Miss Mathews School East Kennett

In 1857 a school was established by the Misses Maria and Anne Mathews on land opposite the manor house in which their family, benefactors of the parish, had lived since 1803.  Maria Mathews subsequently gave £2,300 for the school in 1878, when it was stated that the school had been under the “entire and absolute” control and direction of Anne and Maria Mathews and, following the death of the former, under the absolute control of Maria only and of her trustees and their successors.  The school was stated to be partly a day school for the children of East Kennett and partly for the training of girls for work as domestic servants. The school was known as “Miss Mathews’ School” and instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic and needlework would be given, or any other subjects that might be directed by the trustees.   

In his survey of Wiltshire schools of 1859, HM Inspector William Warburton described the “School-house, and excellent teacher’s residence”.  The building was “handsome, but perhaps rather too large a portion of it [was] assigned to the teacher”.  The school-room, however was a “fair room, with board floor”.  There were 20 to 25 pupils, of both sexes, taught by a mistress.  The census of 1861 indicates that the schoolmistress in place was a Miss Mary Angrave and two domestic service trainees lived with her.

 The next census, in 1871, however records the schoolmistress as Miss Marion Hedges, who again had two trainees also in residence.

In 1895 the Education Department required enlargement of the building; a part of Maria Mathews’ charity funds was used to replace the schoolroom with a new building accommodating 40 pupils.