Dover College
 |
|
| Motto |
Non recuso laborem (I cannot refuse the task) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1871 |
| Type | Independent day and boarding |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Chairman of the Governors | J.T. Sullivan Esq |
| Founder | Dr. Astley |
| Location |
Effingham Crescent Dover Kent CT17 9RH England |
| DfE URN | 118940 Tables |
| Staff | 50 (approx.) |
| Students | 323 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 3–18 |
| Houses | 6 |
| Colours | Black and green |
| Former pupils | Old Dovorians |
| Website | dovercollege |
Dover College is a co-educational private school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders.
The school occupies some of the medieval buildings of Dover Priory, on a site just east of the eponymous railway station.
In 1869 Robert Chignell, who had a private school at Westmount, in Folkestone Road, leased part of the Dover Priory buildings for a private school. He passed on his interest, however, to a group of leading citizens and local businessmen in Dover, led by the Mayor of Dover, Dr. Astley, who had formed the Dover College Company to promote the foundation of a public school for the town on what remained of the Priory site with the dual intention of providing a public school education for local boys and of using and thus preserving the Priory's remaining ancient buildings.
It is set in the grounds and ruins of the Priory of St. Martin, which was ransacked by King Henry VIII as part of his dissolution of the monasteries. The priory gives its name to Dover's main railway station which was built on the western part of the priory site. Some of the original medieval buildings remain. The 12th century Strangers' Refectory is still used as an eating hall and for concerts (it is Grade II* listed). The college chapel was originally the priory guesthouse, it was built in the 12th century, it is Grade II* listed. The bell tower was added in the late 19th century. The gatehouse of the priory (also listed) is used as a music room. The central lawn of the school is still referred to as The Close. The composer Thomas Tallis was organist to the priory in the late 16th century, and is commemorated in the naming of the college's Tallis Music School.
The College was founded and opened as a boys' school on 15 September 1871. By the end of the first term there were 21 boys in the school, and by the end of the next summer another 32 had joined them. It acquired the large hall, or guest-house, in 1879 and converted it into a school Chapel by enlarging the east end into an apse. In time, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners made over the whole property to the College Trustees. The refectory was restored, revealing an important but damaged fresco, as (in 1881, to mark a charitable act by Sir Richard Dickenson the then mayor of Dover) was the gatehouse. The Gatehouse was restored by the celebrated architect George Edmund Street and is currently used as the music room for the Junior Department.
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