Ampleforth College

St Aidan’s has perhaps the most varied history of all the Ampleforth houses. Founded as one of the four original houses in 1926, it was unique in that it remained in its original central school location until 2001. After seventy two years as a boy’s house with a succession of monastic housemasters Mr Bill Lofthouse became the first lay housemaster in 1998 of a hybrid house containing 6^th form male boarders and the first formal female day students (although some girls, usually daughters of lay masters, had attended the school for some time although without joining any of the houses). In 2001 St Aidan’s was again at the forefront of co-education when it became Ampleforth’s first girls’ sixth form house with Miss Penny Dixon as Housemistress.

Finally in 2002 St Aidan’s moved out of the central school and into its modern home on Aumit Hill opposite the infirmary. Under Miss Toni Beary and Mrs Brenda Abbott the girls of the house led the way in establishing co-education at Ampleforth and proved that girls could both flourish at Ampleforth as well as perhaps contributing a little civilising influence on the male students. Those early girls established many of the activities and traditions that girls still follow today. For example, the development of girls’ games under Miss Kate Fraser (Assistant Housemistress and Girls’ Games Mistress), which then benefited the arrival of junior girls in St Margaret’s and St Bede’s. The final stage of the house’s development came in 2010 when the house was extended to provide accommodation for junior as well as sixth form girls.

Stability is one of the three vows of monastic life and, although much has changed over the last 85 years, there is perhaps more that has remained the same. St Aidan’s is lucky to have all our honour boards going back to 1926; not just for Head of House but also for the various captains of house teams. All are kept updated although admittedly there has been a change from Rugby to Lacrosse! The transition to being a girls’ house has also not reduced the importance of the Benedictine character of the house with Fr Oswald, Fr Sebastian and, currently, Fr Dominic playing a valued role in the life of the house.

St Aidan’s has perhaps the most varied history of all the Ampleforth houses. Founded as one of the four original houses in 1926, it was unique in that it remained in its original central school location until 2001. After seventy two years as a boy’s house with a succession of monastic housemasters Mr Bill Lofthouse became the first lay housemaster in 1998 of a hybrid house containing 6^th form male boarders and the first formal female day students (although some girls, usually daughters of lay masters, had attended the school for some time although without joining any of the houses). In 2001 St Aidan’s was again at the forefront of co-education when it became Ampleforth’s first girls’ sixth form house with Miss Penny Dixon as Housemistress.

Finally in 2002 St Aidan’s moved out of the central school and into its modern home on Aumit Hill opposite the infirmary. Under Miss Toni Beary and Mrs Brenda Abbott the girls of the house led the way in establishing co-education at Ampleforth and proved that girls could both flourish at Ampleforth as well as perhaps contributing a little civilising influence on the male students. Those early girls established many of the activities and traditions that girls still follow today. For example, the development of girls’ games under Miss Kate Fraser (Assistant Housemistress and Girls’ Games Mistress), which then benefited the arrival of junior girls in St Margaret’s and St Bede’s. The final stage of the house’s development came in 2010 when the house was extended to provide accommodation for junior as well as sixth form girls.

Stability is one of the three vows of monastic life and, although much has changed over the last 85 years, there is perhaps more that has remained the same. St Aidan’s is lucky to have all our honour boards going back to 1926; not just for Head of House but also for the various captains of house teams. All are kept updated although admittedly there has been a change from Rugby to Lacrosse! The transition to being a girls’ house has also not reduced the importance of the Benedictine character of the house with Fr Oswald, Fr Sebastian and, currently, Fr Dominic playing a valued role in the life of the house.

St Aidan’s has perhaps the most varied history of all the Ampleforth houses. Founded as one of the four original houses in 1926, it was unique in that it remained in its original central school location until 2001. After seventy two years as a boy’s house with a succession of monastic housemasters Mr Bill Lofthouse became the first lay housemaster in 1998 of a hybrid house containing 6^th form male boarders and the first formal female day students (although some girls, usually daughters of lay masters, had attended the school for some time although without joining any of the houses). In 2001 St Aidan’s was again at the forefront of co-education when it became Ampleforth’s first girls’ sixth form house with Miss Penny Dixon as Housemistress.

Finally in 2002 St Aidan’s moved out of the central school and into its modern home on Aumit Hill opposite the infirmary. Under Miss Toni Beary and Mrs Brenda Abbott the girls of the house led the way in establishing co-education at Ampleforth and proved that girls could both flourish at Ampleforth as well as perhaps contributing a little civilising influence on the male students. Those early girls established many of the activities and traditions that girls still follow today. For example, the development of girls’ games under Miss Kate Fraser (Assistant Housemistress and Girls’ Games Mistress), which then benefited the arrival of junior girls in St Margaret’s and St Bede’s. The final stage of the house’s development came in 2010 when the house was extended to provide accommodation for junior as well as sixth form girls.

Stability is one of the three vows of monastic life and, although much has changed over the last 85 years, there is perhaps more that has remained the same. St Aidan’s is lucky to have all our honour boards going back to 1926; not just for Head of House but also for the various captains of house teams. All are kept updated although admittedly there has been a change from Rugby to Lacrosse! The transition to being a girls’ house has also not reduced the importance of the Benedictine character of the house with Fr Oswald, Fr Sebastian and, currently, Fr Dominic playing a valued role in the life of the house.

St Aidan’s has perhaps the most varied history of all the Ampleforth houses. Founded as one of the four original houses in 1926, it was unique in that it remained in its original central school location until 2001. After seventy two years as a boy’s house with a succession of monastic housemasters Mr Bill Lofthouse became the first lay housemaster in 1998 of a hybrid house containing 6^th form male boarders and the first formal female day students (although some girls, usually daughters of lay masters, had attended the school for some time although without joining any of the houses). In 2001 St Aidan’s was again at the forefront of co-education when it became Ampleforth’s first girls’ sixth form house with Miss Penny Dixon as Housemistress.

Finally in 2002 St Aidan’s moved out of the central school and into its modern home on Aumit Hill opposite the infirmary. Under Miss Toni Beary and Mrs Brenda Abbott the girls of the house led the way in establishing co-education at Ampleforth and proved that girls could both flourish at Ampleforth as well as perhaps contributing a little civilising influence on the male students. Those early girls established many of the activities and traditions that girls still follow today. For example, the development of girls’ games under Miss Kate Fraser (Assistant Housemistress and Girls’ Games Mistress), which then benefited the arrival of junior girls in St Margaret’s and St Bede’s. The final stage of the house’s development came in 2010 when the house was extended to provide accommodation for junior as well as sixth form girls.

Stability is one of the three vows of monastic life and, although much has changed over the last 85 years, there is perhaps more that has remained the same. St Aidan’s is lucky to have all our honour boards going back to 1926; not just for Head of House but also for the various captains of house teams. All are kept updated although admittedly there has been a change from Rugby to Lacrosse! The transition to being a girls’ house has also not reduced the importance of the Benedictine character of the house with Fr Oswald, Fr Sebastian and, currently, Fr Dominic playing a valued role in the life of the house.