Abingdon School
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| Abingdon School |
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| Motto: Misericordias Domini In Aeternum Cantabo 'I will sing praises to the Lord forever' |
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| Established | 1100 (possible foundation), 1256 (earliest reference and endowment), 1563 (re-endowment), 1870 (move to current premises) |
| Type | Independent all-male secondary |
| Headmaster | Mr. Mark Turner |
| Founder | Benedictine monks |
| Students | 1st Yr (11), 3rd Yr (13), Lower 6th (17) |
| Grades | 5-12 |
| Location | Abingdon, Oxfordshire England |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colours | Cerise and white |
| Main Sports | Rowing, Rugby, Hockey, Cricket |
| Website | www.abingdon.org.uk |
Abingdon School is an independent day and boarding school for boys in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It owns Joscas Preparatory School in Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire and has connections with St Helen & St Katharine School in Abingdon. It is at least the thirteenth oldest independent school in the UK (possibly the sixth) and has recently celebrated its 750th anniversary.
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[edit] History
Abingdon School is believed to have been founded prior to 1100 by the Benedictine monks of Abingdon Abbey. It may date from as early as the 950s when King Edgar is recorded as having been educated at the abbey. From its early years, the school used a room in St Nicholas' Church, which was built from 1121 to 1184.
The school itself now takes its anniversaries from the earliest surviving reference to the school - 1256 - a charter of Abingdon Abbey recording an endowment by Abbot John de Blosneville for the support of thirteen poor scholars. In the past though, the school viewed itself has having been founded by John Roysse in 1563. This change led to the unusual circumstances whereby the school celebrated its 400th anniversary in 1963, and then its 750th in 2006. It is presumed that the rationale behind the increased focus on 1256 was to facilitate extensive anniversarial fundraising in 2006.
By the time of de Blosneville's endowment, the school had moved to a couple of rooms in Stert Street with a house for boarders at 3 Stert Street under the charge of Dionysia Mundy. With Roysse's re-endowment of 1563, the school moved to a site south of the abbey gateway. The name Roysse's School was still in use well into the 20th century. Roysse was a prosperous mercer in the City of London, and through this association the school has received substantial benefactions from the Worshipful Company of Mercers.
After the dissolution of Abingdon Abbey (1538) the school passed through a difficult phase: the sixteenth century endowments by Old Abingdonians attempted to overcome the loss of monastic support. Thomas Tesdale, who had been a pupil in 1563, made provision for an Usher to teach six poor scholars from the Borough of Abingdon and offered support for thirteen Abingdon students to study at Oxford. This benefaction eventually developed into Pembroke College in 1624 by the re-foundation of Broadgates Hall.
The six poor scholars, known as Bennett Boys, or colloquially as the Gown Boys due to their dress, were financed by another Old Abingdonian, William Bennett. Between 1609 and 1870 the school maintained a dual management: the headmaster, appointed by the mayor and corporation, and the Tesdale Usher and Bennett Scholars appointed by the master and governors of Christ's Hospital of Abingdon. The Old Abingdonian club was inaugurated in 1743, during the headmastership of Thomas Woods, and is consequently one of the oldest such organizations in the country.
In 1854 Pembroke College used legislation to distance itself from the school. The current school site away from the town centre, designed by Edwin Dolby, was developed from 1870 in the new Victorian quarter of Abingdon adjacent to Albert Park. Extensions to the 1870 buildings were added in 1880. In 1901 a chapel and gymnasium were built. The adjacent Waste Court property was acquired in 1928. The Science School came in 1952. In 1963, to mark the Quatercentenary of re-foundation the big schoolroom was re-ordered as the Grundy Library (opened by Princess Margaret) together with erection of further buildings east of the science wing, the whole now known as Big School. In 1980 the Amey Theatre and Arts' centre was opened and the sports' centre in 1984. Mercers' Court, comprising a sixth form centre was opened in 1994 by the Chancellor of Oxford University and Visitor of Pembroke College, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead.
