Warminster School
Encyclopedia
Warminster School, originally called Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, is a co-educational independent
day and boarding school
at Warminster
, Wiltshire
, for students aged three to eighteen. It now comprises the Warminster Preparatory School
for pupils aged three to eleven, and the Senior School for students aged eleven to eighteen.
The school's buildings lie in grounds which face open country on the edge of the Warminster town centre. The school has long-established links with the town and enjoys strong support. The Preparatory School is on a neighbouring site.
A friendly school with the declared aim of developing the potential and recognising the value of all pupils, more than half of its students are actively involved in music, and about 120 learn a musical instrument
. A large number take part in dramatic activities, and there is also a strong design department. The school has a high reputation in sport and games, with a number of representatives at county and national level; there is also a strong Combined Cadet Force
Army contingent, affiliated to The Rifles
, a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, a commitment to local community schemes and a well-established Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.
The school's current Headmaster, Martin Priestley, has been in post since September 2006.
In 1707, Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth, under the influence of Bishop Thomas Ken
(1637–1711), founded a grammar school
for boys in the market town of Warminster, near to his family seat of Longleat
, to teach the boys of Warminster, Longbridge Deverill, and Monkton Deverill Latin
, mathematics
, and other subjects of the usual syllabus of the day. This became known as Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, and by the 20th century was called Lord Weymouth's School.
Lord Weymouth (1640–1714) was descended from the first Sir John Thynne
of Longleat House. In 1673 he married Lady Francis Finch, a daughter of the Earl of Winchelsea, and lived at Drayton Basset, near Tamworth
. He was Member of Parliament
for Oxford University (1674–1679), and High Steward of Tamworth in 1679. In 1680 he was created Baron Thynne and in 1682 Viscount Weymouth. He was High Steward of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield from 1679 to 1714. His three sons all predeceased him.
While the history of the school goes back to 1707, the school in its current form was created in 1973 by the merger of the former Lord Weymouth's School for boys and St Monica's (founded 1874 by the nuns of St. Denys Retreat) for girls. The school also incorporates much of the former St Boniface Missionary Colleges and the St Denys Convent and retreat.
In 2007 the school celebrated the tercentenary of the founding of Lord Weymouth's Grammar School with a series of events, including a Service of Thanksgiving in Salisbury Cathedral
, at which the Bishop of Salisbury
spoke about the school's history, and with a Royal Visit when Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
, opened the new Wessex Science Centre.
on 5 October 1860, with eleven students. By 1871 the range of education offered had grown considerably and as the result of a lead seal being dug up in a nearby garden bearing the name of Pope Boniface, the house's name was changed to St Boniface College. In the same year the students built a corrugated iron chapel, which later students enlarged in 1909, in use until 1936. In 1890 the students built themselves a cricket pavilion and established a printing press, on which they were publishing a college magazine in 1896.
In 1897 the foundation stone of new permanent buildings was laid on the site of the former Wilton House, on the town side of the parish church. The first block of these buildings was opened on 1 August 1899, and they were completed by 1901. They are built in the Jacobean style of Doulting stone, with Bath stone dressings. The student numbers grew; in 1908 there were 40 and this later rose to 53. In 1913, after the death of the Rev. J. E. Philipps, the constitution of the College was changed and one of the purposes now listed was for the actual training of missionaries. The College closed during the First World War
but then re-opened and flourished. In 1936, a new chapel and lecture rooms were built. The College again closed for the duration of the Second World War
.
The college had a reputation of being a caring house with mutual respect and trust between its occupants, aiming to develop this respect and maturity so that pupils were well prepared for their future. In 1943, J. W. Tomlin, the former Principal of the College, wrote of St Boniface that, even if it should be called upon to fulfil a different role in the future, it may well be that "the latter glory of the house shall be greater than the former". In fact, when the college re-opened in 1948 it was associated with King's College, London, as a post-graduate training centre for missionary work. The numbers expanded to 57 students and a staff of three priests. In 1969 the course was moved from Warminster to Canterbury and the College closed. The St Boniface Trust was established and has leased the buildings and land to Warminster School ever since. When in 1969 it became part of Warminster School as a boys' boarding house, the missionary role of the former college was reversed, with many overseas students studying at Warminster.
nuns of the community established the St Monica's School for Girls, and until 1959 also ran the Orphanage of Pity. While the Community of St Denys is no longer an active convent, some of its nuns still live in Warminster, running the Anglican retreat on Church Street. In September 1996 the St Denys building re-opened as a boarding house of Warminster School for senior boys from Year 9 to the Upper Sixth. Even now, and despite its new occupants, about 45 teenage boys, the former convent has retained its sense of peace, purpose and serenity.
