Archives
More History
Further information on the School's history is available in Some History from the Archives
1619
The land was purchased and the first schoolhouse erected on the site.
1623
The School had its first Headmaster, Peter Mease, MA, Bachelor of Divinity from Jesus College, Cambridge.
Year of Our Founding: 1629
1629
The School was formally founded by Samuel Harsnett, Archbishop of York and Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University. It then had 16 ‘poor scholars’. The original school building, known as “Big School”, was in what now houses the Swallow Library.
1655
William Penn was a pupil at the School. He went on to become a prominent Quaker, advocate of religious freedom, and founder of the US state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia.
1714
The Quaker Society sent a Native American, Prince George, son of the chief of the Yamasee Indians, to join the scholars at Chigwell.
1762
Peter Burford was appointed Headmaster, starting the dynasty of the Burford family which continued up to the appointment of William John Burford in 1813.
1795
William Cotton was a student at the School - he later became Governor of the Bank of England. In 1801, he infamously set the Headmaster’s garden on fire, possibly during hay-making.
1800 - 1900
1800
Boarders now lived at Harsnett’s House (built in 1485 and given to the School by Archbishop Harsnett in 1624).
1868
The School is split in half. In the English School the local children studied Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The Latin School remained the Big School with the Latin scholars.
1885
Swimming was added to the curriculum with the first wooden swimming pool ever to be built in England.
1900 - 2000
1914–1918
79 Chigwellians were killed in action in the First World War. The School then only had a total of only 80 pupils, but it remained open.
1924
The Chapel was built as a memorial to it's students killed in the First World War, whose names you will see remembered on the walls today.
1939 - 1945
Second World War years; 50 Chigwellians died in this war.
1962
Walde Music School built.
1968
Princess Margaret opened the school gymnasium.
1975
The first three girls were admitted to the Sixth Form.
1976
The Junior School was opened on the main site and new science labs were built.
1979
Conversion of "Big School" to the Swallow Library.
1981
The Practical Arts Centre (now the Art, Design and Technology department) was opened by the Queen Mother and "Queen Mother Quad" was created.
1997
The School became co-educational.
2000 to present
2004
HRH the Countess of Wessex formally opened the Drama Centre.
2008
The all-weather floodlit pitch was completed.
2009
The Wilson Building was opened by former Headmaster, Mr Brian Wilson. In addition, the Junior School library extension was completed.
2010
Harsnett’s and Church House were converted into new boys’ boarding accommodation, and new catering facilities were opened by Michel Roux Jr.
2012
The Old Chigwellian's Club and land was incorporated into the School's estate, expanding the site to 100 acres.
2013
Chigwell Pre Prep was opened for boys and girls aged 4 – 7. Two new science labs were opened to meet increasing numbers opting for science.
2016
The Risham Sarao Sixth Form Centre was opened by Old Chigwellian and TV presenter, Ben Shepherd.
2018
The Dining Hall extension was completed, as well as renovation of the Chapel, and extension of the Junior School.
2019
Restoration of the roof of the old school buildings was completed.
2020
The School digitally delivered more than 10,000 live lessons during the Covid-19 global pandemic, as well as producing 1,000 items of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the NHS, local surgeries, care homes and pharmacies.
2022
Groundbreaking ceremony for the new sports centre took place. This is the largest project in Chigwell School's history.
