Boarding

Year 9 Girls' House

Housemistress: Joanna Moore
Assistant Housemistress and Assistant Housemaster: Xiaoya He and Daniel Rodriguez
Group and liaison tutors: Daisy Shimmin, Kelly Lindsell and Antonia Cord

Twitter: @AcaciaMillfield

Instagram: @acacia_house_millfield

House Spirit

Acacia is one of the most established girls' boarding houses in Millfield. It has a superb location in the very heart of the school campus and yet it manages to retain a high degree of privacy. Because the layout of the house has evolved over a period of time Acacia has become a very social house with friendships across the year group. The design of the common room, the secluded garden and the free flowing nature of the house allows the girls to mix comfortably. Being an Acacia girl is about respecting and caring for others, whilst making the most of the wonderful facilities and expertise the school has to offer. There is a sense of work and play within the house which makes it appealing to many of the girls and is part of the reason why the girls are such a close knit and supportive group.

Housemistress

Joanna Moore is Acacia's Housemistress and comes with ten years of experience in boarding schools; she was previously Head of Home Economics and Assistant Housemistress at Ackworth School in Yorkshire. Joanna is also a Teacher of Food and Nutrition at Millfield. She lives in the house with her partner, Matthew, who manages a business in the energy sector in Devon, and her stepchildren Izzy and Beth. The family have two Labradors, called Nala and Arlo who relish their long walks around Somerset and Devon. Joanna also enjoys home crafts and baking the odd celebration cake throughout the year.

History

Acacia has been home to many well-known people including; 

Jane Fisher (1983-1985; Acacia), World Indoor Rowing Champion

Susanna Eastburn (1985-1987; Acacia), Artistic Director of the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

Charlotte Leslie (1995-1996; Acacia), MP for Bristol North West

Jazmin Sawyers (2010-2012; Acacia), Commonwealth Team England 2014; Silver Medallist, Long Jump

Senior Girls' House

Housemaster: Tom Neal-Smith
Assistant Housemistress: Lauren Weldon
Liaison tutors: Kirsten Hilton, Tyler Dodge, Stacey Edwards, Kim Hunt & Rhona Austin

Twitter: @KernickNews

House Spirit

Kernick is one of eight houses in Chindit Avenue. It is in a lovely position, tucked away just behind the stables and close to both the main academic campus and the swimming pool. Kernick has been very fortunate with many wins in either the Junior or Senior Girls house matches over the years. This is partly due to the array of multi-talented girls in the house in areas ranging from music, drama and across various sports. The most important thing, however, has been the tremendous house spirit, whether this is in the final or the playoff for 7th or 8th place. The bribe of pizzas for winning a competition seems to do no harm either!

Winning trophies, however, is the ‘icing on the cake’ and the main focus in the house is the importance of looking after and being kind to each other. The year groups mix very well and the senior girls strive to befriend and help the younger girls settle in. The hub of the house is definitely the kitchen where all year groups will congregate and settle down to chat, snack or discuss the latest series on Netflix.

Housemaster

Tom is the Housemaster of Kernick and joined Millfield in 2017. He is the Head of Spanish and supports with the Clay Pigeon Shooting team. He was previously Housemaster of The Grange, as well as Assistant Housemaster in Great for two years as well as being a live-out Assistant Housemaster in Orchards. He is determined to ensure aspirations to academic, sporting, and extra-curricular excellence become commonplace at Kernick. Tom is joined by his partner, Ben, who is the Head of Psychology at Millfield and a tutor in Overleigh. They have two very excitable dogs, Rafa and Tottie, and Tom and Ben enjoy eating well and travelling as much as they can during the holidays.

