Lancing College (original) (raw)

Public school in West Sussex, England

Lancing College (formerly College of St Mary and St Nicolas)
Map
Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 0RWEngland
Information
Type Public schoolPrivate day and boarding
Motto 'Beati Mundo Corde'[1] (Blessed are the pure in heart)[2]
Religious affiliation Church of England
Established 1848; 178 years ago (1848)
Founder Nathaniel Woodard
Department for Education URN 126108 Tables
Chairman Martin Slumbers
Head Master Dr Scott Crawford
Provost Jonathan Meyrick
Gender Mixed
Age 13 to 18
Enrolment c. 600
Houses 10 (Gibbs', School, Head's, Second's, Handford, Sankey's, Field's, Manor, Saints', Teme)
Colours Blue and White and Gold
Publication The Quad
Alumni Old Lancings ("OLs")
Affiliation Woodard Corporation
Website www.lancingcollege.co.uk
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name Lancing College, Great School
Designated 2 December 1985
Reference no. 1353753

Lancing College is a public school (English private boarding and day school) for pupils aged 13–18. The school is located in West Sussex, east of Worthing in the parish of Lancing, on the south coast of England. Lancing College was founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard and educates c. 600 pupils between the ages of 13 and 18; the co-educational ratio is c. 60:40 boys to girls. Girls were admitted beginning in 1971. There are five male houses (Gibbs', School, Teme, Head's, Second's) and four female houses (Field's, Sankey's, Manor, Handford). The first mixed house, Saints' House, was established in September 2018, bringing the total number of Houses to 10.

The college is situated on a hill which is part of the South Downs, and the campus dominates the local landscape. The college overlooks the River Adur, and the Ladywell Stream, a holy well or sacred stream within the College grounds, has pre-Christian significance.[3]Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith," and the discipline of the prefect's cane. John Dancy was appointed headmaster in 1953 to improve academic standards, which had taken second place to prowess in sport. Lancing was the first of a family of more than 30 schools founded by Woodard. Other schools include Ardingly College, Bloxham School, The Cathedral School, Denstone College, and Ellesmere College.

Roughly 65% of pupils are either full or weekly boarders, at a cost of £18,439 per term; 35% are day pupils, at a cost of £12,602 per term. Occasional overnight stays are available to day pupils at an additional cost of £92 per night.[4][5]

The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Girls were first admitted in 1970. The school is dominated by a Gothic Revival chapel, and follows a high church Anglican tradition. The College of St Mary and St Nicolas (as it was originally known) in Shoreham-by-Sea was intended for the sons of upper middle classes and professional men; in time this became Lancing College, moving to its present site in 1857.

The school's buildings of the 1850s were designed by the architect Richard Cromwell Carpenter, with later ones by John William Simpson.

In 1985 the school hall and classroom blocks were designated a Grade II* listed building.[6]

Foundation and Early Years (1848-1857)

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Lancing College was founded in 1848 by the Rev. Nathaniel Woodard, when he published A Plea for the Middle Classes and set out his vision of an Anglican boarding school “based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith”.[7]

Woodard’s aim was to provide for children of the emerging professional and middle-classes the kind of public school education previously reserved for aristocratic families.[7]

Originally known as the “College of St Mary and St Nicolas”, the school initially operated at Shoreham-by-Sea before relocating to its present site on the South Downs above Lancing village.[7]

In 1854 the foundation stone for the new college buildings at Lancing was laid. The architect Richard Cromwell Carpenter was engaged to design the Gothic Revival school buildings, intending the architecture itself to be an “ornament to the country” and to elevate the taste of pupils.[7]

In 1856 Lancing created its own code of football which (unlike other school codes) was regarded as a means of fostering teamwork.[8]

Construction proceeded slowly: the crypt of the chapel was consecrated in 1875, and the upper chapel was dedicated in 1911. Although originally planned to include a great tower, financial constraints meant it was never completed as originally envisaged.[7]

Over the decades the school’s buildings became one of its defining features: commanding the South Downs skyline, and featuring cloister walks and rich Gothic detailing.[7]

Developments throughout the 20th Century

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The 1920's saw significant building developments across the College. The Foundation Stone of the Cloister was laid on 25 June 1921 in memory of the Old Lancings who had died in the First World War. The New Block of classrooms were opened in 1927 and in 1928 The Head Master's House was built at the front of the College, it will later be re-named Teme House.[7]

During the Second World War the College was evacuated to Teme Valley, Shropshire. The naval training establishment HMS King Alfred occupied the College throughout the duration of the war. In 1941 Winston Churchill met with General Montgomery in Teme House at Lancing College.[9]

In 1960 the Amphitheatre was opened by Agatha Christie.[7]

In 1970 the school became fully co-educational, admitting girls and thereby broadening its intake and mission. This was further expanded in the 1990's when day student numbers were allowed to increase to nearly 50% of the student body.[7]

The 150th Anniversary of the College was attended by Princess Anne, The Princess Royal.[7]

Recent Developments

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The west porch of the Lancing College Chapel was completed in April 2022 after fundraising began to complete the Chapel in 2019.[10]

The interior facing west

Lancing College Chapel viewed from the south east as of 2014

Lancing Chapel in 1950

The college chapel is a Grade I listed building that was finally completed in 2022.[11] The first phase of its construction began in 1863 with the installation of the foundations of the building, completed five years later. One report states that the foundations are 60 feet (18 m) deep.[12] The structure itself would not be fully completed until long after Woodard's death in 1891, although the tower at the west end that had been planned in the 1800s would not be built as of 2024;[13] the tower had been intended to raise the height to 100 metres (330 ft). The apex of the vaulting rises to 27.4 metres (90 ft).[14] It was designed[15] by R. H. Carpenter and William Slater, and is built of Sussex sandstone from Scaynes Hill.

