In Christ Church, Warminster, The First 150 Years, a booklet published in October 1980, to celebrate the 150th birthday of Christ Church, the Rev. John C. Day (Vicar) wrote:
The Common School
Alas, all that remains of this once thriving school is a derelict ruin. The Common School often referred to as “Newtown School” was in Chapel Street alongside Daniell’s Chapel.
It was opened in 1845, gradually growing until by the end of the century there were about 100 children on the roll. It remained as a Junior Mixed Infants School until 1959. Expensive necessary repairs, lack of space for expansion, dwindling numbers of pupils, all led to the closure of the school in 1959.
For many years the Salvation Army had also used the Chapel and School premises and in its hey day ran a thriving band and Sunday School on the premises. This too followed the school in closing down. Thereafter, no one used the buildings and they have fallen into disrepair. Thus ended nearly 150 years of spiritual and educational work on the Common.
