Stanbridge Earls School

The Main House of Stanbridge Earls School

Stanbridge Earls School in Hampshire has a vast history.

The main house in Audley Stanbridge Earls is a Grade II* listed building. Its history dates back to Saxon royalty, with links to King Alfred the Great and the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.

From 1066, numerous families went on to own the estate. However, under ownership by John Fifield in the late 18th century, it fell into decay.

At the end of the 18th century, Florence Nightingale's father, William Nightingale, bought Stanbridge Earls. While being passed down through relatives, new wings were added to the property and it began to transform into the Tudor manor house it is today.

The name "Stanbridge" is of Saxon origin and derived from a bridge crossing on the River Test. There are claims for Stanbridge as the location of the burial in c.857 of King Æthelwulf based on antiquarian accounts from 16th to 18th centuries.

At the time of the Norman conquest an identifiable land holding was already in existence, recorded in the Domesday survey as an unnamed manor that was part of the estates held by Sir Ralph de Mortimer.

From 1942, along with Roke Manor to the south, Stanbridge Earls was used as a rest and recuperation home for USAF personnel. It was photographed in 1943, with images of the gardens, including the Burmese temple.