For over two hundred years Repton School was held in the Priory, the “School Master” lodged at its north end, and the “Usher” at its south. Between “the lodgings” was the school-room, known to many generations of Reptonians as the “big school.” A smaller room was built on to this, with a door of communication between them, this room used to be divided into two, the upper end was the Headmaster’s study, and the lower end the School library.

During the eighteenth century a large number of boys, who came from a distance, used “to table,” that is lodge, in the village.

On January 8th, of the year 1728, Mary Thacker died, leaving Repton Hall to Sir Robert Burdett, Bart., of Foremark. It is supposed that the School acquired the Hall, as a residence for the Headmaster, about this time.

Repton Hall, originally an isolated brick tower, two storeys high, with hexagonal turrets in the upper storey, was built by Prior Overton during the reign of Henry VIth (1422-1461), and was called Prior Overton’s Lodge, but as the Prior, according to the Statutes, was obliged to reside in the Priory itself, moreover the Prior’s chamber is named in the Inventory (p. 58), “there can be little doubt,” as Mr. St John Hope writes (Vol. VI., Derbyshire Archæological Journal, p. 96), “the building was really the infirmitorium, or abode of sick and infirm monks.” Like all the other ancient buildings in Repton, additions and restorations have quite changed it. The Thackers added to it when they obtained possession in 1539, and built its southern side during the reign of William and Mary. The only unaltered part is the brick tower, except its top which used to be castellated, (see picture in Bigsby’s Hist., Plate 1.)

The lower storey of it, now the kitchen, has a fine oak ceiling divided into nine square compartments by oak beams, at the intersections there are four carved bosses bearing (1) a name device, or rebus of Prior Overton a tun or cask, encircled by the letter O, formed by a vine branch with leaves and grapes, (2) a capital T ornamented with leaves, (3) an S similarly ornamented, (4) a sheep encircled like No. 1. The letters T and S are supposed to be the initials of former priors.

“The lofty staircase of majestic oak, dim-lighted by an ancient window, filled with narrow panes of deep-discoloured glass,” is now brightened with a stained glass window, which was presented and placed in the School Library by Dr. Sleath on his retirement from the headmastership in 1830. It contains armorial bearings of the Founder, and three Hereditary Governors of Repton School, the Earls of Huntingdon, and Chesterfield, and Sir John Gerard.

The window was removed to the Hall by Dr. Peile, with Dr. Sleath’s knowledge.

Dr. Prior, Headmaster from 1767-79, raised the number of boys to over two hundred, and it is generally thought that he was the first to occupy the Hall. The School Register was so badly kept, or not kept at all, it is difficult to say how many there were with any certainty. When Dr. Pears was appointed in 1854 there were only forty-eight boys in the School, in three years the number was one hundred and eight, and soon it became necessary to build more houses, the difficulty was to obtain sites. The Tercentenary of Repton School, 1857, proved to be a fresh starting point in its history. A site for the School Chapel was applied for within the Arch, but in vain, at last the piece of land on which it stands, was obtained with a further piece at the back of it, on this Dr. Pears built a house for Mr. Johnson, who opened it in the year 1860.

The Rev. E. Latham opened his house about the same time. It had formerly been a malt house and cottages.

Dr. Pears bought the “Old Mitre Inn” and converted it into a house for the Rev. Joseph Gould in 1865.

In 1869 a house, built by Mr. Estridge, was opened.

In 1871, the Rev. G. P. Clarke (now Clucas) moved from the south end of the Priory, and opened the house in which he now lives, in 1883 he resigned his mastership, and his boys were transferred to other houses.

In 1880, another Inn (“New Mitre”) was converted into a house, and occupied by the Rev. A. F. E. Forman.

In 1885, Mr. Gurney built his house.

The Pears Memorial Hall, and rooms beneath it, built on the site of the Priory Chapel, were opened on Speech Day, June 17th, 1886. The Hall is one hundred and one feet long, by forty-three feet wide, with a fine open roof, forty feet high, supported by wall pieces, with hammer beams, which rest on corbels of stone, carved to represent shields. The walls are lined with oak panelling, seven feet high, on them the names of O.R.s who have gained honours at the Universities are being painted. At the west end there is a magnificent three-manual organ, by Brindley and Foster of Sheffield, on either side and in front are raised seats and platform, which form an orchestra capable of seating one hundred and twenty performers. At the east end is a large window of fifteen lights, five in a row, filled with stained glass by Messrs. James Powell and Sons, of Whitefriars, London. The lights of the window illustrate the history of Repton from earliest times. Beginning with the top five (1) St Chad, bishop of Mercia, founder of the See of Lichfield, A.D. 669. (2) St. Guthlac, once an inmate of Repton Abbey. (3) Matilda, Countess of Chester, foundress of Repton Priory, circa 1150. (4) St. Wereburga, (daughter of King Wulphere), said to be the first Abbess of Repton. (5) St. Wystan, (murdered by his cousin Berfurt at Wistanstowe, A.D. 850), buried at Repton, patron saint of its church.

