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Stowe School

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Stowe School is a famous British independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, referred to (in England only[citation needed]), as a public school. It was founded on 11th May, 1923, by JF Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is currently becoming co-educational. As of 2006, there are 493 boys in total, and 103 girls.

The school has been based since its beginnings at Stowe House, formerly the country seat of the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos. Along with many of the other buildings on the school's estate, the main house is now a Grade 1 Listed Building and is maintained by the Stowe House Preservation Trust. For more information about the building itself, see the information at the main article on the village.

The school is used as a first class cricket ground by Northamptonshire CCC, and is the home ground of the Northants Second XI.

On April 4 1963 The Beatles performed at Stowe School, for which they were paid £100. They accepted a personal request from schoolboy Dave Moores, a fellow Liverpudlian. More recently, the School has hosted the Bootleg Beatles and the Beetles.

List of boarding houses

There are 10 boarding houses: 8 boy houses and 2 girl houses. These boarding houses are mostly named after members of the family of Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. Each house has a number or letter assigned to it.

Name Named After House Number/Letter
Bruce Lady Mary Campbell (Married to Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos;One of her family names was Bruce) 1
Temple Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham ;Earl Temple 2
Grenville George Grenville, the husband of Hester Temple, 1st Countess Temple, mother of Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple, and sister of Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham 3
Chandos Duke of Buckingham and Chandos;Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos 4
Cobham Viscount Cobham;Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham 5
Chatham William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, husband of Hester Grenville, sister of Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple 6
Grafton There is no known family connection, the name coming from the local fox hunt, the Grafton Hunt, which takes its name in turn from the Duke of Grafton . Grafton also has a history of supplying the Stowe Beagles with talented Masters and Hunt Staff, many of whom have continued to become Masters of packs around the Country. 7
Walpole This is not a family name. Named after Horace Walpole, who wrote some famous letters about his visits to Stowe in the 18th century. It was his father, Robert Walpole, who was the more notable Walpole in England's and Stowe's history, however. Viscount Cobham's political life started under Walpole but his subsequent opposition to him led Cobham to found a political dynasty that played a major part in politics until Victorian times (producing four Prime Ministers). To be named "Nugent" originally. 8
Nugent (Girls) Lady Mary Nugent, daughter of Robert Nugent, 1st Earl Nugent, married to George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham. Was originally the 'waiting house' that some new boys entered until their preferred house had a space. N
Lyttelton (Girls - formerly Boys) Baron Lyttelton,succeeded to the Viscounty of Cobham since Charles George Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton, after the death of the Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, and into which title the Barony is now merged. Originally "Stanhope House", which became the Careers, International, and Skills Development departments of the school. Named after Lady Hester Stanhope, niece of William Pitt the Younger, who was the niece of Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple 0

Notable alumni

Stowe School alumni are known as Old Stoics and include:

Southern Railway School's Class

The School lent its name to the twentyninth steam locomotive (Engine 928) in the Southern Railway's Class V of which there were 40. This Class was also known as the Schools Class because all 40 of the class were named after prominent English public schools. 'Stowe', as it was called, was built in 1934.'Stowe' is currently owned by the Maunsell Locomotive Society, who intend to comprehensively rebuild the locomotive. It has been in operation on the Bluebell Railway since being withdrawn from passenger service.


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