Dauntsey's School

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Dauntsey's School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the village of West Lavington, Wiltshire, South West England. The School was founded in 1542 in accordance with the will of Mercer Alderman William Dauntsey (or Dauntesey) .

Contents 1 The School 1.1 Houses 1.1.1 Lower school houses 1.1.2 Upper school houses 2 Jolie Brise 3 Mercers' Company 4 History 4.1 The Civic Guild of Old Mercers 4.2 Old Dauntseians of note 5 See also 6 Wiltshire Schools 7 External links

[edit] The School

The school was moved to its current site in the 1895. The school occupies approximately 25 acres of land at the main school campus, though this was recently increased by the acquisition of a field behind the school. However, the school has yet to develop this land, and it remains a ploughed field with a bike park, the bike park featured in MBUK in 2004 when the Osiris BMX team did a show there, though the park has since been bulldozed as the locality took to using it without permission. The school also owns a large portion of land approximately 500m walk (or a mile's drive) from the main school. The land has an old Manor building on it, a wood, a golf course and an athletics track.

The main school building is a large building across the front of the school, set back down a drive flanked by sports pitches on one side and the Headmaster's residence on the other. Behind this main school building is a central quad, all the classrooms (with exception of the Art department) and most buldings in the school are within metres' walk from this quadrangle.

[edit] Houses

Most houses are named after former headmasters, the exceptions being Manor, Farmer and Mercers (named after a building, a generous donor, and the Worshipful Company respectively). All houses are on main school site, except Manor.

[edit] Lower school houses

In lower school the day pupils' houses determine little more than where their locker is, and where they must be for registration. For lower school boarders, however, the Manor house is the only boarding house available, and therefore will be where they live, and eat (breakfast and supper). Forbes is known as the fun house and scott is known as the cheating house.

All classes have pupils from all houses.

Day	Boarding
Forbes	Manor
Rendell
Scott

[edit] Upper school houses

In upper school, houses are not mixed, and the eight houses are divided equally among day, boarding, female and male pupils . A pupil's house is determined at random, although siblings tend to be placed in the same house.

	Day	Boarding
Girls	King-Reynolds	Jeanne
	Lambert	Evans
Boys	Farmer	Mercers
	Hemens	Fitzmaurice

[edit] Jolie Brise

Jolie Brise, the famous gaff rigged pilot cutter, is sailed exclusively by Dauntsey pupils throughout the year. In summer 2000 Dauntsey crews took part in the The Tall Ships' Race 2000, which took her from Southampton to Cadiz, Bermuda, Charleston, New York, Boston, Halifax and Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, Jolie Brise was declared the overall winner of this prestigious international race. She also won The Tall Ships' Races 2002, which took her from Alicante to Malaga. Last summer Jolie Brise cruised to the Azores; this summer Jolie Brise circumnavigated Britain before sailing to Spain.

[edit] Mercers' Company

The school was founded in the 16th Century in accordance with the will of Mercer William Dauntesey, the school's affiliation with the Mercers Company still remains, and the Master Mercer is a regular guest of honour or speaker at school events. The company also helps with the financial support of students individual ventures, including gap years and sporting tours, where the company sees fit.

[edit] History

Three centuries after the school's foundation in 1542 (above), the school moved to its current site at the North end of West Lavington, Wiltshire: in may 1895, the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain opened the new school buildings and officially inaugurated Dauntsey's Agricultural School. In 1929, the school purchased the Manor House estate which is now accommodation for lower school borders. In 1930, the school changed its name to Dauntsey's School although remained largely dedicated to an agriculture-based education. In 1967, the 'Olive Block' opened, which is now Fitzmaurice House. 1970 saw the foundation of the sailing club, while, in 1971, the first ever girls were admitted. In 1972, the farm buildings were closed and the school became a primarily academic institution. In 1977, the school acquired Jolie Brise (above). The school continues a wide range of building and expansion projects to this day, including the recent building of Mercer's House and the new school library.

The school's agricultural history explains the distinctive faun-coloured uniform for which Dauntsey's was famous. In 2001, however, the school abandoned this uniform and pupils now wear navy blue.

[edit] The Civic Guild of Old Mercers

The Civic Guild of Old Mercers, established c. 1947, by ex-pupils of Mercers' School, has the stated aim of encouraging former pupils of the Mercers' School to become Freemen and Liverymen of the City of London: and to select, if possible, a Livery Company appropriate to their own trade or profession.

When the Mercers' School closed in 1959 it was decided, to extend membership to former pupils from other schools in the Mercers' Cluster. Membership is now open to pupils of the following schools; Abingdon School, Dauntsey's School, Mercers' School, St Paul's Boys School, St Paul's Girls School and Thomas Telford School, and the Colleges of Richard Collyer and Peter Symonds.

[edit] Old Dauntseians of note

• Desmond Morris
• Eason Chan (Hong Kong singer)
• W.V. Awdry
• Simon May (composer)

[edit] See also

• Civic Guild of Old Mercers

[edit] Wiltshire Schools

[edit] External links

• School website
• Jolie Brise website
• The Mercers' Company website
• Civic Guild of Mercers site