[edit] Students and houses
The school currently has 812 pupils aged 11-18 of whom 126 are boarders. The school is split into 10 houses, 3 of which are for boarders (and dayboys), 7 for day boys. These are:
- School - 57 boys (9 dayboys, 48 boarders)
- Crescent - 60 boys (7 dayboys, 53 boarders)
- These two houses have all the middle school boarders (aged 13-16) and the majority of the sixth form boarders (aged 16-18).
- Waste Court - 25 boarders (16 6th form (with 3 in Boyd's) and 9 lower school)
- This house has the remainder of the sixth form boarders and all of the lower school boarders (aged 11-13).
- Boyd's - 80 boys (3 boarders - in Waste Court, 77 dayboys)
- Elliott's - 83 dayboys
- Franklin's - 80 dayboys
- Gooding's - 82 dayboys
- Olders' - 81 dayboys
- Phelps' (Situated on the same site as Waste Court) - 85 boys (72 dayboys, 13 boarders, 12 counted elsewhere)
- Webb's - 81 dayboys
Day boys from 11-13 belong to the Lower School which has 123 boys (114 dayboys, 9 boarders)
The day houses (with the exception of Lower School) take their names from the current housemaster, and are thus prone to change.
In the 20th century, before being sold, the school owned another upper school boarding house, Larkhill, to the north of the Faringdon Road. Also various smaller buildings have been used for boarders at various times, with the pupils being part of one of the larger houses. The Bath St house, Lacies Court (rare) and Glyndowr come into this category, see a school map.
There are many Inter-House competitions at Abingdon, both sporting and academic. These include Cricket, Rugby and Public Speaking. The competitions themselves are held every year, and each house has its traditional strengths. Elliots (who hold the record of most 'tag-rugby' titles held at once, 4 of 5) and School House, for example, are known to be particularly strong in the sports competitions, while Phelp's (who hold the record of most debating titles held at once, 3 of 5) Boyd's and Franklin's are better known for the debating and academic abilities. There is also an inter-house singing competition held annually. This comprises of each house singing a song of any type, Phelps' are notoriously weak. It is usually judged by a music department head from another school, and also by the headmaster of the school.
Current notable students include Olly Minton (son of Barry).
[edit] Extracurricular activities
Abingdon is notable in the region for its extensive dedication to extracurricular activities, dubbed the "Other Half" (of the syllabus).
Abingdon has a strong sporting tradition, especially in rowing. Documentary evidence indicates rowing was a school activity in 1830. Roysse's School Rowing Club (1840) became Abingdon School Boat Club. The 1st VIII won the "triple" in 2002: the Schools' Head of the River, Queen Mother's Cup and Princess Elizabeth Cup. 2006's J14's A and B squads, coached by Mr. Athol Hundermark are both National School Champions.
The Debating Society is the school's oldest non-sporting society, founded in 1904. A wide range of motions is debated, from humorous to serious, dealing with the great issues of the day. There are dinner debates with girls' schools such as The School of St Helen and St Katharine, Wycombe Abbey and St Mary's, Wantage.
Abingdon's Combined Cadet Force is nationally acclaimed, with the cadets in the contingent's Royal Air Force section winning the 2002 Ground Training Competition (South East) at RAF Uxbridge, Middlesex.
[edit] Academic
Abingdon is also academically a very strong school: the students regularly achieve good results and a significant number progress to the most prestigious universities, including a yearly average of more than 20 to Cambridge and Oxford.
Subjects taught to GCSE and A-Level are English, History, Geography, French, Russian, German, Religious Education and Religious Studies, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Drama, Music, Art and Design, Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation or Ancient History.
Subjects taught to GCSE only are Italian and Chinese.
Subjects taught for A-Level only are Government and Politics, Economics, Business Studies and Art History, often taught in conjunction with the neighbouring girls' school, The School of St Helen and St Katharine.
Abingdon's Russian department is notably strong and was determined the best in the country by a leading national newspaper.
