- Milton Abbey School
-
Coordinates: 50°49′12.74″N 2°17′14.75″W / 50.8202056°N 2.2874306°W
Milton Abbey School 
Established 1954 Type Public School Religion Church of England Headmaster Gareth Doodes Chairman of Governors James Barnes Location Blandford Forum
Dorset
DT11 0BZ
EnglandStaff 50 Students 227 Gender Coeducational Ages 13–18 Houses 6 boarding houses Former pupils Old Miltonians [1] Website miltonabbey.co.uk Milton Abbey School is a British independent school in the Dorset countryside. It has 227 pupils in six boarding Houses, called Athelstan, Bancks, Damer, Hambro, Middleton and Tregonwell. Founded in 1954, it welcomes boys from 13 to 16 years and is coeducational in the sixth form.
The school has a rural campus, and extensive facilities. These include a gym, swimming pool, shooting range, golf course, a 320-seat theatre, a fully equipped art department and design block, an astro turf, an outward bound area, a 15th century dining hall, an Abbey chapel that can be traced back to the 10th century and grounds designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. The main House, which was built by Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester from 1780 onwards, houses the administrative hub of the school, classrooms, the Senior Common Room, the King's Room and all the boys' boarding houses. The girls' house, Middleton, can be found at the back quad.
Contents
The Headmaster
Gareth Doodes was appointed as Headmaster of Milton Abbey in March 2010, taking up post in the summer. Gareth Doodes began his career as a history teacher at Taunton School, Somerset, after being educated at Eastbourne College and reading history at St. Andrews University. He was subsequently appointed to Oakham School, and in 2004 was appointed as a Housemaster. He took up post as Deputy Head of Milton Abbey in September 2009 prior to promotion to the Headship in 2010.
Milton Abbey School
The Deputy Headmaster
Christopher Staley was appointed Deputy Headmaster in March 2010, taking up post in the summer. Prior to his appointment, he had been Senior Housemaster at Cranleigh, and Head of Geography after being educated at St. Dunstan's College, London, and the University of Portsmouth.
Houses and Housemasters
- Athelstan: Marcus Williams - Old Boy and specialist in Countryside Management
- Bancks: Penny Doubleday - Head of Drama at Milton Abbey
- Damer: Owen Parkin - Former County Cricketer
- Hambro: Simon Kibler - Former professional footballer and cricketer
- Middleton: Lucinda Wingate-Gray - Senior teacher of hospitality
- Tregonwell: Andrew Wilson - Director of Music and professional organist and conductor
The Abbey Church
Milton Abbey Chapel and main buildingThe Abbey forms the central heart of the school. A Chapel service takes place for the whole school on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. On Monday there is a House Assembly and Wednesday a whole school Assembly. On Sundays the whole school gathers for a formal Sunday worship, and there are regular communion services throughout the term. The present Chaplain is Richard Thomson. The School, although a Church of England foundation, welcomes people of any faith, and also of none.
The abbey church is built in a mixture of Ham stone, Chilmark stone and flint and consists only of the choir, central tower and transepts. Its style is mostly Decorated Gothic dating from the mid 14th century with some 15th century details in the tower and north transept. The eastern Lady Chapel was demolished after the suppression and some alterations were made by Wyatt in the late 18th century.[1] The Earl and Countess of Dorchester were also generous to the church, and their joint tomb, designed by Robert Adam with sculpture by Agostino Carlini, is to be found in the north transept. Perhaps the most striking feature of the church's interior, however, is its south window, designed as a Tree of Jesse by Augustus Pugin. Other features of interest are the 14th century pulpitum and sedilia, the 15th century reredos and pyx canaopy, and the 16th century monument to John Tregonwell.[2]
History of Milton Abbey
Milton Abbey in the late 19th centuryMilton Abbey (fully, the Abbey Church of St Mary, St Samson, and St Branwalader) in Dorset was a Benedictine foundation, but only part of the church now survives and is used as the Milton Abbey School chapel. A college of secular canons was founded here by King Athelstan, in 933,[3] and there are two medieval paintings of the King and his mother in the chancel. This foundation was replaced in 964 by a Benedictine monastery by King Edgar.[4] The medieval church burned down in 1309,[3] and although rebuilding started straight away it did not reach its present size until about 1400.[3]
One of the church's benefactors was Sir John Tregonwell, whose family came into the possession of the buildings in 1540 following the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.[3] Tregonwell fell from the roof of the church in a childhood accident, but his life was saved when his wide pantaloons filled with air and broke his fall. In thanks, he bequeathed his library to the church.
In 1752 the buildings were bought by the Damer family:[3] in 1771, to make way for a new house and landscaped estate, the 1st Baron Milton (later 1st Earl of Dorchester) demolished the remaining abbey buildings, keeping only part of the church as a private chapel, and the adjacent market town of Milton (creating Milton Abbas to rehouse the former inhabitants) in 1780. The new house was designed by William Chambers and the gardens by Capability Brown.[3]
In 1852 the merchant banker Carl Joachim Hambro acquired Milton Abbey to make it his family home.[3] He set about a major restoration programme, including an extensive refurbishment of the Abbey itself. The Hambro family developed and lived at Milton Abbey until 1932,[3] when it was sold and for a while they relocated to Hedge End Farm nearby, followed by a permanent move to Dixton Manor in Gloucestershire.
Curriculum
GCSE course curriculum
Core subjects: English, French or Spanish, Maths
Optional subjects: Applied science, Art, Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama, Geography, History, Music, Physical Education, Photography, Physics, Religious Studies and SpanishSixth Form curriculum
Most pupils will take three subjects at A Level or a combination of AS and A Levels equivalent to this. In addition, Milton Abbey offers four BTEC National Certificate courses, each of which is equivalent to 2 A Levels, for which there is no formal examinations with assessment by coursework.
