School

The Manor School forms part of King’s Manor – a picturesque compound of buildings dating back to medieval times, which still exists in the center of York. The site (along with the surrounding city) is rich in history, with ruins and relics to inspire the imagination. “How I love to tread in the footsteps of the ancients,” exclaims Lister (39). But other tenants share this labyrinthine space with the school – hence the granary, and the schoolgirls’ exposure to workmen and farmhands. “Mind you don’t tread in the cowpats,” retorts Eliza (39). Thus, school is not entirely a secluded place for the young ladies, any more than it is entirely urban; alternative forms of education are to be had here – as when Eliza and Lister witness birth (and infanticide) in the pigsty.

The establishment is cold, and lacking in the luxuries which most of the pupils enjoy at home. Teachers...