The foundation of a Free English School at a place called Chappel Yard in Mountsorrel is recorded in an indenture dated 14 October 1746 between Sir Joseph Danvers & his son John Danvers and the Rector of Swithland.
Prior to this there was a school on this site funded to the tune of 20 shillings pa by the Mountsorrel Town Rents Charity. The schoolmaster was James Freeman. All we know about him is that he was born in 1680, lived in the south end of the village with his wife and three children, died on 19th November 1765 and is buried in the churchyard of St Peter’s church.
In the indenture Sir Joseph Danvers, because of the goodwill he bears to the inhabitants of Swithland and Mountsorrel transfers, for ten shillings and a yearly payment of twelve pence, to his son and the Rector a messuage and schoolhouse standing near the south end of the Castle Hill in the occupation of James Freeman, schoolmaster.
Also included is an enclosure of pasture anciently and now commonly called Chappel Yard.
And the rent of four pounds a year from a meadow of six acres called the Parson’s Piece, occupied by George English, and lying in a meadow in Mountsorrel Fee called Castle Meadow.
John Danvers is to choose the schoolmaster who will live in the Chappel Yard Schoolhouse. He is to instruct four boys from Swithland, four boys from the north end of Mountsorrel and four from the south end in reading, writing and arithmetick. He is to receive all the rent and profits from the land and buildings except for the timber from any trees growing in the Chappel Yard. These are to be used for repairs to the schoolhouse and buildings.
The boys admitted to the school are to be chosen by John Danvers. They are to be admitted at the age of seven or eight and are to remain at the school for no more than three years.
A charity called the Town Rents in Mountsorrel has been paying twenty shillings a year to a schoolmaster to teach poor boys. If this is paid to the master of the Chappel Yard School, then he will teach eight boys from Mountsorrel. If not he will only teach four boys.
In a report issued in 1838 by the Charity Commissioners they state that they could find no information about this charity beyond what is stated in the inscription on the schoolhouse. Note the date of 1742 on the inscription does not agree with the 1746 date of the indenture. They also report that the master has on average 30 paying scholars.
It appears that there was already a school on this site, the schoolmaster being James Freeman.It was possibly supported by twenty shillings a year from the Town Rents charity in Mountsorrel.
The school closed shortly after Christchurch and St Peter’s schools were opened in 1871. The building was later leased to the Mountsorrel Granite Company for £10 pa. They turned it into a hospital for their employees.
Thank you so much for the photographs and the information regarding the old school that later became Mountsorrel Hospital on castle hill.Seeing the old house covered with Virginia Creeper brought back very many memories.
The cottage Hospital and Convalescent was established on Castle Hill by Mountsorrel Granite co.Herbert Skipworth was the medical officer there in 1912.Have any records survived ?Thank you.
The Mountsorrel Cottage hospital and Convalescent was established ln 1879 by the
Mountsorrel Granite Company…