Trinity Farm and School, Ware

S Williams

C Westbrook of Trinity Farm, 1913
Herts Archives Local studies Collection
OS map of Ware, 1923
Herts Archives
OS map, 1970s
Herts Archives

Trinity Farm was built in the 1850s and stood where the houses on Fanhams Hall Road are today. It was originally called Trinity College Farm as Henry VIII gave the land to Trinity College in Cambridge in the 16th century.

From c1881 to c1896 it was run by Thomas Hankin and his wife Julia and was described as having 60 acres. William Gray took over c1898 and then Charles Westbrook in 1913. There are no photographs at Hertfordshire Archives but according to the 1911 census it had 7 rooms.

Arthur Hankin ran it from 1925 to 1948, then Charles and Ruby Pilgrim to c1960 when it was demolished.

Trinity School (first known as Ware C of E Secondary Modern School) opened on the site of the farm in 1961. It was built by Ekins Ltd of Hertford and the architect was Phyllis Whitson.

The Headmaster was Mr Wilfred Braybrooke, who carried on his role from the previous school at Christchurch in Bowling Road. He retired in 1967 and died in 1979.  Mr P Crofts was head in 1981.

The school was in use for 25 years and closed in June 1985. Pupils were sent to Fanshawe Secondary School in Park Road and the amalgamated school was re-named Chauncy.

The building continued to be used by Hertfordshire County Council until it was sold to developers for housing and a care home.

This page was added on 13/07/2017.

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  • Arthur Hankin, who farmed Trinity until 1948 along with his wife, Winnie, was my uncle. As a boy I spent many happy times there, convenient as it was from our home in Vicarage Road and the school I attended, Musley Infants. Even though I was only nine when he gave up the farm, he taught me many things, including how to shoot with a .410 small bore shotgun. Other vivid memories are hunting for (real free-range) chicken eggs in the barnyard and helping at harvest time with a horse and cart over land on which I recall the Kings Hill housing estate was built.

    By Raymond Hankin (28/03/2021)
  • Just been to visit my dad he is 92 ,and was telling me he was evacuated in the war and stayed at trinity farm .
    He said Mr and Mrs hankin were such lovely people and really made him feel welcome
    Love to here from any one related to the hankins
    Regards malcolm noakes

    By Malcolm noakes (17/06/2019)