Old Palace School

The Old Palace of John Whitgift School is an independent school for girls in Croydon, London. The Old Palace is protected as a Grade I listed building. It consists of a nursery for the ages of 2-3, a preparatory department for the ages of 4-10 and a senior school for pupils aged 11–18. The school is operated by the Whitgift Foundation, along with Whitgift School and Trinity School. HistoryThe school was founded in 1889 by the Sisters of the Church. The "Old Palace" itself was for 500 years the summer residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury. In the 19th century the Archbishops ended their residence at Croydon Palace and used Addington Palace, also in Croydon, instead. The Palace was sold and subsequently used as a bleaching factory, amongst other things. The building was rescued by the Duke of Newcastle in 1887 and given to the Sisters Of The Church who used it for educational purposes. In 1945 the school became a Direct Grant Grammar School and in 1975 became a fully independent day school for girls. The school joined the Whitgift Foundation in 1993. The school merged with Croham Hurst School, a former independent school, in 2008. It is also home to a suspected ghost - The Green Lady - who was said to have lived there around the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

The Old Palace of John Whitgift School is an independent school for girls in Croydon, London. The Old Palace is protected as a Grade I listed building. It consists of a nursery for the ages of 2-3, a preparatory department for the ages of 4-10 and a senior school for pupils aged 11–18. The school is operated by the Whitgift Foundation, along with Whitgift School and Trinity School. HistoryThe school was founded in 1889 by the Sisters of the Church. The "Old Palace" itself was for 500 years the summer residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury. In the 19th century the Archbishops ended their residence at Croydon Palace and used Addington Palace, also in Croydon, instead. The Palace was sold and subsequently used as a bleaching factory, amongst other things. The building was rescued by the Duke of Newcastle in 1887 and given to the Sisters Of The Church who used it for educational purposes. In 1945 the school became a Direct Grant Grammar School and in 1975 became a fully independent day school for girls. The school joined the Whitgift Foundation in 1993. The school merged with Croham Hurst School, a former independent school, in 2008. It is also home to a suspected ghost - The Green Lady - who was said to have lived there around the time of Queen Elizabeth I.