History
The school was founded in 956 and is one of the oldest schools in England. From a gift of land by King Edwy to Oscytel, Archbishop of York thence was created a Chapter, a Church and a school to teach the singing boys Latin. The earliest named master, in 1313, was Henry de Hykeling. 1547: the churchwardens petitioned Edward VI "that our Grammar School may also stand with such stipend as appertains the like, wherein our poor youth may be instructed" - his Commissioners replied "that the school is very meet and necessary to continue". In 1580 Hugh Baskafield, the Master, was discharged by the Chapter as "he had notoriously slacked and neglected his duties" whilst William Neep in 1716 ordered the school's rules to be written in English after abolishing the Latin version. The 1944 Education Act determined the Governors to seek "Aided Status" to enable the school to continue to exert its inspiring influence on the generations to come as it had their forefathers. The fund-raising at that time suggested that this school's life would run from 956 to 2956 ad.
Once a selective school, known as Southwell Minster Collegiate Grammar School, and more recently until amalgamation with the local comprehensive simply Southwell Minster Grammar School.
When comparatively small (intake was only about 35 per year during the 1960s) it was located in the heart of the town in the red-brick premises known as Minster Chambers but these were vacated in 1964 for a site further down Church Street on the south eastern side of the Minster. Upon amalgamation this site, at some considerable distance from the now main Nottingham Road site, became difficult to integrate into the life of the much bigger school. Sadly no longer would the Minster School's pupils proceed daily into the Minster for their short service. With the decision to concentrate redevelopment at Nottingham Road the Church Street site was sold. As the 1964 premises had been built upon the site of a Roman Villa an opportunity has arisen to restore this location. Amalgamation continued the school's traditional strengths and the school obtained specialist status in music and humanities.
In April 2006, work began on a new £34m school building. On the July 16 2008, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex officially opened the new school building, in operation since September 2007, when he also opened the Veterinary Nursing Centre at the Brackenhurst Agricultural College. In 2009 The Minster School won the 2009 RIBA Sorrell Foundation Schools Award due to the highly functional design of the school but its boarding facilities are no more.
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