Page 9 - Oundle Life

3000, roughly one-third supported one of the dissenting chapels. The former Congregational Church, now the Stahl Theatre, was built
on the site of the Great Meeting, an earlier Independent place of Worship. A Baptist chapel was also built in 1852, but this was closed some years ago.
One of the most significant events in Oundle during the last hundred years was
the appointment in 1892 of FW Sanderson
as Headmaster of Oundle School. Before his death in 1922, Sanderson had transformed the school into the institution we know today, and in so doing he had a considerable effect on the development of the town. The Cloisters and the School House, date from before his headship, but the Great Hall, Science Block, the Yarrow and the four attractive houses in Milton Road were all built during his time. The school has also acquired some of Oundle’s finest houses including Cobthorne. Oundle’s
position as the education centre of North-East Northamptonshire was confirmed in 1971 with the opening of the Prince William School and Oundle Middle School.
Oundle grew steadily after the Second World War. In the last decade of the 20th century the population increased more rapidly to a 2005 figure of over 5250. A display at the museum in the Courthouse charts Oundle’s development through the centuries. In addition to the markets Oundle still contains a wide variety of shops and provides a social and shopping centre for villages up to six miles away.
Oundle is notable for its schools. Flourishing play groups cater for pre-school children. The state school system became three tier in 1971. The primary school in Milton Road is a Church of England controlled school. Oundle and Kings Cliffe Middle school educates pupils from 9 to 13 years. The Oundle site moved to new buildings on the Cotterstock Road in 1980.