Grant's

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From the early 18th century it was common for boarding houses to be established independently from schools and run by women, known as Dames. Grant’s boarding house takes its name from the three “Mothers Grant” who were its Dames for nearly a hundred years from 1747. A substantial Georgian building, Grant's was constructed in 1790 as the middle house of a terrace of three designed by Brettingham, upon the site of the earlier Vaughan’s house. Among early Grantites were Lord John Russell, the future Prime Minister, and his brothers, Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury, Augustus Short, first Bishop of Adelaide, the sixth Earl of Albemarle who lived to be almost the last survivor of the battle of Waterloo. Much of the current boarding accommodation is in the 1950s extension to the rear, which links the house to the old sick-rooms or ‘Chiswick’s’ – named after the School’s traditional refuge in times of plague.

Facts and Figures

Housemaster:

Mr Nick Fair (Economics, RSHE & Wellbeing)

Founded	c. 1750
House Type	Boarding and Day
Total Pupils	74

Four boys in running clothes with light blue house t-shirts posing for a photo on Wimbledon Common, with trees behind them

Two boys to the left chatting with one girls who is facing the camera, there is a big blue artwork on the wall behind them and pupils sat talking on a couch too

Grant's boys posing together for a photo in hiking gear in Cumbria, with hills behind them

A Grant's boy rolling dough for a pizza at the Grant's pizza stall at September Saturday

Five Grant's boys sat at a table eating dessert and smiling for the camera

Grant's Housemaster running in a light blue house t-shirt, with trees behind him, signalling 'come on!' to the camera

Pupils sat on perpendicular sofas against walls, the one at the back of the photo has a window behind it with bright light and a boy and a girl sat on it, and the one to the right is against the fireplace and has four boys smiling, squashed onto it. There is a piiano in the corner betweent hem with one boy sat on the stool turning towards the camera and smiling too. there is a big red Persian rug on the floor

Two girls stood up talking with red coffee cups in the corner of the room, one facing the camera and one with her back to it, and there are lots of staged and formal house photos on the wall

"Grant’s is a vibrant, inclusive, and highly productive community. Our house culture is built upon a foundation of shared ambition and a genuine commitment to supporting one another. We encourage every pupil to strive for excellence while ensuring they feel part of a kind and collaborative environment. One of the most exciting aspects of Grant’s is its location, right at the physical and historical heart of the School in Little Dean's Yard. We’re a diverse house, home to boarding and day pupils of all genders, and we are particularly looking forward to 2028, when we will begin welcoming Fifth Form girls into the boarding community. We’ve also grown increasingly competitive in house sports in recent years, a trend driven by the enthusiasm of the pupils. But perhaps the event Grant’s is best known for at the moment is our legendary annual pizza stand at September Saturday – a highlight of the year and a true celebration of the spirit of the house."

— Mr Nick Fair, Grant's Housemaster

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