The middle five contain armorial bearings of (1) The See of Lichfield. (2) Philip and Mary, in whose reign the School was founded. (3) Sir John Porte, the founder of the School. (4) James I., who granted a Charter to the School. (5) The See of Southwell.

The bottom five full-length figures of (1) Sir Thomas Gerard. (2) George Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon. (3) Sir John Porte. (4) Sir Thomas Stanhope. (5) Sir Richard Harpur. 1, 2, and 4 married Sir John Porte’s three daughters, and are now represented by Lord Gerard, Earl of Loudoun, Earl of Carnarvon, 5, one of his executors, ancestor of Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, these four are Hereditary Governors of Repton School and Etwall Hospital.

Under the window, on a brass tablet, is the following inscription:—

HANC FENESTRAM
REPANDUNENSIBUS REPANDUNENSIS
JOHANNES GOULD. A.M.
A. S. MDCCCXCIV.
DONO DEDIT.

The principal entrance to the Hall is up a staircase in the tower at the east end, there is also an entrance at the west end.

Beneath the Hall are four Class-rooms, a “Common-room” for the Masters, and lavatories. The rooms open into a Cloister which is on the south side of the building. The Governing Body of Repton School paid for the rooms below out of the School funds, the Hall itself being paid for by friends, old pupils, &c., of Dr. Pears. The architect was Sir Arthur Blomfield, A.R.A., and the style, Perpendicular. On June 17th, 1886, The Honble. Mr. Justice Denman, (O.R.,) presided at the opening, and declared the Hall opened in these words, “I declare this Schoolroom, which has been built in the faith of Jesus Christ, and in memory of His servant, Steuart Adolphus Pears, to be now open.” Then, after a few dedicatory prayers, and the singing of the “Old Hundredth,” speeches were delivered by Mr. Denman, Rev. W. Johnson, (the Senior Assistant Master), Mr. Etherington-Smith, and the Rev. J. H. Clay, O.R.s, and the Headmaster (the Rev. W. M. Furneaux).

Over the door at the east end is a brass tablet bearing the following inscription:—

IN HONOREM PRÆCEPTORIS OPTIMI
STEUART ADOLPHI PEARS S.T.P.
SCHOLÆ REPANDUNENSI PROPE VIGINTI ANNOS PRÆPOSITI
UT INSIGNIA EJUS ERGA SCHOLAM ILLAM ANTIQUAM BENEFICIA
MONUMENTO PERPETUO IN MEMORIAM REVOCARENTUR HOC ÆDIFICIUM
AMICI ET DISCIPULI EJUS EXTRUENDUM CURAVERUNT.
A. S. MDCCCLXXXVI.

Portraits of Drs. Sleath, Peile, Pears, and Huckin, adorn its walls.

In 1888 the block of four Form rooms on the east side of the Priory was built, and a year later the old “Big School” was dismantled, its floor and ceiling were covered with oak, and, later on, its walls were panelled with oak, and shelves of the same material were affixed to them, it was fitted up with oak tables and seats, as a Sixth Form library. The inner room is about to be similarly fitted up. How former generations of O.R.s would stare if they could see the accommodation for the present Sixth Form! When Dr. Bigsby was a boy at School “the chair and desk of the Headmaster were under the canopy of time-stained oak, on a raised stage or platform,” at the north end of the room, “ascended, on either side, by steps. The space thus separated from the floor beneath was formerly enclosed in the manner of a pew, and contained seats for the accommodation of nearly the whole of the Sixth or head form. The approach was by a door at either side, situate above the steps.” This “pew,” much to the sorrow of the Dr., was removed in the year 1821.

In 1883-4 roof was raised, and new “studies” were built at the Hall. During the last ten years additional blocks of class rooms, laboratories, fives-courts, and a Porter’s Lodge (the gift of the present Headmaster) have been added.

The last improvement is now (1899) being made. In the year 1890 the Governors acquired the freehold of the “Hall Orchard,” at its south end a Sanatorium was erected and opened in the year 1894. The “Orchard,” owing to the unevenness of its surface, could not be used, properly, for games, so subscriptions for levelling it were asked for, O.R.s and others responded, as usual, in a very liberal manner, and the work was commenced at the end of last year. When finished there will be three fine “pitches,” one across the south end, and two, divided by a terrace, from it and themselves, down the remaining part of the “Orchard.” Owing to the unevenness referred to it was impossible to make it of one level.