Dulwich College is a public school (English private day and boarding school) for boys aged 2–18, in Dulwich, London, England. As a public school, it began as the College of God's Gift, founded in 1619 by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars. It began to grow into a large school from 1857 and took its current form in 1870, when it moved into its current premises.
The school is included in The Schools Index as one of the 150 best private schools in the world and among the top 30 senior schools in the UK. It is a member of both the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group.
Admission by examination is mainly into years 3, 7, 9, and 12 (i.e. ages 7, 11, 13, and 16 years old) to the Junior, Lower, Middle and Upper Schools into which the college is divided. In the 2025 A-levels, the school saw 67.7% of its candidates score A*/A.
History
1619: The College of God's Gift
On 21 June 1619, the College of God's Gift was established in Dulwich by Edward Alleyn with the signing letters patent by James I.Hodges, S. (1981), God's Gift: A Living History of Dulwich College, pp. 3–5 (Heinemann: London). The term "Dulwich College" was used colloquially from that date, such as in 1675 when John Evelyn described his visit to Dulwich College in his Diary.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History of Dulwich College, p. 20. However, for at least 263 years this colloquialism was incorrect as the school was part of the overall charitable Foundation.Darby, W. (1966), Dulwich Discovered, p. 32, (William Darby: Dulwich) Edward Alleyn, as well as being a famous Elizabethan actor, for whom Christopher Marlowe wrote his title roles, performed at the Rose Theatre,Piggott, J. R. (2008), Dulwich College, a History 1616–2008, pp. 3–10 (Dulwich College: London). was also a man of great property and wealth, derived mainly from places of entertainment including theatres and bear-gardens.Darby (1966), Dulwich Discovered, p. 22. Piggott (2008), Dulwich College, a History 1616–2008, pp. 18–21. There is no documentary evidence for the legend that he owned brothels. He was "Chief Maister, Ruler and Overseer of [the King's] games of Beares, Bulls, Mastiff Dogs and Mastiff Bitches".Piggott (2008), Dulwich College, a History, 1616–2008, p. 15. Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 11. Allegations that Alleyn turned his attention towards charitable pursuits out of have been traced to the 19th-century journalist George Sala and questioned, though never firmly answered in the negative.
Since 1605, Alleyn had owned the manorial estate of Dulwich, and it may have been around this time that he first had the idea of establishing a college or hospital for poor people and the education of poor boys. The building on Dulwich Green of a chapel, a schoolhouse and twelve almshouses began in 1613 and was completed in the autumn of 1616. On 1 September 1616 the chapel was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who became the official Visitor. However, Edward Alleyn faced objections from Francis Bacon, the Lord Chancellor, in getting the patent of incorporation that was necessary to secure the Foundation's status as a college. It was Alleyn's persistence that led to the foundation being endowed by James I's signing of the letters patent.
The charity originally consisted of a Master, Warden, four fellows, six poor brothers, six poor sisters and twelve poor scholars (orphans admitted from the age of six years), who became the joint legal owners of Alleyn's endowment of the manor and lands of Dulwich, collectively known as the Members of the College. The poor brothers and sisters and scholars were to be drawn from the four parishes that were most closely tied to Alleyn (being St Botolph's Bishopsgate where he was born, St Giles, Middlesex where he had built his Fortune Theatre, St Saviour's Southwark where he had the Paris Bear Garden and had managed the Rose Theatre, and St Giles Camberwell where the college was founded).Darby (1966), Dulwich Discovered, p. 24. The business of the charity was conducted in the name of these 30 members by the Master, Warden and four Fellows (Chaplain, Schoolmaster, Usher and Organist).
Alleyn drew upon the experience of other similar establishments in order to formulate the statutes and ordinances of the college, including drawing on the statutes of the already ancient Winchester College and visiting the more contemporary establishments of Sutton's Hospital (now Charterhouse School) and Croydon's Hospital (now the almshouses of the Whitgift Foundation).Darby (1966), Dulwich Discovered, p. 23. Among the many statutes and ordinances signed by Alleyn that pertained to the charitable scheme were provisions that the scholars were "entitled to stay until they were eighteen". And "to be taught in good and sound learning ... that they might be prepared for university or for good and sweet trades and occupations".Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 9. Another stipulation was that the Master and Warden should always be unmarried and of Alleyn's blood, and surname, and if the former was impossible then at least of Alleyn's surname.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 8. Alleyn also made provision that the people of Dulwich should be able to have their men children instructed at the school for a fee as well as children from outside Dulwich for a separate fee.
