Description of Historic Place

The Orwell School is a well preserved rural one room schoolhouse located in the Orwell Corner Historic Village. Constructed by local artisans in 1895, it has a wood frame, shingle cladding, and a gable roof. The designation includes the footprint of the building, it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The Orwell School is valued as a well preserved representation of rural school architecture in 19th Century Prince Edward Island. Constructed in 1895, the school replaced several that had been in the area since the first crude log structure in 1825. It operated until 1969 when school consolidation forced it to close. The building was later rejuvenated to mark the 1973 centennial of Prince Edward Island in Canadian Confederation when it opened as part of the Orwell Corner Historic Village - one of the sites of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation.

Source: PEI Heritage Advisory Committee Files

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of the schoolhouse:

- the overall massing and shape of the building with its wood frame and wood shingle cladding
- the gable roof with simple trim mouldings
- the decorative Gothic quatrefoil window in the upper gable end of the building
- the placement and style of the six over six single sash windows throughout the exterior
- the placement of the brick chimney
- the placement and style of the side entrance door
- the location and style of the sign on the gable end of the building

Other character-defining elements include:
- the location of the building as part of the Orwell Corner Historic Village