Marlborough College, Marlborough

Marlborough College is one of the more recent public schools, which in 150 years has become one of the top public schools in the country. In 1841 a group of gentlemen met with the purpose of starting a school, especially for the sons of clergymen, providing a classical education at a low cost. Possibly owing to one of the gentlemen staying in the Marlborough area and the famous Castle Inn closing and being available it was decided to site the school in Marlborough.

The school opened on 23 August 1843 with 200 boys aged between 8 and 16. Two thirds of these were the sons of clergymen paying reduced fees. Within 5 years the numbers had increased to 500. There were early problems with a large number of boys with no shared academic experience, although the staff were well qualified academically and experienced. There was also heavy capital expenditure caused by building A house, B house, Upper School, new kitchens and a dining hall. The former Castle Inn became C house and is the oldest building on the site.

A Royal Charter was granted in 1845 and the school took the name of ‘College’. In 1848 the first chapel was consecrated and the Adderley library was established. Money to run the College was in short supply and boys complained of chronic hunger. The situation worsened and in October 1851 there was a famous rebellion with a 4-day strike and a week of tumult and anarchy. School property was destroyed but order was finally restored. The existence of the College remained precarious but by the exercise of financial restraint its position was secure by 1867. The number of boys had decreased but two great Masters, Rev. G. E. C. Cotton (1852-8) and Rev. G. G. Bradley (1858-70), both from Rugby, gave the leadership that was required. The ethos of self-discipline with freedom was developed.

Organised games were introduced with cricket and rugby from 1853 and hockey by 1874. In 1864 the Marlborough College Natural History Society was formed and this became the best in any English school. The College attained a good record in University scholarships from this period. In 1861 the first of seven ‘out houses’, away from the College, was opened as a boarding house.

From 1870 there was continuous expansion with many new buildings including the Bradleian (science rooms and museum block) in 1883, the Jubilee Building of 1892-3, the Memorial Reading Rooms in 1900, Field House and the Bridge over the main road in 1911, the Music School in 1922 and the Memorial Hall of 1925. In 1923 electric light was installed; the first in the town.

The Marlburian Club had been founded for old boys in 1884. Many of these served and died in the Boer War and the First World War, 700 being killed in the latter. There have been many distinguished Old Marlburians.

By 1917 science was still a minor subject but during the 20th century all Masters contributed to an equalisation of values and a better balance in organisation, direction and school opinion. In 1933 a Science Block was built.

A bold experiment in 1968 saw a number of older girl students being admitted to the Sixth Form. This experiment was a success, in 1977 there were 826 boys and 91 girls, and other schools followed suit. 1975 saw the establishment of the Marlborough Summer School, of courses run during the holidays. In 1987-8 a Sports Hall was built. In 1989 the admission for girls was extended by admitting those aged 13 and upwards. In 1991 the Language Centre was opened.

The College occupies the site of Marlborough Castle, which includes the prehistoric mound, excavated by the Natural History Society in the 1950s. College building has extended westwards from this site and a recent development at College Fields has seen the building of a swimming pool complex by the College and the town