Sherborne School received its first Royal visit on 15 October 1908 when Mary, Princess of Wales visited the School.
On 15 October 1908, while staying with the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury at Wimborne St Giles, the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) and the Countess of Shaftesbury visited Sherborne. After lunching with the Digby family at Sherborne Castle, the Princess of Wales visited the Old Castle grounds before proceeding to Sherborne Abbey where she welcomed by Headmaster F.B. Westcott, the Rev. F.A. Selwyn, churchwardens Mark Parsons and H.J. Seymour, and George King the verger. After being shown around the Abbey, the Princess signed the visitors’ book – ‘Victoria Mary, October 15th, 1908’ – and was escorted by Headmaster F.B. Westcott out of the north door of the Abbey into the School grounds, where the School Cadet Corps had formed a guard of honour.
During her visit, the Headmaster showed the Princess the School library, the chapel and the Big Schoolroom, after which three cars arrived to collect the party of visitors and the Princess of Wales was driven out of the Courts between two lines formed by the Cadet Corps who gave her three cheers. The Princess expressed to the Headmaster her great appreciation of the welcome she had received and asked him to give the boys a half-holiday the next day.
The Rev. Henry King (housemaster of Abbeylands 1900-1919), recorded the Royal visit in his diary: ‘Afternoon. HRH The Princess of Wales turned up and the Corps turned out and she was cheered in the Courts.’
After leaving the School, the Princess visited the Almshouse where she inspected the triptych and met some of the elderly female residents.
Rachel Hassall
Archivist, Sherborne School
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