Report - Sandford School/Seven Springs House, Gloucestershire - Sept 2014

[ian b]

i went there as well from 1974 to 1985 but i I found it a good school for people like special-needs I turned out to be okay the worst thing they did was closing it now trying to sell it and that one I saw you must've been a bad child basically an ass

 

[March]

I went to this school in the 90's. I got off pretty sweet I recon, we used to clear out the tuck shop and go and eat it all in the woods. There was paint markers on the trees that said how far you could wonder your breaks.. I used to hate the sporty football bully's so I used to leave class and take the football nets so I could make hammocks in the trees. The teachers were a nightmare, they would restrain you and sit on you slap you and throw things at you. Not a nice place overall but we made the most of it. The design and tech teacher (mr price) was really nice and he used to drink Japanese tea in a small teapot with a strainer. We used to just make baseball bats and speaker box's. I was fortunate enough not to have to board there like my brother did as he went through hell. Some seriously dark memory's there but I would buy it if I had the money just for the nostalgia.

 

[NoisyRich]

Hi people,

Fantastic report from Huey. May I reach out to those of you who have dark memories or were mistreated in this place - my thoughts are with you.

I wanted to let you know that this house is now a fantastic privately owned house again. It has been painstakingly restored and updated over the past two years and is not available for rental as a holiday home.
I stayed here with my family at the end of February 2020.

It is now a 12 bedroom, 10 bathroom, 4 reception room with many other spaces.
Gladwin Hall
I have linked the address above so as to not repost others images without permission - take a look!
Here’s one I took.

 

[Mistymisty]

Interesting.. At some point in the late '60s. the house was used by Gloucestershire Education Authority as a residential "get away" for school children from the suburbs and towns. I do not recall the details (and in any case was only 10 when I stayed there in 1968), but I believe the house was offered to Junior Schools within the LEA for 3/4 days at a time. Teachers would accompany children there. I recall we used our time (as I suspect everyone else did) visiting Roman sites nearby and doing what was then called Environmental Studies. Of course we also visited the sweet shop in Coberly where the lady owner would always let the scales bang down (i.e. give more sweets than we paid for). It was a great opportunity for pupils from urban backgrounds to get out in to the countryside.
Such a shame to hear that the building had fallen in to disrepair, but glad to hear it has been renovated... I wonder if the old Button A/Button B telephone is still there?