Southover Manor School was a private boarding school for girls at Lewes, East Sussex, with a preparatory department.
History The school was founded in 1924 at Lewes by Winifred Ponsonby. Initially a convent school, it was based at Southover Manor, which later became a Grade II listed building.
In 1937, a Southover girl won a major scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge.'University News Oxford And Cambridge Scholarships' in The Times, Issue 47873, 21 December 1937, p. 11, col. B: "NEWNHAM COLLEGE – MAJOR SCHOLARSHIPS... M. R. Bray, Southover Manor School, for Modern Languages" During the Second World War, the school was evacuated from Lewes to Firle Place,Lyn Smith, Young voices: British children remember the Second World War (2007), p. 123 and in January 1940 the school announced that "Southover French Finishing School, specializing in French language and literature, and French cooking and dressmaking, will be opened after Easter in a country house near Lewes, under the direction of M. le Baron and Madame la Baronne de Saint-Péreuse".The Times, Issue 48512, 13 January 1940, p. 1, col. B The school’s buildings in Lewes were taken over by the 6th Field Regiment of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery.Melynda Jarratt, War Brides: The Stories of the Women Who Left Everything Behind to Follow (Dundurn, 2009), p. 209
In about 1960, the mother of one girl was said to have chosen the school "on account of the pleasing decoration in the headmistress's study".Nicky Ferguson (obituary) in The Daily Telegraph, 6 October 2007
By 1963, the school was "recognized as efficient" by the Ministry of Education.Ministry of Education, List of independent schools in England and Wales Recognised as Efficient (1963), p. 89
On 30 May 1974, the school marked its Golden Jubilee with an event at Goldsmiths' Hall, in the City of London.The Times, Issue 59084, 9 May 1974, p. 22, col. E In 1979, the number of girls in the school was reported as 125.The Education Authorities Directory and Annual (1979), p. 582
In 1983, the school had 120 girls, of whom 110 were boarders. The core curriculum then consisted of English, History, Geography, Maths, French, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Music and Physical Education.David Freeman, Choosing the right school: a parents guide (1983), p. 194 at books.google.com In that year, plans for the future closure of the school were set in motion and Lewes District Council produced a development brief for its land.Lewes District Council, Southover Manor School development brief (1983)
In July 1984, the school closed and its premises were sold in June 1985, the proceeds being used to establish Southover Manor General Educational Trust Limited, the object of which is "to advance for the public benefit the education of boys and girls under the age of 25 years in any manner being exclusively charitable as the Governing Body of the Trust may from time to time determine".Southover Manor General Educational Trust Limited, 2007–2008 at charity-commission.gov.uk Houses were built on the school's former playing fields, street names including Cluny Street.Lewes Conservation Area Appraisal pages 55 to 71 at lewes.gov.uk
Records of the school and its educational trust between the years 1939 and 1988 are held at the East Sussex Record Office, accession number ACC 9256.East Sussex Record Office: 2005 Accessions at nationalarchives.gov.uk Draft conveyances and leases for the school between 1929 and 1939 (part of the papers of Adams and Remers of Lewes, Solicitors) are also in the Record Office.Archive of Adams and Remers of Lewes, solicitors, at nationalarchives.gov.uk, ACC5786/15
Headmistresses 1929–1959: Miss J. I. E. Aspden, d. 1963Hon. Lady Stucley, 'MISS J. ASPDEN' (Obituary) in The Times, Issue 55639, 2 March 1963, p. 10, col. D: "Known affectionately as 'Asp' to all her girls, she was for 30 years headmistress of Southover Manor School..."'SOUTHOVER MANOR SCHOOL' in The Times, Issue 54422, 31 March 1959, p. 10, col. F: "Southover Manor School governors have appointed Countess Zamoyska (Priscilla Stucley), who is at present housemistress at St James's, West Malvern, to be headmistress at Southover in September, when J. I. E. Aspden retires." 1959–1970: Priscilla Stucley, Countess Zamoyska 1970–1980: Mrs M. B. Proctor (later Lady Downward), died aged 83 in 2008.Obituaries at bkva.co.uk 1980–1986: Mrs Edward Forrest LGSM LTCLSusan Higgins, ed., Education Year Book (1984), p. 417: "Southover Manor School (AD) (Girls) (120) Lewes BN7 1JD; Tel Lewes 2228; Mrs MR Forrest"
Notable old girls Maryam d'Abo (born 1960) Queen Camilla (born 1947) Chryssie Lytton Cobbold, Baroness Cobbold (1940–2024) Dione Digby, Lady Digby (born 1934), National Rivers Authority”DIGBY, Lady”, in Who's Who 2009; ”DIGBY Dione Marian, Lady” in World Who's Who of Women 1992-93, Vol. 11, p. 260 Christina Dodwell (born 1951)'DODWELL, Christina', in Who's Who 2009, (London: A. & C. Black, 2008) Lady Mary Fagan (born 1939), Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, 1994-2014'Fagan, (Florence) Mary' in Who's Who 2009 Nicky Ferguson (died 2007), botanical author Sarah-Jane Gaselee (born 1970) Lady Annabel Goldsmith (1934–2025)Annabel Goldsmith, No Invitation Required (2008), Chapter 1: Pelham Cottage Katherine Hamilton (born 1954), artistKatherine Hamilton at suffolkcards.co.ukkatehamiltonartist.co.uk Kelly LeBrock (born 1960) Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly (1913–2000), authorHermione Ranfurly, The Ugly One: the childhood memoirs of Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly, 1913–1939 (1998), p. 118 Pamela Sharples, Baroness Sharples (born 1923)'Sharples, Baroness', in Who's Who 2009
References
External links Southover Manor School on Facebook