"TRUSTEES UPON TRUST TO APPLY THE RENT IN "FOUNDING AND PERMANENTLY MAINTAINING "ONE OR MORE SCHOLARSHIPS IN CONNECTION "WITH THE CREWKERNE GRAMMAR SCHOOL."

But the year 1636 was memorable for another addition to the school buildings. It was then that the feoffees bought from Hugh Webb "the fourth part of two cottages in Carter or Abbey "Street, and of a close at Furringdon, called Long Rod Moore, "and 2 acres in the West Common Field, and one acre in the "West Field, and four acres in the said field." This cottage was repaired and rethatched, and is thence onward styled "The "House of Office," and was used by the Master in lieu of the "butterie " which had formerly been rented from William Meller. But a far more important purchase took place in 1675. By indenture, dated 20th August, 1675, Lord Poulett and the other feoffees purchased of Robert Hodges for £162 "a mansion or "dwellinghouse situated in Cartter Street, Crewkerne, with "garden, court, barne, stable, and outhouses, which premises "Wm. Hodges, Gent., decd., had purchased from Samuel Owsley "Gent., decd." This afterwards became the Master's dwellinghouse and was used up to 1881 as a house for the boarders.

In the garden at the side of this house an entirely new Master's house was built in 1824, and was inhabited by the Head Masters till the removal to the New School, after which, together with the aforementioned boarding house, it was sold October 25th, 1883, to C. W. Haslock, Esq.

W

CHAPTER IX.

The New School.

E now leave the Old School and turn to speak of the present buildings of Crewkerne Grammar School.

First of all, how came the change to take place and why were the old buildings given up? This is soon answered. The Old School was too small, and by the 27th clause of the new scheme of the Charity Commissioners which came into force in 1876 it was enacted "that as soon as "conveniently may be after the date of the Scheme the "Governors either by altering or by adding to the present "School buildings or by acquiring or erecting other buildings upon some convenient site in or near Crewkerne shall provide proper School buildings, etc.," for day scholars, boarders, with a house for the Head Master, power being given to sell the School estates to pay expense of building.

66

As a result of this, an excellent site was obtained just outside the town on Mount Pleasant, and the new School was built. Messrs. Giles and Gough were the architects and Mr. Travena was the contractor. Our illustration shews the School which they built, at a cost of nearly £10,000. We have no space to enter into minute details concerning it. Suffice to say that the new School is replete with every modern convenience, it has accommodation for 70 boarders, besides 50 or 60 day scholars, there is a Head Master's house attached to it, and besides an excellent chemical laboratory, a fives-court, gymnasium, and swimming bath, there is an eight acre sport field for cricket and

football. As for the view obtainable from it, there is none to compare with it at any other School in the county.

Over the front entrance in the spandrels of a handsome Ham stone doorway are shields bearing the arms of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and the See of Exeter, surmounted by the date A.D. 1499, supporting the Founder's Name-Johannes de Combe-on a shield, and round this is the School motto, "Venite filii obedite mihi, timorem Domini ego vos docebo."

In the schoolroom are two stained windows; the one given by Major Sparks, D.L., J.P., which portrays the Founder as a priest in eucharistic vestments holding a jewelled missal, and the other erected by the children and grandchildren of the late Dr. Penny, head master, which shews on one side Archbishop Cranmer blessing flaxen-haired schoolboys, whilst a chaplain is unrolling a long architectural plan, and on the other side is a picture of King Edward VI. enthroned, superintending the signing and sealing of the same precious long roll by three officials seated at a trestle table. Over each of these lights is a coat of arms, crest, and motto, the arms in the dexter being those of Penny and in the sinister those of Lewton, and on a brass plate is this inscription :-

NE NOMEN APUD POSTEROS INTEREAT VIRI REVERENDI

CAROLI PENNY S.T.P.

HUJUS SCHOLE MAGISTRI PER SEPTEM ET TRIGINTA ANNOS HANC FENESTRAM PONI CURAVERUNT

FILII ET FILICE.

The new School was opened on January 18th, 1882. It was a day long to be remembered in the Annals of Crewkerne. The town was ablaze with decorations, triumphal arches, texts mottoes, and banners; the bells were ringing, and the bands