The Walled Garden
If you will indulge me, I would like us to take a stroll through some of our local history. Helen Ann Tasker inherited the family home, Middleton Hall, in 1861. Middleton Hall is the heart of the Prep, and the beautiful ornate detail can be seen in our library and classrooms. She was a devout Roman Catholic and generously built a convent for The Sisters of Mercy in Brentwood next to the church that is now Brentwood Cathedral. Helen contributed to many local causes, such as orphanages and schools, as well as many churches. Her benevolence was noted, and Pope Pius XI awarded her the title of Countess. She was also an advocate for gardening and in 1872 founded the Brentwood and District Gardeners and Allotment Society, now known as the Brentwood Horticultural Society.
The horticultural shows were held at Middleton Hall and, although we haven’t been able to locate pictures of the Walled Garden, we suspect Countess Tasker would have made sure it was a fabulous example of a Victorian kitchen garden. Mr Percy Bayman, a key benefactor of Brentwood School, and of course after whom Bayman House is named, presented awards in the 1933 show and himself won the Professional Gardeners Challenge Cup in 1936.
But the gardening connection doesn’t stop there. Countess Tasker’s goddaughter was Ellen Willmott, a renowned garden designer. The Countess made sure that Ellen’s work was well funded, and this allowed her, alongside her family, to create impressive gardens at Warley Place. Ellen’s inheritance from Countess Tasker meant she could orchestrate plant-seeking expeditions. It is said that the number of different species of plants and trees at Warley Place reached over 100,000.
In more recent history, the Walled Garden at the Prep has been the location for the School pool, the sports days and now the temporary Garden Building. The Garden Building is a clever construction of shipping containers with a brick slip that was the base for classes whilst the North Prep development was being built. The time has now come to remove the Garden Building, and as a result, the opportunity has arisen to restore the Walled Garden to a beautiful Victorian kitchen garden.
Centenary Open Day at the Prep pool, 1992
Our two School Councils (Reception to Year 2, and Year 3 to Year 6) are leading the way with gathering ideas from their classmates. All staff are contributing to the design process and parents and families have been invited to get involved. We will create a very special place for the children, an enchanted and inspiring space. It will enable a seed-to-spoon curriculum that brings school-grown produce into our lunch menu. I look forward to keeping you updated on the developments over the next 6 months.
Today was our annual House Music Competition, which you know will mean the School transformed into a symphony of colour and merriment. The children put everything into their performances and can be proud of the standards they reached. All children were taught all 6 House songs so that we could sing and support everyone. Mrs Romhany, our Director of Music has written a detailed report and reveals this year’s winner…
Click here to read more about House Music
Have a wonderful weekend,
Alice Goodfellow