AS/A Levels: Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Communication Studies, Design, English, French, Geography, History, History of Art, Law (AS only), Mathematics, Music, Music Technology, Photography, Physics, Religious Studies, Spanish, Sports Development
BTEC: Countryside Management, Horse Management, Hospitality and Sport Development, Coaching and Fitness.Activities
The arts
Milton Abbey has a thriving music, art and drama tradition that sees regular concerts, exhibitions and productions take place.
Drama: The purpose built theatre, seating 320, is the venue for plays, musicals, concerts, assemblies and lectures. Pupils are also given instruction in theatre management and back stage work as well as acting.
Music: Milton Abbey has a long choral tradition, and numerous music groups including a school orchestra, rock bands, ensembles and impromptu groups occur throughout the school week.
Art: All new pupils into the school are taught painting, and there is an opportunity to explore different mediums, including textiles, pottery, ceramics, printmaking, photography and computer graphics. The School organises regular trips to museums and galleries to augment work done in the studio.Sport
Milton Abbey from the playing fields.The school has timetabled PE lessons, and most pupils will take exercise at least four afternoons a week. There is an excellent coach to athlete ratio, and pupils have played at club, county and national level.
Boys' games: Rugby, football, swimming, hockey, cricket and fitness
Girls' games: Hockey,swimming, lacrosse, netball and tennisThe school has a polo team, with polo ponies being stabled on site.
Country pursuits
Milton Abbey is famed for its close links to the countryside and its emphasis on both academic ambition combined with a hearty love of the outdoors. The school encourages pupils to involve themselves in country pursuits. On offer are beagling, clay pigeon shooting, ferreting, fishing and horse riding. Other outdoor pursuits include climbing, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, potholing, rifle shooting, sailing, powerboating and the Ten Tors.
Grounds
In 2009, Milton Abbey started to develop a school farm, which is worked on by pupils and staff, to promote environmental awareness and work towards an element of self sufficiency. Traditional vegetables are grown, in addition to herbs, cutting flowers, fruit and some crops. The school also has a small pig herd, and will be investing in chickens and an apiary during the academic year 2010 - 2011.
The school has a golf course which winds around the main house and the Abbey Church. Designed by Peter Alliss and opened in 1972, it is a nine hole par 3 course which is used by pupils and by visitors who are required to pay a small green fee.
Reviews of the School
Tatler, in their 2009 Schools Guide: "Milton Abbey bills itself as the best small school in Britain and with good reason. It champions individuality, and a healthy outdoor lifestyle is at the heart of school life." The school is praised highly in the Good Schools Guide, and many other independent publications.
Film location
The school was used for exterior locations in the 1994 film The Browning Version starring Albert Finney, Matthew Modine and Greta Scacchi. It was also used for location work in the 1975 pilot episode of Ripping Yarns, Tomkinson's Schooldays written by and starring Michael Palin and Terry Jones, and was used for exterior and interior locations in 1980 in the BBC production of To Serve Them All My Days starring John Duttine and Frank Middlemass.[5]
List of Headmasters
- 1954 - 1955: Revd. Dr. C. K. Francis Brown - founding Headmaster
- 1955 - 1969: Cdr. R. H. Hodgkinson - previously an Officer in the Royal Navy; retired 1969.
- 1969 - 1979: W. M. T. Holland - previously a Housemaster at Eastbourne College; left to enter the Priesthood.
- 1979 - 1987: S. R. D. Hall - previously Housemaster at Haileybury, and subsequently appointed as Warden of Glenalmond.
- 1987 - 1995: R. H. Hardy - previously Housemaster at Eton College; retired 1995.
- 1995 - 2010: W. J. Hughes-D'Aeth - previously a Housemaster at Rugby School, and subsequently appointed to the post of Headmaster of Repton School, Dubai.
- 2010: Gareth E. Doodes - previously Deputy Headmaster at Milton Abbey and a Housemaster at Oakham School.
List of Deputy Headmasters
- 1966 - 1968: A. C. Ingall
- 1968 - 1973: M. O. Fletcher
- 1973 - 1977: H. J. Cox
- 1977 - 1993: T. J. R. Bullick
- 1992 - 2000: J. P. Traskey
- 2000 - 2009: N. H. Arkell - previously a Housemaster at Cheltenham College and subsequently Headmaster of Hoe Bridge Prep School.
- 2009 - 2010: Gareth E. Doodes - previously a Housemaster at Oakham School and subsequently Headmaster of Milton Abbey.
- 2010: Christopher Staley - previously Senior Housemaster at Cranleigh School.
Notable former pupils
See also: Category:People educated at Milton Abbey School- Rupert Evans, actor
- Alexander Faludy, child prodigy
- Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, musician
- Francis Fulford, landowner and incumbent of Great Fulford
- Tom Homer, rugby footballer
- Josh Ovens, rugby footballer
References
- ^ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches; the South. London: Collins; p. 175
- ^ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches; the South. London: Collins; p. 175
- ^ a b c d e f g h Milton Abbey: History
- ^ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches; the South. London: Collins; p. 175
- ^ "The Browning Version (1994)". IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109340/. Retrieved 2007-07-01.
External links
Categories:- Houses in Dorset
- History of Dorset
- Independent schools in Dorset
- Monasteries in Dorset
- Benedictine monasteries in England
- Grade I listed buildings in Dorset
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
