There is evidence that a school stood in the same area as EGS, Enfield Chantry School, from c. 1398–1558, and is the predecessor of Enfield Grammar School. The school has its origins in the 1462 will of Agnes Myddleton, which left an estate at Poynetts in Essex to set up a chantry chapel in St Andrew’s church. The chantry priest, who later also became a teacher, chanted prayers for the souls of the donor, her parents and her four husbands.
Early in the 16th century the funds from the Poynetts estate were converted to support a school. In 1516 the parish acquired Prounces house, behind the King’s Head, for the school master and in 1557 a school house is first mentioned. William Garrett’s 1586 bequest of £50 helped the parish to build the present Grade II listed Tudor three storey red brick school in the 1580/90s, at a total cost of over £400. Initially, the upper floors were used for parish meetings. This building was sometimes referred to as the Old Hall and is still part of our current school.
Until 1967 EGS remained a grammar school. In that year, it was amalgamated with Chace Boys School to form a comprehensive school which retained the name Enfield Grammar School. The two schools were separated again in 1970, but both remained comprehensive. Chace Boys School has since become co-educational and has changed its name to Chace Community School.
The school motto, ‘Tant Que Je Puis’ Old French for ‘As much as I can’ , which is incorporated in the school badge / crest was adopted from the family of Dr. Robert Uvedale who was master from 1664 to 1676.
The school has a house system for some internal sporting activities and pupil awards and achievements. The names of the houses are Forty, Myddelton, Poynetts, Raleigh, St. Andrew’s and Uvedale. See The Houses page for more information.
For a significant period, when the school was a selective one up to the end of the 1960s, the houses were the basis of a wide range of other competitive internal activities such as drama, debating, competitive sports (including shooting).
- 14th C Prounces House on left- 1739 small Masters house on right (Uvedale Cottage)- 1880 restored school in centre
William Bradshawe 1558 – 1600 – the very first headmaster
Thomas Taylor 1600 – 1606 – received 14s to take over from Bradshawe and serve as headmaster
Richard Ward 1606 – 1647 – 1621 the master was to receive £20 a year and was to teach the children of the inhabitants of Enfield the cross-row or alphabetical letters, writing, grammar, and arithmetic. Prouns’ house, adjacent to the school, which had been purchased by the parish in 1516, became the master’s house
Dr. Robert Uvedale 1664 -1676 – was a well-known Botanist as well as a classical scholar. The school adopted his family coat of arms and motto – “Tant Que Je Puis”…”As Much As I Can”. He.. established a private school in the manor-house and attracted more boarders and day pupils from a higher class than previously. The parishioners accused him of neglecting the grammar school; although he won his case he decided to resign and devote his time to his private pupils and his botanical studies.

Dr R Uvedale
William Nelson 1678 – 1700
Thomas Harper 1700 – 1721
The Revd. John Davis 1721 – 1732
The Revd. John Allen 1732 – 1761 – (part of the school turned into a boarding school) He was such a successful headmaster that the school was extended. The vestry gave up the upper part of the school-house, which was then fitted up for boarders, and a new 3 storey master’s house was added to the left of building in 1739
The Revd. Daniel Shipton 1761 – 1762
The Revd. Samuel Hardy 1762 – 1791 – was an author and theologian, In 1779 he established the dimensions of a cedar tree planted by Uvedale and for many years a local landmark (plaque can be seen outside Pearsons in the pedestrian area of Palace Gardens). During this period the school suffered financially.
The Revd. John Milne 1791- 1831 – There were about 110 boys, aged 7 to 14, all the sons of parishioners both rich and poor alike. They were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic; geography, mathematics, and classics were available for those willing and able to profit from their study. The parents provided the books and stationery, but there were no fees. in 1825 a new scheme was drawn up for the government of the school. The master was to receive a salary of £120 a year, but if the number of boys fell below 60 his salary was to be cut by one-third. There were to be three hours of teaching each morning and afternoon; instruction was to be given in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the master and boys were to attend church on Sundays and prayer days.
James Emery 1831 – 1846 – There was an unsuccessful case against him for neglect of duty and he was eventually “bought out” by….
Charles Chambers 1847 – 1874 – He, again, did not prove to be a very successful headmaster and hung on to his post against the will of the trustees. The school found itself in financial difficulties. There were then 75 boys who were taught the elementary subjects and history, grammar, and geography. There was no Latin, French, or drawing, nor were there examinations or prizes; the books were antiquated, the school was badly organised, and the buildings were unsatisfactory. School fees were introduced in 1872.
After a long period of decline, when much of the endowment was spent on law suits between the parish and masters, Enfield Grammar closed in 1872. The Poynetts estate was sold and £1000 was spent on renovating the school The Georgian windows were replaced with the present neo-Tudor ones and the upper floors were converted into classrooms. This 1880 photograph shows the restored school, with the late 14th century Prounces house on the far left. The school reopened in January 1876 with 11 boys
J Jackson 1875 (Appointed – did not serve)
W.G. Macdonald 1876 – 1877 – The curriculum included mathematics, history, geography, French, natural science, and vocal music, for a fee of £6 a year; Latin, German, and drawing were extras at £1 a year for each subject.
W.S. Ridewood 1877 – 1909 – Pupils increased to 159 and the buildings extended. In 1908 the school passed under the control of the County Council. In 1894 the South Block was erected with the aid of a grant from the Middlesex County Council, and six years later the 18th-century Assembly Rooms were purchased; these additions provided laboratories, a library, a staff room, and several classrooms.
In 1908 the school passed under the control of the County Council.
Mr Edwin M Eagles 1909 – 1934 – The school continued to grow and in 1909 a new hall and three more classrooms were erected 1924 purchased Enfield Court (now known as Lower School) – housing the juniors and the grounds became the playing fields).