Senior Girls' House

Housemaster: Paul Wadeson
Assistant Housemistress: Holly White
Liaison tutors: Maddison Heywood, Julie Boyd, and Victoria Stancer 

Twitter: @martinsmfd

House Spirit

The feeling of being at home is a high priority at Martins. With such busy lifestyles at school Martins is a peaceful shelter for girls to be themselves. There is a genuine social mix between girls where age is no boundary to spending time together. We have a diverse mix of characters and talents in Martins including riders, swimmers, golfers, dancers, footballers, tennis, hockey and netball players, artists and musicians, right down to those who like to do a little bit of everything. This promotes acceptance of others and encourages girls to embrace individuality whilst cultivating their own independence, confidence and self-esteem. The house ethos is based on trust and respect, which helps lead to a relaxed, safe and friendly environment in which everyone can learn and develop at the pace that best suits them. Girls are encouraged to look out for each other.

Housemaster

Paul joined Millfield in 2018 and has been Martins Housemaster from September 2024. Prior to this, he was Assistant Houseparent in Acacia and second in charge in Geography.

An interesting fact...

We are the only house grouping (alongside with brother house Kingweston) who has won best Chamber Choir and best Whole Choir in the history of Millfield. We are very proud of this achievement!

History

Martins House opened in September 1998 and was named after the retiring Headmaster Christopher Martin. It boasts an excellent position close to the centre of the campus and sporting facilities.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Lydia Chamberlin
Assistant Housemistress: Charlotte Barraclough
Liaison tutors: Helen Pascoe and Kirsty Percival

Twitter: @portwayhouse

Instagram: portway_millfieldschool

House Spirit

Portway girls are loyal, hard working and set high standards for their conduct. Portway is a friendly house where girls from all year groups mix and support one another. The house is purpose-built, situated centrally on Chindit Avenue. The house has three main common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities. There is a Quiet Room, which contains two computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines, and a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a floodlit play area for sports.

Housemistress

Lydia Chamberlin is Housemistress of Portway. She was previously assistant house mistress of Acacia for five years having previously worked in Warner when she first arrived at Millfield. Lydia is a Physical Education teacher at Millfield and plays a hugely active role in the schools games programme and can be often seen running sessions and taking teams on fixtures. Lydia lives in the house with her partner Sam who is an architect and engineer, he is also a popular member of the Millfield coaching team for both triathlon and athletics. In their spare time they enjoy travelling, cooking, participating in physical activity and have recently taken up tennis. If you are lucky you may also see them riding around on their tandem bicycle!

An interesting fact...

Portway is the only Millfield boarding house to have moved twice; initially on the site of the Grange, then Butleigh and now in it's current location.

History

Portway has occupied three sites in its history, it was initially located on Portway Road, then Butleigh Road as a Sixth Form house, and now on Chindit Avenue where it has been a senior girls house.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Kelly Lindsell
Assistant Housemistress: Vanessa Kellow
Liaison tutors: Gayle Bicknell, Sheree Cuff, Emma Jones and Ellen Docherty

Twitter: @SouthfieldNews

House Spirit

Southfield prides itself on its happy and pleasant environment. The House team see the house as first and foremost the girls’ second home and their priority is to make sure the girls feel safe, secure, and ‘at home’ in an environment in which they can thrive. The Southfield Sister Groups play an important role in the house, and help to develop friendships between different age groups, something that the girls feel is one of the defining features of the house. The Southfield culture encourages empathy and hard work. and is well known for its tremendous house spirit.

Housemistress

Kels joined Millfield in 2010 after spending nine years teaching at a Sixth Form college. Her expertise lies in teaching various subjects including A levels and BTEC in Art, Photography, Media, and Communication but now resides in the Learning Support Centre where she teaches a wide range of English-based classes to neurodiverse students. Before embracing the boarding environment, Kels served as the Head of the Learning Support Centre (LSC) and Head of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE). Additionally, she held the position of advanced practitioner and contributed as an assistant Housemistress in Portway House. With a career trajectory encompassing both pastoral and academic roles, Kels brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to support the journey of Southfield students through their Millfield journey.

An interesting fact...

Southfield has the largest garden on Chindit Avenue and even boasts its own pond (the Southfield ‘lake’). Every year the pond attracts a plethora of wildlife, including breeding moorhens and a green woodpecker.

