The school was founded in 1565 by John Beddoes, a man from a wealthy Ludlow merchant family with property on both sides of the border.
The school was set up to provide a grammar school education for the sons of local businessmen.
Over the years it occupied various buildings and by the 1870's part at least of the school was in a house called The Vine in St David's Street, Presteigne.

The photograph above shows the Headmaster, Mr Woodrow and boarders outside The Vine in 1872.

More about John Beddoes' School...