Ruthin School is a public school (i.e.

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...

) located on the outskirts of

Ruthin Ruthin ( ; cy, Rhuthun) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. It is Denbighshire's county town. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas ...

, the county town of

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...

, North

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. It is over seven hundred years old, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Originally a school for boys, it has been co-educational since 1990.

Education

In the 2013

A Level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational au ...

results, 60.23% of grades attained by students at the school were A* or A. This figure was increased in 2016 to 76%, as well as a pass rate of 100%. 90% of 2017 university applications at the school were to

Russell Group The Russell Group is a self-selected association of twenty-four public research universities in the United Kingdom. The group is headquartered in Cambridge and was established in 1994 to represent its members' interests, principally to governm ...

or top 20 universities. In 2017 the school had the 27th best A-level results of British independent schools. The school won the 2016, 2017 and 2018

UKMT The United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) is a charity founded in 1996 to help with the education of children in mathematics within the UK. History The national mathematics competitions existed prior to the formation of the UKMT, but the ...

national mathematics competitions, resulting in their selection to represent the United Kingdom in Europe for three consecutive years. The school won the national Chemistry Analyst Competition in 2015, and has had gold award winning pupils in Olympiads for Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry every year in recent times. According to the 2014 Estyn inspection report, English and mathematics at key stage four are well above Wales' average, and percentage of year 11 students achieving the level 2 threshold is also above the Welsh average. A* to C grades awarded for

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...

entries has improved and increased steadily for the past few years. Sixth Form students are at well above the Wales average at level 3, achieving good results in their A levels.

History

Beginnings

Ruthin School was founded in the wake of Edward I's conquest of Wales. Whilst the precise date of the foundation is not certain, Keith Thompson argues in his history of the school that 1284 is the most likely date and Reginald de Grey the most likely founder. In any event, it is clear from the ''

Taxatio Ecclesiastica The ''Taxatio Ecclesiastica'', often referred to as the ''Taxatio Nicholai'' or just the ''Taxatio'', compiled in 1291–92 under the order of Pope Nicholas IV, is a detailed database valuation for ecclesiastical taxation of English, Welsh, an ...

'' of 1291 that a collegiate church and school existed at Ruthin by that date. Evidence of Ruthin School in the subsequent centuries is sparse. Surviving documents such as a ''Confirmatio'' of 1314/1315 which recognised the existence, rights and liberties of "''collegio de Ruthin fundato per Reginald de Grey''" indicate the existence of the School but nothing more is known of the size of the establishment. Following

Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wa ...

's attack on Ruthin in September 1400, it appears that the collegiate church, and presumably also the school, continued to function unscathed until the dissolution of the former in 1535. Evidence for the school's continuation over the following decades is sketchy, but it is known that in 1561 the tithes of the sinecure of Llanelidan were applied to the use of the school, which suggests that pupils at that time would have been from local homes.

Re-foundation

In 1574, Gabriel Goodman, the

Dean of Westminster The Dean of Westminster is the head of the chapter at Westminster Abbey. Due to the Abbey's status as a Royal Peculiar, the dean answers directly to the British monarch (not to the Bishop of London as ordinary, nor to the Archbishop of Canterbu ...

and an Old Ruthinian, built a two-storey, limestone building to house the school in the shadow of the Church. The school appears to have prospered, and in 1595 Dean Goodman successfully petitioned Queen

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

to grant the tithes of Llanelidan to the school in perpetuity. Following its refoundation, the grammar school educated the sons of local gentry, including the Grosvenor,

Kenyon Kenyon may refer to: Names * Kenyon (given name) * Kenyon (surname) Places * Kenyon, Cheshire, United Kingdom, a village * Kenyon, Minnesota, United States, a city * Kenyon, Rhode Island, United States, a village * Kenyon, former name of Pineridg ...

and Trevor families. Former pupils included

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon (5 October 1732 – 4 April 1802), was a British politician and barrister, who served as Attorney General, Master of the Rolls and Lord Chief Justice. Born to a country gentleman, he was initially educated in ...

and Sir John Trevor sometime

Master of the Rolls The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and Head of Civil Justice. As a judge, the Master of ...

and Speaker of the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Relocation and twentieth-century

In 1893 the school moved from the immediate vicinity of the church to a building designed by John Douglas on its site on the eastern outskirts of the town. In 1923 Lord Kenyon opened the Memorial Cricket Pavilion to honour those Old Ruthinians who had died during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. As the century progressed, the demand for places increased, and in 1949 Bishop Wynne House was inaugurated. Just over a decade later, a new school hall comprising a refectory, kitchens, classrooms, and a theatre were constructed. Expansion continued, and in 1971 a preparatory department was established in the former Archbishop Williams' house. The quatercentenary of the School's re-foundation was commemorated by the launch of plans for the construction of a new wing consisting of dormitories, a music room, classrooms, locker rooms and other facilities, plans which culminated in 1980. The School's septcentenary was commemorated by a visit of Her Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

, the School's

Visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can inter ...

, and His Royal Highness the

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not prod ...

on 16 March 1984 when a clock in the central tower was unveiled.

Twenty-first century

On the hundredth anniversary of the school's relocation, the Hall was further extended and in 2006 the Hewer Hall, a sports facility, was opened by

The Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been sev ...