History

It boasts amongst its alumni the super model, Adwoa Aboah (2005-10), Johanna Sheppard (1995-2000) Barclays, Director - Head of Compliance (Corporate Banking); Dr Eileen Rees (1970-74) Research Fellow at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Philippa English (1996-2005) Associate at Stephenson Harwood LLP.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Xiaoya He
Assistant Housemaster: Ben McEwen

House Spirit

There is an intimate family atmosphere at The Grange, where the students get to know each other and the staff very well. House staff strive to create a home-from-home, providing a relaxed and caring environment which allows everyone to feel safe and respected; in essence, a place the girls will look forward to returning to at the end of a busy ‘Millfield School’ day. The Grange is a standalone house, but enjoys coming together with Kernick for house sports.

Housemistress

Xiaoya has been part of the Millfield community since 2017, teaching in the Languages Department. She spent two years as a live-out assistant at Warner House before taking on the role of Assistant Housemistress at Acacia House for three years. Now at The Grange, she is committed to creating a supportive, caring, and nurturing environment for students. Outside of teaching, Xiaoya is an enthusiastic member of the clay shooting team. She is joined by her partner, Amicia, a bioethicist and postdoctoral researcher at a university medical school. Together, they enjoy spending time outdoors, learning new languages, and exploring different cultures. 

Facilities

The Grange has been refurbished as a small Sixth Form house for girls, and is located just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of campus. The house is unique, with large bedrooms and a variety of communal spaces. The main common room has an X-Box console and a large flat-screen TV/DVD player. The house also has a kitchen in which the girls can use to prepare snacks in addition to attending to the school dining hall. Outside the house is a large garden, excellent for table tennis, touch rugby, cricket and other activities as well as for barbeques and parties.

An Interesting Fact

The Grange was built in 1845 by a Quaker called Robert Impey, and was called Askew House, later becoming Portway House. His daughter, Catherine Impey wrote and published Britain's first anti-racist periodical, 'Anti-Caste', between 1888 and 1895. Her family invited guests from all around the world to stay with them, setting the tone for a global mindset that we embrace within our Millfield community.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Jennifer Weare
Assistant Housemistress: Karen Reeves
Liaison tutors: Aimee Coehlo, Jing Keeler, Andrew Cassin-Davis, Ben White and Ollie Morris

Twitter: @Warner_News

Instagram: @warnerhousemf

House Spirit

Warner girls are beautiful inside and out, they are encouraged to think for themselves in order to build resilience through the problems they may face, safe in the knowledge that they are supported and cared for in a nurturing and homely environment. Warner House is a patchwork quilt and a snug fit for all who walk through it’s doors.

Housemistress

Jenny has been part of the boarding community at Millfield for several years, primarily in her capacity as an Assistant Housemistress in Acacia prior to moving to Warner. She is a member of the Art department and enjoys running and playing golf in her spare time. Jenny and her husband, Andrew, have one daughter, Florie, and a dog called Baxter. 

Facilities

Warner is situated next to the school campus, so all the facilities are very close. It is based on three older houses and has become organic in its development. Each bedroom is different in shape and style. Facilities include a small aerobic gym, pool table, table tennis, table football, music room and its own orchard. There is a happy and relaxed environment and Warner girls are always encouraged to get involved in the broader aspects of school life. An important feature of house life is the sense of community that develops through the girls' participation in the day-to-day running of the house.

History

Warner was named after Pam Warner who was effectively Senior Mistress for many years until she passed away 1976. She was not actually a teaching member of staff though the House opened in 1978 and was named after her. Warner alumni include practitioner, television doctor and broadcaster, Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE (1975-79), sports presenter, Sarah Stirk (1994-96) and Scottish actress, Rose Leslie (2000-2005).

Senior Boys' House

Housemistress: Emma Watambwa
Assistant Housemistress: Aimee Coelho

Liaison tutors: Liberty Watambwa, Jane Harrison, Pat Litrico, John Crouch and Julia Morris

Twitter: @butleighhouse

House Spirit

Butleigh is a Sixth Form boys’ house. It is a house with a real family feel, where all cultures and backgrounds are welcomed and celebrated. Kindness, respect and hard work are our core values making Butleigh a really happy place to live. Student voice is key and all members of the house have the opportunity for their voice to be heard and there is a shared sense of ownership. Butleigh boys should always be prepared to “have a go” whether it be in an escape room, rock climbing or a house cooking challenge!

