History
Dame Agnes Mellers founded the "Free School" in 1513, after the death of her husband, Richard, partly in his memory, but also as an act of atonement for his several wrongdoings against the people of Nottingham. In order to do this she enlisted the help of Sir Thomas Lovell, who was both the Governor of Nottingham Castle and Secretary to the Treasury. As a result of their combined efforts, King Henry VIII sealed the school’s foundation deed on the 22 November of that year. It is not clear whether this was a new institution or a refoundation or endowment of an existing school, of which records exist as far back as 1289.
Since 1868, the school has been located high on Waverley Mount to the north of the city centre, looking down towards the site of its foundation in St Mary's Church and its continuance in Stoney Street. There has subsequently been a long programme of building and development, resulting in the modern site.
In the Foundation Deed, Mellers provided that a Commemoration Service should be held in St Mary's Church in the Lace Market "on the Feast of The Translation of St Richard of Chichester, namely 16 June" each year. With the exception of the Goose Fair, it is the most ancient ceremonial event still perpetuated in the City of Nottingham, and the oldest which is still largely in its original form (the Goose Fair is now a funfair rather than a livestock fair), although there seems to be no record of it being held between the middle of the sixteenth century and its modern revival in 1923. The formal procession is an important part of Founder's Day and seeks to symbolise the ancient links the School has with the Crown, the City and the Church. The Foundation Deed also provides for the distribution (out of a total sum of 20 shillings) of certain moneys to the Lord Mayor, Vicar and others and for the purchase of bread, cheese and ale for consumption by the officials attending the Service. Any balance remaining is required to be given to the poorest scholar but now is given to a representative scholar of the School.
The annual Remembrance Day service on November 11 is attended by the whole School with the Headmaster, President of the Old Nottinghamians and the School Captain placing wreaths at the war memorial. The inscription on the statue is particularly poignant.
The Latin inscription on the School Arms is 'Lauda finem' which translates as 'Praise to the end'. More recently, the school has also adopted the informal motto 'T.E.A.M.' ('Together Everyone Achieves More'), whilst the strapline 'Ordinary boys achieving extraordinary things' has been adopted for marketing purposes.
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