Milton Abbey School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milton Abbey School |
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| Location | |
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Milton Abbas
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near Blandford Forum DT11 0BZ
England
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| Coordinates | 50°49′12.74″N 2°17′14.75″W / 50.8202056°N 2.2874306°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent school Day and boarding school |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Church of England |
| Established | 1954 |
| Department for Education URN | 113932 Tables |
| Chair of Governors | Ian G Bromilow |
| Head | James Watson |
| Staff | 129 (including part-time and contracts) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 13 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 224 pupils as of September 2023[update] |
| Houses | Athelstan, Damer, Hambro, Hodgkinson and Tregonwell |
| Alumni | Milton Abbey Association |
Milton Abbey School is a special school located in the village of Milton Abbas, near Blandford Forum in Dorset, England. It's an independent school for students who live there (boarding) and those who come for the day. As of September 2023, about 224 students attend the school. They are divided into five different houses: Athelstan, Damer, Hambro, Hodgkinson, and Tregonwell. The school first opened its doors in 1954 and welcomes both boys and girls.
Milton Abbey School has some amazing facilities. These include a golf course, a dining hall that is 500 years old, and a chapel that dates back to the 10th century! The beautiful school grounds were designed by a famous landscape architect named Lancelot "Capability" Brown. The main school building was built by Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester.
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Learning at Milton Abbey School
Milton Abbey School follows the English school curriculum. Students can study for their GCSEs and A-levels. The school also offers BTECs. BTECs are practical qualifications that focus on specific job skills.
In 2019, Milton Abbey School was named "BTEC School of the Year" by Pearson, the company that awards BTEC qualifications. In 2022, the school was recognized for having the most BTEC students among all independent schools in England. This shows their strong focus on practical learning.
The Historic Abbey Church
The Abbey Church is at the very heart of Milton Abbey School. It's a central place for the school community. Students gather for a chapel service twice a week. On Mondays, each house has its own meeting. On Wednesdays, the whole school comes together for an assembly.
On Sundays, there is a formal worship service for everyone. Communion services are also held regularly throughout the term. Even though the school has ties to the Church of England, it welcomes students of all faiths and no faith.
The Abbey Church is built from different types of stone and flint. Most of it was built in the mid-1300s in a style called "decorated gothic." Some parts, like the tower, were added in the 1400s. Inside, you can see many interesting features. One of the most striking is the south window, which shows a "Tree of Jesse" design by Augustus Pugin. There are also old carvings, a special screen, and a monument to John Tregonwell from the 1500s.
A Look at the School's History
Milton Abbey was originally a Benedictine monastery. It was known as the Abbey Church of St Mary, St Samson, and St Branwalader. Today, only part of the church remains and is used as the school's chapel.
The first religious building here was a college of priests, founded by King Athelstan in 933. You can even see two old paintings of the king and his mother inside the church! In 964, King Edgar replaced this college with a Benedictine monastery. The medieval church sadly burned down in 1309. Rebuilding started right away, but it took until about 1400 for the church to reach its current size.
One important person in the church's history was Sir John Tregonwell. His family took ownership of the buildings in 1540. This happened after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, when many monasteries in England were closed down. A famous story says that when John Tregonwell was a child, he fell from the church roof. Luckily, his wide trousers filled with air, breaking his fall and saving his life! Because of this, he later gave his library to the church. Sir John was also buried in the Abbey Church.
In 1752, the Damer family bought the buildings. In 1771, to create space for a new house and beautiful gardens, the 1st Baron Milton (who later became the 1st Earl of Dorchester) tore down the remaining abbey buildings. He only kept part of the church as his private chapel. He also moved the nearby town of Milton in 1780, creating the new village of Milton Abbas for the people who lived there. The new house was designed by William Chambers, and the gardens were created by Capability Brown.
In 1852, a banker named Carl Joachim Hambro bought Milton Abbey. He made it his family home and started a big project to restore the Abbey. The Hambro family lived at Milton Abbey until 1932.
Milton Abbey School has also been featured in TV shows and movies! It was the setting for "Bamfylde School" in the 1980 TV series To Serve Them All My Days. It also appeared in Tomkinson's Schooldays, one of the Ripping Yarns by Michael Palin and Terry Jones. In 1994, the film "The Browning Version" was also filmed there.
Exploring the School Grounds
The beautiful parklands around the school were designed in the late 1700s by Capability Brown. These gardens are very important and are listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
In 2009, the school started its own farm. Staff and students work on the farm to learn about the environment. They also try to grow some of their own food. They grow traditional vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit, and other crops. The farm also has a small number of pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks.
The school has its own golf course! It winds around the main house and the Abbey Church. The course was designed by Peter Alliss and opened in 1972. It has nine holes and is used by students and visitors. The school even has a golf professional who helps teach the students.
Famous Former Students
Many interesting people have attended Milton Abbey School. Here are a few:
- Alastair Bruce – A Major General and expert on royal events.
- Rupert Evans – A well-known actor in plays, films, and TV shows.
- Alexander Faludy – A former child genius who was one of the youngest students ever at Cambridge University.
- Jonathan Freeman-Attwood – The Principal of the Royal Academy of Music.
- Tom Homer – A professional rugby union player.
- Francis Fulford – A landowner and TV personality.
- Baron Nash – A politician who worked as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools.
- Edward Barnes – A famous creator of children's TV programmes.
- Josh Ovens – A professional rugby union player.
- Mark Shand – A travel writer and someone who worked to protect animals.
- Prince Rostislav Romanov – A member of the Russian Imperial family.