Housemistress

Emma joined Millfield as Housemistress of Butleigh in September 2020 having previously been a Housemistress at Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire. Emma teaches Physics and has taught in Yorkshire, Kent and Zimbabwe, where her previous roles have included Head of Science and Assistant Head. Her husband, Liberty, is a sports coach specialising in cricket and rugby, having played for Zimbabwe in his youth. They have two children, a lively son, Micah, who is in Year 7 at Millfield Prep School and their live-wire daughter, Lindiwe, will be two in January. Emma’s personal sporting interests are rifle shooting and rowing and the family enjoy walking, running and hosting lots of barbeques in all weathers (better known as braais in the Watambwa household!).

Butleigh House

Butleigh is a purpose-built house located opposite the main school campus and only three minutes' walk from the dining room and library. Its nearby location gives a sense of ‘going home' at the end of the day. The house has two common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities. The main common room has a pool table and plenty of bean bags and comfy sofas. There is a Quiet Room which contains two computers, a selection of books and daily newspapers and a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a grass play area for games and a table tennis table.

History

Butleigh has been home to many well-known Old Millfieldians including Chris Robshaw (1999-2004) and Rhys Ruddock (2007-2009).

Senior Boys' House

Housemistress: Karen Lloyd
Assistant Housemaster: Fergus Wilson
Liaison tutors: Robert Bonney, Patrizia Litrico, Andrew Cook, Edward Gardner and Kevin Cook

Twitter: @EtonhurstHouse

House Spirit

After winning the Windmill and Churchill cups at the end of last year it is clear that house spirit is high. The boys have made a conscious effort to include all students in every activity and have not only gained success from this but have enhanced a real togetherness.

Housemistress

Karen joined Millfield in September 2016 from a girls’ grammar school in Buckinghamshire where she was the Director of Teaching and Learning and subject leader for Psychology, Sociology, Business and Economics. Karen is the Teacher i/c of Psychology and Badminton and has been liaison at Warner House and Assistant Housemistress at both Walton and Portway houses. Prior to her teaching career, she worked in London as a buyer for Marks and Spencer. Karen has achieved the status ‘Specialist Leader of Education’ from the National College of Teaching, which recognises her development work with a range of different schools. She is a keen badminton player having represented her county for many years, however her interest is now one of coaching and development, working with Somerset County to develop the provision in the South West.

Facilities

Etonhurst was originally sited from 1960 to 2002 in Ashcott. It was a large manor house housing 36 boys which during its time had seven different sets of houseparents.  With pupil numbers ever increasing, Etonhurst moved on to campus and boarder numbers increased to 60. The house has three common rooms, music, games/DVD and a main meeting room which has a pool and football table, large flat screen TV and a projector and full screen. There is also a floodlit outside court for football, basketball and tennis.

History

The original Etonhurst House was in a village called Ashcott on the outskirts of Walton. In 2002 the new ‘Hurst’ moved onto campus and after many years is home to 64 students, making it one of the largest senior houses at Millfield. It boasts many leading figures, probably too many to mention. Maharaja Padmanabh Singh, King of Jaipur lived in the house as well as natural history programme producer and presenter, Martin Hughes-Games (1970-1974).

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Rich Owlett
Assistant Housemistress: Tracey Davies
Liaison tutors: Jason Burns, John Mallett, Perry Reeves, Victoria Illingworth and Dora O'Sullivan

Twitter: @HolmcroftHouse

House Spirit

In the last year Holmcroft has won the Senior House Athletics, Junior House Athletics, Junior Rugby and performed well in many other team based and individual events. We put out strong teams, aim to win but enjoy the journey. We don’t mind what you are committed to, but the important thing is to be committed! We encourage the boys be enthusiastic about their education and to attend the many varied events that the school organises.

