The School That They Called Hardye’s

No, it’s not the Hardye who wrote books. Or the one who was in the navy. This Hardye was a wealthy man who lived in the time of Elizabeth I.

When the people of Dorchester, Dorset built themselves a freeschool and then found they couldn’t afford to run it Thomas Hardye took it on as a charitable trust and the people gave it his name.

Old Hardyeans will know the story but pupils of the present Thomas Hardye School don’t seem to be conversant with the history. The original Hardye’s, which was in South Street for more than 400 years before moving to Culliford Road, closed in1992 and is now a housing development.

The book ‘A Phoenix Rising’ tells the exciting history of the freeschool from 1569.

You can find out who Hardye was. What was the link of the freeschool with the New World, pirates and Puritans. The history of the valuable oak screen and why the famous poet, William Barnes, was turned down when he applied for the position of Headmaster. At that time Napper’s Mite was sandwiched between rival schools, Hardye’s and Barnes’ Academy.

Then there was the time the cows came to play cricket.

Hardye’s wasfor many years a small school which produced leaders in all walks of life.

If you want to know more about the history of Hardye's School, Dorchester,Dorset
E-mail ckerrydancer@aol.com Subject 'Hardye's'