Mill Hill School

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Mill Hill School
Image:Badge.gif
Established 1807
Type Independent, Co-educational
Location London, England
Website Mill Hill School

Mill Hill School, in Mill Hill, London, is a coeducational independent school for boarding and day pupils aged 13–18.

Dr. Dominic Luckett became headmaster at the start of the 2007/2008 academic year. He was previously deputy headmaster of Worth School. He succeeded William R Winfield, MA.

Contents

[edit] Houses

As with many independent schools, Mill Hill School is divided in houses. These are:

  • Boarding Houses
    • Burton Bank - Named to commemorate its original position on Burton Hole Lane
    • Collinson - Named after Peter Collinson who once owned what is now the estate
    • Ridgeway - The name of Collinson's original house on the site
  • Day Houses
    • Atkinson - Named after the first Headmaster, the Reverend J Atkinson
    • McClure - Named after Sir John McClure, Headmaster at the turn of the 20th century
    • Murray - Named in honour of teacher and originator of the Oxford English Dictionary
    • Priestley - Named after Headmaster Thomas Priestley
    • School House - Named after Tite's famous building constructed in the 1820s
    • Weymouth - Named after Headmaster Dr R Weymouth
    • Cedars - Named in honour of the cedars planted by Peter Collinson

Winterstoke House was re purposed as Grimsdell Pre-preparatory School in 1995.

[edit] History

A committee of Nonconformist merchants and ministers founded the school for boys only in 1807. They located it outside the boundary of London because of "dangers both physical and moral, awaiting youth while passing through the streets of a large, crowded and corrupt city". The school is therefore located in peaceful, secure and rural surroundings, yet by today's standards very close to Central London.

Mill Hill School occupies a 120-acre site, part of which formed the gardens of Ridgeway House, the house of botanist Peter Collinson. Collinson was one of the most important importers of rare and exotic plants into English gardens. Many of the species that he introduced to Mill Hill in the 18th Century continue to flourish today in the grounds of the School.

In 1939, Mill Hill School's premises were taken over by the British government and the school was evacuated to St. Bees School in Cumberland for the duration of the Second World War.[1]

Mill Hill first admitted Sixth Form girls in 1975 and became fully co-educational in 1997.

The BBC news website usually uses a picture taken at Mill Hill School for articles about Boarding Schools. [1]

[edit] Architecture

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[edit] Chapel

Unveiled in 1896, the School Chapel is a basilica in form. The architect was Basil Champneys, well-known for his work at Oxford and Winchester College.

[edit] School House

Designed by Sir William Tite, famous for his work on the London Royal Exchange, School House was erected in 1825 and is described as being in the Greco-Roman style.

School House with War Memorial

From The Ridgeway

A view from Top Terrace

School House Interior

[edit] Boarding Houses

Although the number of day pupils has risen over recent years, boarding at Mill Hill is still central to the life of the School.

Cedars (now a day house with the same name)

Burton Bank

Collinson

St Bees (as Collinson)

Ridgeway House

Winterstoke House, currently as the Pre-Prep

[edit] Faculties and Other

The School occupies a number of buildings within its site of both modern and traditional styling.

War Memorial

School of Science

Pavillion

The Marnham Block

[edit] Bicentennial Celebrations

The school celebrates its bicentenary year during 2007. To honour this landmark in the school's history a service was held at St Paul's Cathedral. Additionally, the school held the visit of HRH Countess of Wessex to officially open the school's new Favell building.

[edit] Management

The school is run by the Mill Hill School Foundation. The foundation offers education to boys and girls aged 3 - 18 in three schools. The foundation's other schools are:

  • Belmont School - a day school for pupils aged 7 - 13. Head: Lynn Duncan BSc
  • Grimsdell - a pre-preparatory day school for pupils aged 3 - 7. Head: Mrs Pauline E R Bennett-Mills, Cert Ed

[edit] Rugby

Mill Hill School has a large range of sports. Traditionally the main school sport has been Rugby Union, whose colours are chocolate brown and white. Notable events in recent rugby history include:

  • 1993 Winners of Middlesex Cup
  • 1994 Tour to South Africa and Australia, Ben Levenstein England Schools U-18s
  • 1995 Peter Mensah England A
  • 1997 Adrian Flavin England Schools U-18s
  • 1999 Gerald Arasa England U-21s
  • 2000 Tour to South Africa, Winners of the Middlesex Cup
  • 2003 Tour to Australia and Fiji, the most successful to date
  • 2004 Finalists of the Middlesex Cup
  • 2005 Tour to Canada
  • 2007 Tour to New Zealand
  • 2007 Winners of Middlesex Cup
  • 2007 Visit of South Africa Rugby team to Mill Hill School

[edit] Notable Alumni

See also: Category:Old Millhillians

[edit] James Murray

One of the more important former members of staff was James Murray, editor of a new English Dictionary, that was to become the Oxford English Dictionary.

In preparation for the work ahead Murray built a corrugated-iron shed in the grounds of Mill Hill School, called the Scriptorium.

A scriptorium remains at the school today called the Murray Scriptorium, however this is not the same building as the original.

One of the school's houses is named after him (Murray).

[edit] The Patrick Troughton Theatre

In honour of Patrick Troughton the Mill Hill theatre was dedicated to the actor and named the Patrick Troughton Theatre in 2007.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Evacuation of Mill Hill School to St. Bees", The St Bees Association. 
  2. ^ "Nigel Wray", University of Bristol. 

[edit] External links

[edit] Official Sites

[edit] Independent Schools Council links

[edit] Other External links