Rev Nathaniel Woodard founded the School in a few small rooms in Shoreham in 1858. It was to be the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of his grand design of a national system of schools to restore the Anglican Church to the heart of the nation. Very low fees at £15 per annum meant that it was affordable to the lower middle-classes thus meeting a real need in society.
Moving to its magnificent site at Ardingly in 1870, a series of resolute and resourceful clerical headmasters overcame all manner of problems, not least financial, to establish this unique school. It was the tall and immensely commanding George Snow who in the years following the Second World War put Ardingly on the map, shown when both the Queen and Prime Minister (Harold Macmillan) visited the School in 1958 to mark its Centenary.
In the subsequent 50 years Ardingly has gone from strength to strength and become one of the leading co-educational schools in the south of England. This fascinating hardback book by David Gibbs, an author with intimate first-hand experience of the School traces its remarkable history over the last 150 years and is laced with anecdotes and reminiscences, richly illustrated throughout with over 200 archive and contemporary images.
‘‘Smoking is strictly prohibited. Our Captain of the Dormitory who is a prefect indulged in it and was caught last Saturday. He was flogged and degraded. We have a new Captain now.’’
Twelve year old Charles Herbert Shaw writing home to his parents in 1880
‘‘….acting, writing and performing reviews, I found it all very stimulating. I always remember the sense of humour and there also seemed to be a lot of lunacy, as when Nick Newman and Simon Parke organised a roller bike event round the Front Quad and ran a commentary from the Chapel Tower.’’
Ian Hislop, Editor of Private Eye, writing about his schooldays at Ardingly
‘‘The period of adolescence is a time when strong memories are laid down, and Ardingly had a strong and distinctive personality. I knew at the time that my debt to the School was great, but looking back more than 30 years I am more than ever conscious of the enormous and benevolent influence it has been on my life.’’
James Lancelot, Master of the Choristers and Organist at Durham Cathedral
Save on the p&p: You can order a copy online for collection from the School and save on the post and packing. Copies are now available for collection from Gesa Paulfeierborn in the Development Office. Telephone: 01444 893014
E-mail: gesa.paulfeierborn@ardingly.com