Henry VIII’s forgotten Essex palace which is now an award-winning school

An Essex school which was once King Henry VIII's now forgotten palace has won a prestigious award. New Hall School has been handed a prestigious award by Muddy Stillettos - but it was once a palace for King Henry VIII.

It may have been over 500 years since King Henry VIII owned New Hall, which was the former Tudor Palace of Beaulieu, but the preparatory school's Royal roots are still firm in place, with Henry VIII's Royal coat of arms still on show in the school chapel.

New Hall school has since become one of Essex's most successful independent, diamond model, schools steeped in history with more than 1,150 students. The grand, picturesque Catholic boarding and day school, is surrounded by 70 acres of a historic parkland and gardens.

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Set in a stunning former Tudor palace at the end of the mile-long, tree-lined avenue of Beaulieu, New Hall has made this their home since 1799. Just 45 minutes away from London Liverpool Street with a minibus running from Chelmsford station to the school, New Hall accommodates girls and boys aged 3-18.

Sir Thomas Boleyn inherited New Hall from his father Sir William in the late 1400s and in 1517, the vast estate was acquired by the former English king and called it Beaulieu and still has his royal arms up in the Chapel at New Hall today and called it Beaulieu.

For many years, it was also the home of Mary Tudor, but New Hall was subsequently granted to the Earl of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth I. It was then later being procured by Oliver Cromwell for no fewer than five shillings.

Having fallen into disrepair and been somewhat pillaged, the house was bought by a Dutch trader John Olmius in 1738 who refashioned the north wing as a self-contained house with a new entrance and bay windows, interior plasterwork and panelling. Under the reign of George III, he became the 1st Baron Waltham of Philpstown.

Prestigious award

Every year, Muddy Stilettos, lifestyle platform and magazine, awards independent fee-paying schools across the UK which have really shone, creating a learning environment that truly encourages young people to excel.

This year, one of Chelmsford ’s very own independent schools entered in the hopes of winning or being granted a highly commended acknowledgement. With over 500 schools entering in 2024, the awards are judged by a panel of headteachers and educational experts seeking out not only the best practice, but the most innovative and trend-setting projects in education. There are 13 different categories in total, which aims to celebrate a wide span of accomplishments across the country including a ‘Prepared for Life’ award, an ‘Excellence in Stem’ award, and a ‘Most Inclusive School’ award.

Fierce competition is expected, as schools enter the competition with the hopes of gaining well-deserved recognition for their hard work, a Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Award Plaque, and a Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards website digital rosette. This year New Hall School, in Chelmsford, entered into one of the categories: ‘The Best Experiential Learning’ award.

According to Muddy Stilettos, this award is specifically celebrating schools which have “a programme, exceptional setting or a unique approach to learning away from traditional classroom teaching”.

Immersing their students in an interactive languages experience, New Hall School’s language department developed a programme to orient children by giving students the opportunity to practise their language in a real life setting. According to a spokesperson for the school “Cookery in schools is an opportunity to educate in nutrition, food hygiene, and kitchen safety.

A spokesperson commented that “‘a way to a person’s heart is through their stomach’ and at New Hall School, the award-winning experiential learning through cookery develops a love of language, culture, and many delicious new meals. To lovers of both languages and the culinary arts, they say, ‘Bienvenue et bon appétit!’”