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History of the school
Christ’s Hospital’s history, one of the oldest boarding schools in England
Christ’s Hospital (CH) is one of the famous Royal Hospitals of London, whose foundation marked the beginning of the social services in Tudor England. Inspired by a sermon by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, the young King Edward VI instructed the Lord Mayor, Sir Richard Dobbs, to appoint a committee of leading citizens to consider remedies and relief for the City’s homeless and poor. Their work, and subsequently their philanthropy, led to the founding of the five great Hospitals all supporting different needs. CH, established in the monastery of the Grey Friars in Newgate Street, embraced the task of educating and nourishing the destitute children of the City and took children of all social backgrounds and ages.
In November 1552, CH opened its doors to 380 pupils and, within a year, the number had increased to over 500.
Our timeline of history
Edward VI signs the Royal Charter founding Christ’s, St Thomas’s and Bridewell Hospitals
First CH Scholar goes to Oxbridge
London Buildings destroyed in the Great Fire of London. All children survive
Royal Mathematical School (RMS) is given its Royal Charter by King Charles II
Samuel Pepys, instrumental in the early development of the RMS, is made a Governor of Christ’s Hospital
Site is acquired in Hertford which was to remain as a CH boarding school for 300 years
South Front is rebuilt, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. His entrance portico survives at Horsham
Antonio Verrio completes his massive painting celebrating the founding of the RMS. It still hangs in the Dining Hall, and gives its name to the Verrio Tours of the school for members of the public
The rebuilding after the Great Fire of the main parts of the London site is completed
All girls join the younger boys in Hertford, where all CH girls were to be educated until 1985
Start of the Golden Age, when Coleridge, Lamb and Leigh Hunt are at CH
Christ’s Hospital introduces its own currency (known as Housey Money) which was used until 1862
RMS boys draw the tickets at the State Lottery for the last time, having done so since at least 1710
Opening of the Great Hall. An organ is acquired for the Great Hall, now in Big School at Horsham
Senior Grecian gives a Loyal Address to Queen Victoria in accordance with ancient custom
Visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to a Public Supper at Christ’s Hospital
George, Duke of Cambridge, is appointed the first Royal President of Christ’s Hospital
The School Band is formed
Foundation stone is laid at Horsham by Edward, Prince of Wales
All boys move to Horsham and girls take over the whole of the Hertford site
Frank Brangwyn begins to paint the 16 murals in the Chapel, completed in 1923
War Memorial is unveiled. At least 358 Old Blues and 25 members of staff gave their lives
Senior Grecian gives Loyal address to Queen Elizabeth II
The band plays at the Lord Mayor’s show for the first time, a continuing tradition today
The Theatre building is completed
Closure of school at Hertford and the merger of the girls’ school with the boys’ school at Horsham
The school’s Community Action Programme is established
The Sports Centre is opened by the Duke of Gloucester, the President of Christ’s Hospital
The CH Museum is opened by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu
Separate Houses are built for the Grecians
Visit to the school by its Patron, Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Language and Resource Centre (LARC) opened
150th Celebration of the founding of the CH Band
Go to the beginning
Go to the present day
Early History
King Edward VI became patron and founder and a Royal Charter was signed to this effect by Edward just eleven days before his death in 1553.
Many children, including 100 of the first 380, were infants who were sent away to Ware, Hoddesdon or Hertford to be looked after by nurses, who were paid a weekly allowance, and to attend local day schools. When they reached 10 they would return to London to be educated.
Girls were admitted from the beginning, and in 1563, when the first children’s register was compiled, there were 132 girls out of 396 children, although the proportion thereafter was usually smaller.
In London, the great majority of children were educated in the Writing School for a position in commerce or trade, leaving when aged 15. The few who stayed on beyond the age of 15 studied either in the Grammar School for University or, from its foundation in 1673, in the Royal Mathematical School (RMS) for service at sea. The RMS received its Royal Charter from Charles II, with Samuel Pepys, Sir Isaac Newton and Sir John Flamsteed being influential figures in its early years.
CH lost 32 children in the Great Plague of 1665, but did not lose any children to the Great Fire in 1666, although most of the buildings were burned down. With only a few children able to return to the ruined buildings, many were sent out to be billeted in Hertfordshire. In 1682 a site in Hertford was acquired for a self-contained boarding school, which CH was to own for over 300 years.
Later History
Thanks to the great generosity of benefactors, the rebuilding of the school in London after the Great Fire was completed in 1705, with Sir Christopher Wren designing the South front as well as Christ Church, the parish church immediately outside the walls of CH, which the school used for its worship. A second major rebuilding took place from 1793 to 1836, including a Grammar School completed in 1793, a new Great Hall in 1829, Grammar and Mathematical Schools in 1834 and the cloisters known as the Grecians Cloister in 1836. The bordering watercolour, by Arthur Ellis, shows the 1836 Grecians Cloister, the central arch of which was brought to Horsham and now forms the outside halves of the archways to the main quadrangle. In the background are the two Wren spires of Christ Church and St Paul’s.
In 1902 all the boys from both the London and Hertford schools transferred to a new site in Horsham, and the school at Hertford became a girls-only school. In 1985 the Hertford site was closed and the girls transferred to Horsham, once again to form a co-educational school.
Christ’s Hospital and the slave trade.
Today CH has 830 boarding students, with an equal number of boys and girls, and 70 day students.
Order our prospectus
Our School Prospectus provides an introduction to life at Christ’s Hospital. You can request a printed copy which includes an application form by completing the form and/or you can download a pdf of the prospectus.
