書(shu)(shu)(shu)院布局(ju)因地制宜,門(men)(men)(men)(men)樓座(zuo)西朝東(dong)(取紫(zi)氣東(dong)來之(zhi)意),兩(liang)(liang)層(ceng),高約(yue)10米(mi),青(qing)磚(zhuan)砌筑(zhu)(zhu),鑊蓋(gai)耳,風火山墻(qiang),綠簡瓦(wa)(wa),灰塑瓦(wa)(wa)脊,綠琉璃瓦(wa)(wa)剪邊(bian),門(men)(men)(men)(men)上(shang)(shang)(shang)石(shi)額(e)“何家祠道”。過門(men)(men)(men)(men)樓為(wei)(wei)一(yi)庭園(yuan),面(mian)積約(yue)140平方(fang)(fang)米(mi)。庭園(yuan)南面(mian)為(wei)(wei)照壁,北(bei)面(mian)為(wei)(wei)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院主體(ti)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)正(zheng)(zheng)(zheng)祠及(ji)兩(liang)(liang)側(ce)書(shu)(shu)(shu)一(yi)舍。正(zheng)(zheng)(zheng)祠座(zuo)北(bei)朝南,為(wei)(wei)三(san)(san)進(jin)式。前(qian)(qian)座(zuo)頭(tou)門(men)(men)(men)(men),寬11.75米(mi),深構7.5米(mi),為(wei)(wei)面(mian)寬三(san)(san)間(jian)(jian)(jian)。步上(shang)(shang)(shang)三(san)(san)臺(tai)石(shi)階,有(you)(you)一(yi)般(ban)祠堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)所常見的方(fang)(fang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)柱(zhu),兩(liang)(liang)側(ce)為(wei)(wei)麻石(shi)平臺(tai),進(jin)2米(mi)后(hou)至(zhi)大門(men)(men)(men)(men),門(men)(men)(men)(men)上(shang)(shang)(shang)有(you)(you)花崗巖石(shi)額(e),上(shang)(shang)(shang)刻(ke)“廬江(jiang)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院”(見圖片)。中(zhong)墻(qiang)上(shang)(shang)(shang)端有(you)(you)“必得其壽”彩繪,頭(tou)門(men)(men)(men)(men)后(hou)亦有(you)(you)兩(liang)(liang)根方(fang)(fang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)柱(zhu),并以中(zhong)心分(fen)墻(qiang)分(fen)別(bie)承(cheng)重(zhong)十三(san)(san)梁(liang)架(jia)。墻(qiang)體(ti)為(wei)(wei)水磨青(qing)磚(zhuan)對縫砌筑(zhu)(zhu),墀頭(tou)處有(you)(you)磚(zhuan)雕(diao),綠琉璃瓦(wa)(wa)下有(you)(you)漆金木(mu)雕(diao)橫披,硬(ying)山頂(ding)上(shang)(shang)(shang)正(zheng)(zheng)(zheng)脊為(wei)(wei)博(bo)古(gu)(gu)灰塑瓦(wa)(wa)脊。整座(zuo)頭(tou)門(men)(men)(men)(men)莊嚴(yan)而華麗。頭(tou)門(men)(men)(men)(men)井長(chang)(chang)約(yue)7.5米(mi),左右兩(liang)(liang)側(ce)皆有(you)(you)廊(lang)廡。二座(zuo)中(zhong)堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)闊(kuo)11.8米(mi),進(jin)深8.8米(mi),前(qian)(qian)后(hou)各有(you)(you)4根方(fang)(fang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)柱(zhu),堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)中(zhong)亦有(you)(you)4根直徑10厘(li)米(mi)的坤甸(dian)木(mu)柱(zhu),托起十三(san)(san)架(jia)梁(liang)。堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)前(qian)(qian)后(hou)皆有(you)(you)出(chu)卷棚(peng)廊(lang)及(ji)接天(tian)井的廊(lang)廡。