Sherborne School

Sherborne School, often called Sherborne Boys, is a boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18. It is located next to Sherborne Abbey in the town of Sherborne in Dorset.

The school has a very long history, operating on the same site for over 1,300 years. It was first founded in 705 AD by St Aldhelm and was re-founded in 1550 by Edward VI, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom.

The school has about 540 students, and many of them achieve very high grades in their exams. Many of the school's buildings are important historical sites, with several listed as protected monuments.

Sherborne School is also part of important school groups and has a branch school located in Doha, Qatar, which was built after the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, attended the school.

History

Sherborne School has a very long history. It was founded in 705 AD by King Ine of Wessex. He asked a scholar named Aldhelm to create a school and a place for religious leaders. This makes it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom.

The school stayed open even when big changes happened. In 1550, King Edward VI officially re-founded the school and gave it land to help it continue. Over the years, the school grew with new buildings and facilities. Important visitors, like King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, have celebrated big moments in the school's history. Today, Sherborne School continues to educate boys and works with nearby schools to provide many activities for students.

Overview

Sherborne School is a boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18. Boys live together in one of eight houses all year round. It is one of only four schools like this in the United Kingdom, along with Eton, Harrow and Radley.

The school year has three terms:

• The Michaelmas Term, from early September to mid December. New boys join at the start of this term.
• The Lent Term, from mid-January to late March.
• The Trinity Term, from late April to late June.

Each house has around 70 boys and is looked after by a house master, a matron, and other teachers who live there too. The houses are split into two groups: those close to the school, and those further out in the town.

In March 2026, it was announced that one of the houses, Wallace House, would close at the end of the school year because of higher costs.

School features

The school chapel used to be a monastic hall. It was later a silk mill before becoming a chapel in 1855. It has been made bigger several times. The library was once a guest hall. It was also a silk mill and a brewery before it became a library.

The Old Schoolroom is the oldest building made just for school use. It dates back to 1554 and was rebuilt in 1606. It has historic carvings and old desks turned into windowsills. Bow House is from the 14th century and is now a staff room. Abbey Grange, built in the 14th or 15th century, is where the headmaster lives. The Shell House in the garden is a rare building with a shell theme from around 1750.

Subjects

Music

Music is very important at Sherborne School. Many students learn to play instruments very well, and some take special music exams. In 2015, the school was named the best for music in the country.

The school built a special music building in 2010. It has spaces for practice and recordings. Students can join many music groups, like choirs, orchestras, and bands. They perform in beautiful halls and sometimes sing in famous places like Salisbury Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral. The school has a special choir that has been around since 1871. They also hold a fun rock festival to raise money for charity.

Sport

Sherborne School has a famous cricket field called the Upper. The school's top team plays there. The field has been used since 1870 and has hosted many matches.

Rugby is also a big part of school life. The school has played rugby since 1846 and competes in special tournaments. Many former students and teachers have played rugby internationally.

The school offers other sports, including clay shooting and swimming. The clay shooting team practices at a special range and competes in national events. The swimming team races against other schools in the South and West of England.

School culture

Sherborne School has a magazine called The Shirburnian. It started in March 1859 to share school news and fun ideas. After a break, it began again in May 1864 and has been published almost every term since then. From 1997, it became an annual magazine.

The school's buildings and grounds have been in several films and TV shows. Some of these include The Guinea Pig, The Browning Version, Goodbye Mr Chips, A Murder of Quality, The Browning Version, The Imitation Game, Wolf Hall (a BBC TV series from 2015), and Far from the Madding Crowd (2015).

Historical figures

Headmasters

Headmasters of Sherborne from 1437 to the present time:

• 1437– Thomas Copeland
• 1537–1544 Richard Percy
• 1549– William Gybson
• 1554– Thomas Coke
• 1560–1561 Francis Myddelton
• 1562–1563 Thomas Parvys
• 1564–1565 William Wolverton
• 1565 John Delabere
• 1566–1573 John Hancock
• 1573–1581 Thomas Seward
• 1581–1601 William Wood
• 1601–1603 John Geare
• 1603–1639 George Grove
• 1639–1641 Richard Newman
• 1641–1653 Robert Balch
• 1654–1663 William Birstall
• 1663–1670 Joseph Allen
• 1670–1683 Joseph Goodenough MB
• 1683–1694 Thomas Curgenven
• 1694–1695 Thomas Creech
• 1695–1720 George Gerrard
• 1720–1733 Benjamin Wilding
• 1733–1743 John Gaylard
• 1743–1751 Thomas Paget
• 1751–1766 Joseph Hill
• 1766–1790 Nathaniel Bristed
• 1790–1823 John Cutler
• 1823–1845 Ralph Lyon
• 1845–1849 Charles Penrose
• 1850–1877 Hugo Daniel Harper
• 1877–1892 Edward Mallet Young
• 1892–1909 Frederick Brooke Westcott
• 1909 Charles Henry Thursfield Wood
• 1909 Frederick Brooke Westcott (acting headmaster)
• 1909–1927 Charles Nowell Smith
• 1928–1933 Charles Lovell Fletcher Boughey
• 1933–1934 William James Bensly (acting headmaster)
• 1934–1950 Alexander Wallace
• 1949 Geoffrey O'Hanlon (acting headmaster)
• 1950–1970 Robert William Powell
• 1970–1974 David Emms
• 1974 Peter Thomas Currie (acting headmaster)
• 1974–1988 Robin Donnelly Macnaghten
• 1988–2000 Peter Herbert Lapping
• 2000–2010 Simon Flowerdew Eliot
• 2010–2014 Christopher Davis
• 2014–2015 Ralph Barlow (acting headmaster)
• 2016–2025 Dominic Luckett
• 2025 Matthew Jamieson (acting headmaster)
• 2025–Present Simon Heard

