The first paragraph of the petition regarding the School emphasises the fact that the youth of the Country were lacking good religious and educational training.
‘For want of Scholes the youth of the countrye followe the olde traditions of Men and rather cleave to papistry than to the truth of the Gospelle. For want of Scholes they know not God or her Majesty’s Lawes, but are given over to wickedness and vyces as swearinge, drunckedness, whordome, idleness and such lyke to the great displeasure of God, contempt of Her Heighness and to the great damage and hurte of the common wealthe’.
The petition was successful and resulted in:-
“The Charter”
Dated at Westminster 15th July 1585
‘from henchforth there shall be one Grammar School in Ashburne…. for the Education, Information, and Instruction of the boys and youth in Grammar and other Good Learning to Continue for ever which shall be called the Free Grammar School of Elizabeth Queen of England in the town of Ashburne in the County of Derby.
The Charter consists of three ‘folios’
The First Folio
The Charter is a beautiful engrossed document with the borders heightened in gold and colours.It was one of the most richly enobled charters of Queen Elizabeth 1st , and was appropriately expensive. The ornamentation is rich in symbols and is attributed to Richard Hilliard, the foremost miniaturist of his day.
The Second Folio
This shows a crowned ‘ER’ in the centre of the top border
Below in both borders are shown the crowned Lily of France, the sun’s rays breaking through blue cloud, and the crowned Tudor Rose of England.
The Third Folio
This shows a crowned falcon in the centre of the top bar, holding a sceptre in one hand and standing on a tree stump from which grow wild roses.
The borders on both sides show the crowned Lily of France and the sun’s rays breaking through the blue clouds.
The initial letter in the First Folio
In the initial letter on the first folio, Elizabeth sits enthroned with Orb and Sceptre, the Arms of England above her head, the Lily of France below her feet, each surmounted by a crown symbolising her claim to both thrones.
The crowned Tudor Rose lies in the centre of the top bar.
In the lower bar at the Queen’s feet perches a robin, possibly a reference to her favourite, Robert Dudley, and a gold finch.
The First Folio
Central in the top border is the Queen’s Coat of Arms supported by the Lion of England and the Griffin or Dragon of Wales in gold or tawny which Queen Elizabeth preferred to the normal red
The Second Folio
Central in the top border
The crowned ‘ER’ Elizabeth Reginae
The Third Folio
Central in the top border
The Falcon was the badge of Anne Boleyn Queen Elizabeth’s mother
Taken from the margins in the folios:-
Emblems of the lands over which she claimed dominance are the Crowned Harp of Ireland …..
….. and the Crowned Lilly of France
The Tudor Rose of England, symbolising the union of York and Lancaster. Its centre is golden and from it glow the Golden rays of the sun depicting peace and prosperity
In this margin the sun’s rays are breaking through blue cloud, together the bringers of fruitfulness
Throughout the margins Eglantine thee wild rose so dear to the Queen …….
…. that it is frequently shown in her portraits and charters
The Great Seal of England
(damaged)
At the bottom of the Third Folio
The cost of the Charter £28 12s 0d was born by Humphrey Strete, citizen and merchant taylor of London, born in Ashburne.
The decoration alone cost £4 16s 8d.
The conveyance of the land and the subscriptions
received for the building of the School.
The Old School
The School was built on the site of the house belonging to the Chantry of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Asbourne Church as the deed of conveyance testifies.
In 1827, Thomas Wise, Assistant Governor 1814, Governor 1850 wrote the following:-
“Amongst the documents of the Governors and Assistants is an indenture bearing date 30th September 1596, whereby Christopher Hurt covenanted with the Governors and assistants and their successors to levy a fine on a Capital messuage erected for a Schoolhouse called the New Schoolhouse situate in Ashburne in Church Street, and a Croft of Land lying in Asburne adjoining the said house consisting by estimate together with the site of the said house three roods (one parcel of the said Croft adjoining to the eastern of the said Schoolhouse excepted), which Schoolhouse and Croft abutted on the Highway leading to Ashburne Church towards the South and on the back lane towards the North, such fine to be for the use of the said Governors and Assistants and their successors for the maintenance of the said School and the Schoolmaster and Usher of the same for ever.
Part of the Indenture dated 30th September 1596 conveying the land to the Governors and Assistants.
The building of the School started before the Charter was granted as can be seen from the following statement in the accounts.
The Charges of the building of the Schoole & other things from the first day of August 1583 until the first day of August 1589 doe amounte to the some of £346..3s 11d.
Towards the payment of which Charges hath been given and payed these somes following the seurall parties hereunder specified, viz:-
The following are the first 10 mentioned:-
Imprimis by the right honourable the Earl of Shrewsbury xx s
Itm by the La:- Grace the sayd Earles daughter xx s
Itm by the right honourable the Lord Windsore x s
Itm by Sir Tho. Cokaine Knight £xviii
Itm by Tho. Knivetin Esquire xx s
Itm by Wm Bassett Esquire xl s
Itm by Humphrey fferres Esq. xx s
Itm by Tho. Cokaine gent. x s
Itm by Joh: Milward of Fenny Bentley gent x s
Itm by two of the Queen Majesties Clarkes iiii s
Another account dealing with the monies given towards the building of the School is given below, taken from the first page of the first minute book of 1603.
A Perfect account of all such summes of Money
as I Wm Hull of Asburne have received ei—
–ther from the Londoners, or elsewhere in the cun—
–trie from Aprill 10: 1603: to this Present
December: 5th : /
For and towards the Schoole /
The first five subscribers shown were:-
Impris Mr Robert Mevrell of throwley Esq. 20s
Itm Mr John ffacketof Hanston Grandge 10s
Itm Mr Thomas Nabbs 5s
Itm Mr Henrie Beresforde of Alsop 5s
Mr Thomas Beresford of Mathfield 2s 6d
The founders in 1587 were experiencing some difficulty in the erection of the School, for
‘It appears by the collectors for the money or clarage to Her Majesty’s free School at Ashburne that no good will be done without his Lordship’s further warrant. They ask him to give thejustices within the County of Derby further Commandment as may be to them a more sufficient warrant for the better dispatch thereof.’
The Lord referred to was the Earl of Shrewsbury, who held the stewardship of all the Royal Lands in the Counties of Derby and Stafford in which Ashburne at that time was included.
This resulted in a letter from the Privy Council, in 1587, to the ‘Sheriffe and Justices of Peace in the Countye of Derbye’ exhorting local officials in Derbyshire and Staffordshire to give more help in providing and transporting building materials for the unfinished building.
Two years later in 1589 the Councillors wrote to the Earl of Shrewsbury, informing him that the building cannot be finished for the want of carrying slates, tiles and other necessaries for the building and covering of the roof.
This did not settle the matter of the building difficulties, for, in 1591, the Councillors wrote again stating that the said schoole house remained yet uncovered and was likely to fall in decay because of the lack of transport in getting the materials to the school.
However, in 1603 the main building was finally completed. Twelve pence was sent in drink at the topping out ceremony.
In 1607 the school building was finally finished after some 24 years at a cost of £400 ( equivalent to £145,181 in 2016).