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Schools
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Dedham Free Grammar School
A farm called Ragmarsh was devised by William Littlebury, in 1571, for teaching poor boys in the parish at Dedham grammar school. The Grammar School was in Dedham Street, Ardleigh, the east of the Church. The school was for fee-paying scholars and 30 boys who attended daily. The daily scholars were educated for free. The cost was supplied from the rents of farms in the parishes of Ardleigh, Dedham, Great Bromley and Bradfield in Essex and Stratford St Mary, Suffolk. Any poor boy from these 'favoured' parishes could get free education provided they could read and write. Most boys came from Dedham. About five boys a year from Ardleigh gained a place in the school and they would have to walk as far as three miles. The boys entered at the age of nine years old and stayed for two to three years and were taught writing and accounts. They were kept separate from the fee-paying scholars and were not allowed to use the playing field. As well as the free entry there was a scholarship awarded called 'On foundation'. The successful scholars would have had to pass an examination in the classics. This boy could stay at the school as a boarder and have the same privileges as the fee-paying scholars. There were only two scholars 'on foundation' at any one time. He would enter aged 10 years and spent five years there before going on the Christ Church College, Cambridge. [1] In 1848 there were 12 free scholars attended from the parish. The following are some of the scholars who attended the School:
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