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Bembridge School

1919 establishments in England1997 disestablishments in EnglandBembridgeDefunct schools on the Isle of WightEducational institutions disestablished in 1997
Educational institutions established in 1919Use British English from February 2023
Bembridge School Crest
Bembridge School Crest

Bembridge School was a British independent school in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, founded in 1919 by social reformer and Liberal MP John Howard Whitehouse, set in over 100 acres (0.40 km2) on the easternmost tip of the island. Whitehouse intended for the school, initially for boys only, to challenge the traditional concept of education, introducing subjects including woodwork, American history and modern languages, long before they became mainstream subjects in British schools.The school grew from five students at its opening in 1919, to an enrolment of 264 by the time of Whitehouse's death. During the Second World War the site was used as a military base by the Army and the school moved to The Waterhead Hotel in Coniston, close to Brantwood, the former home of John Ruskin, which was owned by the school. The school returned to Bembridge in 1945. The school was founded based on the teachings of John Ruskin, and had a large collection of art, books and memorabilia relating to him, including many notable manuscripts. This collection is now housed in the Ruskin Library at the University of Lancaster. Shortly after the school's 75th anniversary, the Education Trust announced their intention to sell the school, whilst retaining possession of the Ruskin collection.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Bembridge School (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Bembridge School
Poplar Close,

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Wikipedia: Bembridge SchoolContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 50.685 ° E -1.072 °
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Address

Poplar Close
PO35 5TE
England, United Kingdom
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Bembridge School Crest
Bembridge School Crest
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Nearby Places

St Helens Fort
St Helens Fort

St Helens Fort is a sea fort in the Solent close to the Isle of Wight, one of the Palmerston Forts near Portsmouth. It was built as a result of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom of 1859, in order to protect the St Helens anchorage. The fort was designed by Captain E. H. Stewart, overseen by Assistant Inspector General of Fortifications, Colonel W. F. D. Jervois. Construction began in 1865 and was completed in 1878, at a cost of £123,311. It suffered badly from subsidence which forced many changes to the plans, ending up with two 10-inch 18-ton rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns to landward and one 12.5-inch 38-ton RML gun to seaward. The other sea forts, all larger, are Spitbank Fort, Horse Sand Fort and No Man's Land Fort. The Solent Forts - often known as "Palmerston's Follies" - were built in response to a French invasion scare under Louis Napoleon III. This was due in part to the doctrines of the Jeune École of French naval thinking, which emphasised attacking ports with small craft, instead of fleet action, as well as the launch of the first ironclad warship, the Gloire. The threat of war with France receded after the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 ended in French defeat. The forts were later used for defence in both World War I and WWII, although the heavier armaments proved unpopular with local householders due to the concussion breaking windows during firing practice. A National Trust report states that during WW II, it was "used as a searchlight and anti-aircraft gun platform".Subsequently their main useful role has been as navigational lighthouses. Periodically (often in August), on one of the lowest tides of the year, there is a mass walk from St Helens beach out to the fort and back. At this day the causeway appears from the sea upon which the original materials were carried out from the shore at St Helen's Old Church, where there was formerly a quarry. Access is from this point, but also along the spit from Bembridge. It has become traditional to hold a barbecue on the beach thereafter. This event is entirely spontaneous but safety boat services are provided by local yacht clubs and the RNLI.The fort is now in private hands and not open to the public. It was offered for sale in 2003. Any private resident would not have access to local authority services, although it has its own artesian well. As of 2020, Spitbank, No Man's Land and Horse Sand Forts were also privately owned (by Clarenco); the first two had been converted into hotels after a major restoration.