The school's most famous headmaster was Thomas Hall

The Old Grammar School and Saracen's Head buildings in Kings Norton won the regional round and will do battle with other finalists across the country.

The school was built between 1434 and 1460. The nearby Saracen's Head is currently being used as parish offices and is structurally intact.

Both are owned by Kings Norton Parish, who lack the cash to restore them.

Puritanical Protestant

The Old Grammar School is a timber-framed structure that has fallen into decay and is on English Heritage's "at risk" register.

The school's most famous headmaster was Thomas Hall, a puritanical Protestant who took up the post in 1629.

On his death his legacy to the country was one of the largest libraries in the land, now housed in Birmingham Central Library.

The Saracen's Head is believed to be the largest house of the Royal Manor during the 15th Century.

It was here that the wife of Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria, stayed on her way back from Yorkshire where she had gathered troops for the English Civil War.

The devoutly Catholic Queen arrived at Kings Norton in July 1643 with around 5,500 men and spent the night in what is known as the Queen's Room, while her troops slept on land behind the church.

Other finalists are: The Playhouse in Northern Ireland; Gayle Mill in the North; Sherborne House in the South West; Newbridge Memo in Wales; Archbishop's Palace in the South East; and Knockando Wool Mill in Scotland.

The final will be televised live from Hampton Court Palace on BBC2 at 2100 BST on Sunday.