Housemaster

Rich Owlett has a reputation of being firm but fair, a good listener and a supportive influence on the lives of the gentlemen in Holmcroft. He nurtures and values the excellent team that works with him. Rich worked in industry for 17 years before becoming a teacher in 2003. At Millfield he teaches Business Studies and is a rugby coach and also coached sailing for a number of years. He has organised a huge range of trips covering a diverse range of interests from sky diving to topical debates. Our matron, Marlene Wall has served over 40 years in Holmcroft and remembers looking after Roland Rudd (current Chair of Governors) and now sons of former Holmcroft students.

An interesting fact...

Food and fun are high on the list of priorities, so BBQ's, nachos and cakes are a regular feature of Holmcroft life, as are a wide range of trips and events.

History

We have looked after many boys who are now living great lives doing things they love, and hope that what they learnt in Holmcroft contributed to who they are today.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Mark Speyers
Assistant Housemaster: Richard Hayter
Liaison tutors: Elaine Middleton, Mark Nash, Stuart Maddock and Freddie Gabbitass

House Spirit

We believe in an honest and flexible approach in order to provide a safe and caring environment within which students may develop both individually and as a part of a collective. It is vitally important that young people live in an environment that offers them the ability to develop coping skills which allow them to grow into content and well-adjusted adults. In addition to fostering resilience, we aim to promote the ethos that our boys should respect all with an unconditional positive regard and constantly strive to be well- mannered and courteous. A JK boy should strive to be; resilient whilst showing kindness and tolerance, responsible and respectful.

Housemaster

Mark has been the Housemaster of Joan’s Kitchen since 2013 and enjoys the role tremendously. He joined Millfield in 2008 and has since been the Assistant Housemaster at Kingweston, the Staff Induction Coordinator and a Prefect Team Leader. Prior to joining Millfield, Mark taught English at both Kings College School, Wimbledon and Grey High School in South Africa. On the co-curricular side, Mark coaches rugby and cricket, but as a cellist also performs in and supports many of the music productions at the school.  
The real brains of the operation, however, is Mark’s wife Mary-Ann who supports and assists him with the day-to-day running of the house. This is done in conjunction with her main role as mother to three JK girls; Lily, Amelia and Grace. Mary-Ann has a degree in Psychology and worked in private education in South Africa. Since moving to the UK, she has worked for the NHS as well as a local Sixth Form College. Family is a very important part of their lives and as such, most of their spare time is devoted to spending time with their children.

An interesting fact...

We are an incredibly diverse house and can boast to having more than 20 nationalities represented in Joan's Kitchen.

Facilities

The house has two main common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities; one is for the Sixth Form and one for the remainder of the house. The main common room has a table football game, pool table and a table tennis table. There is a Quiet Room which contains computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines. There are small kitchen areas in each of the common rooms for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a floodlit play area for basketball and football.

History

Joan’s Kitchen (also known as JK) started as a café in the centre of the town, run by Joan Cox. In the 1950s, as Millfield expanded into boarding houses away from the main school site, Joan provided lunches at JK and later began to house some of the boys along with a member of staff. When Joan wanted to sell in 1959, the school purchased the property and it became a fully-fledged boarding house. The name has remained ever since, despite a move of location onto campus.

Entrepreneur, broadcaster and author, Michael Hayman MBE DL lived in the house from 1983-1988.

Year 9 Boys' House

Housemaster: Samuel Lane
Assistant Housemaster/Housemistress: Julie Boulton and Will Dawe
Liaison tutors: Peter Geaves, Ellie Geare, Tom Noall-Churchill and Toby Hutchinson

House Spirit

Whilst the boys only spend one year in KE they show great pride and allegiance to the house. We pride ourselves on creating a home from home environment fostering strong relationships between house staff (plus 2 Labradors) and the boys. The friendships the boys make in this formative year gives them the confidence and independence to move into their senior houses. The boys, however, can often be spotted popping back in to KE for a quick update and a slice of cake (which we love)! 