The emphasis in St Denys is on the old-fashioned but still relevant values of honesty, courtesy and integrity. The aim is in a close partnership with parents, to help develop young men of whom we are all proud – the gentlemen of the future, who will take their place in the world and continue what has been begun.
Former pupils of Lord Weymouth's School, St. Monica's and Warminster School, are called Old Verlucians. After over three hundred years, the school can claim many notable OVs, among whom are:
The pupils of Warminster School are split between three competitive 'houses' across all ages and boarding houses; Arnold, Denys and Ken.
Court, built in 1860. It is believed that the first Fives
Court at the School was built in 1787, although the origins of the pamphlet that Mr D.J.S. Guilford assigns this claim to are unconfirmed. Fives has some similarities to Squash. The court is similar in size but has a stone floor. No racket is required - only a pair of padded gloves. Unlike squash where normally you will play either right-handed or left-handed, in Fives you need to be as ambidextrous as possible.
Warminster Fives is likely to be the same game as Wessex Fives, which originates some centuries ago, when men and boys used the buttresses and walls of a church and hit the ball with their hands against the walls - the angles of the buttresses and walls lending variety to the game. It might then have been a game played as singles or doubles.
Wessex Fives was played in the West Country against the walls of inns and more frequently, church towers, where the glaziers were often called in, it seems, to repair the stained glass windows. In 1754, the Bishop of Bath and Wells ordered the game of Fives should cease to be played against church towers as undoubtedly over one hundred years glaziers' bills were beginning to be felt with some pain by the exchequer.
Multiple versions of Fives were developed, the most common today being Eton Fives
and in Wessex only a small following remains, mainly from Winchester College
who play what is now more commonly known as Winchester Fives.
Rules for Warminster Fives are quoted by Mr Tony Baden-Fuller on the Eton Fives Website as:
1742 - Thomas Martin
1771 - Philip Dart
1773 - Thomas Huntingford
1787 - George Isaac Huntingford
1790 - Henry Dison Gabell
1793 - John Griffith
1816 - Robert Clavey Griffith
1820 - Charles Tapp Griffith
1841 - Charles Maddock Arnold
1848 - William Alexander Whannell Hewitt Brunton
1857 - Thomas Edward Crallan
1864 - Charles Alcock
1895 - William Foulkes Blaxter
1920 - Charles Miller Stanley
1930 - John Henry Goldsmith
1940 - Ian Pendlebury Macdonald
1958 - Peter Lewis Deschamps Chamier
1959 - James Francis Clifford Brown
1971 - Ian Green
1979 - Gerald Vinestock
1984 - Malcolm Green
1991 - Tim Holgate
1994 - Michael Pipes
1999 - David Dowdles
2006 - Martin Priestley
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
day and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
at Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, for students aged three to eighteen. It now comprises the Warminster Preparatory School
Warminster Preparatory School
Warminster Preparatory School is the independent day and boarding Junior School attached to Warminster School in Warminster, Wiltshire.The senior school was founded in 1707 as the Lord Weymouth Grammar School, becoming the Lord Weymouth School in 1955 and Warminster School in 1973, following a...
for pupils aged three to eleven, and the Senior School for students aged eleven to eighteen.
The school's buildings lie in grounds which face open country on the edge of the Warminster town centre. The school has long-established links with the town and enjoys strong support. The Preparatory School is on a neighbouring site.
A friendly school with the declared aim of developing the potential and recognising the value of all pupils, more than half of its students are actively involved in music, and about 120 learn a musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
. A large number take part in dramatic activities, and there is also a strong design department. The school has a high reputation in sport and games, with a number of representatives at county and national level; there is also a strong Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
Army contingent, affiliated to The Rifles
The Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
, a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, a commitment to local community schemes and a well-established Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.
The school's current Headmaster, Martin Priestley, has been in post since September 2006.
Founding and amalgamations
Thomas Ken
Thomas Ken was an English cleric who was considered the most eminent of the English non-juring bishops, and one of the fathers of modern English hymnology.-Early life:...
(1637–1711), founded a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
for boys in the market town of Warminster, near to his family seat of Longleat
Longleat
Longleat is an English stately home, currently the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset. It is noted for its Elizabethan country house, maze, landscaped parkland and safari park. The house is set...