The next two centuries were beset by both external difficulties such as diminishing financial fortunes and failing buildings as well as internal strife between the various Members of the College. The Official Visitor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose function was to ensure that the statutes were obeyed, was called in many times.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, pp. 11–13. The lack of a disinterested body of governors and of any official connection to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge contributed significantly to the school failing to fulfill Alleyn's vision in its first two centuries.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 26. Some notable Masters did preside over the college during this time, including James Allen (the first Master to drop the 'y' from his surname), who in 1741 made over to the college six houses in Kensington, the rents of which were to be used in the establishment of two small schools in Dulwich, one for boys from the village, the other for girls to read and sew, out of which James Allen's Girls' School (JAGS) arose. Dr John Allen (1771–1843) of Holland House was a most learned and influential man, but neglected the education of the Poor Scholars.Piggott (2008), Dulwich College, a History, 1616–2008, pp. 84–88.
Having already obtained an Act in 1805 allowing them to enclose and develop of common land within the manor, the college was granted the power by the 1808 Dulwich College Building Act to extend the period over which leases ran, from 21 years as laid down by Alleyn, to 84 years, thus attracting richer tenants and bringing in large sums of money. The increased wealth of the college eventually resulted in the Charity Commission establishment of an enquiry into the advisability of widening the application of the funds to those extra beneficiaries Alleyn had specified in later amended clauses to the foundation's original statutes. Although the Master of the Rolls, Lord Langdale, rejected the appeal in 1841 on the grounds that Alleyn had no right to alter the original statutes, he did express dissatisfaction with the college's educational provision.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 29.
Immediately after this criticism, the Dulwich College Grammar School was established in 1842 for the education of poor boys from Dulwich and Camberwell. To this school were transferred the boys of the James Allen Foundation, leaving James Allen's school for girls only. The Old Grammar School, as it became known, was erected in 1841 opposite the Old College, designed by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the Palace of Westminster. It still exists today.Darby (1967), Dulwich: A Place in History, p. 34. The foundation scholars of the college continued to receive an education far short of Alleyn's vision, despite further attempts at reform by the Visitor. In 1854, the college was investigated by a new Commission set up by the 1853 Charitable Trusts Act, which led to the 1857 Dulwich College Act.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, pp. 32–34.
1857: The "Upper School" of Alleyn's College of God's Gift
The "College of God's Gift" became "Alleyn's College of God's Gift" when, on 25 August 1857, the Dulwich College Act 1857 (20 & 21 Vict. c. 84) dissolved the existing corporation and the charity was reconstituted with the new name. It was split into two parts with a joint Board of Governors: the educational (for the college) and the eleemosynary (for the charity). The Master, Warden, four fellows and 12 servants were pensioned off, although Alleyn's wishes were, and continue to be, respected, as sixteen pensioners (being the equivalent of 12 poor brothers and sisters plus four fellows) still live in flats in the Old College, looked after by a Warden. As for the Master, he was still to be appointed as the head of the new school.An Act for confirming a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners for the College of God's Gift in Dulwich in the County of Surrey, with certain Alterations, 25 August 1857.
In its new form, the Master of the College was Reverend Alfred Carver (Master from April 1857 to April 1883). Carver successfully fought with the Chairman of the Governors, the Rev William Rogers, to create a public school with high academic standards.Piggott (2008), Dulwich College, a History 1616–2008, pp. 117–125, 140–148, 165. He was the first Master not to share the name of the school's founder "Alleyn" (or latterly "Allen"). The educational college was split into an "Upper" and "Lower" school. The "Upper school" was for boys between 8 and 18, to be taught a wide and detailed syllabus, and continued to be colloquially referred to as "Dulwich College". The "Lower school" for boys between 8 and 16, had lower fees and a syllabus and was aimed at children of the industrial and poorer classes. The Lower School was the incorporation of the boys from the grammar school established in the previous decade and was referred to as "Alleyn's College of God's Gift", although this was the name of the complete charitable foundation.
1870: The New College Dulwich College was included in Howard Staunton's 1865 book, The Great Schools of England, who wrote of the unusually comprehensive [scheme of instruction] and by the mid-1860s such was the enhanced reputation of the school that the pressure for places led to the introduction of a competitive examination.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 41. In 1869 the upper school took possession of the current site, referred to as the "New College", but it was not until Founder's Day (21 June) 1870 that the new college was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales.Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 45. The new college buildings, sited in the of Dulwich Common, were designed by Charles Barry Jr. (the eldest son of Sir Charles Barry).Hodges (1981), God's Gift: A Living History, p. 44. The lower school alone continued to occupy the Old College in Dulwich Village from 1870 until it was moved to its new (and current) premises in East Dulwich in 1887.