Lancing College

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Lancing College
(formerly College of St Mary and St Nicholas)
Motto 'Beati Mundo Corde'
(Blessed are the pure in heart)
Established 1848
Type Public School
Religious affiliation Church of England
Head Master Jonathan W J Gillespie MA
Chairman Robin M Reeve MA
Founder Nathaniel Woodard
Location Lancing, West Sussex
West Sussex
BN15 0RW
EnglandFlag of England
Students (approx.) 500
Gender Mixed
Ages 13 to 18
Houses 9
School colours Blue and White

         
Publication The Quad, Lancing College Magazine, Lancing Club Magazine
Former pupils OLs
Affiliation Woodard School
Website www.lancingcollege.co.uk

Lancing College is a co-educational English Independent school, founded in 1848 by Rev. Nathaniel Woodard, whose aim was to provide education based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith. Lancing was to be the first of a family of over 30 schools founded by Woodard (others include Hurstpierpoint College, Ardingly College, Worksop College and Denstone College).

The College from the East
The College from the East

Typical of Public Schools, the College places emphasis on what might be described as traditional strengths - Anglican Christianity (Chapel attendance is compulsory for all pupils, regardless of their religious beliefs) and sporting prowess (notably football, squash, tennis, hockey and cricket).

The College is based in 550 acres (2.2 km²) of countryside in West Sussex near the village of Lancing, west of the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The College is situated on a hill which is part of the South Downs and the campus dominates the local landscape. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Girls were first admitted in 1971. The school is dominated by a Gothic revival Chapel, and follows a high church Anglican tradition. The College of St Mary and St Nicholas (as it was originally known) was intended for the sons of upper middle classes and professional men; in time this became Lancing College, moving to its present site in 1857.

The school's buildings of the 1850s were designed by the architect Richard Cromwell Carpenter, with later ones by John William Simpson.

Lancing College boards boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 18 at a cost of about £24,000 a year. A small number of the pupils attend Lancing on academic and musical scholarships provided by the school; of the other pupils, some may receive some kind of bursary. The College has many notable past pupils. Former pupils are referred to as OLs.

On September 15 2007, a Hawker Hurricane taking part in the RAFA Battle of Britain air-show crashed in one on the southern fields of the College-owned farm. No spectators were injured but the pilot of the Hurricane was killed.[1]

Contents

[edit] School life

The School day begins with 'callover' early in the morning, ending around 6pm with sports during the afternoons of alternate days. At 7pm there are two hours of 'evening school' where pupils are expected to remain in their studies and complete any prep that may have been set during the academic day. Pupils are also expected to attend lessons on Saturday mornings.

The College is divided up into houses, each house resident to between 30 and 80 pupils.

Lancing Lower Quad
Lancing Lower Quad
House Colours Number Gender Type Housemaster/mistress Named after
Head's Red/Rose 1 M Day Mr A Arnold formerly The Head Master's House
Second's Silver/Maroon 2 M Boarding Mr D Connolly formerly The Second Master's House
School Purple/Silver 3 M Boarding Dr A Betts consists of the former Olds [sic] and Sanderson (New) Houses
Field's Rose/White 4 F Boarding Mrs H Dugdale The Rev. Edmund Field
Gibbs' Silver/Purple 5 M Boarding Mr M Smith Henry Martin Gibbs
Sankey's Green 6 F Day Miss N Dragonetti John Sankey
Teme Green/blue 7 M Boarding Dr S Norris The River Teme
Manor Yellow 8 F Boarding Mrs A Stone Manor house, a house of the school in the first half of the 20th century
Handford Blue 9 F Boarding Mrs C Palmer Basil Handford

Each house has a distinctive set of 'colours' which are awarded to students for merit and/or commitment for representing the house. The award allows male student to wear a house tie.

Besides academic study pupils are involved in activities that include football, rugby, tennis, squash, badminton, lacrosse, basketball, fives, hockey, running, debating, farming, riding, clay pigeon shooting, Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, sailing, and the Combined Cadet Force.

[edit] Chapel

College Chapel
College Chapel

The foundation stone of the College Chapel was laid in 1868, but the Chapel itself was not finished in Woodard's lifetime. In fact, the Chapel remains unfinished. It stands at about 50 metres (with foundations going down 20 metres into the ground), but the original plans called for a tower at the West end which would raise the height to 100 metres. One reason that the Chapel ended up as high as it did was that Woodard insisted that it be built to its full height at one end first, so that even if he died before completion the height could not be cut down to save money. The Chapel is built in the English gothic style of the 14th century, with 13th century French influences. It was designed by R. H. Carpenter and William Slater, and is built of Sussex sandstone from Scaynes Hill.

