The original building was constructed towards the end of the nineteen-fifties. It housed many additional school rooms to cope with the school’s rapid post-war expansion.

There were two school rooms and a reception area at the front of the building then a large school hall with stage. On either side were toilets and changing rooms.

On the first floor at the front were a chemistry laboratory and biology laboratory. During the later years these rooms provided offices for the staff of the “Enterprises” as the Abbey visitor centre operations were called. Fr Benedict Seed, however, never quite relinquished possession of the Chemistry Lab which he utilised to make Sloe Gin, honey and other mysterious and possibly monastically illicit products. He also regularly practiced his putting in the cloisters and fished the loch. When asked about the monster, Fr Benedict always said that eye witnesses to monster sightings told you nothing about the monster, but a great deal about themselves!

On the top floor was the school library which later became a conference room for the Enterprises and a number of other classrooms. This part of the fifties wing adjoined the College wing.

The whole of this building suffered from concrete failure which the Raven Group have now corrected by almost rebuilding the entire structure.

Outside this wing is the original remains of one of the bastion walls from the old fort.

© 2007 Tony Harmsworth