[edit] Headmasters
- Richard the Pedagogue, -1337 (unverified)
- John Argall before 1568-c.1571
- Thomas Orpwood 1571-c.1573
- Anthony Lancaster 1573-1574
- John Chamberlen c.1574-1578
- Richard Williams 1577-1578
- Master Lewes c.1578-c.1583
- Master Cerey c.1584-?
- John Clyffe, ~1540
- Richard Humfrey ?-1579
- Anthony Appletree 1597-1599
- John Birde 1600-1605
- Degorie Wheare 1605-1606. Afterwards first Camden Professor of Ancient History at Oxford University and Principal of Gloucester Hall
- Edward Groome 1606-1608
- Thomas Godwyn, DD, 1608-1625
- Anthony Huish, 1625-1654
- Edmund Slye 1654
- Robert Payne 1654-1655. Tesdale Usher-in-Charge
- John Kerridge 1655-57
- Robert Jennings, 1657-1683
- Richard Playdell, 1684-1716. Formerly Tesdale Usher (1676-1684)
- Thomas Woods, 1716-1753. Formerly Tesdale Usher (1711-1716)
- John Abbot, 1753-1758
- Henry Bright, 1758-1774. Afterwards headmaster of New College School, Oxford
- Andrew Portal, 1774-1775
- William Kennedy, 1775-1792
- John Lemprière, DD, 1792-1809. Afterwards headmaster of Exeter School
- Edward Nicholson, 1810-1827
- Joseph Thomas James Hewlett, 1827-39
- William Alder Strange, DD, 1840-1868
- Edmund Tristram Horatio Harper, 1868-70. Formerly Tesdale Usher (1855-68)
- Edgar Summers, 1870-1883
- William Herbert Cam, 1883-1893
- Thomas Layng, 1893-1913
- William Mitchell Grundy, 1913-1947
- Sir James Cobban, CBE, 1947-1970
- Sir (William) Eric (Kinloch) Anderson, KT, 1970-1975. Afterwards headmaster of Shrewsbury School, Eton College, Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford and Provost of Eton
- Michael St. John Parker, 1975-2001
- Mark Turner, 2001-present
[edit] Tesdale Ushers
- Nicholas Giles, 1610-?
- Christopher Capper, 1619-20
- John Stone, 1628-1643
- Robert Payne, 1645-76
- Richard Playdell, 1676-1684. Afterwards headmaster
- James Barefoote, 1686-1692
- Walter Harte, 1692-1709
- William Templer, 1709
- John Rock, 1709-1710
- Thomas Woods, 1711-1716. Afterwards headmaster
- Daniell Darrell, 1716-1718
- John Ingles, 1718-20
- Josiah Bennett, 1720-1750
- Joseph Bennett, 1750-1751
- Andrew Portal, 1751-1758. Later headmaster
- James Smith, 1758-59
- Thomas Till, 1759-62
- John Stevenson, 1762-83
- Matthew Armstrong, 1783-92. Deputy Usher, George Anderson, 1784-85
- William Smith, 1793-1844
- Thomas Pantin, 1845
- Henry Jackson Rhodes, 1846-1851. Afterwards, editorial secretary, SPCK.
- Henry Day, 1851-1855. Afterwards headmaster, Burton-on-Trent Grammar School
- Edmund Tristram Horatio Harper, 1855-1871. Afterwards, vicar, Luddington, Lincolnshire (1871-1923)
- John Whitmore Black (second master 1868-70). Afterwards, vicar, Launcells, Cornwall (1873-1914)
[edit] Notable Old Abingdonians
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- St Nicholas Abingdon and Other Papers, Arthur E Preston (1929 and 1971)
- Abingdon School 1870-1970 (1970)
- A History of Rowing at Abingdon School 1840-1990, R G Mortimer (1990)
- The Martlet and the Griffen, Thomas Hinde and Michael St John Parker (1997)
- A Record of Tesdale Ushers & Bennett Scholars 1609-1870, Nigel Hammond (2004)
