ABOUT THE SCHOOL
THE MEMORIAL FIELD
Those people who think about the subject sometimes question why a playing field, adjacent to the castle and the town of Ashby de la Zouch is called 'The Memorial Field'.
The Memorial Field, in the shadow of Ashby Castle
If, as they rightly point out, the field is a memorial field then somebody must be remembered. Further questions always follow and perhaps it is time to answer those questions on this web site and to explain exactly who is remembered by those connected with the memorial field.
Click image for a larger version
The field in question is an area of recreational land under the care of Trustees. These Trustees are former boys of Ashby Grammar School (now Ashby School) who have a duty of care towards the ground they help to maintain.
The field was purchased in 1950, at the instigation of Thomas Arnold Woodcock, arguably the most able and active headmaster of the 20th Century. His intention, and the intention of those Trustees who joined him in this venture, was to create a playing field as a permanent memorial to the boys from Ashby Grammar School who had fallen in the two World Wars.
It seemed to the men who founded the original Trust that there was no more fitting tribute to young men whose lives had been cut short by war than to provide an opportunity for recreation, fun and life to the next generation of young people.
There can be no argument that the setting of the field is not spectacular. It is situated in the very shadow of the ancient castle which itself bears the scars of a former bloody conflict The ground itself is part of English history and no one using the field can fail to be impressed by the historical associations which overshadow the land.
Equally vivid in the memories of many former users of field will be a recollection of a sea of mud. More reminiscent of the First World War than the Second, those of us who played rugby on the field will remember sliding several yards through a morass of extraordinary stickiness as we struggled towards the goal line.
Situated at the foot of the castle slope the ground always suffered from water logging and the prospect of matches to be played in winter months was sometimes, for those concerned, a little more daunting because of the certain knowledge that the ground would provide its elemental obstacles.
In recent years under the chairmanship of Clive Jones, the Trustees have made strenuous efforts to drain, fence and refurbish the field to a standard appropriate for its use and reflecting its status as a memorial to fallen boys of the Grammar school.
In the last five years a great deal of work has been put in on the field to make it, once again, a more pleasant and welcoming area for physical activity The field has once again had a drainage system inserted, the ditches have been cleared, fences and boundaries repaired, steps provided with hand rails, a hedge line planted and a fence to protect the perimeter. There was also a line of splendid young lime trees planted to mark the rededication of the field in November 2000.
On this occasion the Trustees invited Old Ashbeians to a service of rededication on the field. The blessing was given by the Reverend John Dawson, himself a former pupil of the school. The event which took place in glorious late autumn sunshine seemed a very suitable and fitting way to mark the continuing commitment to provide a memorial to those boys who gave up their lives so that others may continue to live in freedom.
On the bank adjacent to the field is a memorial stone which bears an inscription dedicating the field as a memorial to the young men of the school who perished. Every autumn boarders from School House set about the task of trimming back the foliage around it and scrubbing it with the Brasso to bring it to a state of smartness appropriate for Armistice Day.
With the memorial refurbished and the field in good trim the Trustees are confident that their responsibilities are being properly carried out and the memorial stands solid for another generation.
Chairman, Clive Jones
who can be contacted through the Ashby School website
The Roll of Honour - situated in a classroom in 'B' Block
Click the images below for a larger image.
Click here for details on the Victoria Crosses of Ashby School.
