Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital was established in 1552 in Grey Friar's monastic buildings as a result of Edward VI requiring homeless children of London to be cared for. Originally it looked after 380 children, both boys and girls. It was a school as well as a hospital. The boys were taught the three R's whilst the girls learned domestic skills.
By the late 17th century some children had been moved to Hertford, Ware (Place House in Blue Coat Yard) and Hoddesdon. The Governors tasked Henry Chauncey to find a site for a school and he purchased Meager's Farm at the east end of Fore Street, Hertford for a preparatory school. The school opened in 1682 and in time specially constructed cottages called 'wards' were built to house the children. In 1692 there were 20 cottages and a school house as well as two masters' houses, with the old farmhouse being used as the infirmary.
In 1902 all the boys were moved to a new site at Horsham, Sussex. The girls were moved to Horsham in 1985 when the Hertford site was closed.