L.C. Soar 1934-1964 – 1938 building of the new hall began (Main Hall at Upper) plus other additions; classrooms, new library, science labs. Under the 1944 Education Act the school became a voluntary controlled school. In 1964, when there were 778 pupils, Mr Soar retired.
Dr. L. Whitworth 1964 – 1980
Malcolm McAlpine 1980 – 1987
David Thomas 1987 – 1995
David Daniels 1995 – 2001 (sadly passed away August 2020)
Michael C. Weeks 2001 – 2006
John Kerr 2006 – 2017

Mr Chris Lamb 2017 – present

A war memorial dedicated to the former pupils of a school who died in the Second World War
The memorial at Enfield Grammar School (Upper School site) commemorates the 11 staff and old boys of the school who lost their lives service the country.
During the war, a Master at the school, Mr HW Mabbott, kept a journal of all Old Boys and Staff who served. Following the end of the war, he placed an advertisement in the local press on several occasions 1946-47, announcing the intention of placing a permanent memorial at the school, as had been the case after the Great War, where 96 Old Boys died in the service of their country. For reasons unknown to this day, nothing came of it.
Hon. Sec (later Life Vice-President) of the Enfield Grammar Old Boys Association, David Cooper, revived the idea and a lot more information was gathered; but momentum could not be maintained.
Shortly before David died in 2015, he passed the file on to the current Hon. Secretary, David Malleson. Mr Malleson said: “To enable this memorial to be placed in the School as a permanent reminder to current pupils and Old Boys alike, is testament to the attachment that many Old Boys still feel towards their school, and how important the topic of Remembrance is still today, 70 years on from the end of the Second World War.’
Plans were made and an appeal for funds was launched. Within weeks, over £1,000 had been pledged by Old Boys and friends, sufficient to commission the work.
Mr Malleson added: “A Roll of Honour has also been produced with as much information as could be obtained on their service from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission, historical associations and through local sources and archive material.
“Old Boys served in almost every theatre of the war, from the Battle of Britain, the Western Desert, the Far East (including many taken as Prisoners of War at Singapore and Hong Kong), Bomber Command, and following the D-Day landings in 1944 to the end of the war.”


The unveiling of the memorial by Mr Kerr, Mr Gross & Mr Malleson
- Lower School – Front Entrance 1930s
- Lower School – Enfield Court 1920s / 30s
- Lower School – Front 1930s
- Lower School Front
- Lower School – Rear 1930s
- Lower School – Rear
- Lower School – Rear
- (Upper School) Tudor Building & Assembly Rooms c1880
- (Upper School) Tudor Building & Uvedale Cottage c1880
- (Upper School) Tudor Building & Headmasters House c1890
- (Upper School) Tudor Building & Uvedale Cottage c1890
- (Upper School) Interior c1900
- (Upper School) Tudor Building from West c1890
- (Upper) School & Uvedale House c1890
- Upper School & Assembly Rooms 1938
- Upper School Passage Link c1938
- Upper School Hall 1938
- Group Photo Students 1883
- Prize Giving 1920 – Head Me E Eagles -Goschen – Bowles – Howell-Brown –
- Grammar School Boys (left & County Girls (right) c1925
- Old Boys c1930
An Enfield Grammar School Magazine from 1932-33
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