, to teach the boys of Warminster, Longbridge Deverill, and Monkton Deverill Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and other subjects of the usual syllabus of the day. This became known as Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, and by the 20th century was called Lord Weymouth's School.
Lord Weymouth (1640–1714) was descended from the first Sir John Thynne
John Thynne
Sir John Thynne was the steward to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset and a member of parliament. He was the builder of Longleat House and his descendants became Marquesses of Bath.-Early life:...
of Longleat House. In 1673 he married Lady Francis Finch, a daughter of the Earl of Winchelsea, and lived at Drayton Basset, near Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. He was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Oxford University (1674–1679), and High Steward of Tamworth in 1679. In 1680 he was created Baron Thynne and in 1682 Viscount Weymouth. He was High Steward of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield from 1679 to 1714. His three sons all predeceased him.
While the history of the school goes back to 1707, the school in its current form was created in 1973 by the merger of the former Lord Weymouth's School for boys and St Monica's (founded 1874 by the nuns of St. Denys Retreat) for girls. The school also incorporates much of the former St Boniface Missionary Colleges and the St Denys Convent and retreat.
In 2007 the school celebrated the tercentenary of the founding of Lord Weymouth's Grammar School with a series of events, including a Service of Thanksgiving in Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
, at which the Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
spoke about the school's history, and with a Royal Visit when Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
, opened the new Wessex Science Centre.
St Boniface
Now a major element of the School's estate, housing boarding accommodation and offices, St Boniface House started life as a Missionary College founded by the very energetic vicar of Warminster, the Rev. James Erasmus Philipps, whose family was interested in missionary work. The original intention was to train boys and young men who had little previous education but were capable of becoming good workers. Later on the aim was to train them for entry into missionary colleges, both at home and overseas. The Mission House was formally opened in a house near the parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
on 5 October 1860, with eleven students. By 1871 the range of education offered had grown considerably and as the result of a lead seal being dug up in a nearby garden bearing the name of Pope Boniface, the house's name was changed to St Boniface College. In the same year the students built a corrugated iron chapel, which later students enlarged in 1909, in use until 1936. In 1890 the students built themselves a cricket pavilion and established a printing press, on which they were publishing a college magazine in 1896.
In 1897 the foundation stone of new permanent buildings was laid on the site of the former Wilton House, on the town side of the parish church. The first block of these buildings was opened on 1 August 1899, and they were completed by 1901. They are built in the Jacobean style of Doulting stone, with Bath stone dressings. The student numbers grew; in 1908 there were 40 and this later rose to 53. In 1913, after the death of the Rev. J. E. Philipps, the constitution of the College was changed and one of the purposes now listed was for the actual training of missionaries. The College closed during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
but then re-opened and flourished. In 1936, a new chapel and lecture rooms were built. The College again closed for the duration of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The college had a reputation of being a caring house with mutual respect and trust between its occupants, aiming to develop this respect and maturity so that pupils were well prepared for their future. In 1943, J. W. Tomlin, the former Principal of the College, wrote of St Boniface that, even if it should be called upon to fulfil a different role in the future, it may well be that "the latter glory of the house shall be greater than the former". In fact, when the college re-opened in 1948 it was associated with King's College, London, as a post-graduate training centre for missionary work. The numbers expanded to 57 students and a staff of three priests. In 1969 the course was moved from Warminster to Canterbury and the College closed. The St Boniface Trust was established and has leased the buildings and land to Warminster School ever since. When in 1969 it became part of Warminster School as a boys' boarding house, the missionary role of the former college was reversed, with many overseas students studying at Warminster.
St Monica and St Denys
The Rev. J. E. Philipps also founded the Community of St Denys; in addition to training women for work abroad, in 1890 the AnglicanAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
nuns of the community established the St Monica's School for Girls, and until 1959 also ran the Orphanage of Pity. While the Community of St Denys is no longer an active convent, some of its nuns still live in Warminster, running the Anglican retreat on Church Street. In September 1996 the St Denys building re-opened as a boarding house of Warminster School for senior boys from Year 9 to the Upper Sixth. Even now, and despite its new occupants, about 45 teenage boys, the former convent has retained its sense of peace, purpose and serenity.
The emphasis in St Denys is on the old-fashioned but still relevant values of honesty, courtesy and integrity. The aim is in a close partnership with parents, to help develop young men of whom we are all proud – the gentlemen of the future, who will take their place in the world and continue what has been begun.
