Crewkerne Grammar School was a grammar school in the town of Crewkerne in the English county of Somerset. It was founded in 1499 by John de Combe, a precentor of Exeter Cathedral and former vicar of Crewkerne. The school closed in 1904, after a prolonged financial crisis, and re-opened the following year as an ordinary secondary school under the Board of Education.
With the closure of the School at De Combe House on the 'Mount Pleasant' site (which later was used by Wadham School), a majority of artefacts were moved to St Martins Preparatory School and town's museum. Later, Crewkerne Grammar was re-established as St Martins Prep School in Abbey Street (the building opposite the hall) which used the former grammar school facilities including the gymnasium and hall in the town, the pre-school closed in 2003 becoming a day nursery only.
The grammar school building, dating from 1636 and in use until 1882, is now the parish church hall and is a Grade II listed building.
Notable former pupils include:
James Mountford Allen (architect)
Charles Brooke (Rajah of Sarawak)
Thomas Hardy (captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar)
Marwood Munden (doctor and cricketer)
Matthew Warren (nonconformist minister and tutor)
School houses included:
Nelson (red)
Blake (blue)
Hardy (green)
Drake (yellow)
School History, history of the School in Abbey Street, Crewkerne:
Crewkerne Grammar School - founded c1499 by John de Combe, SCHOLA CROKORNIENSIS
School motto: Venite filii obedite mihi, timorem Domini ego vos docebo
1547 John Byrde
1609-1613 Rev. James Wood
1613-1637 Rev. John Ball
1637-1645 Rev. Thomas Lambert M.A.
1645 Rev. Josiah Tompkins
1647 Mr. Jarvis Stipend
1647 James Metford
...
1838-1875 Rev. Charles Penny D.D.
Crewkerne School - school moved to new premises de Combe House 1882.
1883 Rev. Frederic Weller M.A.
1904 -prolonged financial crisis it was closed, re-opening in the following year as an ordinary secondary school; Wadham (Board of Education)
1905-1935 gap!?
Pre-1939 - not much is known of the origins back in Thames Ditton in Berkshire, but it is believed it was on the site of a 'new' current school which established after the war in 1946
1939 St Martins School arrives in Crewkerne, having moved the whole school to Somerset from Thames Ditton in Berkshire before WW2, making use of the former Grammar School properties, de Combe, Abbey Street, Chard Road and Mount Pleasant.
1940 Acquires Crewkerne Grammar School Hall and playing fields.
1946- ???
1953- ???
1964-??? Head: Mr J. H. Blackmore
1976-1984 Head: Lt Col Tony and Mrs Dowse-Brennan
1984-1991 St Martins Prep School in Abbey Street, Mr and Mrs Murrell
1991-2003 Julie Murrell
2003 Closed to Juniors, became pre-school only
2003-2010? St Martins Day Nursery & Pre-School
2012 -Closed in 2012.
