KENDAL has always been in the forefront in education.

Its first school was opened in 1525 as a Chantry School, the fortunate few boys being taught in the Parish Church.

It could not have been very comfortable.

After the Reformation, in 1588, the school was reformed by Miles Philipson of Crook as a Free Grammar School in a new building, the land being donated together with six oak trees for the main timbers. Kendalians provided the floor timbers and stone.

Subscribers gave the £159.18s.3d. it cost to build. The main concern of the school was in teaching Latin and English Grammar, hence the title. One part of the building still stands and is part of the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry. Among its celebrated scholars was Ephraim Chambers who compiled the world’s first encyclopaedia, still published under his name.

Thomas Sandes, a local wool tradesman and philanthropist, who was Mayor of Kendal in 1647, established a hospital for eight poor widows, wool workers of good character in Highgate. It was not a medical hospital, more like almshouses, the ‘hospital’ indicating hospitality.

He employed a schoolmaster to read prayers for them and to teach poor boys until they were fit to go to the Free Grammar School or elsewhere. This led to the founding of the Bluecoat School at the end of the yard, where they were taught to read the Psalter. An election was made each year to select boys from local day schools to attend the school.