Pupil safeguarding and headmaster grooming controversy

The Principal, Toby Belfield, caused controversy in May 2015 when he questioned the merits of a bilingual education in a letter to the ''Denbighshire Free Press'', acknowledging that "tradition and heritage are important – but much more important is to ensure that we do not reduce the opportunities available for Welsh children." His claims that bilingual education was educationally "weaker" than in England and abroad received widespread attention nationally, splitting opinion. The school attracted national attention again in February 2017, after leaked emails from the Principal (addressed to the students and parents) concerning a crackdown on behaviour caused controversy. The principal stated that he wished to expel students who engaged in romantic relationships and/or give them inferior references for university admissions, stating that he would "always" "definitely" give a worse reference; and that he would "not hesitate" to expel students who engaged in sexual activity. After the e-mails were released, Belfield released a contradictory statement that if the student was making high marks, he would not reduce the quality of his or her recommendations even if he or she was dating. In an ironic twist, it was discovered Belfield was trying to engage in relationships with several students after hundreds of sexualised text messages that he had sent to the school's female pupils emerged. He complimented his students 'breasts' and asked about their 'virginities', as well as boasting about how he used to meet students abroad. The girls ages ranged from 15 to 18. The extent of Belfield's grooming is still unknown, yet it is understood he sought to remain in contact with several female students after they had left school. Belfield was placed on leave at the end of 2019; he had already been suspended following an earlier investigation two years prior, but allowed to return to work. In January 2020, following an unannounced inspection, Care Inspectorate Wales, which oversees the welfare and safeguarding of children, published a damning report on "inadequate" policies and procedures that are in breach of discrimination and human rights laws, stating "serious shortfalls" meant pupils are "not appropriately safeguarded" and "at risk of harm".

Traditions

Church services

The school traditionally travels to the Collegiate and Parochial Church of St Peter three times annually: once to mark

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in ...

, once for a Christmas Carol Service, and once for Founder's Day.

Hill fort run

In the summer term there is an annual race from school to the summit of Moel Fenlli and back down again – a cross-country race in which school students and staff compete. The prize for the winner is a pot of

marmalade Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamot ...

, with trophies for the first boy and girl finishing in each age group.

Sovereign's visitatorial rights

The monarch is the

visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can inter ...

of Ruthin School, whose rights have traditionally been exercised by the

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibilit ...

Old Ruthinian Association

The Old Ruthinian Association consists of former pupils of Ruthin School. The Association was founded after the First World War and gathers for its annual meeting on the Saturday of Remembrance Weekend at Ruthin Castle.

Distinguished Old Ruthinians

*(1568) Richard Parry:

Bishop of St Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is loca ...

, translator of the Welsh Bible *(1589) Godfrey Goodman: Bishop of Gloucester *(1590)

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

Bishop of Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln is the ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and ...

Lord Keeper of the Great Seal The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This position evolved into that of one of the Great Officers of S ...

of England,

Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers ...

*(1640) William Lloyd:

Bishop of Llandaff The Bishop of Llandaff is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. Area of authority The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The bishop's seat is in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (the site of ...

; Bishop of Peterborough;

Bishop of Norwich The Bishop of Norwich is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers most of the county of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The bishop of Norwich is Graham Usher. The see is in t ...

*(1645) Sir John Trevor:

; Speaker of the House of Commons; knight *(1650) Thomas Lloyd: Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania *(1675) John Wynne:

; Bishop of Bath & Wells *(c.1709)

Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet (c. 169226 September 1749) was a Welsh politician and landowner who sat in the British House of Commons from 1716 to 1749, when he died in office. A member of the Tory party, he was also a prominent Jacobi ...

and 'Prince of Wales' (1693–1749) n Peter DG Thomas' ''Politics in Eighteenth Century Wales'' (1998)*(1722)

Josiah Tucker Josiah Tucker (also Josias) (December 1713 – 4 November 1799), also known as Dean Tucker, was a Welsh churchman, known as an economist and political writer. He was concerned in his works with free trade, Jewish emancipation and American indep ...

: Dean of Gloucester *(1733) Richard Perryn: Baron of the Exchequer *(1744)

: Master of the Rolls;

Lord Chief Justice of England Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

*(1851)

Rowland Ellis Rowland Ellis (1650 – September 1731) was a Welsh Quaker leader. He was the owner of the farm of Bryn Mawr near Dolgellau. He became a Quaker, along with a number of other inhabitants of Dolgellau, after a visit to the town by George Fox i ...

: Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney *(1860)

Elias Owen Elias Owen may refer to: * Elias Owen (footballer) Elias Owen (1863 – 20 September 1888) was a Welsh amateur footballer who made three appearances as a goalkeeper for the Wales national team in 1884. He killed himself while depressed over t ...

; Welsh international footballer *(1886) Sir Lewis Casson: M.C.; actor and producer; knight *(1935) Sir Ian Richmond: LL.D., F.S.A., F.B.A., Professor of Archaeology, University of Oxford; Fellow of All Souls; knight *(1951) Neil Vernon-Roberts: Kenyan sports shooter *(1954) Bob Barber: M.A., M.B.A.,

Test cricket Test cricket is a form of first-class cricket played at international level between teams representing full member countries of the International Cricket Council (ICC). A match consists of four innings (two per team) and is scheduled to last f ...

er, captain of Lancashire and Warwickshire County Cricket Clubs *(1964) Mike Roberts: Welsh international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

player *(1980) Julian Lennon: Musician, photographer, and philanthropist

References

External links

School websiteOld Ruthinian Association websiteProfile
on the

Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 schools in the United Kingdom's independent education sector. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the busi ...

website {{authority control Independent schools in Denbighshire Educational institutions established in the 13th century John Douglas buildings Ruthin Boarding schools in Wales