Figure 1.--The architectural design of British preparatory schools vary widely. Many utilize buildings that were not purpose-built as schools, although they have since added purpose-built buildings to the school campus. Many early preparatory schools were founded in rural areas using large manor houses that were then converted into school use. |
The architectural design of British preparatory schools vary widely. Many utilize buildings that were not purpose-built as schools, although they have since added purpose-built buildings to the school campus. Many early preparatory schools were founded in rural areas using large manor houses that were then converted into school use. Over time in Britain, the owners of manor houses found it difficult to maintain the high cost of operating them, especially the cost of employing large staffs. Thus some of the homes and surounding grounds could be purchased for relatively small sums--less then building a putpose-built schools. The rural location allowed the schools to afford substantial grounds for sports and other recreational activities.
Many utilize buildings that were not purpose-built as schools, although they have since added purpose-built buildings to the school campus. Many early preparatory schools were founded in rural areas using large manor houses that were then converted into school use. Over time in Britain, the owners of manor houses found it difficult to maintain the high cost of operating them, especially the cost of employing large staffs. Thus some of the homes and surounding grounds could be purchased for relatively small sums--less then building a putpose-built schools. These homes and estates help give a destinctive tone to the British prep school. The schools have generally acquired the country estates of wealthy families which could not afford the steep British taxes as well as the upkeep and the staff needed to run a large house. In some cases the buildings are of historical value, some even dating to the 15th and 16th century. A typical such school is Ashfold in Buckinghamshire. The main school building is Dorton House, "the beautiful many-gabled manor house" described in many guide books. It was the ancestral home of the Aubrey-Fletcher family and was built in 1626. The rural location allowed the schools to afford substantial grounds for sports and other recreational activities. It is also fascinating see children nonchalantly studying away in buildings that in America would be major tourist attraction. Many buildings have richly-paneled rooms or ceilings with elaborate moldings. Some have impressive great halls with massive fireplaces, some times used for morning assemblies. Almost all come with a wealth of histories, replete with the obligatory school ghost which range from Tudor traitors or Civil War cavilers to love-sick Edwardian school mistresses.
Many of these stately old houses, however, are not well suited for use as schools. The large, poorly insulated rooms generally prove uncomfortable and expensive to heat during the winter. They do not make for ideal classrooms. One can imagine how daunting some of these old houses must have been for wide eyed 7 and 8 year old children finding themselves away from home for the first time and bewildered by the huge rooms and maze of halls and cubbyholes in these houses It is interesting to note the imagination used to covert such homes to school use. The schools have attempted to utilize the buildings as well as possible and the original design has been cut up into a maze of little rooms. Cellars make ideal locations for various after schoool activities such as modeling and railroading. Larger rooms are used as commons rooms where the boys can play billiards, ping pong, or other games in their free time. Girls practice dance and boys do karate in ball rooms which once hosted elegant social events. Studies serve as offices for headmasters and other school officials. Upstairs bedrooms are converted to dormitories which usually accommodate five or six boys. Smaller, more private rooms are awarded to older boys or prefects. All the space is used as well as possible. The stables has been converted into rooms for dramatics, art, music, and carpentry. Other schools use ballrooms for dance classes and other group activities.
Many of the old manor houses converted to prep schools were not designed for educational purposes and thus were in many ways not well suited for school purposes. Of course this varied from school to school. But often considerable imagination had to be used when converting the houses for school use. In another sence, however, many of these buildings had a homey feel to them that can not be created by a more steril pirpose-built school building. The various rooms such as setting rooms and drawing rooms often have a certain charm. They often had large windows looking out on the grounfs of the estates. Schools varied on how these rooms were used. They may have been retained for the head master's study or used for rooms like a classroom, library, reading room, multipurpose room, or rooms for a variety of other purposes. Often the result were rooms that provide a wonderful warm environment for the children.
Most of the purpose-built schools in Britain are state schools.
