Uffington - the Old Schoolroom

The Old Schoolroom

Education was considered important in Uffington long before it became the norm elsewhere. Education developed in most places through the provision of a Sunday School - on the one day of week that was not available for work - during the 1800's.

A school for boys at Uffington was founded in 1617 by Thomas Saunders, who lived at Hall Place in Woolstone early in the 17th Century.

The 'old school' building, which now houses the museum, was generally supposed to have been built for Thomas Saunders in 1617, though no documents could be traced in the parish that could throw any light on the nature or extent of the school at that time.

The Saunders Trust was almost certainly established during the lifetime of Thomas Saunders. In his Will, proved at Oxford in 1644, Thomas charged his son (also Thomas) to use the proceeds from certain property in Uffington to the 'maynetenance and releiffe of the said Scholemaster for the teacheinge of twelve poore schollers'.

The earliest reference to the School may be found in the 1679 Presentment to the Archdeacon under article seven - "As to title the 7th of the sayd book of articles which is concerning Schoolmaster, Physicians and Midwives, we doe present that wee have a Schoolmaster already licenced and likewise a Midwife licenced; But physicians we have none in our Towne".

Thomas Saunders laid down specific rules relating to the school, including the number of children to be taught, and the qualifications of the schoolmaster. Two copies of these conditions exist - one is in the Museum and one in the Primary School.

The School in the 18th century

About 1707, a report by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) states - "At Uffington in Berks there is a sch. for 12 boys founded abt 76 years ago. But ye present Master if he continues in Possession offers to teach all ye poor Children in the Parish".

When in 1778 the land around Uffington was enclosed, it was recorded that Thomas Saunders Trust owned 17.6 acres of land known as the School Field Piece, to the east of the White Horse Hill Road, together with a small close of about half an acre and two cottages in Green Lane.

In 1783, George Watts, Vicar of Uffington, answered a lengthy questionnaire, which was returned to the Bishop of Salisbury at his Visitation. Two questions concerned the school, and the vicar's replies were - "A free school, for the instruction of eight poor boys in Uffington and four in Woolstone endowed by a Mr. Saunders, late of Woolstone. The school is duly taught but the will of Mr. Saunders directs the Master should be a Batchelor of Arts. The school was vacant about 12 months and no B.A. could be procured. It is now taught therefore by a decent careful Deputy and the Vicar is the Nominal Master". "The endowment now consists of a cottage, farm, small close in the village of Uffington and an allotment of land in the field. The value of the whole, about £24, eight guineas of which is paid to the Heirs of Mr. Saunders reduced to poverty, the rest to deputy". (In 1807 there was buried at Uffington Thomas Noake, Schoolmaster for 50 years. This is probably the one referred to).

In answer to a query regarding the content of the education taught, George Watts replied - "The children are taught to read, write and cast Accounts. They are taught the Catechism, and are directed to attend Divine Service. The school flourishes".

Attendance

The National Society for Promoting Religious Education has a record of 20 boys attending the school in 1818 and instruction for girls being provided elsewhere in two dame schools. These were respectively, the present Clock House in High Street and Shotover House at Shotover Corner. The Commissions for Enquiry at that time found no documents in the parish that give any light on the nature and extent of the original foundation. The Commissioners questioned the villagers including William Noake (the schoolmaster) and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Hughes, Vicar of Uffington and it is upon what they learnt that the present Trust wholly depends. In 1818 the school was supported by the income from the rent of land plus rental from two cottages used by the parish 'for the use of the poor'. In 1833, it was recorded that 50 boys were in attendance at the endowed (Thomas Saunders) school.

A return to the National Society's Church School enquiry 1846/7 records that 50 boys attended the endowed school. They were charged a penny or penny-ha'penny a week or tuppence with writing, but the sum varied at the option of the master and according to the means of the parents. 30 girls were instructed free (in another building which might have been on the site of the present school) by a mistress who received £11 raised by subscriptions. The 1847 Kelly's Post Office Directory confirms the existence of the two schools. It reads - There is an endowment of the annual value of £40 for education of poor boys the foundation of which is for 12 though as many as think proper can attend on payment of one penny weekly. At present there are 50. A school contained about 40 girls is supplied by subscription". (The masters name is given as Henry Morris).

In July 1854, the Rev. Tufnell answered further Visitation queries. In most parishes, the only schooling was through the Sunday Schools and in answer to questions regarding maintaining the young people in the Sunday School after they have ceased school, he replied that many of the girls continue their attendance but none of the boys and that an Evening School had been attempted, without success. He believed that the "deficiency in attendance among the young men was owing to the early age at which in agricultural parishes they are called on to work in the fields and to assume an independence of parental control".

Sale of the schoolroom

By 1870, the old school building was so dilapidated that it was unfit for educational purposes and the trustees proposed to sell it and apply the proceeds to enlarge the National School.

In 1872 the old school room was sold for £35. This should have been invested by the Charity Commissioners in Consols, but was misappropriated towards the cost of the new building.

In 1952 the Trustees sold the two cottages in Green Lane for £100 and in 1956 sold the land situated on the east side of the road from the village to the Whitehorse Hill, known as School House Piece. The 17.6 acres raised £1117-13s-6d The money from these sales was used to extend the present Primary School.

The Trust Today

The Thomas Saunders Trust still exists. In the past the Trust helped children when they moved onto secondary school; often by providing uniform, sometimes by helping with transport costs. Although the present endowment is very small (not much over £1000) the Trust provides a leaving present of a dictionary for final year pupils at Uffington Primary School and also helps children to attend field trips. There is a special "Founders Day Service" in the last week of the summer term when the children progress to the Old Schoolroom to give thanks to Thomas Saunders for their education and to his foresight in providing the Trust. Flowers are placed by the leavers on the grave of Thomas Saunders in the Church. The Trust Fund is managed by the Vicar and representatives from Uffington and Woolstone and the trustees would be very glad indeed of gifts to increase the capital. Only the interest is spent.