History

A brief history : Wykeham Hall, Seafield Park, Newells, Desmoor ,Handcross Park and Brighton College Prep Handcross.

Brighton College Prep Handcross Park is a development of one of the oldest preparatory schools, founded by Mr William Henry Webb (b.January 1849; d.September 1918) , at Wykeham Hall, Lee-on-Solent, in 1887. Upon his retirement in 1903, his son Ernest William Webb  (b. May 1875; d. June 1970) took over as Headmaster at the age of 28.

Ernest William Webb married in 1904 Agnes Margaret Gribbon (b.1885,d.1908) They had two children Varona Margaret (b.1906,d.1991) and Antony Grenville (b.1908,d.1938). Margaret went on to help in the school and was at Endsleigh for the duration of the war but did not move to Newells. Antony died tragically after a fall in his home in 1938 after marrying in the same year Isobel Ellen Donnithorne.. He was at the time teaching at Seafield Park. Ernest William Webb re-married in 1916 Minnie Louisa Flint. (b.1876,d.1960). In 1946 Ernst William Webb, after 43 years as headmaster of Seafield Park, retired and Peter Hope Lang took over, moved the school to Lower Beeding and re-named it to Newells.

 In 1918 Wykeham Hall was requisitioned by the Admiralty for use by the Royal Naval Air Service and renamed HMS Daedalus.The main building being used as the Headquarters and Officers Mess.

 Wykeham school  moved to the opposite side of the airfield to Seafield Park and the school was renamed.

Seafield Park:

 1872 – Sir Henry Sykes built a large Victorian mansion on 83 acres of land at Hill Head and called it Seafield Park.

1888 – House and estate sold to the Rev.R.W Pain.

1889 – Additional buildings erected .

1890 – Seafield Park registered for scholastic purposes under the Rev.Pain and the Rev. Courtney Spencer Foster.

1903 – Ownership transferred to William Hoare and the school changed to an engineering establishment under Herbert Meredyth Mansell-Jones Esq.

………………” Seafield Park Engineering College, Crofton-on-the-Solent, Fareham, Hants. A residential college, specially equipped for preparing the sons of the directing classes for the profession of an Engineer, and for giving a Mathmatical, Mechanical and Practical Education.”………………The Master of Seafield W.Arthur Rix , M.A. (Cantab). Before they became famous in the world of aeronautics Sir Tommy Sopwith and Lord Brabazon were amongst the students. 

1907 – Property purchased by W.L. Agnew, mortgaged and remortgaged several times.

1910 – Still under the ownership of the Agnews, the school was converted back to a Boys Preparatory school ; Headmaster W.A.Rix M.A. (Cantab).

1919 – Rix declared Bankrupt, the school still owned by the Agnews, was then leased to Ernest William Webb who moved his school from Wykeham Hall to Seafield Park .

1923 – Ownership transferred to Minnie Louisa Webb, Ernest’s wife.

1939 – The three crosses ‘Cramponned or Fylfot’  (Swastica like !) on the original school crest replaced by three crosses ‘Potent’.

1948 – The 1872 mansion was destroyed by fire.

 On the outbreak of World War II, the Admiralty requisitioned  Seafield Park  for use as an overspill barracks and Signal school. The school once again was forced to move this time to Endsleigh house, Milton Abbott, Nr. Tavistock.

Endsleigh was the Summer, holiday home of the Duke of Bedford.

The first stone was laid at Endsleigh in 1810 by Georgina, Duchess of Bedford and her three eldest sons.  The Bedford family owned a third of Devon and decided that this was the prettiest place in the County to build their house.  Endsleigh was designed by Sir Jeffrey Wyattville as a cottage orneĀ“.

The family used it as a shooting and fishing Lodge; they opened it just once a year when they arrived with servants, children, silver and animals in tow.  Georgina was a passionate gardener and lover of the outdoors.  Humphrey Repton created an outstanding garden for her.

The above picture was taken from Humphrey Repton’s Red book, which he used for planning the gardens.  Further pictures from the Red book appear in the photos section – PG 1. (Provided by Colin Browning)

On the conclusion of World War II the Admiralty retained Seafield Park for naval use and the Duke of Bedford  re-possessed his country home so by necessity the school was again moved, this time to Newells, Lower Beeding, Nr Horsham, Sussex in 1946..

Map of the Newells estate.  

Scale 1:2,500.  Dated 1874 – 1875.  

Showing the house, stables, kitchen gardens, the positioning of the terraces , the reservoir ( Swimming pool) and the Gravel pits (.22 range).

The house at Newells was built to the designs of M. Digby-Wyatt in ca. 1869. During World War 2 it had been taken over by the Ministry of Defence and was the headquarters for a Canadian Division, prior to the Invasion of Normandy.