The Chapel was dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas in 1911, although the College used the finished Crypt (which now houses the art school) from 1875. Inside can be found, amongst other things, the tomb of the founder, two organs and a huge rose window designed by Stephen Dykes Bower said to be the second largest rose window in the country, after York Minster. The Chapel is open to the public every day, Monday to Saturday from 10.00 until 16.00, and Sunday from 12.00 until 16.00. Full school services are held every Wednesday morning during term time at 08.35, and on certain Sundays throughout the year. There is also a Eucharist every morning at 07.40, and Benediction on a Friday evening.

[edit] Campus

Most school buildings and boarding houses are positioned around the central quads with the Chapel positioned adjacent to the College drive. The school has an operational farm, river access, squash courts, fives courts, swimming pool, a multigym, weightroom, two all weather astro-turfs, twenty-eight tennis courts, two theatres, two libraries and extensive classrooms.

The school is one of only a small number in the country to have Eton fives courts. The Upper Field's cricket square is most highly regarded.

Jonathan Gillespie became the headmaster of the school in September 2006, moving from his position as a housemaster at Fettes College; Gillespie studied Languages at Cambridge University.

[edit] Developments

Upper quadrangle from the great school
Upper quadrangle from the great school

Despite the principles of Victorian austerity on which the school was founded, Lancing has recently completed a number of developments that include a new Design Centre. A new Art School is to be built, due for completion in 2008. A stained glass window has been commissioned in memory of Trevor Huddleston OL.

A Development Council is operating under the chairmanship of Sir Tim Rice. It acts in an advisory capacity on development and fundraising matters.

[edit] Notable alumni: Old Lancing (OLs)

The College Drive
The College Drive

Notable alumni include

[edit] Arts

[edit] Literature

[edit] Broadcasting, Theatre & Cinema

[edit] Politics and law

[edit] Diplomatic Service

[edit] Sciences and engineering

[edit] The Church

[edit] Armed forces

[edit] Business

[edit] Miscellaneous

[edit] Notable former staff members include

[edit] Hoe Court

South West side of the College
South West side of the College

The College owns a number of properties based along the College Drive and all the properties in Hoe Court, a road extending from the rear of the College towards the village of Lancing.

[edit] Lancing College Preparatory School at Mowden

Lancing College Preparatory School at Mowden is an independent Nursery, Pre-preparatory and Preparatory School for approximately 175 children between the ages of 3 and 13. The Head Master is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools.

Mowden School, as it was originally known, was founded by Mr B A Snell at Mowden Hall, in Essex, in 1896. In 1901, it moved to Lansdowne Place, Hove and in 1913 moved again to its present site. Mr Edward Snell took over from his father in 1937 and, on his death in 1973, his son, Christopher, became Head Master.

In September 2002, the School passed into the care of Lancing College and the current Head Master, Mr Alan Laurent, took over from the Snells. Although the house was purpose built for a preparatory school in 1913 by Christopher Snell¹s grandfather, there has been a continuing programme of modernisation and development.

In addition to a dedicated IT Room, each classroom has its own computer and there is a well-equipped Science Laboratory, Technology Room and an attractive Library and Reading Room. Spacious sports fields surround the School, which accommodate pitches for all the main games and sports, including an all-weather Astroturf area.

Lancing Prep pupils are also fortunate to be able to share the magnificent facilities of Lancing College, for which a mini-bus link is in place. Traditionally the School was for boys only, but in September 2002, girls were accepted for the first time and the School became co-educational.

Mowden School became Lancing College Preparatory School at Mowden (or Lancing Prep as it is known) in September 2005.

[edit] Headmasters of Lancing College

  • The Rev Henry Jacobs (Aug - Dec 1848)
  • The Rev Charles Edward Moberly (1849 - 1851)
  • The Rev John Branthwaite (1851 - 1859)
  • The Rev Henry Walford (1859 - 1861)
  • The Rev Robert Edward Sanderson (1862 - 1889)
  • The Rev Harry Ward McKenzie (1889 - 1894)
  • The Rev Ambrose John Wilson (1895 - 1901)
  • Bernard Henry Tower (1901 - 1909)
  • The Rev Canon Henry Thomas Bowlby (1909 - 1925)
  • Cuthbert Harold Blakiston (1925 - 1934)
  • Frank Cecil Doherty (1935 - 1953)
  • John Christopher Dancy (1953 - 1961)
  • Sir Erskine William Gladstone (1961 - 1969)
  • Ian David Stafford Beer (1969 - 1981)
  • James Stephen Woodhouse (1981 - 1993)
  • Christopher John Saunders (1993 - 1998)
  • Peter M. Tinniswood (1998 - 2005)
  • Richard R. Biggs (acting, 2005-2006)
  • Jonathan Gillespie (Sept 2006 - )

[edit] References

  1. ^ WWII aircraft pilot dies in crash. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
  2. ^ Martin Bentley MBE article. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 50°50′47″N, 00°18′15″W