you’re rarely, if ever, off camera, but you grow accustomed to it”


“Security has assumed greater importance since Danes Hill took in its ‘celebrity’ pupils, and


Tony Steadman, Head Groundsman, Danes Hill School


also based there in the build-up to the D-Day landings.


The postwar economic climate meant Danes Hill soon became untenable as a private residence and little is known about its transition into a school. However, by 1948, the school was being advertised as a boarding and day preparatory school with J Hendy- Morton and T J Powell-Shehan its principals.


In 1951, F R H Bevan joined Hendy- Morton as principal and in 1952 the first scholarships to public schools had been won, with the school roll expanded to 61 boys.


In 1969, Danes Hill was bought by the triumvirate of Graham Hill, Michael Bolan and J E Todd, and it was during this time that Danes Hill’s expansion and educational changes really came on apace.


Boarding was abandoned in 1975 and, the following year, the school acquired the lease for Wren’s Hill and The Ridgeway, on which much needed new playing fields were constructed. The Davies Educational Trust (subsequently the Vernon Educational Trust) acquired Danes Hill in 1984 and more rapid expansion of the school’s facilities followed throughout the decade.


The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1997 and the adventure playground at the main school was presented by the Friends of Danes Hill to mark the event. A year after the Link Building was opened in 2002, the school added its first synthetic sports surface. Currently, the school has over 850 pupils, including several offspring of high profile celebrities and


sportspeople - due in part to Chelsea FC’s training ground at Stoke D’Abernon being sited a stone’s throw from the school perimeter. Under new headmaster, Willie


Murdock, there has been no let-up in the school’s development programme, which has included the opening of a new reception and Year 1 classroom block, new art and design building on the main school site, named in honour of athlete and former headmaster, Robin Parfitt.


In November 2009, the Stable performing arts block was completed, adding new music practice rooms and a state-of-the-art theatre with dance facilities.


One of Danes Hill’s most significant sporting moves to date is well underway, with the expansion of the footprint of the school by 55 acres of


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140