Housemaster

Sam Lane became Keen’s Elm Housemaster in September 2022. He joined Millfield in 2017 and is a Geography teacher and cycling/triathlon coach. He has worked in Year 9 boarding for the past 5 years in both Keen’s Elm and Millfield House and is passionate about providing all students with the tools to maximise academic success and personal development in all areas. Sam really enjoys making the most of the great outdoors and has completed a range of cycling, triathlon, kayaking and many other endurance sports trips and events over the years. His wife, Katie, is an early years teacher in Taunton. They have three children, Maddie, Georgie and Max and a very friendly cocker spaniel, Jeff. The family love exploring the surrounding area together and spending time on beaches along the Somerset, Devon and Dorset coastlines. 

An interesting fact...

We are the nearest house to the swimming pool, which allows the boys to have 5 minutes extra in bed before their early morning training! Boys will either be a Scorpion, a Centaur, an Optimist, a Cavalier or a Buccaneer depending on their tutor group.

History

Keen’s Elm used to be Butleigh and Keen’s Elm combined. Butleigh moved to it's current location leaving Keen’s Elm as one house with its beautiful central area.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Graham Furber
Assistant Housemaster: Charlie Cusden
Liaison tutors: Juliette Lorandel, Simon Coombes, Jonathon Casalis De Pury and Michael Cleary

Twitter: @KingwestonHouse

House Spirit

Kingweston House is one of our three country houses, it is situated in beautiful grounds with far reaching views. There is a great family-feel in the house with a relaxed, caring atmosphere. Evening meals are provided in the beautiful dining room for the whole house to enjoy together, which helps to build a real sense of camaraderie. After prep the boys can usually be found in the garden enjoying games of football, rugby or cricket, or relaxing in the recently refurbished common room and kitchen. It is an outstanding home for the boys to come back to at the end of their day at school and provides a wonderful space to recharge at the weekends. The Kingweston boys have a base at school, the Country Club, where they can relax at breaks or before returning to their house at the end of the day. The boys are hugely proud of the house and have developed their own set of values which define what it means to be a Kingweston Ranger.

Housemaster

Mr Furber is a former first-class cricketer, professional rugby coach and a keen single-figure golfer. He has served as Assistant Housemaster, Assistant Director of Sport, and Head of Academic PE at Harrow School for the past seven years. Graham joined Millfield in 2024, along with his wife Natalie, their three boys Grayson, Kayden and Xander as well as their dog, Bailey, are excited to be part of the Kingweston community.

An Interesting Fact...

Kingweston House was used to accommodate evacuees during World War II.

Facilities

The house is situated in beautiful grounds with far reaching views, and the boys have access to a wonderful range of facilities including a gym, a full size snooker table, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a five-a-side football pitch and a set of rugby posts. In addition, the school's golf course and football pitches sit in the same site and there are two tennis courts. It is an outstanding home for the boys to come back to at the end of their day at school and provides a wonderful space to recharge at the weekends.

History

Kingweston House has been a Millfield boarding house since January 1946. Prior to that date, the house had always been the home of the Dickenson family. The history of the current house begins in 1783 when William Dickinson had plans for a new house drawn up by Henry Holland the younger. The house was built between 1785 and 1788 by Samuel Heal of Bridgwater. The house and grounds were officially given to the school in 2006 by Mrs Joy Burden, the last descendent of the Dickenson family. Prominent former Kingweston residents include rugby players Mako Vunipola and Ollie Lindsay-Hague, Formula E driver Sam Bird, cricketer Rory Hamilton-Brown, journalist John Sergeant, and UAE Minister of State for Tolerance His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan bin Mabarak al Nahayan.

Year 9 Boys' House

Housemaster: Thomas Bowley
Assistant Housemaster: Henry Hunt
Liaison tutors: Antonia Cord, Anna Maddock, Callum Strachan, Charlie Cusden and Nicholas Turner

Twitter: @MillfieldHouse9

House Spirit

Transition from any school, but particularly into secondary, is regarded as one of the most difficult in a student’s education career. Yet, this process should be an active one, which extends over a long period of time, that allows pupils to make friends, get to know all staff, understand the expectations of the school and develop themselves academically, socially, physically and emotionally. This is exactly what we aim to promote in Millfield House.