Ushers

The usher, or lower master, was appointed by the governors of Sherborne independent of the headmaster. The usher was responsible for teaching the lower three forms and had responsibilities over the boys similar to the modern position of a house tutor. The office was abolished in 1871, although the title was later briefly revived to denote the senior deputy head.

• 1560 Henry Bagwell
• 1561 John Martin
• 1563 Thomas Penye
• 1565 George Holman
• 1569 Nicholas Buckler
• 1570 Hammet Hyde
• 1572 Walter Bloboll
• 1573 John Elford
• 1574–1581 no name given
• 1581 [first name not given] Wornell
• 1581 Philip Morris
• 1584 Lawrence Fuller
• 1589 John Rooke
• 1595 William More
• 1605 George Gardiner
• 1611 George Harrison
• 1625 Randell Calcott
• 1629 Richard Camplin
• 1629 John Jacob
• 1635 John Mitchell
• 1638 [first name not given] Proctor
• 1638 John Fyler
• 1647 Thomas Martin
• 1664 Jonathan Grey
• 1667 John Walker
• 1667 William Plowman
• 1675 Peter Blanchard
• 1682 Abraham Forrester
• 1695 Robert Forrester
• 1695 John Butt
• 1718 Edward Cosins
• 1723 John Gaylard
• 1728 James Martin
• 1737 James Thomas
• 1760 William Sharpe
• 1766 John Bristed
• 1779 Robert Pargiter
• 1780 William Glasspoole
• 1800 James Knight Moore
• 1801 William Hoblyn Lake
• 1804 Henry Cutler
• 1805 David Williams
• 1813 Thomas James
• 1860–1871 Arthur Mapletoft Curteis
• 2016–17 Ralph Barlow

Old Shirburnians

Main articles: Notable Old Shirburnians born in the 8th to 17th centuries, Notable Old Shirburnians born in the 18th century, and Notable Old Shirburnians born in the 19th century

See also: Category:People educated at Sherborne School and List of Old Shirburnians

Former pupils of Sherborne School are known as Old Shirburnians or OS. The following is a selection of more recent notable Old Shirburnians:

Notable Old Shirburnians in academia include mathematician, cryptanalyst and father of artificial intelligence and the first modern computer Alan Turing; master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and vice-chancellor of Cambridge University Michael McCrum; master of Balliol College and vice-chancellor of Oxford University Sir Colin Lucas; vice-chancellor of Durham University and master of Magdalene College, Cambridge Sir Derman Christopherson; literary scholar Sir Malcolm Pasley; historian Hugh Thomas, Baron Thomas of Swynnerton; mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead; chemist, curator of the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford and director of the Science Museum Sherwood Taylor; provost of Worcester College, and vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford Francis John Lys; historian and master of Peterhouse, Cambridge Harold Temperley; neurologist John Newsom-Davis; and prehistorian and archaeologist Richard J. C. Atkinson.

Notable Old Shirburnians in the military include commander in chief Naval Home Command Admiral Sir Horace Law; Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Admiral Sir James Perowne; Field Marshal Sir Claud Jacob; commander of 6th Airlanding Brigade during the Rhine Crossing Brigadier Hugh Bellamy; World War One flying ace Captain Keith Muspratt; Battle of Britain flying ace Flight Lieutenant Carl Raymond Davis; commander in chief India, Governor of Gibraltar General Sir Charles Monro; Master-General of the Ordnance General Sir Jeremy Blacker; commander in chief Land Command General Sir John Wilsey; commander in chief Land Command and deputy commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan General Sir Nicholas Parker; developer of machine gun tactics and Conservative MP Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Applin; CEO of Aegis Defence Services Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Spicer; director general of the European Union Military Staff in the Council of the European Union, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod Lieutenant General David Leakey; Commandant General Royal Marines Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod; Commandant General Royal Marines Lieutenant General Sir Steuart Pringle; commander of Royal Marines in the Falklands War Major General Julian Thompson; overall British commander in the Gulf War Major General Patrick Cordingley; Major-General Commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District, Major General Sir Iain Mackay-Dick; commander of British Forces in Hong Kong Major General Sir Roy Redgrave; and Deputy Commander Operation Inherent Resolve Major General Rupert Jones (British Army officer).

