On the site of a school created by Jeffrey Glynne in 1557 out of the old Friary, which in turn had been founded in 1276. The present building dates from 1899 (opened 1900); and built by Douglas and Minshull, architects of Chester, winners of a design competiton. The contractors were Massers Hamilton and Son of Altrincham, who built it at a cost of £12,000.

The building is constructed in the Tudor style in snecked rubble with freestone gressings, including a stringcourse, eaves band and gable parapets with finials, and slate roof. The main two storey front is assymmetrical with a projecting central tower with a pyramidal roof, and an attched headmasters house to the right. The chimney stacks are stone, tose to the right with polygonal brick flues.

The entrance tower has an overall Tudoe label to the paired three-light windows on the first floor, and the segemental-haeded entrance is offset to the left with flanking pilasters and panelled double doors. Over the door is a stone carved coat of arms dated 1577. Alternative bays to either side of the entrance tower are gabled and advanced at first floor level, with tall windows rising to attic height. There are three gabled-ends stepped at the north-east end, one range projecting with a segmental-headed entrance in the angle, and there is a three-storey range to ther rear which contains an attic dormitory. attached to this is a single storey range and there is a further cross-range extending from the central tower.

The headmasters house to the right has a projecting gable-ended cross-range with a four-light attic window over a broad splayed bay.

(based on CADW listing description) S Fielding RCAHMW 23/05/2005