By 18 July 1911, the upper chapel had been built and went into use after its consecration and dedication to St Mary and St Nicholas; this phase of the work was completed through the efforts of Woodard's son, William. "Despite a shortage of funds, he turned all the vaults and oversaw the completion of all but two bays of the main interior ..." according to a 2024 report. The listing by Historic England provides this more specific summary of the Gothic Revival upper chapel at that time:[16]

The main portion of the chapel was finished in 1911. It consists of an apse and 10 bays. Central portion with aisles. Great buttresses flank the windows of the aisles. Over the roof of the aisles double flying buttresses connect the buttresses below to the walls of the main building. Balustrade of pointed arcading. Slate roof. (Historic England)

Prior to July 1911, the college had worshipped in the finished crypt since that was consecrated in 1875.[17]

Before the final completion of the chapel in the 21st century, additional work was completed over the decades. As of May 1978, the structure contained among other things, the tomb of the founder, three organs, and a rose window designed by Stephen Dykes Bower, completed in 1977, and the largest rose window built since the Middle Ages, being 32 feet (9.8 m) in diameter. It was added by James Longley Construction, a building company which operated from 1863 to 2020, and was also involved in the building of Christ's Hospital near Horsham. Some reports state that the structure is the largest school chapel in the world.[12]

The eastern organ is a two-manual mechanical organ built by the Danish firm Frobenius and was installed and voiced in situ in 1986. That year also marked the completion of the rebuild of the four-manual Walker organ at the west end of the chapel[18] – both of which featured in the opening concert by the American organ virtuoso Carlo Curley.

A stained-glass window was commissioned in memory of Trevor Huddleston OL, and consecrated by Desmond Tutu on 22 May 2007. The west wall of the chapel was built between 1960 and 2017. That area had remained bricked up since 1978 when bricks replaced the previous corrugated iron facade.[19]

In 2019 permission was obtained for building the western three-arched porch that had been designed by Michael Drury. During this phase, the brickwork in the facade was also completed, as were the chapel's buttresses.[20]

The chapel was closed to visitors during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequently during the construction of the west end porch and refurbishment work on the school kitchens opposite. It reopened to the public on 25 April 2022.

During World War II, students were evacuated to Downton Castle in Herefordshire.[21] Both the main college and the prep school buildings were requisitioned by the Admiralty and became part of the Royal Navy shore establishment HMS King Alfred.

List of headmasters

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Henry Thomas Bowlby, Headmaster 1909–1925

Ordinal Name Dates Reference
1 Henry Jacobs Aug–Dec 1848 [7]
2 Charles Edward Moberly 1849-1851
3 John Branthwaite 1851-1859
4 Dr Robert Edward Sanderson 1862-1889
5 Harry Ward McKenzie 1889-1894
6 Ambrose J. Wilson 1895-1901
7 Bernard Henry Tower OL 1901-1909
8 Henry Thomas Bowlby 1909-1925
9 Cuthbert Harold Blakiston 1925-1934
10 Frank Cecil Doherty 1935-1953
11 John Christopher Dancy 1953-1961
12 Sir William Gladstone, 7th Baronet 1961-1969
13 Ian David Stafford Beer 1969-1981
14 James Stephen Woodhouse 1981-1993
15 Christopher John Saunders 1993-1998
16 Peter Tinniswood 1998-2005
17 Jonathan Gillespie FRSA 2006-2014
18 Dominic Oliver 2014-2025
19 Dr Scott Crawford 2025–Present [22]
Name of House Gender Day or Boarding Year Established Reference
Field's Girls Boarding House [23]
Gibbs' Boys Boarding House 1914 [24]
Handford Girls Boarding House 1986 [25]
Head's Boys Boarding House until 2002. Now a Day House 1857 [26]
Manor Girls Boarding House 1978 [27]
Saints' Mixed Day House 2018 [28]
Sankey's Girls Day House 1973 [29]
School Boys Boarding House 1854 [30]
Second's Boys Boarding House 1892 [31]
Teme Boys Boarding House 1947

Co-Curricular and Sports

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Co-Curricular Programs

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Upper quadrangle view from Great School

Lancing offers a variety of co-curricular programs such as:[32]

Lancing offers a variety of sports for students that include cricket, football, hockey, netball, tennis, and swimming.[33]

