Pirniehall School – Guest Article

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Abandoned Scotland

There where four of us set out to find Pirniehall School that day Myself, my partner Alan and a couple of photography buddy’s Norm and Nils, after a few wrong turns and getting a little bit agitated, we set off across the fields… over a fence through mud up to our knees almost and over another fence.

Being careful not to be spotted from the house at the front we decided to do a little recce round the buildings first.
We had been there about half an hour when a car drew up and a lady got out asking us what we were about. We explained that we went round a lot of old schools and hospitals and we tried to capture some of the stories and histories in images.

What a fantastic lady she was ( Pauline) although I certainly wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her.
Her father worked in the school and she was brought up there although not a pupil, but it meant she would give us so much history of it. After going round it she then asked if we had been inside. which of course we hadn’t had a chance to . so off she marched with us in tow a bit like the pied piper, we couldn’t believe the luck, not only being able to get into it. but being fed the history of it all as well. almost more than we could have hoped for……….

after spending a terrific day with Pauline, we took our leave, although she did say that next time come round the front and knock on her door, so it made the muddy jeans and boots a little worse for the getting!

Fiona
fionabrims@aol.com
www.fionabrimsphotography.co.uk

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  • Bryan Ross

    Still retains the basis of a fantastic building! Great shots – thanks for sharing!

    • Fionabrims

      yep its a shame it has gone to waste really

  • Todd

    I remember the place when it was the residence of the dance & music school of Scotland. I can not believe that the place has been left to rot. What a waste! My ex wife worked at the place for a few years before they recited to bearsden. I take it that it has been vandalised to have let the elements in with such devastation. A shame really.

  • Val Ferguson OBE

    I’ve just returned from Croftamie today 1 Sept 2012 where I was trying to trace memories of my childhood. I remember going to Pirniehall for 2 weeks with my primary school, Hartfield, in Dumbarton. We were there with a group from a school in Bearsden around 1961/2. In those days it was the equivalent of going on school camp or a Field trip, organised through Dunbarton County Education Dept. I absolutely loved the experience and it was my first time away from home. Although I drove through Croftamie and found the village shop we were allowed to go to, I couldn’t see where the entrance to Pirniehall was. It was disappointing to see these pictures this evening when I googled Pirniehall. It was a beautiful building and I had such fond memories. Maybe someone will restore it one day. Val Ferguson OBE (ms Smith)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1032308130 Louise Bellin

    Nice one Fiona! x

  • Monica Holloway

    I remember staying at Pirniehall for 3 weeks in November 1963, when I was 9 years old and a pupil at Dalreoch primary School in Dumbarton. It was a school field trip when we joined about four of five other West Dunbartonshire schools and we had a great time. Two things I remember from the trip are: it snowed and we had to walk to church through the snow in our sunday best and wellies, and the other is that the day we arrived back home was the day John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas…22nd November 1963.