Notable Old Verlucians
- Thomas ArnoldThomas ArnoldDr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
, innovative educator, Head Master of Rugby SchoolRugby SchoolRugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
from 1828 to 1842 immortalised in Tom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at Rugby School, a public school for boys, in the 1830s; Hughes attended Rugby School from 1834 to 1842...
, renowned for developing the model followed by most Public Schools, was educated at Warminster from 1803 to 1807. - Guy BoothbyGuy BoothbyGuy Newell Boothby was an Australian novelist and writer.-Biography:Boothby was born in Adelaide, son of Thomas Wilde Boothby, who for a time was a member of the South Australian Legislative Assembly. Guy Boothby's grandfather was Benjamin Boothby , judge of the supreme court of South Australia...
, Australian writer, who in 1890 wrote the libretto for a comic opera, Sylvia, which was published and produced at Adelaide in December 1890, and in 1891 appeared The Jonquil: an Opera. - Freddie BartholomewFreddie BartholomewFrederick Cecil Bartholomew , known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor. One of the most famous child actors of all time, he became very popular in 1930s Hollywood films...
, an English child actor, popular in 1930s Hollywood films such as Anna KareninaAnna KareninaAnna Karenina is a novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, published in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger...
(1935), with Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, Professional Soldier (1935) with Gloria StuartGloria StuartGloria Frances Stuart was an American actress, activist, painter, bonsai artist and fine printer. Over a Hollywood career which spanned, with a long break in the middle, from 1932 until 2004, she appeared on stage, television, and film, for which she was best-known...
, Little Lord FauntleroyLittle Lord FauntleroyLittle Lord Fauntleroy is the first children's novel written by English playwright and author Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was originally published as a serial in the St. Nicholas Magazine between November 1885 and October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's in 1886...
(1936) with Dolores CostelloDolores CostelloDolores Costello was an American film actress who achieved her greatest success during the era of silent movies. She was nicknamed "The Goddess of the Silent Screen"...
, Lloyds of LondonLloyd's of London (film)Lloyd's of London is a 1936 American drama film directed by Henry King. It stars Tyrone Power, Madeleine Carroll, and Guy Standing. The supporting cast includes Freddie Bartholomew, George Sanders, Virginia Field, and C. Aubrey Smith. Loosely based on history, the film follows the dealings of a man...
(1937) with Madeleine CarrollMadeleine CarrollEdith Madeleine Carroll was an English actress, popular in the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:Carroll was born at 32 Herbert Street in West Bromwich, England. She graduated from the University of Birmingham, England with a B.A. degree...
and Tyrone PowerTyrone PowerTyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
, and Captains CourageousCaptains CourageousCaptains Courageous is an 1897 novel, by Rudyard Kipling, that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the arrogant and spoiled son of a railroad tycoon...
(1937) with Spencer TracySpencer TracySpencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
.
- Christina ChanChristina ChanChristina Chan is a political activist in Hong Kong, known for her stand on human rights, democracy and Tibetan independence. She is enrolled in a master's degree in philosophy in the University of Hong Kong.-Early life:...
, Hong Kong political activist, became known during the Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong where she held the Tibetan snow lion flagFlag of TibetThe Tibetan flag, also known as the 'snow lion flag' and the 'Free Tibet flag', was a flag of the military of Tibet, introduced by the 13th Dalai Lama in 1912 and used in the same capacity until 1959. Designed with the help of a Japanese, it reflects the design motif of Japanese military's Rising...
, and engaged in a confrontation with the pro-Beijing campPro-Beijing CampThe Pro-Beijing Camp, pro-Establishment Camp, pan-Establishment Camp is a segment of Hong Kong society that supports the policies and views of the People's Republic of China before and after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.It is also nicknamed the royalists or loyalists.The term can be used to...
. She was forcibly removed by the Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police ForceThe Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
, who claimed it was for her protection.
- James IngramJames Ingram (Anglo-Saxon scholar)James Ingram was an English academic at the University of Oxford, who was Rawlinsonian Professor of Anglo-Saxon from 1803 to 1808 and President of Trinity College, Oxford from 1824 until his death.-Life:...
(1774–1850), an OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
don originally from Codford St Mary, was Rawlinsonian Professor of Anglo-Saxon from 1803 to 1808 and President of Trinity College, OxfordTrinity College, OxfordThe College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, from 1824 to 1850.
- Frederick JaegerFrederick JaegerFrederick Jaeger was a German-born actor who found success working in British television.Jaeger was born in Berlin, but moved to England following Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1948, and became a British citizen two years later...
