Chard School

Spring has arrived it seems! Brilliant sunshine today and a nice short round trip for me, to Fore Street in Chard and a visit to the historic Chard School. The main part of this lovely school dates from the 1580's, but I am performing in the old Chapel which is even older. No one is quite sure of the exact date but it could be contemporary with Henry VIIIth himself!

The caretaker is the first person to greet me and gives me a full run down on the previous evening's "X-Factor" talent show the children had put on. Then the headmaster comes to join me. He is very warm and welcoming and bears a more than uncanny resemblance to the character Scottie as he appeared in the later Star Trek films.

The children, as with most private schools, are very confident and knowledgable. Thankfully they laugh at all the gags as well. The day is given a slightly disjointed edge by not having one teacher with the group all day. Instead, each teacher who's lesson I am interrupting, sits in for that hour or so. However, the day goes swimmingly. I am treated to a lovely lunch by the headmaster's charming wife in their flat overlooking Fore Street, before I am back on parade in the chapel for the stocks session and a final jousting tournament. Very predictably the ladies win the jousting! Big rousing cheers at the end and then I am on my way. A lovely day and a lovely school.

Thursday I am off for the first of two days at Cotford St Luke (the 2nd day isn't until July!).