Hawkwood College

Setting

The main house, a Tudor Gothic villa dating back to 1845, is a large gabled residence in the Cotswold style adjoined by a number of other listed buildings, providing a facility for meetings, conferences and courses.

There are ten acres of woodland bounding the estate, acres of grass land managed by Stroud Community Agriculture; a Victorian half-walled garden growing fruit, herbs, flowers and vegetables for the house; an award winning pond and wetlands system processing household output; mature ornamental grounds with a sycamore and beside it the Hawkwood spring. No formal qualifications are needed to participate.

The Grove

First records of the estate go back to 1688 when it was part of the parish of Painswick, was known as The Grove and belonged to a certain John Mayo who died in 1715, leaving it to his daughters. Hestor, one of the daughters, was married to Samuel Capel, a Stroud clothier, who bought out the shares of the other daughters. Over the next years, the Capel family built up an estate of 822 acres in Painswick, Slad and Stroud, of which The Grove was the centre. At some point before 1842, this house had been badly damaged by fire.

It was William Capel (d. 1883) who engaged George Basevi, architect of the Subscription Rooms and the wings at Painswick House, to rebuild the house as it stands today, and a descendent, Lt.-Col. William Capel, who sold the bulk of the estate in 1914, the house on its 40 acres being sold four years after his death in 1932 to a Col. Murray. Col. Murray named it “Hawkwood” after the colourful 14th century mercenary Sir John Hawkwood, commander of the legendary White Company, whom he particularly admired.

Founding of Hawkwood College

In 1947, the house was sold to Roland and Lily Whincop. Mr and Mrs Whincop had become interested in Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy and, after being deeply moved by a visit to Sunfield Homes at Clent Grove, Worcester, where they experienced the quality of care and devotion given to the Special Needs children there, wished to found some kind of retreat for the staff of the home and for others who wished to withdraw for a time to write or study. At a conference in Wynstones School they shared their intention and someone advised them that the Hawkwood estate was up for sale. On their way to take up residence there, Roland Whincop suffered a stroke and died three days later.

During a conversation a month later with Margaret Bennell, co-founder of Wynstones school at Brookthorpe, whom Lily Whincop had come to know at the Wynstones conferences, the two women found they were both looking for a new direction. Margaret Bennell wanted to branch out into adult education and establish a further education college in accordance with the principles of Rudolf Steiner – a place where young people could experience an inner awakening and come to an understanding of life. Lily Whincop is reported to have stated, “I have a house, you have a plan,” and on that afternoon of the 20th November 1947, the initiative was taken. The college started with 12 students, one of them Eileen Brooking, who was later to become vice-principal of the College, at Easter 1948 and on March 28, 1949 opened officially as Hawkwood College.

In the next years students came from many countries of the world, the education changing the lives and outlooks of a large number. Lily Whincop opened her house to them and cared for everyone. She died at the age of 70 in 1957 and Margaret Bennell called the obituary she wrote “The Mother of Hawkwood”.

To begin with the College offered a year’s course including most aspects of anthroposophical endeavour like natural science, social science, agriculture, architecture, medicine, world religions and so on. Soon it began to offer English language courses for foreign students and for English teachers, as well as weekend and week-long courses on anthroposophical topics and enrichment courses for teachers. A group of specialised guest lecturers supported the work as well as people like Benedict Wood, another founding teacher of Wynstones, Armyn Wodehouse and others.

Further developments

In 1965 Margaret Bennell asked Bernard Nesfield-Cookson and his wife, Eileen to consider taking over the College from her. This they finally did in 1971. Margaret Bennell died in 1966, with Benedict Wood, Isabel Bruce-Smith from Wynstones and Bernard Williams running the College in the interim. Benedict Wood remained there until his death in 1993.

For 22 years Bernard Nesfield-Cookson and his wife Eileen ran the College as co-principals. Both had attended Steiner schools themselves, Eileen a pupil of Margaret Bennel herself. Both had taught at Wynstones for a number of years. Bernard, a close friend of Sir George Trevelyan, had for many years lectured at Attingham Park and, on the basis of this experience, transformed the Hawkwood into a facility for short-term residential courses. These, by the time he handed over the College to his successors, numbered some 100 per year.

Today

On the basis of its founding anthroposophical ethos, Hawkwood still provides a context for short courses on the theme of creative exploration. These include personal and spiritual development, arts & crafts, music, health & well-being as well as nature and sustainability

There are six meeting rooms including a large hall, library and two spacious studios. Overnight accommodation comprises twenty nine bedrooms with original features, looking out over the valley.

Hawkwood College is also home to the Bardic Chair of Hawkwood with the annual Bard of Hawkwood competition being held in the college grounds.

Partners

Amber Sculpture Studio with artist David Lovemore, doing clay modeling, wood carving, stone carving and basic casting.

Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training A two-year part-time training course based at Hawkwood. Course organiser Lynne Oldfield is author of Free to Learn: Introducing Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education. The course is a validated Level 5 diploma.

School of Homeopathy Established in 1981, it has been based at Hawkwood for the last three years.

Waldorf College runs outdoor activities at Hawkwood for their Stroud-based Bridging the Gap educational programme for young people aged 16–19.

Stroud Community Agriculture is a co-operative of two hundred members managing an organic/biodynamic farm in the grounds of the college.

Hawkwood College is a member of the Adult Residential Colleges Association