York Historic Environment Record

The Gymnasium building was constructed between 1939-1942, as part of the Water Lane High School for Girls. This was the first purpose-built school in York in response to the 1936 Education Act. The school was designed by York Architects: F.T. Penty & J.E.N. Thompson. The Architects were based on Coney Street in York and active between 1926 and 1936, who also designed the 1927 block at St. Peter’s School in Clifton (https://borthcat.york.ac.uk/index.php/pentythompson- of-york-architects). The Gymnasium was used as a youth centre as part of the council provision for sport, health and wellbeing, as part of a National Fitness Campaign. By the late 1950’s, the school had been renamed as the Burton Stone County Secondary Modern for Girls. The school was closed in the early 1980s, and only the 1960s block and the gymnasium were kept as a community centre.