I hope you all have a restful half term. Oh, and a reminder for those of you whose trout are in the school freezer: please take them home with you but whatever you do, don’t forget to take them out of your kit bag.”
Such announcements – this one made by Robert Lankester, headmaster of Maidwell Hall in Northamptonshire – are commonplace in prep schools around the UK where the focus is as much on the countryside as the curriculum. They accommodate not just those pupils who shoot for the stars but also the ones who aim for the clays, where the emphasis is jumping over poles on a pony as much as through hoops for exams and where the children are allowed to be as free-range as the school hens.
Some prep schools have field sports woven into their DNA. For instance, Abberley Hall School in Worcestershire started life as a hunting lodge in the 12th century. Back then it would have had horses from the Royal Court galloping across its scenic acres; fast forward almost 1,000 years and pupils hack around the same grounds on the school ponies. Elements may have changed but the sense of adventure remains. Wellies and rods are snatched up at breaktime to fish the ‘Inkpot’ lake with the headmaster, thrillseekers abseil down the 120-year-old clock tower and clays are obliterated mid-air.
This story is from the October 2021 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2021 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The apple of your eye
With scores to choose from in the UK, there is a delicious apple variety for everyone - and now is the ideal time to start thinking about planting one
Art in the field
Being able to study her subjects as she races alongside them has informed Belinda Sillars work, as she explains to Janet Menzies
A silvered sword from the Saxon armoury
With weaponry from the electoral court, the more silver on show, the higher the rank of the owner
Nicole Moore
The Shooting Girl With An Afro blogger explains her passion for fieldsports and outlines the importance of sharing skills and knowledge with newcomers
'Probably the greatest detective in the world'
For 100 years, on page and screen, Hercule Poirot has captivated audiences around the globe with his supreme intellect and peculiar eccentricities
View from a Bridgerton
They were the 18th-century version of a drinks trolley and now hunt tables are popular once again, partly due to Regency-period television dramas
A brush with history
Britain is world renowned for its contribution to hair care and grooming, and, as its oldest firms will testify, heirlooms come in many forms
Practically perfect
From modest origins, the gilet has evolved into a sporting wardrobe staple, combining function and fashion to become a status symbol in its own right
Best laid plans
The ancient craft of hedgelaying is playing a central role in efforts to restore the balance of nature on our farms
Under the spell of spaniels
Our favourite working breed comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have successfully carved out their own special niche in British sport