About Us

Chilton - the child's tun or children's place - was, in Saxon times, the novitiate centre for nearby Muchelney Abbey. Subsequently, in the 11th century, the de Canteloe family were rewarded with the gift of the Manor for their role in the Norman Conquest. The Domesday Book records that the village consisted of a church and 28 dwellings - only three fewer than today. Subsequent to the tenure of the de Canteloes and, later, of the Earls of Warwick, a succession of local families were associated both with the Manor and with other nearby houses of note (a fact recorded by the naming of the four wings of the Manor House as Barrington, Longleat, Montacute and Parnham). Apart from some medieval fragments, the oldest surviving part of the house dates from the 1690's and was incorporated into the present building when, in the mid-nineteenth century, the whole was enlarged on a pretentious scale by Sir John Goodford on his retirement as Provost of Eton.

In the 18th century the Manor passed from the Countess of Hertford (1729-80) to the Olds of Yeovil and then through marriage to the Goodford family, who moved out of the house in 1924. It was retained 'in commission' until requisitioned for the WRNS from 1942 until 1947, after which time it was maintained as a centre for Government Sponsored Training Courses. There is a fantastic piece of footage in the Pathe archive (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=46629) showing Chilton Cantelo House as the first Government-sponsored centre to train girls for domestic work. The commentator refers to girls who had done their training here to becoming graduates of the National Institute of Houseworkers. In the last months of their training, girls spent a few hours each day in nearby houses to gain practical experience!

The Vestey Trust subsequently acquired the estate, which was then sold and established as an independent school by the Cotes-James family from 1959-1989. Former pupils from this period have established their own website and more information is available from http://sites.google.com/site/chiltoncanteloschoololdies/. The School moved into the direction and ownership of the von Zeffman family in 1989, who oversaw significant refurbishment of the Manor House and an ambitious, on-going programme of renovation and construction of additional buildings on site.

We entered the latest chapter in our history when Cognita Schools Limited purchased the School in March 2007. Dr John Price (formerly Head of Boarding at Millfield School) took the helm as Headmaster in September 2008, marking the start of an exciting period of development which will see A Level students enter the school for the first time with the opening of the new Sixth Form Centre in September 2012 and the extension of the Preparatory School to include Pre-Prep pupils for the new academic year. From September 2012 children will have the opportunity to enter the school family at Reception with the potential to grow and enjoy the magic of childhood through to taking their first steps into further education, employment and beyond.

Chilton Cantelo enjoys an excellent reputation both at home and abroad for the breadth of education and record of achievement, which only a unity of purpose and aim can achieve. We entered the 21st century from a position of increased confidence and strength and remain justifiably proud of the success we achieve.