Chard School

Chard Prep School
School premises (Built 1583)
Address
Monmouth House, Fore Street, Chard, Somerset, England , TA20 1QA
Coordinates	50.8734°N 2.9610°W / 50.8734; -2.9610
Information
Type	Private school Preparatory
Motto	Latin: Uniti Vireamus (United we thrive)
Established	1671 (1671)
Founder	William Symes
Local authority	Somerset Council
Department for Education URN	123927 Tables
Gender	Co-educational
Age range	4–11
Enrolment	60
Capacity	120
Listed Building	Grade II*
Listed Building Reference	1205594
Date of Listing	24 March 1950
Website	https://www.chardprep.co.uk/

Chard Prep School is a coeducational private school for children ages 4 to 11 located in the town of Chard in the English county of Somerset.

The school is located on the site of the former Chard Grammar School.

History

The school was originally a private residence, built for John Symes of Poundsford in 1583. Later in 1671, his son, William Symes, handed the property over to twelve trustees for conversion into a grammar school. It later became a public boarding school in 1890.

The current independent preparatory school, known as Chard School, was established in 1972, and still incorporates the original grammar school building. The 16th-century building has been Grade II* listed since 1950. It is also on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register, where it is described as being in poor condition.

Architecture

The two-storey flint building has hamstone dressings, a tiled roof and brick chimney stacks. The front of the building has a three-room range and a projecting three-storey porch. Many of the rooms have fireplaces, panelling and decorations from the 16th to 19th centuries. In the 18th century a staircase was added giving access to the adjacent Monmouth House which was built between 1770 and 1790.