Cotton College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cotton College was a Roman Catholic boarding school in North Staffordshire, England, also known as Saint Wilfrid's College. It closed in 1987 and the site is now derelict.
It was founded in 1763 by William Errington at Sedgley Park, Wolverhampton, at the recommendation of Bishop Richard Challoner. In 1873 it moved to Cotton Hall. The original house appears to date back to 1630 and was most probably built by the Morrice family before Thomas Gilbert moved there. This began an association of the Gilbert Family and the Earl of Shrewsbury as Land Agents and Industrial Entrepreneurs over the next decades till Cotton Hall was sold in 1884. After its sale to the Earl of Shrewsbury it was then used by the Oratorians, and then the Passionists, then finally the secular clergy of the archdiocese of Birmingham. The school closed in 1987 due to financial difficulties, and the structure has fallen into a state of disrepair. Only Saint Wilfrid's church remains intact.
The college building is built of red brick with painted ashlar dressings and a slate covered mansard roof. It was extended in 1846-1848 by the great Victorian architect A W N Pugin (most famous for his work with Charles Barry on the Houses of Parliament), who designed an extension to the building and the chapel. The building was further extended in 1874-1875, 1886-1887 and 1931-1932.
