CHARD School recently travelled back in time to celebrate its 345th anniversary with a day of activities.

Children arrived in medieval costume to enjoy activities including baking, sewing, dancing, and fencing.

In the day’s activities, held last Tuesday, children also learnt the Greek alphabet, and played traditional games in the gym.

The prep school was founded in 1671 under the reign of Charles II, and has been educating children on the same site for 345 years.

After a medieval stew lunch the children visited Chard Museum to find out more about the era in which the school was founded.

There the children were met by the Mayor and the Mace-bearer and paraded through the town centre behind a pony and trap, back to the school grounds.

Gathered in the playground, the school community re-enacted the handing over of the building deeds for the purpose of being a school with the Mayor.

Parents were treated to singing and dancing by the children before the day was rounded off with a hog roast on Monmouth Lawn for the parents, teachers and children. So far this year, Chard School has enrolled around fifteen new pupils.

Sarah Graham, head teacher at Chard School, said: “I am very much looking forward to welcoming the new pupils who are registered for September.

“Families who come to us are finding it is possible to afford both a lifestyle and a good all-round education – come and see for yourselves.”

The school itself is in two Grade 2* listed buildings. The main building was originally a sixteenth century town house and was turned into the town’s grammar school in 1671.

It remained the town’s grammar school until 1890, when it became a public boarding school. In 1972 the present school was established, as an independent co-educational preparatory school.

For more information on the school or the days events, visit chardschool.co.uk.