Presteigne
The National School

Opened in 1869
The National School in Scottleton Street, Presteigne was opened in 1869 on land provided by Sir Harford James Jones Brydges. The school log books commence before that date however, so the new building probably represents the culmination of earlier attempts to provide an Anglican education at the night school and the Iron School.

In recent years it has been common for some politicians to hark back to the Victorian period as a time when children had more respect for their elders and behaviour was in general better than it is today. School log books for almost any school will reveal a very different reality however.

National School
Log Books

Powys
County Archives
R/E/PS/43/L/1

The above is an extract from the Log Book of the National School in Presteigne dated November 22nd, 1868. It reads:
"Reverend JWG took a class in Reading. In consequence of complaints was obliged to punish several boys for throwing stones and using bad language - viz. J Price, E Warner, W Davies, A Evans, I Prosser."

It represents one of many occasions when the master, Mr Cull, had to punish boys for bad behaviour. In September the following year he records the absence of Henry Nicholas, a troublesome boy who could not attend as he was "locked in a stable for robbing Mr John Davies's orchard".

The above extract is also an indication of the close involvement of local clergy in the management of the school and the teaching itself.

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