Photo RGL 2016

Perse School for Boys

Notes on Perse Upper School Hills Road

This was built 1958-60 by architects Robert Matthew, John-Marshall and Partners. For more information see Cambridge New Architecture 1965 page 52.

The site was originally Trinity Farm and was acquired by Dr William Rouse, Perse headmaster from 1902-1928 as playing fields when the school was at Gonville House in the centre of town.

The land was bought in two stages, the first being the Luard Road playing field. Two further parcels of land, all with restrictive covenants, were acquired later taking the school site up to the boundary with Long Road on the south side.

In 1931 an old shed-like pavilion was replaced by a new cricket pavilion on the Glebe Road side of the main field.  Although Dr Rouse had always intended to build a new school at the site, it wasn’t until the reign of headmaster Stanley Stubbs (1945-1969) that the new school was founded. Roman artefacts were found during the building works.

The builders at the new site were Rattee and Kett of Purbeck Road. This photo is from a prospectus of their many projects.