Cowbridge Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Cowbridge Grammar School was one of the best-known schools in Wales
until its closure in 1974. It was replaced by a comprehensive school
.
Founded in the 17th century by Sir John Stradling
and refounded by Sir Leoline Jenkins
, it had close links with Jesus College, Oxford
. The school took both boarders and day boys. Famous old boys include actor Anthony Hopkins
and poet Alun Lewis
.
The main school buildings were located in Church Street, Cowbridge
. Derelict for some years, they have now been converted into residential accommodation. The school also occupied part of Old Hall, now an adult education centre.
; owned by Jesus College, Oxford
1685 to 1918. Sir Leoline Jenkins
, Secretary of State to Charles II
purchased the school and bequeathed it to Jesus College in his will. It became Cowbridge Comprehensive School in 1973-4, and what used to be the grammar school's main building, dating from 1852, was converted into residential accommodation beginning in 2006, and completed in 2008.
In 1881, Edward Treharne
, who represented the school, was chosen to play in the first international game for the Wales
rugby union
team.
The Grammar School Old Boys' Association, in conjunction with the school's successor, Cowbridge Comprehensive, planned a series of activities in September 2008 to mark the 400th anniversary of the start of quality education in Cowbridge.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
until its closure in 1974. It was replaced by a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
.
Founded in the 17th century by Sir John Stradling
Sir John Stradling, 1st Baronet
Sir John Stradling, 1st Baronet , was a British politician.He was born the son of Francis Stradling of St. George, Bristol and adopted by a relative, Sir Edward Stradling. He inherited the family estate at St Donat's on the death of Sir Edward in 1609.Educated at Oxford , he was Sheriff of...
and refounded by Sir Leoline Jenkins
Leoline Jenkins
Sir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
, it had close links with Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
. The school took both boarders and day boys. Famous old boys include actor Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
and poet Alun Lewis
Alun Lewis
Alun Lewis , was a poet of the Anglo-Welsh school, and is regarded by many as Britain's finest Second World War poet.- Education :...
.
The main school buildings were located in Church Street, Cowbridge
Cowbridge
Cowbridge is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, approximately west of Cardiff. Cowbridge is twinned with Clisson in the Loire-Atlantique department in northwestern France.-Roman times:...
. Derelict for some years, they have now been converted into residential accommodation. The school also occupied part of Old Hall, now an adult education centre.
History
Cowbridge Grammar School was founded in 1608 by Sir John StradlingSir John Stradling, 1st Baronet
Sir John Stradling, 1st Baronet , was a British politician.He was born the son of Francis Stradling of St. George, Bristol and adopted by a relative, Sir Edward Stradling. He inherited the family estate at St Donat's on the death of Sir Edward in 1609.Educated at Oxford , he was Sheriff of...
; owned by Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
1685 to 1918. Sir Leoline Jenkins
Leoline Jenkins
Sir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
, Secretary of State to Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
purchased the school and bequeathed it to Jesus College in his will. It became Cowbridge Comprehensive School in 1973-4, and what used to be the grammar school's main building, dating from 1852, was converted into residential accommodation beginning in 2006, and completed in 2008.
In 1881, Edward Treharne
Edward Treharne
Edward Llewellyn Treharne was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Pontypridd and Cardiff, and international rugby for Wales. He is most notable for being a member of the first Wales international team that played England in 1881...
, who represented the school, was chosen to play in the first international game for the Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team.
The Grammar School Old Boys' Association, in conjunction with the school's successor, Cowbridge Comprehensive, planned a series of activities in September 2008 to mark the 400th anniversary of the start of quality education in Cowbridge.
Notable former pupils
The following old boys are listed in date order- Evan SeysEvan SeysEvan Seys was an eminent lawyer of his day and rose to national office under Oliver Cromwell as Attorney General, and subsequently served as a Member of Parliament from 1659 to 1681. From c.1649 until his death he was also consistently important in the politics of his native Glamorgan, and of...
(1604–1685) — Attorney general to Cromwell; MP for Glamorgan and Gloucester; Recorder of Gloucester; Exclusionist and Proto-Whig - Sir Leoline JenkinsLeoline JenkinsSir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
(1625–1685) — Secretary of State to Charles II; second founder of the school; Principal of Jesus College, Oxford - John PettingallJohn PettingallRev. John Pettingall D.D. was a Welsh Church of England clergyman and antiquarian.-Life:Pettingall was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales He attended Cowbridge School and there even learnt some Hebrew before matriculating from Jesus College, Oxford in 1725. He obtained his B.A...
(1707/8–1781) — Antiquarian and clergyman - David DurellDavid DurellDavid Durell D.D. was Principal of Hertford College, Oxford from 1757 to 1775, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1765 to 1768, and a noted Old Testament scholar of his day.-Origins and schooldays:...
(1728–1775) — Old Testament Scholar; Principal of Hertford College, Oxford; Vice-Chancellor of Oxford - George Cadogan MorganGeorge Cadogan MorganGeorge Cadogan Morgan was a Welsh dissenting minister and scientist.hereditary principles and defending the idea of absolute sovereignty of the people. By this time, his uncle had died but, instead of succeeding him in his ministry in Hackney, Morgan moved to Southgate and set up a school there...
(1754–1798) — Scientific writer (notably on Electricity); republican and dissenting minister - Sir John NichollJohn NichollSir John Nicholl was a Welsh Member of Parliament and judge. As a judge he was noted 'for inflexible impartiality and great strength and soundness of judgement'.-Early history:...
