children in the playground?

A little bit of research revealed that this Grade II Listed Building has been disused since 2007, and was subject to a serious arson attack in 2010. It has since been repaired and is now structurally sound. The local Parish Council are seeking a community use for the building, which would be so much better than a conversion into business or housing use.