Notable Old Shirburnians in diplomacy include Sir Alan Campbell, UK High Commissioner to Australia Sir Brian Barder, British High Commissioner in Malaya Sir Donald MacGillivray, colonial administrator Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sir John Weston, UK Ambassador to Turkey and Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man Sir Timothy Daunt, ambassador to Thailand, Austria and Brazil Sir Geoffrey Arnold Wallinger, diplomat, philanthropist and explorer Hugh Carless, and Governor-General of New Zealand The Right Honourable Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe.

Notable Old Shirburnians in intelligence include two former heads of an important British service, Sir Christopher Curwen, and Sir David Spedding, and Daniel Gibson Harris, a naval attaché in Sweden who assisted in a major naval operation.

Notable Old Shirburnians in the law include High Court Judge Sir Antony James Cobham Edwards-Stuart, senator of the College of Justice and Principal Commercial Judge in the Court of Session in Scotland Angus Glennie, Lord Glennie, high court judge in colonial India and prolific author Charles Augustus Kincaid, Solicitor General for Scotland and Lord Advocate William Milligan, Lord Milligan, and solicitor and author Sir Dermot Turing.

Old Shirburnians in the media include TV journalist and ITV News political editor Tom Bradby, TV journalist and Sky News defence correspondent Alistair Bunkall, journalist Nigel Dempster, TV journalist and BBC News presenter Simon McCoy, BBC producer and creator of panel games including Just a Minute, Many a Slip. and Twenty Questions Ian Messiter, journalist (Times, The Observer), writer (The New France, Germany and the Germans) and broadcaster, John Ardagh, journalist and film critic for The New Yorker magazine Anthony Lane, and TV, radio and print journalist, and BBC News Central Europe Correspondent Nick Thorpe.

Notable Old Shirburnians in politics include Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton, Charles Beauclerk, Earl of Burford, Education Minister Sir Christopher Chataway, Michael Marsham, 7th Earl of Romney, William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, The Right Honourable The Lord Thomas of Swynnerton, Thomas Buchanan, Robert Key, Paul Tyler, Liberal Party politician John Pardoe, Conservative Party politician Denzil Kingston Freeth, Liberal Party politician Sir Cecil Algernon Cochrane, writer, farmer and father of Boris Johnson, Stanley Johnson, Liberal Democrat politician Andrew Duff, and journalist, author and political commentator Peter Oborne.

Notable Old Shirburnians who have been writers and poets include novelist Alec Waugh, elder brother of Evelyn Waugh, their father author, literary critic, and publisher Arthur Waugh, Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, novelist David Cornwell (a.k.a. John le Carré), Anthony Berkeley Cox, John Cowper Powys, Jon Stock, literary scholar Malcolm Pasley, Robert McCrum, Tim Heald, novelist Roger Norman, journalist, historian and biographer Brian Moynahan, and Warren Chetham-Strode.

Notable Old Shirburnian actors, musicians and directors include Jeremy Irons, Hugh Bonneville, James Purefoy, John Le Mesurier, Charles Collingwood, Ritchie, film, theatre, television and opera director Sir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre, film director Gerald Grove, Jon Pertwee, Charlie Cox, Lance Percival, lead singer of rock band Coldplay Chris Martin and creative director and manager of Coldplay Philip Harvey.

Old Shirburnians who have come from overseas include Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Sherborne International College), king of Swaziland King Mswati III (Sherborne International College), and Regent and Crown Prince of Pahang, Malaysia Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim.

Five Old Shirburnians have been awarded a special honor for bravery, to whom a memorial plaque was commissioned, the unveiling of which took place in the School Chapel on 19 September 2004.

• Henry James Raby.
  Award won in the Crimean War, when he was a lieutenant in the Naval Brigade. Raby was the first man to actually receive the medal, with Queen Victoria pinning it onto him in the first investiture.
• Sir Arthur George Hammond
  Award won in the Second Afghan War, when he was a captain in the Bengal Staff Corps, Indian Army
• Charles Edward Hudson
  Award won in the First World War, when he was a temporary lieutenant colonel in the Sherwood Foresters
• Edward Bamford
  Award won in the First World War, when he was a captain in the Royal Marine Light Infantry
• John Hollington Grayburn,
  Award granted posthumously and he was gazetted captain; won in the Second World War, as a lieutenant in the Parachute Regiment

Notable members of staff include Louis Napoleon Parker, composer of the school song.