(1759–1838) — Lawyer and politician: Tory MP, Privy Councillor, King's Advocate, Dean of the Arches, Judge of the High Court of the Admiralty - Evan Evans (academic)Evan Evans (academic)Evan Evans [academic] was Master of Pembroke College, Oxford from 1864 to 1891, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1878 to 1882....
(1813–1891) — Master of Pembroke College; Oxford and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford - William Thomas (Islwyn)William Thomas (Islwyn)William Thomas, bardic name Islwyn , was a Welsh language poet, born near Ynysddu, then in the old county of Monmouthshire, south-east Wales.- Early life :...
(1832–1878) — Methodist minister and Bard (Welsh-language poet) - Sir Lewis Morris (poet) (1833–1907) — Writer and poet; a founder of the University of Wales; radical Liberal
- Edward TreharneEdward TreharneEdward Llewellyn Treharne was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Pontypridd and Cardiff, and international rugby for Wales. He is most notable for being a member of the first Wales international team that played England in 1881...
(1862–1904) — Pioneering Welsh rugby international and medical man - Sir (William John) Andrew Jones (1889–1971) — Colonial administrator (Chief administrator of Northern Territories, Gold Coast)
- Glanville Williams (1911–1997) — Professor of English Law at Cambridge
- Alun LewisAlun LewisAlun Lewis , was a poet of the Anglo-Welsh school, and is regarded by many as Britain's finest Second World War poet.- Education :...
(1915–1944) — Poet and soldier - Sir Idwal PughIdwal PughSir Idwal Vaughan Pugh CB KCB was a civil servant who was Permanent Secretary at the Welsh Office and distinguished himself as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, Scotland and Wales .-Early life and war service:Pugh was born in 1918 in Blaenau...
(1918–2010) — Second Permanent Secretary at Department of the Environment; Ombudsman; Director & Chairman of banks and building societies - Sir Thomas Philip Jones (1931–2000) — Deputy Secretary at Department of Energy; Chairman of the Electricity Council; Company Director
- Keith RowlandsKeith RowlandsKeith Alun Rowlands , was a Welsh international lock rugby union player, later administrator who was the first Chief Executive Officer of the International Rugby Board.-Playing career:...
(1936–2006) — Welsh rugby international; First Chief Executive Officer of the International Rugby Board - Richard Grassby (born 1936) — Historian
- Sir Anthony HopkinsAnthony HopkinsSir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
(born 1937) — Actor/filmstar - Patrick HannanPatrick Hannan (presenter)Patrick Hannan MBE was a Welsh political journalist, author and television and radio presenter.The son of an Irish doctor who migrated to Wales in the 1930s, he was born and raised in Aberaman, near Aberdare in South Wales...
(1941–2009) — Journalist, author and presenter - William Tudor John (born 1944) — Deputy Chairman of Nationwide Building Society since 2007; Chairman of Lehman BrothersLehman BrothersLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
(Europe) 2000–2008 - David Richard Hughes (born 1951) — Newspaper executive and chief leader writer, Daily Telegraph
External sources
- Peter Cobb, At Cowbridge Grammar School 1949–1966 (Cowbridge Record Society, 2001)
- Iolo Davies, A Certaine Schoole (D. Brown & Sons, Cowbridge, 1967)
- Brian Ll. James & David J. Francis, Cowbridge and Llanblethian, Past and Present (Stewart Williams, Publishers, Barry, and D. Brown & Sons Ltd, Cowbridge, 1979), Chapter IV, pp. 157–65: Reminiscences by M.B. Edwards, former Deputy Headmaster, on the school in the 1920s. See also Chapter III, pp. 54–8, on the founding of the free (later grammar) school
- James Marsden, All My Yesterdays (London: Athena, c 2007), pp. 111–60: reminiscences of his time at the school 1956–60 by its first-ever Biology master
- Patrick Hannan "Hannibal Lecter's Schooldays" Chapter 2 (pp. 38–52) of The Welsh Illusion (Seren 1999). The author recalls his days as a boarder 1952-59. The chapter title says a lot: he makes too much of Anthony Hopkins' being there as well. The tone is journalistically sensational rather than conveying autobiographical, let alone historical accuracy. It is also unfairly anachronistic; but the most entertaining thing written on the school.
- L. V. Lester, A Memoir of Hugo Daniel Harper (Longman's, 1896), pp. 8–14: laudatory
- M. H. Roberts, Sherborne, Oxford and Cambridge (Martin Hopkinson Ltd, 1934), pp. 19–22: an all too brief glimpse of the social and love life of the young schoolmaster. (The author was Hugo Daniel Harper's daughter. ) Harper himself was the energetically resuscitating master of the school 1847-50
- Glyn Tegai Hughes, Islwyn (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2003), pp. 10–12: try out your Welsh
- John Pikoulis, Alun Lewis – A Life (Seren, 1991), pp. 19–31
- Quentin Falk, Anthony Hopkins (Virgin Books, 2004), pp. 9–11
- Michael Feeney Callen, Anthony Hopkins: A Three-Act Life (Robson Books, 2005), pp. 21–9
- Alun Lewis, "Chestnuts" (1936) in C. Archard (ed.), Alun Lewis: Collected Stories (Seren, 1990), pp. 289–94. The only fictional treatment yet unearthed of CGS. It gives the texture-coarse—of life in the Boarding House in the early 1930s which was still vivid, even raw, in the recall of the undergraduate author.