Wispers
Encyclopedia
This article is about Wispers, the building near Midhurst which has housed several schools. For Wispers School at Wispers, see Wispers School
.
Wispers is a Grade II listed British country house in the parish of Stedham with Iping
near Midhurst
, West Sussex
. The house was built in 1874-1876 by architect Richard Norman Shaw
, in the Tudor Revival style, more commonly known as "Mock Tudor". It has been added to considerably since.
for Alexander Scrimgeour, a stockbroker. Architectural historians Nikolaus Pevsner
and Ian Nairn
were underwhelmed by the house: they called it "heavy and hearty", "not very good" and "limp and mechanical", adding that the best thing about Wispers is the site.
In 1892 Scrimgeour's widow, Anne Esther Scrimgeour, died, and her will showed that she owned Wispers along with other properties in the area.
In 1928 Wispers and its estate was bought by the Bedford Estate
for Dame Mary Russell
, the wife of Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford
. Russell used Wispers as a weekend retreat: she was a keen aviatrix and flew her Tiger Moth
from the family seat at Woburn Abbey
to Wispers, where she had a hanger constructed in the 1930s at the same time as the large eastern wing was being added to the house. She used a nearby field as a landing strip. The Duchess was killed in a flying accident in 1937, and the house was sold in 1939.
for the start of the autumn term 1949, taking its name from the house. The school remained here for nine years until it moved to a new site at West Dean House
in 1956.
who ran a mixed-sex boarding school there for children aged from 7 to 16 with special needs. During its life it was known both as St Cuthman's Special School (ie in 1968 it is referred to by this name in official documents) and as St Cuthman's School. It closed on 31 August 2004, with 54 pupils on the roster.
After closure, the house was sold by the Council and a planning application lodged to convert the main house into 7 flats with other buildings on the estate being either converted or demolished. The 35 acre estate was for sale under the name of St Cuthmans, and comprised Wispers, a pair of traditional cottages, a former coach house, a farm house, a stone and brick barn and a pair of 1970s cottages.
In May 2011 it was announced that the Government committed up to £17.34 million towards the capital costs; the remainder being found by the school. Durand will fund the furnishing of the middle school and will pay for the construction of sixth form accommodation for older children. The first pupils will start to arrive from September 2012.
Wispers School
Wispers School was a British independent boarding school for girls aged between 11 and 18 which was founded in 1947 and which closed in 2008 after 61 years' operation...
.
Wispers is a Grade II listed British country house in the parish of Stedham with Iping
Stedham with Iping
Stedham with Iping is a civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It is approximately two miles west of Midhurst and comprises the two villages of Stedham and Iping. There are two churches in the parish: and...
near Midhurst
Midhurst
Midhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. The house was built in 1874-1876 by architect Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
, in the Tudor Revival style, more commonly known as "Mock Tudor". It has been added to considerably since.
Private house
The house was built in 1874-1876 by architect Richard Norman ShawRichard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
for Alexander Scrimgeour, a stockbroker. Architectural historians Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
and Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn was a British architectural critic and topographer.He had no formal architecture qualifications; he was a mathematics graduate and a Royal Air Force pilot...
were underwhelmed by the house: they called it "heavy and hearty", "not very good" and "limp and mechanical", adding that the best thing about Wispers is the site.
In 1892 Scrimgeour's widow, Anne Esther Scrimgeour, died, and her will showed that she owned Wispers along with other properties in the area.
In 1928 Wispers and its estate was bought by the Bedford Estate
Bedford Estate
The Bedford Estate is a historic central London estate owned by the Russell family who possess the peerage of Duke of Bedford. The estate was originally based in Covent Garden, then stretched to include Bloomsbury in 1669...
for Dame Mary Russell
Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford
Dame Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford, DBE, RRC, FLS was an English aviatrix and ornithologist.-Early and personal life:...
, the wife of Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford
Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford
Herbrand Arthur Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford KG KBE DL LLD FRS FSA was the son of Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford.-Family:...
. Russell used Wispers as a weekend retreat: she was a keen aviatrix and flew her Tiger Moth
Tiger moth
Tiger moths are moths of the family Arctiidae.Tiger moth may also refer to:*de Havilland Tiger Moth, an aircraft; an aerobatic and trainer tailwheel biplane*de Havilland DH.71 Tiger Moth, an earlier monoplane produced by de Havilland...
from the family seat at Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
to Wispers, where she had a hanger constructed in the 1930s at the same time as the large eastern wing was being added to the house. She used a nearby field as a landing strip. The Duchess was killed in a flying accident in 1937, and the house was sold in 1939.
First school at the site
The first school was established at the property in 1939. The hanger that the Duchess had built for her plane was converted into the school gymnasium.Wispers School
A new girls' boarding secondary school moved to the site in 1947. Initially known as Herries School at Wispers, it was re-named Wispers SchoolWispers School
Wispers School was a British independent boarding school for girls aged between 11 and 18 which was founded in 1947 and which closed in 2008 after 61 years' operation...
for the start of the autumn term 1949, taking its name from the house. The school remained here for nine years until it moved to a new site at West Dean House
West Dean House
West Dean House is a large flint-faced manor house situated in West Dean, West Sussex, near the historic City of Chichester. This country estate has approximately of land and dates back to 1086, with various royal connections throughout the years...
in 1956.
St Cuthman's School/West Sussex Council
St Cuthman's School was established at Wispers in 1956 or 1957, when the Wispers estate was bought by West Sussex County CouncilWest Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council is the authority that governs the non-metropolitan county of West Sussex. The county also contains 7 district and borough councils, and 159 town, parish and neighbourhood councils. The county council has 71 elected councillors...
who ran a mixed-sex boarding school there for children aged from 7 to 16 with special needs. During its life it was known both as St Cuthman's Special School (ie in 1968 it is referred to by this name in official documents) and as St Cuthman's School. It closed on 31 August 2004, with 54 pupils on the roster.
After closure, the house was sold by the Council and a planning application lodged to convert the main house into 7 flats with other buildings on the estate being either converted or demolished. The 35 acre estate was for sale under the name of St Cuthmans, and comprised Wispers, a pair of traditional cottages, a former coach house, a farm house, a stone and brick barn and a pair of 1970s cottages.
Durand Academy
The house lay empty for 6 years, and was finally sold in April 2010 for £3m (against an original asking price of £4.5m) with 20 of the original 35 acres to Durand Primary School, near Brixton, South London. The school aimed to use Wispers as a weekly boarding environment for secondary age pupils, funding the purchase from the profits from its successful leisure and student accommodation business. In 2010 Durand applied for a £25million grant from central Government to develop the site.In May 2011 it was announced that the Government committed up to £17.34 million towards the capital costs; the remainder being found by the school. Durand will fund the furnishing of the middle school and will pay for the construction of sixth form accommodation for older children. The first pupils will start to arrive from September 2012.