Worsbrough Free Grammar School

Extracts from 'Worsbrough Free Grammar School'
by W. Morton, with additions

On the 12th of June 1560 William Elmhirst and William Brodsworth came to the manor court and begged to be admitted tenants of a piece of waste lying to the north of the church. This piece of land was 26 yards in length from east to west, and 18 yards at the east end and 10 yards at the west end. They were granted this land at a rental of 4d a year. Afterwards, at the same Court they surrendered it to Trustees in order to build a school there. This area of land fits nicely into the present School complex.

Part of the 1560 document states, "—to the use, profit, behoofe of one Sir William WOOLLEY, Clerk, now Schoolmaster of scholars at Worsbrough aforesaid, in his lifetime or for as long as the same Sir William shall be able, mete and sufficient and also diligent and willinge for to teach scholars there as he now doth"(1). This deed raises a number of interesting questions. Who was this Sir William WOOLLEY?. Where was the School? How long had he, or for that matter, anyone else, been teaching at Worsbrough? Unfortunately none of these questions are easy to answer. We know that at the dissolution of Monk Bretton Priory in 1538, the Prior William BROWNE, the sub-Prior Thomas FROBISCER and two other monks came to live in Worsbrough and bought some of the Library's books to bring with them. The intention seems to be to continue with their monastic disciplines here. William BROWNE bought 31 books. Thomas FROBISCER, known as Thomas NORMANTON when he was a Monk, bought 28. By 1538 these were in the possession of Thomas WYLKINSON (formerly Thomas BOLTON) and Richard HYNCHCLYFFE (formerly Richard WOOLLEY) the two other monks who came to Worsbrough with them. They also bought another 89 books. In 1538, some of the books are said to be:- "in the chamber of Thomas WYLKINSON and Richard HINCHCLYF (alias WOOLAY) at Worsbrough". Quite often, monks who took up an Incumbancy or taught scholars, were called 'Sir' as a mark of respect which suggests that our Sir William WOOLLEY mentioned in the 1560 deed may have been a monk. Could he, in fact have been the Richard just mentioned? After all, Richard WOOLLEY was at Worsbrough in 1558 and Sir William was already teaching scholars here in May 1560.

We don't know for certain where Sir William's school was. It couldn't have been where the school is now otherwise there would be no reason to build one there in 1560. Perhaps Sir William was using the Lady Chapel, but this is only small and perhaps this was too small for practical use and he needed somewhere larger and more practical for teaching scholars, The school could also have been in the cottage where the Monks were living and where all the books were kept. This could have been in what was until recently called 'Clerks Yard' surely a reference to Clerics. There is a grant from Roger Montbegon (grandson of Adam Fitz Swane who once held the manor of Worsbrough). Roger died in 1227 so this deed obviously pre-dates this. "To Simon de Wyrkisburc, clerc (of Worsbrough) for his homage and service, of nineteen acres of land in the Vill of Wyrkisburc, whereof fifteen acres lie between Wigefall (off Haverlands Lane) and Osleneith (Ouslethwaite) and four acres within the Vill of Wyrkesburc in four parts, to whit, 'Kolne Croft' and the toft which lies beside the land of the Church in Wirceburc towards the south, and the Ings which were sometime Syward's, and three perches of land in length and twelve in width beside the house of the same Simon towards the west"(2).

This deed is interesting if you let your mind wander a little. Could the "toft which lies beside the land of the Church in Wirkesburc towards the south" be the ground on which the Old Grammar School now stands? And could not "the house of the same Simon (Clerk of Worsbrough) towards the west" have been in Clarks Yard? How long we have had a school here is difficult to answer. In the 1620's, the Elmhirst family were involved in a dispute with the HANSONS, then Lords of the manor. Part of HANSON'S argument was that the ELMHIRSTS had paid suit to the Lords of the manor as lowly tenants for some considerable time. The ELMHIRSTS did not deny this. The point of interest here is that the HANSONS cited an incident where the ELMHIRSTS had been fined "for putting their children to school without licence of the Lady Prioress of Nun Appleton(3) (Lords of the manor at that time). The manor was given to the Priory by Clementia de Longvilliers, who died in 1246 and was half brother of the Roger de Montbegon mentioned earlier. From this, we can see that there was a school in Worsbrough (manor) sometime between 1250 and the dissolution in 1538. By 1606/7 the property is described as having a school built on it and new Trustees are being appointed(4) In the 1680's Anthony FARRAR appears in the Parish Registers, described as 'Schoolmaster'. He died in 1704 and left his estate to his wife. He also left £10 to his son Francis "if he returns before ye space of seaven years next ensuing" Francis was Baptised in 1690 so cannot have been much more that 14 when his father died. In 1707 George STANILAND is being paid 13/4d for "teaching poor scholars". Mr STANILAND was the Incumbant of St. Mary's at the same time.

