Free Grammar School



The National school with the former Grammar School on the left



The Free Grammar School was founded in 1639, by Richard Bond, who endowed it with the sum of £1,040.

It was laid out in the purchase of a farm at Great Snoring (let for £110 a year in 1854 to Robert Elgar and £100 in 1916).

This farm was vested in 1650, in trust, for the support of a master and usher, to teach freely 30 children of the "meaner parishioners."

For many years, it was of little benefit to the poor; but in 1836, it was opened as a
free school for all the branches of an English education, as well as for the classics.




A National School was erected here, by Mr. Lee-Warner in 1872 (to include an adjoining head master's house) conducted according to a scheme drawn up by the Court of Chancery in 1861.

National Schools were founded by members of the Church of England who formed the National Society after 1811 to provide the children of the poor with an Anglican education.

"The school is open to all boys of the parish who are able to read,
and are more than seven years of age, on payment of small sums not exceeding 4s. a quarter.

They may remain until the age of 16, and are instructed in Greek and Latin, Algebra, and all the branches of education taught in the public schools. "

William Shaw Hayler is the head master









A new department for girls and infants was added in 1904.

The land was eventually sold to the Perowne family with the farm now called School Farm.

This National School was to be known as the Walsingham Grammar School, closing in 1950 when the headmaster Harry Hayler died (his son Francis is commemorated on the Little Walsingham war memorial)

At the time all pupils from age 5 to 16 were taught in the same classroom.

Fees were stated as £2.00 per term.

There were only around fifteen pupils when it closed, with the older ones transfering to Fakenham Secondary School