Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham

Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham
Old Bluecoat School

Old Bluecoat School in 2005
Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham is located in Berkshire
Location within Berkshire
Former names St Thomas’ Chapel
General information
Status Grade I listed building[1]
Type Chapel
Location Thatcham, Berkshire, England
Coordinates 51°24′13.89″N 1°15′4.65″W / 51.4038583°N 1.2512917°W / 51.4038583; -1.2512917Coordinates: 51°24′13.89″N 1°15′4.65″W / 51.4038583°N 1.2512917°W / 51.4038583; -1.2512917
Construction started 1304
Design and construction
Owner Thatcham Town Council
Website
oldbluecoatschool.org.uk

Old Bluecoat School, or the St Thomas’ Chapel is a Grade I listed building in the town of Thatcham in the English county of Berkshire. It is located on the main A4 road.

Contents

History

St Thomas’ Chapel

Built in 1304,[2][3] it was used as a Chapel dedicated St Thomas for the borough of Thatcham. It was opened and licensed for divine worship by the Bishop of Salisbury.[4] For about 250 years the chapel was used for services. From then on it was disused and fell into ruin. It remained so for another 150 years. An account of Lady Francis Winchcombe in the conveyance and trust deed in 1707, it was stated that it is spoken of as as an old decayed chapel.[5]

Bluecoat School

Lady Frances Winchcombe was the founder of the Winchcombe Charity in 1707 AD. This allowed for derelict Chapel of St. Thomas to be rebuilt/repaired as a school for thirty poor boys of the district.[6] The building was repaired in the early 18th century and opened as a school for the ‘poor boys of Thatcham and surrounding parishes'. Over the next 150 years the building went through different stages of repair, use and disuse. The name 'Bluecoat' came from the blue coats worn by the pupils.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Thatcham celebrates 20 years in the record books". BBC. 19 April 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/berkshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8630000/8630261.stm. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  2. ^ "History of Thatcham, Berkshire". Royal Berkshire History. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/villages/thatcham.html. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  3. ^ "Bluecoat School". Thatcham Historical Society. http://www.thatchamhistoricalsociety.org.uk/podcasts/2009/history-month-fact-8-bluecoats-school. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  4. ^ "Prehistoric Settlement- Adapted from 'Thatcham through the ages' by A.W. Proser and 'Thatcham Historical Society, 1979 Occasional Paper'.". Thatcham Town Council. http://www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk/public/page.php?section=history&table=info&category=history&record=57. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  5. ^ "St Thomas’ Chapel". Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham. http://www.oldbluecoatschool.org.uk/Old_Bluecoat_School,_Thatcham/St_Thomas_Chapel.html. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  6. ^ "Winchcombe". Thatcham Historical Society. http://www.thatchamhistoricalsociety.org.uk/podcasts/2010/history-month-fact-9-winchcombe-charity. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 
  7. ^ "Bluecoat School". Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham. http://www.oldbluecoatschool.org.uk/Old_Bluecoat_School,_Thatcham/Bluecoat_School.html. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 

External links

Stub icon This article about a Berkshire building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.