There must have been some interruption in education here for on the 10th of January 1783 an advertisement appeared in the York Chronicle and General Advertiser "The Rev Mr PORTER proposes to open his school at Worsbrough, a pleasant and healthy situation, near Barnsley, on Monday the 20th day of February 1783 where young gentlemen will be boarded and instructed in the English, Latin and Greek languages, for twenty Guinies a year and two Guinies entrance Proper applicants will be engaged to teach writing and Arithmatic, French, Drawing and Dancing". As Mr PORTER was elected in October 1782 it would seem that at this time the school was closed probably for repairs and perhaps alterations

In 1863 the charges to be made are now:- "That Labourer children under twelve years of age are to be charged 2d a week and that above that age 3d and that the Master be at liberty to charge for the children of Farmers, Tradesmen and others any sum not exceeding 6d per week(5)

In 1891, a charge of 1d for each child is to be made.

By 1961, the number of pupils attending the school has dropped and it is reported that only eight children will reach the age of eleven by September. The school is now a one teacher school. At the end of the year, sixteen children are on the roll.

In 1963 parents had withdrawn the few remaining children to Birdwell school but the school was not officially closed. The new church school built a few yards away from the village was opened in 1973 as an 80 pupil school.

Worsbrough Free Grammar School as a Grammar School, no longer exists but still lives on as Worsbrough Church of England (Aided) Junior and Infant School, which is its direct descendant.

Library
The school once had a considerable Library. The books still exist and are kept in Sheffield University The books came from various sources. One of the benefactors was John RAYNEY who in the 1600's left the complete works of William PERKINS in three volumes. Obadiah WALKER left several books to Worsbrough. He was born in Worsbrough Dale in 1616 and later became Master of University College, Oxford, a college frequented by a number of Worsbrough scholars. These books were sent to a Mr Gervas WILCOCK in 1675 'for the use of ye School at Worsbrough'. These were in two boxes marked 'AB' and 'CD' some 200 books in all(6). The previously mentioned Anthony FARRER Schoolmaster here in the 1690s also donated eight books. to the Library In 1614, the Library of Tankersley, some forty or so books, were 'incorporated' These had been bequeathed to Jo NEVINSONNE and the Rectors of Tankersley, by a Jo BOUTH. How these came to be in Worsbrough is not known. The Church Terrier of 1853 states that there are 597 old books. The bulk of the Library books date between 1550 and 1700. In fact virtually 200 were printed between 1600 and 1650. 30 or more of the books date from 1500 to 1540 and one of them by Cicero was printed only 54 years after printing was introduced into this country.

With few exceptions, the position as Curate to Worsbrough Church and the position of Schoolmaster have been combined.

Endowments
There have been several endowments made over the centuries to both the Church and the School. These endowments will be dealt with later Dame School William Skiers, who's Will was proved in 1714, left money to found a School to teach "six poor girls, to read, sew and knit" He also left £2 a year out of Hay Green farm The bequest for the school was conditional on the inhabitants to also make a contribution, but it is not until 1729 when a few of the local inhabitants gave £18 18s 6d towards the cost

The Church Terrier of 1853 says of the Dame School:- "There is also a Dame's School in the village of Worsbrough with a house and garden attached and kept in repair at the expense of the inhabitants, it is also endowed with an annual sum of two pounds paid from the Hay Green Farm in the Township of Worsbrough, now in the possession of William PARKER and bequeathed by Mr. SKIERS for teaching six poor girls" However, not only was a school built but as the above shows, a house as well

In 1780, The Trustees, Francis EDMUNDS, Mich. FENTON and Robert MOWER elected Elizabeth FLOWER as school mistress.

In 1957, orders were received from the local Council, for the demolition of the School apparently because of dampness. There was also a National School at Worsbrough Dale built in the 1840's and a school at Birdwell, both now demolished.

References

1. Worsbrough Court Roll PR3/25-1 Sheffield Library Archives

2. Chartulries of Monk Bretton Priory

3. Peculiar Inheritance. Elmhirst

4. Worsbrough Court Roll PR3/25-2 Sheffield Library Archives

5. Grammar School Minute Book 1863 - 1933

6. A Catalogue of Books sent in two boxes. PR3/34 (16) Sheffield Library Archives

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