St Peter's School

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

St Peter's School

Parallel form(s) of name

    Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

    • St Peter's School; 627-present

    Other form(s) of name

      Identifiers for corporate bodies

      Description area

      Dates of existence

      627-present

      History

      St Peter's School was founded by St Paulinus of York in 627 AD, on the same site as York Minster. Little is know about the school's early history.

      In 705, St John of Beverley became Head Master. In 741 both the school and Minster burned down. Both were rebuilt by Archbishop Aelberht. In 778, Northumbrian scholar Alcuin became Head Master.

      In 1289 the school moved from the site of the current nave of York Minster to a house near the Minster's east end.

      The school was given a Royal Charter by Queen Mary in the sixteenth century, and in 1557 moved premises to new buildings in the Horsefair, just outside the city walls.

      In 1644 the school buildings were destroyed in the Siege of York, part of the English Civil War. The boys were moved back inside the city walls and the school continued in Bedern, a former refectory and dormitory for clergy.

      The school moved again in 1730 to the Bagnio, a Turkish bath on Coney Street, before a further move five years later to the disused church of St Andrew. In 1828 the school amalgamated with York Proprietary School in Clifton, and as part of the merger the new combined school moved to the beautiful buildings of the Proprietary School outside the city walls.

      In 1901 the school acquired St Olave's Preparatory School. In 1922 a swimming pool was built, initially as an outdoor pool before being covered over in 1965. The school began to admit female pupils into its sixth form from 1976, and in 1987 St Peter's became co-educational at all levels.

      St Peter's purchased Clifton School and Nursery in 1994, allowing continuous education for pupils from the ages of 3 to 18 for the first time. In 2001 St Olave's moved to the Queen Anne site on the lower campus, so all three schools shared the same grounds.

      In 2012, the new St Peter's Swimming Pool won the Lord Mayor's Architecture Prize in the York Design Awards.

      Places

      Legal status

      Functions, occupations and activities

      St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school. It is the third oldest school in the UK and the fourth oldest in the world, and today is part of the York Boarding Schools Group.

      Mandates/sources of authority

      Internal structures/genealogy

      General context

      St Peter’s School was founded by St Paulinus of York in 627 AD, on the same site as York Minster. Little is know about the school's early history.\n\nIn 705, St John of Beverley became Head Master. In 741 both the school and Minster burned down. Both were rebuilt by Archbishop Aelberht. In 778, Northumbrian scholar Alcuin became Head Master. \n\nIn 1289 the school moved from the site of the current nave of York Minster to a house near the Minster's east end. \n\nThe school was given a Royal Charter by Queen Mary in the sixteenth century, and in 1557 moved premises to new buildings in the Horsefair, just outside the city walls. \n\nIn 1644 the school buildings were destroyed in the Siege of York, part of the English Civil War. The boys were moved back inside the city walls and the school continued in Bedern, a former refectory and dormitory for clergy.\n\nThe school moved again in 1730 to the Bagnio, a Turkish bath on Coney Street, before a further move five years later to the disused church of St Andrew. In 1828 the school amalgamated with York Proprietary School in Clifton, and as part of the merger the new combined school moved to the beautiful buildings of the Proprietary School outside the city walls. \n\nIn 1901 the school acquired St Olave's Preparatory School. In 1922 a swimming pool was built, initially as an outdoor pool before being covered over in 1965. The school began to admit female pupils into its sixth form from 1976, and in 1987 St Peter's became co-educational at all levels. \n\nSt Peter's purchased Clifton School and Nursery in 1994, allowing continuous education for pupils from the ages of 3 to 18 for the first time. In 2001 St Olave’s moved to the Queen Anne site on the lower campus, so all three schools shared the same grounds.\n\nIn 2012, the new St Peter’s Swimming Pool won the Lord Mayor’s Architecture Prize in the York Design Awards.

      Relationships area

      Access points area

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Occupations

      Control area

      Authority record identifier

      GB0192-412

      Institution identifier

      GB0192

      Rules and/or conventions used

      International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa

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