Captain Peter Hope-Lang took over from Mr Ernest Webb as Headmaster in 1946.  At this time the name of the school changed from Seafield Park to Newells but retained the original school crest. Peter Hope Lang (b. January1910,d. September 1970) was the son of The Reverend Frank H Lang (b.1876) and the Grandson of The Reverend Robert Lang (b.1841) Vicar of Silsoe. His Uncle Harold (b.1878) was also in Holy orders.  !n 1938 Peter Hope Lang was teaching at Woodcote house preparatory school where he met the music teacher Annie Janet Allan (b.1908,d.1987)(Known to us as Nancy. ) and they married in September 1939. By this time Peter Hope Lang had joined up in the Royal Artillery with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He was promoted Substantive Lieutenant on 1st July 1940 and temporary Captain in February 1941. Peter and Nancy Lang had a son Patrick Keith Lang ( b.1940,d.2019) who became a pupil at Newells when the school arrived from Endsleigh, Tavistock. At this time the surname was changed to Hope-Lang.  Captain Hope-Lang then appointed an assistant headmaster,  Major Phillip John Darlington Gamon M.A. Oxon.(b.1912,d.1999). He had served in the Royal Regiment of Artillery during WWII. He was the son of Gilbert P Gamon and Caroline M Dartington.  Phillip Gamon married in 1942 Rosemary Jane Nicholas(b.1920, d.1996) (Known to us as Nicky). She taught riding at Newells and was the daughter of John Speight Nicholas (b.1880,d.1958) and Emma Flint (b.1886,d.1950).       

Three early school prospecti – Note the Fees : 75 gns !  (Provided by Steve Horner , A.Miller and Nick Kingsbury)

Notes for parents added 10.07.2020 ( Provided by Steve Horner and A Miller)

Newells school prospectus added 1st February 2025 ( Provided by N.Kingsbury)

The number of boys at the school at any one time was about 60 – 80. They were originally divided up into three houses : Normans, Saxons and Britons; a fourth house, Vikings, was added later when the number of pupils had increased. The dormitories were named after historical figures from English history : Nelson, Winston, Clive, Wellington, Lister, Gordon, Jenner, Drake, Hillary, Tensing.

Sports : Cricket, Tennis & Athletics in the Summer, Football (Soccer), Rugby and Hockey in the Winter and Spring. The First, Second and Under Eleven teams in all these Sports  also represented Newells against other Preparatory schools in the vicinity ( Ashfold, Cottesmoore, Desmoor etc).  An Open day for parents combined with Sports day was held every Summer, with prizes being awarded outside the Cricket pavillion. The First XI cricket also took on a Father’s team . One afternoon a week was devoted to maintenance of the gardens and grounds, supervised by the Head gardiner – Mr Caffyn. Outside the normal school curriculum , Carpentry was taught by Col. Wreford, Music by Mrs Lang and Mrs Hare and horse riding by Mrs Gamon.  The school choir competed successfully in local  Choir festivals and competitions.    There was also a Boy Scout/Cubs troop which was run on its formation, by Maj. Gamon, Mr Mansfield and  Mr Gee.  Occasionally, in the Summer holidays, Scout Camps were organised .  They took place,  in the period up to 1951, at Petworth House, Sussex;  Osborne House , Isle of Wight and Robin Hoods Bay, Yorks.                         

On Saturday evenings films were shown in the games/recreation room, which was also used as a theatre for performances by magicians, local musicians ( e.g.Bell ringers),professional puppeteers and for school plays. A small theatre was later established in the stables block where performances for puppets , with the pupils as puppeteers, were arranged. 

Newells remained and flourished at Lower Beeding , until in 1968 a disastrous fire destroyed a major part of the school buildings and tragically a pupil ( Alexander.D.Parker, aged 13) lost his life.(See : In Memoriam).

At the time of the fire, Mr Lang held Newells on a 21 year lease from the Scrase-Dickens family, who resided at Newells Farm.

The Staff and pupils were relocated to Handcross Park , Haywards Heath, West Sussex and were amalgamated with Desmoor school on a temporary basis. There were plans made to rebuild Newells over a two year period, but after survey it was found that the structural damage was so great , the cost of the re-build would was too great to be covered by the Insurance.

The above photo of Handcross Park house was taken in approximately 1920. This house burned Down in 1935 and was rebuilt as the present Handcross Park house. This was then the Third house on the site and provided a residence for a Colonel and Mrs J R Warren, before they moved to the Hyde estate. After that the house was home to the Canadian Army during World War two, an old Peoples home, and lastly four Schools . Whittingeham College, Newells and Desmoor, Handcross Park School and finally Brighton College Prep Handcross.

Desmoor, in memory of Desmond Moore, the son of an early benefactress, was founded at Ewhurst ,Surrey, in 1946, by the Hon.Mrs Henrietta Franklin C.B.E., who was for many years Hon.General Secretary of the Parents National Education Union.