# Royal Masonic School - August 2012



## Priority 7 (Aug 12, 2012)

The Royal Masonic School for Boys was an independent school for boys in England. I used to drive past this campus on a weekly if not daily basis so after seeing Landie's report from site I just had to pop my head around the remaining corridors to see what the old boy was like. Visited in the excellent company of OMJ, Headflux and a non member.







1798 saw charities being set up to help cloth and educat the sons of needy Freemasons. Originally education was provided by sending those boys to schools near to their homes. By 1857, after the consolodating of two such charities a purpose built masonic boys' school was set up in Wood Green. 1903 saw the construction of a new school in Bushey with a Junior School being added across the road in 1929. Student numbers hit 800 by 1939, hoiwever following a decline in pupil numbers the junior school closed, the site is now occupied by an Academy. The decline in numbers continued, eventually the senior school was forced to close in 1977. The United States International University (European Branch) used the site for a brief period. The buildings were frequently used as film sets with the likes of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Lucky Jim, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and numerous TV shows using the impressive architecture as a backdrop. Developers bought the around 1998 and after long delays in gaining planning approval over half the site hase been lovingly renovated to look like new, with the encompassed apartments carefully crafted to compliment this stunning building. I am quite surprised that the site seems to have been overlooked by the Urbex community until recently, and despite the remaining "dead" areas being stripped back to finish the renovation it isn't hard to imagine how grand this building truly was.












































































Cheers for looking


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## pumice (Aug 12, 2012)

Haha, nice report..... Good shots.


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## UE-OMJ (Aug 12, 2012)

Blimey P7, you're a bit keen with that report. Posted at 1:45am! Or did you get home and fall asleep (same as me  )

It was a very enjoyable day, with great company. Thanks everyone.

I cant believe I never even noticed the yellow hockey stick!


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## freespirits (Aug 12, 2012)

great reports and pics ,,,,what a fantastic building ,,,great features,,,nice job well done


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## kevsy21 (Aug 12, 2012)

Cracking pics and reports,it looks a good explore this place.


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## UEP-Wales (Aug 12, 2012)

Great report and pics guys!


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## darkside (Aug 12, 2012)

great report great pics guys


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## Ninja Kitten (Aug 12, 2012)

great pics there..nice to see some different ones of the place..good one!


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## Priority 7 (Aug 12, 2012)

Thanks guys and girls it was a fun explore and it looks as though the site will be fully and tastefully converted in the not too distant future


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## urbexdad (Aug 12, 2012)

Cracking report and superb pics as always mate !!!!


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## UrbanX (Aug 12, 2012)

Lovely shots lads, looks a lovely old place. Looks like you had a lovely day for it too!


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## TeeJF (Aug 12, 2012)

What a cracking site!!! Some great photos there fellas!


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## flyboys90 (Aug 13, 2012)

What a cracking building its looks like the developers have been very sympathetic!Great photos both.


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## Alexander1683 (Aug 13, 2012)

Who do you think owns this? If anyone?


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## Priority 7 (Aug 13, 2012)

Connaught or comer homes judging from the signage around the lived in part


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## TeeJF (Aug 14, 2012)

Alexander1683 said:


> Who do you think owns this? If anyone?



It will definitely belong to someone - every building and every piece of land in the UK, with the exception of the area of land between the high and low water mark which if my memory serves me correctly belongs to the crown, is owned by someone. It gets tricky when someone dies without a will and has no direct descendants, but then specialist firms will search to find the closest remaining member of the family.

I've often wondered what happens when the sea chews off a huge chunk of some person's land such as happens in Norfolk a lot - does that mean the owner immediately forfeits something they have title upon and the Queen gets a bit more beach for paddling? 

I'm pretty sure those are the facts, it's years since I studied it in any detail. There used to be a fallacy about so called "common land" not belonging to anyone.

Funny old business land ownership!


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## sonyes (Aug 17, 2012)

Amazing looking place, and some great pics from all!!


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## SeffyboyUK (Aug 17, 2012)

Quality is what this place is, love it! Good report P7!


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## Maddie220790 (Aug 20, 2012)

Wow! Probably one of the best sets of photos and reports I've seen! So much still in there!


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## alex76 (Aug 20, 2012)

Nicely done chaps liking this one lots


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## Ace247 (Aug 23, 2012)

Amazing building & Pictures, fantastic work guys...


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