Eagle House School, High Street, Wimbledon
Buy a copy
| Area | Wimbledon Village |
|---|---|
| Copyright 1 | Richards |
| Picture Reference | Wim_Buildings_E_N_11-20 |
| Original Format | Sketch |
| Notes / History | The name of this fine house dates from the Victorian era. Now more familiar as an Islamic Cultural Centre, the property is actually Jacobean and was built c.1617, for Robert Bell, a wealthy London merchant. Subsequent owners included the M.P. William Grenville, a cousin of Prime Minister, William Pitt. In 1790, it was purchased at a cost of £2.300, by Reverend Thomas Lancaster and became the first public school in Wimbledon. Reverend Lancaster calculated that Eagle House, with its fine brick façade and picturesque gardens, would be more likely to impress parents. Students were taught reading, writing and elocution, in addition to Arithmetic, Geography and History. As befitted the sons of the wealthy, the school curriculum also included several languages, including Latin, Greek and French. Lessons were learned by heart and progress was monitored with weekly tests. |
