History
Berkhamsted School was founded in 1541 by John Incent, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral.
The School flourished for 100 years but, as with many public schools, the next two centuries brought difficult times. The School was re-established in 1841 and the year 1888 saw the establishment of the Girls Grammar School in Berkhamsted. In 1996, the move was made to merge the two schools.
The 475th anniversary of Incent’s foundation was celebrated in 2016 and a series of events marked this milestone, including an historic visit to the School by our former Patron, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Although the anniversary was linked to the foundation of the Boys School, we celebrated the anniversary as the Berkhamsted family of schools of today, from Pre-Prep and Prep, through to Heatherton, Boys, Girls and Sixth.
Our 475th Anniversary celebrations began in October 2015 with a 475th Anniversary launch dinner that saw current and past Heads and Principals, head boys and head girls, governors and long-serving staff come together for a memorable evening.
The launch dinner featured the first sight of the book ‘Berkhamsted School: A 475th Anniversary Portrait’, written by former English Master John Davison.
During the 2015-16 academic year we also marked the 125th anniversary of what is now known as the Combined Cadet Force, as well as the centenary of the introduction of competitive rugby at Berkhamsted.
The Berkhamsted of today is, for the most part, unrecognisable from the school of Incent’s vision. His ambition was for a school of just 144 boys, yet there are enduring features.
Our original school hall was completed in 1544 and still stands as a symbol of the strength, character and resilience of both the School and those associated with it.
We continue to foster a tradition of developing remarkable people with a spirit of adventure and we remain firmly rooted in the local community.

Berkhamsted Archive
The Archive endeavours to preserve and make available for research and enquiry, a permanent establishment of records, memorabilia and artefacts, relating to the history of Berkhamsted School.
Please visit Berkhamsted Digital Archive for details of how to access the three digitised School publications –
- The Berkhamstedian (Boys)
- The Chronicle (Girls)
- The Old Berkhamstedian (OBs)

Our Christian Foundation
Our Christian Foundation derives from the founding of the School in 1541 by John Incent, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral.
We are reminded of our Christian Foundation by the presence of the chapels on our Castle and Kings campuses, which are overseen by our Chaplain and two full-time chaplaincy staff.
Faith, prayer, thanksgiving and the worship of God have been part of the tradition of Berkhamsted from its very beginning.
To remain true to our Christian Foundation we strive to be a community in which this ethos is clear. This is embodied in regular chapel services, House assemblies and confirmation classes. Our aim is to give young people the opportunity to embrace these values in order to serve others as they leave school and go out into the wider world with a sense of compassion.
Some Berkhamstedians are members of other faiths and every consideration is given to their needs, but parents of prospective pupils should bear in mind that all pupils must attend chapel as part of their school week. Our chapel services are Christian in their focus, yet accessible to those of other faiths and none.