History
The school became a notable educational centre for Puritan families in the 17th century, numbering a hundred or more pupils, under Martin Holbeach, Headmaster from 1627–1649, and his successors (see below). John Wallis and Isaac Barrow were educated at Felsted in this period, as were four of Oliver Cromwell's sons.
Another era of prosperity set in under the headmastership of William Trivett between 1778 and 1794; but under his successors numbers dwindled. As the result of the discovery by Thomas Surridge (headmaster 1835–1850), from research among the records, that a larger income was really due to the foundation, a reorganization took place by Act of Parliament, and in 1851,under the headmastership of the Rev. Albert Henry Wratislaw, the school was put under a new governing body (a revised scheme coming into operation in 1876). As a result, Felsted developed rapidly into one of the regular public schools of the modern English type, under the Rev. W. S. Grignon, who may almost be considered the second founder. New buildings were built on an elaborate scale, numbers increased to more than 200, and a complete transformation took place, which was continued under Grignon's successors, including Frank Stephenson, under whom large extensions to the buildings and playing-fields were made. These additions allowed admittances up to 475 pupils, nearly all of whom are boarders.
The school was evacuated to Goodrich Court in Herefordshire during the Second World War. Major building works took place for the 400th anniversary celebrations in 1964, when the Queen Mother laid the foundation stone for the then new Music School, subsequently opened by Felsted governor Lord Butler of Saffron Walden, (formerly Rab Butler). In 2008 this building was replaced by a larger new building which was opened in 2009 by Dame Evelyn Glennie. The Princess Royal opened the new Lord Riche Hall in 1989. Girls were taken into the Sixth Form in 1970, and into the whole school in 1993.
Part of the school was devasted by fire on Sunday, 15 July, 2012 after a blaze broke out in the roof and first floor of Follyfield House, one of the girls' boarding houses. The school term had ended but about 25 students and staff from a summer school were on site and were evacuated. Nobody was injured and an investigation is under way. The school reopened as normal in September, with a new, temporary house situated next to the Lord Riche Hall. Plans are underway to build a new house by 2014.
Read more about this topic: Felsted School
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