Blundell's School, Tiverton

Some three years ago the governors of Blundell's School at Tiverton, being pressed for want of room determined to sell the old school buildings and remove the school to another site: at that time our society in conjunction with some of the townsmen and neighbors of Tiverton, tried very hard to induce the governors not to desert the ancient home of their famous school, or at all events if they were driven to do so to find some public use for the beautiful buildings which were atthat time the most perfect example left us of a grammar school of the early seventeenth century: since all the fittings so carefully planned by the founder were still in their original places.

Our protest was fruitless, and the buildings were sold to a private person, but we were told that a condition was to be attached that they should not be demolished or dismantled. This did not reassure is much at the time, and I am sorry to say that we have just received a confirmation of our fears; for a correspondent has informed us that he has been offered by a builder the curious and beautiful screen that used to divide the Upper school from the Lower.

I do not know whether there is room to hope that the loss of the buildings of Blundell's School may be averted; but I venture to ask leave to publish in your columns the fact that they seem to be doomed in the hope that the public spirit of the men of Devon may be awakened and find some means of preventing this loss to the public, this disgrace to their own county.

Letter to the Daily News, 23 February 1883.