Milton Abbey
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Milton Abbey School is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
school for day and boarding pupils in the village of
Milton Abbas Milton Abbas is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, lying around southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 Census the civil parish had a population of 755. This planned community was built after the old Town was demolished in the 1 ...
, near
Blandford Forum Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census. The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...
in Dorset, in
South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of the nine official regions of England, regions of England in the United Kingdom. Additionally, it is one of four regions that altogether make up Southern England. South West England con ...
. It has 224 pupils , in five houses: Athelstan, Damer, Hambro, Hodgkinson and Tregonwell. The school was founded in 1954 and is co-educational. The school has facilities that include a golf course, a 15th-century dining hall, an Abbey chapel that can be traced back to the 10th century and grounds designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. The main house was built by Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester.


Academics

Milton Abbey School offers the English curriculum of
GCSEs The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools ...
,
A-levels The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...
, and BTECs. The school was named BTEC School of the Year 2019 by BTEC awarding body Pearson. In 2022, Milton Abbey School was noted as having the highest proportion of BTEC student uptake of all English independent schools.


Abbey Church

The Abbey forms the central heart of the school. A chapel service takes place for the whole school twice a week. On Monday there is a house assembly and Wednesday a whole school assembly. On Sundays the school gathers for a formal Sunday worship, and there are regular communion services throughout the term. The school, although a
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
foundation, welcomes people of any faith, and also of none. The abbey church is built in a mixture of Ham stone, Chilmark stone and
flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Historically, flint was widely used to make stone tools and start ...
and consists only of the choir, central tower and transepts. Its style is mostly
decorated gothic English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed a ...
dating from the mid-14th century with some 15th-century details in the tower and north transept. The eastern Lady Chapel was demolished after the suppression and some alterations were made by Wyatt in the late 18th century.Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches; the South. London: Collins; p. 175 The Earl and Countess of Dorchester were also generous to the church, and their joint tomb, designed by
Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (architect), William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and train ...
with sculpture by
Agostino Carlini Augostino Carlini or Agostino Carlini (c. 1718 – 15 August 1790) was an Italian sculptor and painter, who was born in Genoa but settled in England. He was also one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Life He features in ...
, is to be found in the north transept. Perhaps the most striking feature of the church's interior, however, is its south window, designed as a
Tree of Jesse The Tree of Jesse is a depiction in art of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, shown in a branching tree which rises from Jesse (biblical figure), Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David. It is the original use of the family tree as a schemati ...
by
Augustus Pugin Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival architecture ...
. Other features of interest are the 14th-century pulpitum and
sedilia In church architecture, sedilia (plural of Latin ''sedīle'', "seat") are seats, typically made of stone, located on the liturgical south side of the altar—often within the chancel—intended for use by the officiating priest, deacon, an ...
, the 15th-century
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...
and pyx canopy, and the 16th-century monument to
John Tregonwell Sir John Tregonwell (died 1565) was a Cornish jurist, a principal agent of Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. He served as Judge of the High Court of Admiralty from 1524 to 1536.C.S. Gilb ...
.


History

Milton Abbey (fully, the Abbey Church of St Mary, St Samson, and St Branwalader) in
Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
was a
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
foundation, but only part of the church now survives and is used as the Milton Abbey School chapel. A college of secular canons was founded here by King Athelstan, in 933, and there are two medieval paintings of the king and his mother in the chancel. This foundation was replaced in 964 by a Benedictine monastery by King Edgar. The medieval church burned down in 1309, and although rebuilding started straight away it did not reach its present size until about 1400. One of the church's benefactors was Sir John Tregonwell, whose family came into the possession of the buildings in 1540 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539.Milton Abbey: History
Tregonwell fell from the roof of the church in a childhood accident, but his life was saved when his wide pantaloons filled with air and broke his fall. In thanks, he bequeathed his library to the church. Sir John also was buried in an altar tomb in the Abbey Church. In 1752, the buildings were bought by the Damer family: in 1771, to make way for a new house and landscaped estate, the 1st Baron Milton (later 1st Earl of Dorchester) demolished the remaining abbey buildings, keeping only part of the church as a private chapel, and the adjacent
market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...
of Milton (creating
Milton Abbas Milton Abbas is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, lying around southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 Census the civil parish had a population of 755. This planned community was built after the old Town was demolished in the 1 ...
to rehouse the former inhabitants) in 1780. The new house was designed by William Chambers and the gardens by
Capability Brown Lancelot "Capability" Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783) was an English gardener and landscape architect, a notable figure in the history of the English landscape garden style. Unlike other architects ...
. Several members of the Damer family were buried in the family vault in the Abbey Church. In 1852, the merchant banker Carl Joachim Hambro acquired Milton Abbey to make it his family home. He set about a major restoration programme, including an extensive refurbishment of the Abbey itself. The Hambro family developed and lived at Milton Abbey until 1932, when it was sold and for a while they moved to Hedge End Farm nearby, followed by a permanent move to Dixton Manor in
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
. Milton Abbey School was the setting for "Bamfylde School" in the 1980 13-part TV series of R. F. Delderfield's '' To Serve Them All My Days''. It also featured in the first of the ''
Ripping Yarns ''Ripping Yarns'' is a British television adventure comedy anthology series. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame and transmitted on BBC 2. Following an initial pilot episode in January 1976, it ran for two se ...
'' by
Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. He received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, BAFTA Fellowship in 2013 and was knig ...
and
Terry Jones Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh actor, comedian, director, historian, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones a ...
, titled ''Tomkinson's Schooldays'' and in the 1994 film version of ''The Browning Version'' with
Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining fame for movie acting during the early 1960s, debuting with '' The Entertainer'' ( ...
and
Greta Scacchi Greta Scacchi ( , ; born 18 February 1960) is an actress. Born in Italy to a British-Italian couple, she was raised in Britain and finally settled in Australia, becoming a naturalized citizen. Scacchi had her first leading role in the romanti ...
.


