Uppingham School

Uppingham School stands in the small market town of Uppingham in Rutland, a county in the East Midlands. Founded in 1584 by Robert Johnson, the Archdeacon of Leicester, it began as a grammar school with an attached almshouse. The original schoolroom from 1584 still stands in the churchyard and is a Grade I listed building. The school’s playing fields stretch across three separate areas of the town: Leicester to the west, Middle to the south, and Upper to the east. It belongs to the Rugby Group of British independent schools and its current headmaster is Richard Maloney. The school’s reputation rests on figures like Edward Thring, who served as headmaster from 1853 to 1887. Thring transformed it from a small local grammar school into a nationally recognised public school with 330 pupils. He introduced a broader curriculum, including French, German, science, art, and music, and opened the first gymnasium in an English school. The chapel, designed by Gothic Revival architect G. E. Street, remains one of the school’s most striking buildings. Visitors to Uppingham School find a blend of historic and modern facilities. The original studies from around 1800 survive, though no longer used as such. The school theatre occupies the former gymnasium and concert hall, and the memorial hall houses one of the school’s two large three-manual pipe organs. The chapel organ was rebuilt in 2007 and is notable for its Harrison tone and rare independent Swell shutters. The playing fields and sports centre support rugby, hockey, cricket, and other activities that have thrived since the 19th century.