Welcome to the Storrington and District Museum

Storrington Old School Celebrates Heritage Lottery Funding

 The Storrington and District Museum are pleased to announce that in January 2013 it was awarded £9,300 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help lead the community to explore the fascinating past of the Old School.

This funding enabled the Storrington and District Museum to preserve the history of the “Old School”, Storrington and its surrounding villages.

The project led by Stuart Duncan, the team of volunteers researched the Old School, the building, its teachers and worked within the local community to capture memories of former pupils, teachers and village life. The funding enhanced the skills of these volunteers which has inspired others to become involved in learning more about our past.

If you were a pupil of the Old School we would like to hear from you, please contact

Stuart Duncan on 01903 741106 or email

[email protected]

Can you name the pupils?

The Old School was the focus of village life. It helped make Storrington what it is today. The importance of education in village life cannot be overlooked. As the village grows and develops we want to keep and enhance the village and community spirit. One way of doing that is working together on a project that links us together and The Old School Project is just that. Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund we now have the means to capture the past and use it to help Storrington thrive in the 21^st century. 

  Meet the Team

Old School History – In 1763, Mrs Jane Downer left money to be vested in five trustees, for the teaching of twenty poor children. Mr John Hooper and his wife Mary bequeathed £15 a year in 1806 to be added to the school master’s pay.

In 1821 the post of Parish Clerk was held by John Battcock, who was also the village schoolmaster. It is unlikely that the school building of those days is still standing, but there is some evidence to support the theory that it was opposite St Mary’s church in Church Street.

For the next forty years the school was run by a succession of schoolmasters assisted by their wives. Mr and Mrs Nutley, followed Mr Alfred Manley (1852 to 1858) and were succeeded by Mr and Mrs Lashmar. In 1868, a new school was built on land which had been called Bell Acre, opposite the church tower.

The school was enlarged in 1873 and soon afterwards Mr and Mrs Moore were appointed. From 1879 until 1899 Mr and Mrs Andrews had charge of the school, they were followed by Mr and Mrs Caldwell. In 1901, Mr Rhoden was appointed Head Master, a post which he held until his retirement thirty years later.

In 1932, Mr Waller became Head Master and steered the school through the vicissitudes of the Second World War and the opening of the school canteen in the village hall.

When the primary school was opened at Spierbridge in 1964, the old building ceased to be used as a school, although some infants’ classes still met in the prefabricated classrooms in School Lane until accommodation was provided for them at Spierbridge.

1964 marked the end of an era, because the closing of the old school was linked with the retirement of Mr Waller after more than thirty years’ service.