前(qian)(qian)廊(lang)架(jia)雕(diao)博(bo)古(gu)(gu)紋飾,古(gu)(gu)樸莊重(zhong),堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)內施金線形(xing)(xing)(xing)通(tong)花木(mu)雕(diao)橫披,華貴、精巧,整座(zuo)中(zhong)堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)給人以華美、尊貴、通(tong)透明(ming)亮之(zhi)感。中(zhong)堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)后(hou)的天(tian)井約(yue)6米(mi)長(chang)(chang),兩(liang)(liang)邊(bian)廊(lang)廡嵌(qian)有(you)(you)南宋至(zhi)清(qing)廣(guang)東(dong)何氏宗族世系(xi)及(ji)鼎建(jian)、重(zhong)修廬江(jiang)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院的12方(fang)(fang)碑刻(ke)。過天(tian)井則至(zhi)三(san)(san)座(zuo)后(hou)堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)。后(hou)堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)于三(san)(san)座(zuo)最為(wei)(wei)高大,寬、深各12米(mi),兩(liang)(liang)側(ce)風火山墻(qiang)高13米(mi),進(jin)深亦各三(san)(san)間(jian)(jian)(jian),堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)前(qian)(qian)為(wei)(wei)2根方(fang)(fang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)柱(zhu),堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)內4根坤甸(dian)大柱(zhu),堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)后(hou)的墻(qiang)壁上(shang)(shang)(shang)供奉著祭祀神龕。整座(zuo)大堂(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang),高大、寬敞、肅穆,是(shi)舉(ju)行重(zhong)大祭典的場所。書(shu)(shu)(shu)院主體(ti)建(jian)筑(zhu)(zhu)兩(liang)(liang)側(ce)為(wei)(wei)東(dong)、西書(shu)(shu)(shu)舍,以青(qing)云(yun)巷(xiang)與天(tian)井廊(lang)廡有(you)(you)門(men)(men)(men)(men)相通(tong)。東(dong)面(mian)書(shu)(shu)(shu)舍一(yi)排(pai)9間(jian)(jian)(jian),魁樓一(yi)座(zuo)。西面(mian)書(shu)(shu)(shu)舍三(san)(san)排(pai)共(gong)25間(jian)(jian)(jian),其余書(shu)(shu)(shu)舍房(fang)間(jian)(jian)(jian)共(gong)12間(jian)(jian)(jian),舍門(men)(men)(men)(men)石(shi)額(e)分(fen)別(bie)刻(ke)有(you)(you)各縣(xian)、鄉名稱(cheng),如(ru)“新會(hui)房(fang)”、“恩平房(fang)”、“龍塘房(fang)”等有(you)(you)43間(jian)(jian)(jian)。其余皆為(wei)(wei)附祠用房(fang)。東(dong)側(ce)書(shu)(shu)(shu)舍內有(you)(you)魁星樓,亦稱(cheng)“登云(yun)樓”,樓寬4.3米(mi),深4.5米(mi),高三(san)(san)層(ceng),鑊耳狀風火山墻(qiang),正(zheng)(zheng)(zheng)脊置琉璃鏊魚寶珠,墻(qiang)體(ti)上(shang)(shang)(shang)嵌(qian)有(you)(you)石(shi)額(e)兩(liang)(liang)幅,上(shang)(shang)(shang)塊題“文光射斗”,下塊曰“登云(yun)”。1993年(nian)修繕時重(zhong)砌樓閣(ge),把魁星樓改為(wei)(wei)平頂(ding)樓。
