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Harrow Church and School Another Album from heritagewalks.london

Copyright © heritagewalks.london 2015 

75 West Street, Harrow on the Hill, London HA1 3EL

First published in the UK in 2015

Text and images copyright © Michael Strachan 

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(The cover illustration shows St Mary’s Church).

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This unique collection of old prints and photographs shows how Harrow School looked in the early eighteenth century up to the late nineteenth century. It was a time when Harrow on the Hill changed from a small village to a thriving town with its own Town Hall and administration. Like other Public Schools, Harrow rebuilt and expanded as it took in the sons of the wealthy and powerful English elites. The four half-page coloured illustrations are taken from a 'History of Harrow School', part of 'History of the Colleges', engraved by Joseph Constantine Stadler (fl.1780-1812) published by R. Ackermann, 1816 (aquatint) The pictures in this album were created from our collections of Harrow prints and photographs.Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 2

Byron’s Elm You can still see the spot where the poet, Lord Byron, dreamed and wrote in St Mary’s churchyard. Harrow School and Church… …from the HillSt. Mary’s Church Harrow on the Hill is first recorded in 767. The parish church of St Mary, consecrated in 1094, still dominates the skyline today.Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 3

Harrow on the Hill Church and School This is the view in 1818 from the cricket field on the north side of the Hill near Roxeth Farmhouse. It shows St Mary’s church on the left and the first school buildings on the right. At the bottom is a bucolic scene and a house nestled into the trees at the bottom of the hill. If you take the Lower Road today much of this view remains. The cricket field is still there and the church still commands the top of the hill. The school buildings have changed fairly dramatically and the house in the trees at the bottom left has disappeared.Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 4

Headmaster’s House This building still forms part of the High Street.Harrow School Sanitorium Harrow School Chapel Still in use today for services and concerts.Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 5

Harrow School - First Master’s House This is the view in 1818 from the High Street. It is the oldest of Harrow’Schools’ 12 boarding houses and dates back to the sixteenth century. Former boarders at this house include Sir Winston Churchill and Sir Stanley Baldwin - both British Prime Ministers. Other former pupils include Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Anthony Ashley Cooper - Lord Shaftesbury, a famous philanthropist, William Henry Talbot Fox, an early developer of photography and Field Marshal Earl Alexander of Tunis.Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 6

Vaughan Library Named after a controversial Head Master the library was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.Harrow School Racket Yard Rackets was played in a few spots - such as in the angles of the old Elizabethan school yard. Harrow High Street View north towards the church of St Mary’s in the distance. Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 7

Harrow School - Racket Yard This is an early view from about 1818 showing the School Room and the farmlands and woodlands of rural Middlesex. This area and others on the Hill were developed into the Victorian complex of buildings you can still see today. Rackets (Squash) was a very poplar game here and in other public schools where space was limited and interesting angles could be used to bounce the ball. It was also popular in prison yards!Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 8

Harrow School Boys A painting of the school and the road leading up to the church by By John Fulleylove.Church from Byron’s view Shows the ‘Peachy’ stone and contains the Byron memorial.St Mary’s Church Wych GateHarrow on the Hill Church & School p. 9

Harrow School Room This is the School Room in about 1818, where boys of any age were grouped for lessons. Pupils were mainly taught the Greek and Latin classics and no English was allowed. Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 10

Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 11Roxeth Farm view to St Mary’s Church The next page shows three nineteenth century street views…Old School and Speech Room 2020Crown and Anchor pub 1850 (Since removed)Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 11

Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 12Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 12

Harrow on the Hill Church & School p. 13Remains of Pye house c 1920 (behind 75 West Street) formerly a magistrates courthouse in the 18th century.View from Roxeth Farm across the cricket fields early nineteenth century

www.heritagewalks.london ms@heritagewalks.london Harrow on the Hill LondonThe walk covering this area of London is available as a pdf download or in a format for any smart device. Use the link below…