Wikipedia

Felsted School

Felsted Schoolis aco-educationalindependentboardinganddayschool, situated inFelstedin Essex, England. It is in the Britishpublic schooltradition, and was founded in 1564 byRichard Rich, 1st Baron Rich.Felsted is one of the 12 founder members of theHeadmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference,and a full member of theRound Square Conferenceof world schools. Felsted School is featured in theGood Schools Guideand is regularly featured in Tatler's Schools Guide. Felsted School was shortlisted for 'Boarding School of the Year' 2020 by theTimes Education Supplement(TES).

Felsted School
Address
Map
Stebbing Road

Felsted
,
Essex
,
CM6 3LL

England
Coordinates51°51′31″N0°26′12″E/ 51.8587°N 0.4367°E/51.8587; 0.4367
Information
TypePublic school
Privateday and boarding
MottoFrench:Garde Ta Foy
(Keep your Faith)
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
Established1564;460 years ago(1564)
FounderRichard Rich, 1st Baron Rich
Department for EducationURN115395Tables
HeadmasterChris Townsend
GenderCo-educational
Age4 to 18
Enrolment1,000
Colour(s)Burgundy (Prep School)
navy blue (Senior School)
Former pupilsOld Felstedians
Websitehttp:// felsted.org/
The 16th-century school room of Felsted School
Felsted's production of "Oh, What a Lovely War!"
Fire at Felsted School in 2012

Felsted is notable for having educated a British head of state,Richard Cromwell.

History

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Felsted was founded in 1564 byRichard Rich, 1st Baron Rich(also known as Riche) who, asLord Chancellorand Chancellor of theCourt of Augmentations,acquired considerable wealth from the spoils of theDissolution of the Monasteriesincluding the nearbyLeez Priorywhere he lived.[1][2]

The school became a notable educational centre forPuritanfamilies in the 17th century, numbering a hundred or more pupils, under Martin Holbeach, Headmaster from 1627 to 1649, and his successors (see below).John WallisandIsaac Barrowwere educated at Felsted in this period, as were four ofOliver Cromwell's sons.[1]

Another era of prosperity set in under the headmastership of William Trivett between 1778 and 1794; but numbers dwindled under his successors. Thomas Surridge (headmaster 1835–1850) discovered from research among the records, that a larger income was really due to the foundation, a re-organisation took place byAct of Parliament,and in 1850, under the headmastership of the Rev.Albert Henry Wratislaw,the school was put under a new governing body (a revised scheme coming into operation in 1876). Thereafter, Felsted rapidly developed into one of the regular public schools of the modern English type, under the Rev. W. S. Grignon. New buildings were built on an elaborate scale, numbers increased to more than 200, and a complete transformation took place, which was continued under Grignon's successors, like Frank Stephenson, who ordered large extensions to the buildings and playing-fields.[1]This allowed admittance up to 475 pupils, nearly all of whom were boarders.

The school was evacuated to three Herefordshire houses nearRoss-on-Wyeduring the Second World War at the owners invitation to be out of the way of German bombing. Most of the school was inGoodrich Courtand Windsor's and Ingle's Houses occupiedHill Court Manor.

On 25 July 1953 the school'sCombined Cadet Forcearmoury was raided by theIrish Republican Army (1922–69),making off with 8Bren guns,12Sten guns,an anti-tank gun, a mortar and 109rifles.Their van was stopped by a police patrol andCathal Goulding,Sean Stephenson, later known asSeán Mac StíofáinandManus Canningeach received 8 years in prison.[3]

Major building works took place for the 400th anniversary celebrations in 1964, whenthe Queen Motherlaid the foundation stone for the then new Music School,[4]subsequently opened by Felsted governorLord Butler of Saffron Walden,(formerlyRab Butler). In 2008 this building was replaced by a larger new building which was opened in 2009 byDameEvelyn Glennie.The Princess Royalopened the new Lord Riche Hall in 1989. Girls were taken into the Sixth Form in 1970, and into the whole school in 1993.