(1928-2004), a German-born actor, is remembered inter aliaInter Alia-Track listing:# Inter Alia# Outfox'd # Righteous Badass # The Altogether feat. Bix, Apt, UNIVERSE ARM and Cal# The Day-to-Daily# Trouble Brewing # The Prestidigitator# The Force...
by fans of the science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
for his roles in three serials - The Savages in 1966, Planet of EvilPlanet of EvilThe plot was deliberately conceived by Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Holmes and Louis Marks as a mixture of the film Forbidden Planet and the novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In addition, Marks had been reading science magazine articles about antimatter, and decided to write a...
in 1975 and The Invisible Enemy in 1977.
- Samuel SquireSamuel SquireSamuel Squire was a Bishop of the Church of England and a historian.-Early life:Squire was born the son of a druggist in Warminster, Wiltshire, and was first educated at Lord Weymouth's School. He matriculated at St John's College, Cambridge, in 1730 and graduated BA in 1734, winning the Craven...
, Bishop of St David's.
- James VinceJames VinceJames Michael Vince is an English cricketer who currently plays for Hampshire County Cricket Club...
, Hampshire cricketer, a graduate from HampshireHampshire County Cricket ClubHampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
's cricket academy, Vince signed a one-year deal with the clubHampshire County Cricket ClubHampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
at the start of 2009. He made his Championship debut on 11 June 2009 against Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. His recent impressive batting performances earned him a call up to the England U-19 side for their test series against BangladeshBangladeshi U-19 cricket teamThe Bangladeshi Under-19 cricket team have been playing official Under-19 ODI matches since 1997 including competing in the last five World Cups. They have also played eight youth Tests since 2004...
.
- Robert WalterRobert WalterRobert John Walter MP , is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North Dorset in south west England. He was re-elected for a fourth term in 2010 with a much increased majority.-Early life:...
, Conservative Member of Parliament, was re-elected for a fourth term in May 2010 with a much increased majority. He has also served as Chairman of the Defence Committee of the European Security and Defence AssemblyAssembly of WEUThe Assembly of the Western European Union was an assembly for delegations from the national parliaments of the member countries of the Western European Union , a security and defence organisation...
, established under the Treaty of the Western European UnionWestern European UnionThe Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
.
- Martin Rickerd, British diplomat. He served in the UK Delegation to NATO and in New Zealand, the Eastern Caribbean, Italy, Singapore and West Africa. His career culminated as British Consul-General to the Southeast United States, based in Atlanta, Georgia (2005-2009).
Arnold, Denys and Ken
- Arnold; named after Thomas ArnoldThomas ArnoldDr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
an Old Verlucian of considerable note, he was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement. Arnold's appointment to the headship of the renowned Rugby SchoolRugby SchoolRugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
in 1828, after some years as a tutor, turned the school's fortunes around, and his force of character and religious zeal enabled him to turn it into a model followed by the other public schools, exercising an unprecedented influence on the educational system of the country. He is portrayed as a leading character in the novel Tom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's SchooldaysTom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at Rugby School, a public school for boys, in the 1830s; Hughes attended Rugby School from 1834 to 1842...
.
- Denys; named after the order established by Rev. Philipps which led to the creation of St. Monica's School for Girls and St. Denys House. St Denys (DenisDenisSaint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
) is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in approximately A.D. 250, and is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as patron of Paris, France and as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The medieval and modern French name "DenisDenisSaint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
" derives from the ancient name Dionysius. DenisDenisSaint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
, having alarmed the pagan priests by his many conversions, was executed by beheading on the highest hill in Paris (now MontmartreMontmartreMontmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
)
- Ken; named after Bishop Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who was considered the most eminent of the English non-juring bishops, and one of the fathers of modern English hymnology. He was influential in the founding of Lord Weymouth's School when in retirement, he found a congenial home with Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth, his friend from college days, at LongleatLongleatLongleat is an English stately home, currently the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset. It is noted for its Elizabethan country house, maze, landscaped parkland and safari park. The house is set...
in Wiltshire. His death took place there on 19 March 1711 only four years after helping found the school. He was buried at the Church of St John the Baptist, Frome where his crypt can still be seen. He is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser FestivalLesser FestivalLesser Festivals are a type of observance in the Church of England, considered to be less significant than a Principal Feast, Principal Holy Day, or Festival, but more significant than a Commemoration. Whereas Principal Feasts must be celebrated, it is not obligatory to observe Lesser Festivals...
on 8 June. Ken is also honoured with a feast day in the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on March 20.
