Mary Holgate’s work, From Generation to Generation, describes the lands of the college thus: “The ground on which the School is built was part of Sauceland Farm and bought from Mr. Jollands, of Buxshalls. The present football ground was a hop garden in the ‘40s, and Kiln Wood, which lies to the east (sic) of the main quadrangle, reminds us of the kiln where the hops were dried. It is recorded that on the day of the laying of the foundation stone a way had to be cut through standing corn to enable the visitors to get from the place of the ceremony to the luncheon tent.” Read more…
The College’s own website comments, “Ardingly College, formerly St. Saviour’s College, was founded originally in Shoreham in 1858. It was one of the three schools founded in that area of Sussex by the Revd. Nathaniel Woodard (1811-1891) who believed fervently in the importance of religion in education. The foundation stone of our magnificent main red-brick building was laid on 12 July 1864.” Read more…
Rev’d Alex MacLean’s paper on The Nineteenth Century also contains a chapter on the college in that time.
Former pupils, staff and masters
The following are buried in the Churchyard of the Parish Church:
Stuart Moore – pupil 1880-81 (aged 12) – plot 104
David Harris – Schoolmaster 1951-87, 15 years Housemaster of Gibbs – plot C7
Jean Harris – Matron? – plot C7
Thomas Erskine Wilson M.A. – Headmaster 1915-32 – plot C11
Neville Murray Russell – pupil until 1905 (aged 15) – plot D7
Rupert Alan Nicholas – pupil until 1902 (aged 11) – plot D8
Percy Bolland – pupil until 1894 (aged 12) – plot D11
Philip Sidney Vivian – pupil until 1888 (aged 15) – plot D12
George H.G. Nicholson – Housemaster Junior College 1912-28 – plot E5
Rev’d Charles Aubrey de Vere White – until 1917 – plot E9
Selwyn Geoffrey “Geof” Dunn – pupil until 1907 (aged 11) – plot E10
Lucy Symons – Matron 9yrs North School – plot E11
Harriet Mills – Matron 1870-1901 – plot E12
Arthur Lord Lewington M.A. – Chaplain 1872-1908 – plot E13
Reginald John Mertens – “infant” 1877 – plot E17
Herman Basil D. Mertens – pupil until 1875 (aged 9) – plot E17
Samuel Rowland – pupil until 1881 (aged 13) – plot E18
Arnold Innes “Bin” Hett – master 1928-51 (brother of L Keir Hett, architect to the College) – plot B27