Felsted School perform 'Cabaret' in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility

21st century

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The success of taking drama productions every two years to perform in American high schools from 2000 onwards, led to the school being invited in 2008 by the U.S. authorities to put on a production ofStephen Sondheim'sA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumatBedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women.The audience consisted of life prisoners and received international news coverage. The success of this venture led to three further productions in the Correctional Facility:Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(2010),The Secret Garden(2012) andCabaret(2014).

In July 2012 part of the school was devastated by fire[5]after a blaze broke out in the roof and first floor of Follyfield House, one of the girls' boarding houses. The school term had ended but about 25 students and staff from a summer school were on site and evacuated. Nobody was injured. The school reopened as normal in September, with a new, temporary house situated next to the Lord Riche Hall. Soon after, an all new state-of-the-art boarding house was built in a different location, nearer to Gepp's & Deacon's houses, and opened as planned in September 2014.[citation needed]

On 6 May 2014, the school was visited by reigning monarch QueenElizabeth IIto mark the 450th anniversary of Felsted School. She unveiled plaques for the visit as well as officially opening the newly constructed Follyfield House.[6][7]

Fees in 2020/2021 range from £24,495 per year for a day pupil to £37,485 per year for full boarding.[8]

Recognition

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Felsted is one of the 12 founder members of theHeadmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference,[9]and a member of theRound Square Conferenceof world schools.[10]Felsted School is featured in theGood Schools Guideand is regularly featured in Tatler's Schools Guide. Felsted School was shortlisted for 'Boarding School of the Year' 2020 by theTimes Education Supplement(TES).

Houses

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Garnett's House

Girls' boarding houses are Stocks'[11]Follyfield[12](referred to as 'Follies') Garnetts[13]and Thorne[14]

Boys' boarding houses are Elywn's[15]Gepp's[16]Deacon's[17]and Windsor's.[18]

There are two day houses, Manor[19]and Montgomery's.[20](referred to as 'Monts')

Notable headmasters

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Alumni

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Main article:List of Old Felstedians

References

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Notes

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  1. ^abcChisholm 1911.
  2. ^"History and Archives".Felsted School History and archives.Felsted School. Archived fromthe originalon 21 April 2017.Retrieved20 April2017.
  3. ^Bishop, P, and Mallie, E. (1987). The Provisional IRA
  4. ^"Her Majesty The Queen to visit Felsted to celebrate school's 450th anniversary".Dunmow Broadcast.Archivedfrom the original on 21 April 2017.Retrieved20 April2017.
  5. ^"BBC News - Felsted School damaged by fire".BBC Online.16 July 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 19 August 2012.Retrieved12 September2012.A public school in Essex has been badly damaged by a fire tackled by more than 40 firefighters. The fire started in the roof and first floor of a girls' boarding house at Felsted School, near Great Dunmow, on Sunday evening and rapidly spread.
  6. ^"Royal Visit - 6th May 2014 | Felsted School".felsted.org.Archived fromthe originalon 19 April 2016.Retrieved8 April2016.
  7. ^"The Queen and Prince Philip visit Essex".itv.Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2016.Retrieved8 April2016.
  8. ^"Our Fees - Pre-Prep, Prep, and Boarding - Felsted School".felsted.org.Archivedfrom the original on 17 June 2017.Retrieved7 July2017.
  9. ^"History of HMC".HMC.HMC.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2017.Retrieved20 April2017.
  10. ^"Round Square Entry for Felsted School".Round Square.Archivedfrom the original on 21 April 2017.Retrieved20 April2017.
  11. ^"Stocks's".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  12. ^"Follyfield".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  13. ^"Garnetts".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  14. ^"Thorne".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  15. ^Elywn'sArchived2011-07-26 at theWayback Machine
  16. ^"Gepp's".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  17. ^"Deacon's".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  18. ^"Windsor's".Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  19. ^"Manor".Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.
  20. ^"Montgomery's".Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2011.Retrieved24 January2011.

Books

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  • John Sargeaunt (November 2018).History of Felsted School.Franklin Classics Trade Press.ISBN9780353278349.
  • Alastair Grierson Rickford (2014).Garde ta Foy: The Riche Heritage of Felsted School 1564-2014.Profile Books Limited.ISBN9781906507862.
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