廬江書院,始(shi)建(jian)于清(qing)嘉慶十(shi)三(san)年(1808),占地(di)1722平(ping)方米(mi)。書院曾于道光(guang)(guang)、光(guang)(guang)緒年間(jian)兩度重修(xiu),其(qi)中(zhong),光(guang)(guang)緒年間(jian)的重修(xiu),耗費白銀二萬多兩,書院建(jian)筑之(zhi)秀美(mei)和(he)裝飾之(zhi)細膩仍令人稱(cheng)嘆。曾是清(qing)代省內何氏家族(zu)子弟來廣州(zhou)赴考時飲食(shi)起居和(he)溫習(xi)讀書之(zhi)地(di)。該書院書舍(she)為三(san)排以及(ji)南面個(ge)別書舍(she)(占地(di)約1300平(ping)方米(mi)),整體(ti)建(jian)筑是大小馬站、流水(shui)井(jing)宗族(zu)(祠)書院群中(zhong)保存相(xiang)對完整的宗族(zu)(祠)書院之(zhi)一。
廬江書(shu)院,1993年被(bei)廣(guang)州市(shi)人民(min)政府公布為文(wen)物(wu)保護(hu)單位。
廬江書院(yuan)(yuan),是(shi)近代(dai)廣府何氏的圖騰(teng)標志(zhi),是(shi)何氏先輩(bei)在(zai)清朝聯合廣州府及肇慶府的何氏村落打造的“合族祠書院(yuan)(yuan)建(jian)(jian)筑”。本(ben)書院(yuan)(yuan)保存(cun)完(wan)整,在(zai)中國(guo)的明清書院(yuan)(yuan)中具有(you)(you)代(dai)表性,也有(you)(you)較高的歷史研究價值,其建(jian)(jian)造模式及運營模式在(zai)中國(guo)的書院(yuan)(yuan)群(qun)里也別具特(te)色。廬江書院(yuan)(yuan)為國(guo)家民(min)族輸送過很多愛國(guo)志(zhi)士,杰出英才(cai)。
自乾隆(long)后期至嘉慶年間(jian),是(shi)廣(guang)東(dong)科舉考試(shi).日漸(jian)繁盛(sheng)的時(shi)期,亦是(shi)官(guan)(guan)學興盛(sheng)時(shi)期。乾隆(long)五十六(liu)年(1791),廣(guang)州(zhou)府(fu)集銀(yin)(yin)(yin)41000多兩重(zhong)修廣(guang)州(zhou)府(fu)學宮(gong)(今廣(guang)州(zhou)市(shi)第一(yi)工(gong)人(ren)文(wen)化(hua)宮(gong),簡稱市(shi)一(yi)宮(gong));嘉慶八(ba)年(1803)廣(guang)東(dong)布政使康基田在龍藏(zang)街改嶺南義學為(wei)羊石書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(后為(wei)府(fu)級的羊城書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)),又(you)(you)撥府(fu)銀(yin)(yin)(yin)將(jiang)位于今鹽運(yun)西街一(yi)帶的南海義學改為(wei)西湖書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。有(you)名(ming)(ming)的官(guan)(guan)辦書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),如(ru)粵秀書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)以前不收外課(ke)生(sheng),此(ci)時(shi)亦增(zeng)(zeng)收外課(ke)生(sheng)員(yuan)40人(ren),童(tong)生(sheng)10人(ren)(這(zhe)些外宿的諸(zhu)生(sheng)每月均可領(ling)取1.8兩膏火(huo)費(fei),即(ji)生(sheng)活補助費(fei)和(he)有(you)參加(jia)官(guan)(guan)、師課(ke)考的獎銀(yin)(yin)(yin)),越華書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)正課(ke)生(sheng)額亦從30名(ming)(ming)增(zeng)(zeng)加(jia)到80至100名(ming)(ming),又(you)(you)增(zeng)(zeng)收外課(ke)生(sheng)員(yuan)36名(ming)(ming)和(he)童(tong)生(sheng)24名(ming)(ming)。倘(tang)若遇上鄉試(shi)之年,這(zhe)些官(guan)(guan)辦書院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)還額外招(zhao)收正課(ke)生(sheng)、外課(ke)生(sheng)和(he)附課(ke)生(sheng)。
所(suo)以,大小馬站(zhan)、流(liu)水井一帶,很(hen)多省內大姓宗族(zu),多在嘉慶年間創(chuang)建宗族(zu)(祠)書院,以助本族(zu)宗人(ren)到(dao)省城(cheng)赴考爭取功名,省內何氏宗族(zu)為了(le)方便本族(zu)子(zi)弟到(dao)省城(cheng)應(ying)試,于是創(chuang)建了(le)這所(suo)廬(lu)江(jiang)書院,并相應(ying)制定了(le)很(hen)多規矩。