During the middle ages, education in the town seems to have been primarily associated with St John’s Hospital in Eastover, although the priest of St Mary’s and the curate of Chilton Trinity also ran small schools for a time.
After the Reformation, the town requested the creation of a Free Grammar School. This was established by Queen Elizabeth in 1561 and would be renewed in 1613, hence the institution became known as the King James Grammar School. For a time it operated from a house in King Square. It closed in 1869.
Dr. John Morgan founded a charitable school in 1723, which became the town’s premier school in the nineteenth century. A school was built at Mount Street, and later moved to Haygrove. Dr Morgan’s merged with the Girl’s Grammar School in 1973 becoming Haygrove Comprehensive School.
In the nineteenth century the town saw many institutions founded, Church of England, Non-Conformist, along with a host of private institutions. In time we hope to survey these, although for an over view see here and here.
Kindly supplied by Mr Mike Sampson
1846-1961
Kindly Supplied by Clare Spicer
Friarn Street
1830-1877
Private Boys School, King Square, Blake Street, Green Dragon Lane
c.1871-1946
Private Girl’s School, King Street and Northfields
1923-1987
