400 Years of Education

In 2017 we celebrated 400 years of education in Uffington.

The Museum is housed in the schoolroom that featured in Thomas Hughes’ book ‘Tom Brown’s School Days’.

The building dates from 1617, and was built for Thomas Saunders when he founded a school for boys in the village. Saunders lived at Hall Place in Woolstone.

Schools developed in most places through the provision of a Sunday School during the 1800’s, so the provision of a school in Uffington in the 17th century was a very early example of education for ordinary villagers.

Part of the Museum is laid out as a Victorian schoolroom

The Saunders Trust, which funded the School, was almost certainly established during his lifetime. In Saunders’ will, proved at Oxford in 1644, he charged his son (also Thomas) to use the proceeds from certain property in Uffington to the "maynetenance and releiffe of the said Scholemaster for the teacheinge of twelve poore schollers".

The key information from our special 2017 exhibition is still on view and tells the story of education in Uffington from 1617 to the present day. Visit us to see it.

Curator Karen Pilcher & Patrick Grant filming for the Village of the Year competition in 2017