Warminster Fives
Behind School House stands a FivesFives
Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:...
Court, built in 1860. It is believed that the first Fives
Fives
Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:...
Court at the School was built in 1787, although the origins of the pamphlet that Mr D.J.S. Guilford assigns this claim to are unconfirmed. Fives has some similarities to Squash. The court is similar in size but has a stone floor. No racket is required - only a pair of padded gloves. Unlike squash where normally you will play either right-handed or left-handed, in Fives you need to be as ambidextrous as possible.
Warminster Fives is likely to be the same game as Wessex Fives, which originates some centuries ago, when men and boys used the buttresses and walls of a church and hit the ball with their hands against the walls - the angles of the buttresses and walls lending variety to the game. It might then have been a game played as singles or doubles.
Wessex Fives was played in the West Country against the walls of inns and more frequently, church towers, where the glaziers were often called in, it seems, to repair the stained glass windows. In 1754, the Bishop of Bath and Wells ordered the game of Fives should cease to be played against church towers as undoubtedly over one hundred years glaziers' bills were beginning to be felt with some pain by the exchequer.
Multiple versions of Fives were developed, the most common today being Eton Fives
Eton Fives
Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball...
and in Wessex only a small following remains, mainly from Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
who play what is now more commonly known as Winchester Fives.
Rules for Warminster Fives are quoted by Mr Tony Baden-Fuller on the Eton Fives Website as:
- Each side shall consist of three players, occupying the positions of 'squi' (left), 'centre', 'skunk' (right).
- That side wins which first scores twenty-one points, and points can be scored by the serving side only.
- That side which first serves concedes three points to the other side. Each member of the side serves in turn.
- Each member of the serving side must at the dapping of the ball stand with at least one foot within the marked line which joins the outer end of one sidewall to the outer end of the other sidewall. If this rule is not observed, the opposing side may claim 'all side out' but the claim must be made before the next service.
- The server, after dapping the ball (three daps only are allowed), must strike it so that it rebounds off the middle wall and falls outside the black line.
- If at the service the ball rebounds from the middle wall to a sidewall and falls outside the marked line, the opposing side may claim a 'baulk' or a fresh service.
- A 'squi' may be claimed by the opposing side if the ball rebounds either perpendicularly from the middle wall or back in the server's direction; then a second service must be given. However, if the opposing side successfully returns a 'squi', the ball is 'in play'.
- The server is 'put out' when the opposing side wins a rally.
- That side wins a rally which last returns the ball to the wall successfully. A rally is lost if the ball goes off the court, or daps twice, or does not strike the wall above the ledge. A 'ledger' is'not up'.
- A 'baulk' (or a fresh service) may be claimed i) if before touching the wall the ball touches one of the side opposing the striker, ii) if on rebounding from the wall the ball touches one of the lost striker's side.
- When a side has scored twenty points, then the server in all following serves must cry 'game' on dapping the ball and must cry 'ball' on striking it. The opposing side, if they wish, may refuse to take two serves. If the server fails to cry either 'game' on dapping the ball or 'ball' an striking it, the opposing side may claim 'all sides out'; this claim must be made before the ball is dapped for the next service; no claim may be made unless the ball has been struck by the server.
- No player may impede another player's access to the ball; if he is unavoidably in the way, he must stand still or move one foot only; otherwise a 'baulk' (or a fresh service) may be claimed.
- Any ball landing on the middle wall or sidewall below the ledge or on the brickwork above is out of court. Any ball landing outside the line around the court is out of court.
List of Headmasters
1707 - Richard Barry1742 - Thomas Martin
1771 - Philip Dart
1773 - Thomas Huntingford
1787 - George Isaac Huntingford
1790 - Henry Dison Gabell
1793 - John Griffith
1816 - Robert Clavey Griffith
1820 - Charles Tapp Griffith
1841 - Charles Maddock Arnold
1848 - William Alexander Whannell Hewitt Brunton
1857 - Thomas Edward Crallan
1864 - Charles Alcock
1895 - William Foulkes Blaxter
1920 - Charles Miller Stanley
1930 - John Henry Goldsmith
1940 - Ian Pendlebury Macdonald
1958 - Peter Lewis Deschamps Chamier
1959 - James Francis Clifford Brown
1971 - Ian Green
1979 - Gerald Vinestock
1984 - Malcolm Green
1991 - Tim Holgate
1994 - Michael Pipes
1999 - David Dowdles
2006 - Martin Priestley