Burials

* Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester *
John Tregonwell Sir John Tregonwell (died 1565) was a Cornish jurist, a principal agent of Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. He served as Judge of the High Court of Admiralty from 1524 to 1536.C.S. Gilb ...
* John Damer * Carl Joachim Hambro (banker) * Angus Hambro


Grounds

The parklands were landscaped in the late 18th century by Capability Brown. They are Grade II* listed in the
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens #REDIRECT Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England #REDIRECT Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England {{R from move ...
{{R from move ...
. In 2009, the school started to develop a farm, which is worked on by staff, to promote environmental awareness and work towards an element of self-sufficiency. Traditional vegetables are grown, in addition to herbs, cutting flowers, fruit and some crops. The estate also has a small number of pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks. The school has a golf course which winds around the main house and the Abbey Church. Designed by
Peter Alliss Peter Alliss (28 February 1931 – 5 December 2020) was an English professional golfer, television presenter, commentator, author and golf course designer. Following the death of Henry Longhurst in 1978, he was regarded by many as the "Voice o ...
and opened in 1972, it is a nine-hole course with par-3 and par-4 hours, which is used by pupils and by visitors, who are required to pay a small green fee. The school employs a PGA Professional, who helps to tutor the students.


List of headteachers

*1954–55: Revd. C. K. Francis Brown – founding Headmaster *1955–69: Cdr. R. H. Hodgkinson – previously an Officer in the Royal Navy; retired 1969. *1969–79: W. M. T. Holland – previously a housemaster at Eastbourne College; left to enter the priesthood. *1979–87: S. R. D. Hall – previously housemaster at Haileybury, and subsequently appointed as Warden of Glenalmond. *1987–95: R. H. Hardy – previously housemaster at Eton College; retired 1995. *1995–2010: W. J. Hughes-D'Aeth – previously a housemaster at Rugby School, and subsequently appointed to the post of Headmaster of Repton School, Dubai. *2010–14: G. E. Doodes – previously Deputy Headmaster at Milton Abbey and subsequently Principal of George Heriot's School, Edinburgh. *2014–18: Magnus Bashaarat – previously Deputy Head of Stowe. *2018–2023: Judith Fremont-Barnes – previously Head at Duke of Kent School in Surrey. *2023–current: James Watson – previously Senior Deputy Headmaster at Milton Abbey and Second Master of Bruern Abbey.


Notable former pupils

* Alastair Bruce, Governor of
Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
, Major General, professor, royalist, and royal, ceremonial & national events commentator * Rupert Evans,Milton Abbey School – Alumni
Publisher: ''Tatler Schools Guide 2013''. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
stage, film and television actor * Alexander Faludy, former child prodigy and youngest
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
undergraduate since 1773 *
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE is the 14th principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London; he was appointed in 2008. Alongside his commitment to education, he is a writer, record producer, broadcast ...
, Principal of the
Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...
* Edward Hay, 13th Marquess of Tweeddale * Tom Homer, rugby union player *
Charles Montagu, 5th Baron Swaythling Charles Edgar Samuel Montagu, 5th Baron Swaythling (born 20 February 1954), is the second child and only son of David Montagu, 4th Baron Swaythling, and his wife Christiane Françoise née Dreyfus. His two sisters are Fiona Yvonne Montagu (decea ...
* Francis Fulford, landowner and television personality * Baron Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and co-founder of the charity Future * Edward Barnes, Noted creator of children's TV programmes, Chess enthusiast, philanthropist, and mathematician. * Josh Ovens, rugby union player * Eric Saumarez, 7th Baron de SaumarezCharles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 1111. * Mark Shand,travel writer, conservationist and brother to
Queen Camilla Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. Camilla was raised in East ...
* Ray Tarantino, rock singer-songwriter * Vincenzo Townshend, record producer * Prince Rostislav Romanov * Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale


References


External links

*
Profile
on the ISC website {{authority control Houses in Dorset History of Dorset Private schools in Dorset Boarding schools in Dorset Monasteries in Dorset Anglo-Saxon monastic houses Benedictine monasteries in England Grade I listed buildings in Dorset Grade II* listed parks and gardens in Dorset 1954 establishments in England Educational institutions established in 1954 933 establishments Gardens by Capability Brown Church of England private schools in the Diocese of Salisbury Hambro family 10th-century establishments in England Monasteries dissolved under the English Reformation