Cricket has been played at Lancing since 1857, the first team was captained by G. Woodard, son of Nathaniel Woodard. Cricket is offered during the Summer Term and the program is run by Mr. Rajesh Maru, an ex-professional cricket player.[34]

The College Drive

Literature and journalism

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Broadcasting, theatre and film

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Notable former staff members

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South West side of the College

School Crest and Coat of Arms

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Coat of arms of Lancing College

Notes Granted in 1923.[43] Escutcheon Argent, on a bend cotised Sable a cross couped between two martlets of the first; all within a bordure engrailed Azure; the whole surmounted of a chief Ermine thereon between two purses Or a pale of the third charged with a lily also Or. Motto 'Beati mundo corde'

Controversies and Scandals

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Price-Fixing Scandal (2003)

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In 2003 it was one of fifty of the country's leading independent schools which were found guilty of running an illegal price-fixing cartel which had allowed them to drive up fees for thousands of parents.[44] Each school was required to pay a nominal penalty of £10,000 and all agreed to make ex-gratia payments totaling £3 million into a trust designed to benefit pupils who attended the schools during the period in respect of which fee information was shared.

  1. ^ "Matthaeus 5 Latin: Biblia Sacra Vulgata". Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Matthew 5:8 Multilingual: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  3. ^ Map, The Megalithic Portal and Megalith. "Our Lady's Well (Lancing)". Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  4. ^ StudyLink, Britannia (5 October 2021). "Lancing College Review: Fees, Rankings And More". Britannia StudyLink Malaysia: UK Study Expert. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Lancing College: Fees". Lancing College. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  6. ^ Historic England. "Lancing College, Great School (Grade II*) (1353753)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "History of the College | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  8. ^ J. Lowerson and J. Myerscough, Time to Spare in Victorian England (Brighton: Harvester, 1977) pp 119–20, cited in Football: The First Hundred Years. The Untold Story. Adrian Harvey, Routledge, 2005
  9. ^ "Teme | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  10. ^ "'One of the great landmarks of the Sussex coast', finally finished some 156 years after work was started". Country Life. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  11. ^ Historic England. "Lancing College, the chapel (Grade I) (1286548)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Visit Magnificent Lancing Chapel". Sussex Exclusive. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  13. ^ "'One of the great landmarks of the Sussex coast', finally finished some 156 years after work was started". Country Life. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Visit Worthing – Lancing College Chapel". Visit Worthing. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  15. ^ "Visit Magnificent Lancing Chapel". Sussex Exclusive. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Lancing College, The Chapel". Historic England. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Visit Magnificent Lancing Chapel". Sussex Exclusive. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  18. ^ The History of the English Organ. Stephen Bicknell, Cambridge University Press, 1999
  19. ^ "Visit Magnificent Lancing Chapel". Sussex Exclusive. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  20. ^ "'One of the great landmarks of the Sussex coast', finally finished some 156 years after work was started". County Life. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  21. ^ Calder, Jonathan (12 July 2005). "Liberal England: Shropshire on the screen". Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
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  23. ^ "Field's | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  24. ^ "Gibbs' | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  25. ^ "Handford | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  26. ^ "Head's | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  27. ^ "Manor | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  28. ^ "Saints' | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  29. ^ "Sankey's | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  30. ^ "School | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  31. ^ "Second's | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  32. ^ "Co-Curricular Programme | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  33. ^ "Sixth Form Sports | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex | Boarding School". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  34. ^ "Cricket | Lancing College | Independent Senior School & Sixth Form | Sussex". www.lancingcollege.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  35. ^ Kennedy, S.B. (2005). "Biographical Notes of Principal White Stag Artists and Those Associated With Them". The White Stag Group. Dublin: Irish Museum of Modern Art. pp. 149–154. ISBN 1903811503. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  36. ^ Snoddy, Theo (2002). "HALL, KENNETH (1913–46)". Dictionary of Irish Artists: 20th Century (2 ed.). Dublin: Merlin Publishing. pp. 216–217. ISBN 978-1903582176. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  37. ^ "Sanderson's Dinner, 10th October 2015, Lancing College" (PDF). Lancing College. October 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  38. ^ Haddon, E. B. (1946). "Mr. J. H. Driberg". Obituary. 157 (3983). Nature: 257–258. Bibcode:1946Natur.157..257H. doi:10.1038/157257b0.
  39. ^ Mitchell, Andy (2012). First Elevens: The Birth of International Football. Andy Mitchell Media. pp. 78 & 106. ISBN 978-1475206845.
  40. ^ Sholto Marcon Archived 4 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine at cricketarchive.com, accessed 20 December 2011
  41. ^ 'Dr. H. C. Stewart: Music at Oxford' (Obituary). The Times, Wednesday 17 June 1942 (Issue 49,264); p. 7 http://www.hcstewart.com/biography--obituaries.html Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  42. ^ Jean Stewart. Obituaries. The Independent. 17 January 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20100221032223/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jean-stewart-601969.html
  43. ^ "Lancing College". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  44. ^ Gray, Sadie. "Independent schools face huge fines over cartel to fix fees – Times Online". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.

50°50′47″N 00°18′15″W / 50.84639°N 0.30417°W / 50.84639; -0.30417