Housemaster

Mr Bowley is a mathematics teacher and is part of the Outdoor Adventure team at Millfield. He joined the school in 2015 and in addition to extensive pastoral and boarding experience he has also worked as an academic Head of Department. His partner Deborah is also a maths teacher and the family comprises Isaac and Maisie, both students of Millfield, and the family dog Elsie.

Facilities

The house has a very homely feel and the boys have access to a well-equipped common room with a widescreen TV, a luxurious pool table, table football and table tennis. The boys have access to the pitch and putt golf course right outside the house and that makes a great location for house barbeques in the summer months. Millfield House really is in the heart of the campus and the boys are encouraged to make use of the fantastic facilities on their doorstep!

An Interesting Fact...

According to matron legend…there is an underground tunnel that would take you all the way to Glastonbury Tor.

History

Millfield House holds a special place in the history of Millfield; being where the school began in 1935 when it was founded by 'Boss' Meyer. In 1926 Boss Meyer had accepted employment at both Harrow and Eton before choosing instead to play cricket in India. He returned nearly ten years later with seven pupils and started teaching in what is now our house study. The house retains many of the original features but now provides accommodation for up to 28 boys in dorm rooms sleeping one to five. Sir Gareth Edwards boarded in Millfield House (1964-1966) as well as Jonathan Warburton of Warburton bread (1971-1976).

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Stuart Robertson
Assistant Housemaster: Jon Boyle
Liaison tutors: Josh Abbott, Sarah Graves, Terence Zeeman, Richard Horn and Martin Howard

House Spirit

Orchards is a unique and warm house with some longstanding traditions, such as the Drone's Club. It is a family orientated house where values and principles form the basis of how the boys aim to lead their lives. We have a saying that “An Orchards boy is a responsible, honest and humble gentleman” and this guides us in our courtesy and respect towards others.

Housemaster

Stuart was fortunate to become Housemaster in January 2017. Before this, he was Housemaster of Ivythorn House, one of Millfield’s day houses, and a Head of Year at a previous school. He also coaches hockey and teaches in the Geography Department, whilst staying active by running (and an increasing amount of swimming as his ageing knees start to tell him off!). His wife Holly has coached netball at Millfield and, prior to joining the school she was a Head of Year at an independent day school. Together they have three children, Isobel, Stanley and Zachary. Family life is important to them and these values are imparted on the boys.

Facilities

The house has two large common rooms and a small common room for the Upper Sixth. There are also fully fitted kitchen areas for the boys to make themselves snacks, a private study area which contains a selection of books and a quiet room with computers and daily newspapers. Wireless broadband is available throughout the house, as well as a pool table, table tennis tables and table football.

An Interesting Fact...

Sir Gareth Edwards, CBE boarded at Orchards, the main school rugby pitch was named after him and he still returns to visit the school occasionally.

History

Originally located in Street, ‘The Orchards’ moved to Chindit Avenue, its new site, in 2003. It gained its name because the original house was surrounded by an apple orchard. We have tried to keep us surrounded by apple trees with the planting of one in the centre of our courtyard and others in our surrounding gardens. Orchards have seen a number of famous faces come out of their time at Millfield, including; England rugby player John Mallett, England professional golfer and former cricketer Craig Kieswetter, England cricketers Tom Moores and Daniel Bell-Drummond and American musician Steward Copeland.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Jono Santry
Assistant Housemistress: Eve Solvo 
Liaison tutors: Katya Rees-Yaeger, Andy Holder, Paul Lockett and Gary Jennings

Twitter: @ShapwickHouse

House Spirit

The house has an incredibly warm and friendly atmosphere. In my Christmas dinner speech this year I wrote the following.  ‘My first terms impressions are of a house who cares for each other. I have seen true care and compassion on a number of occasions and I am genuinely heartened by these acts of kindness and altruism. I have been involved in a number of houses at Millfield and I have to say that the ‘Wick Love’ is definitely a characteristic of this house which must continue and do not let this change’. We are the house that is closest to campus and as such the boys come ‘home’ more than any other house. The boys would not swap this world the world. As such the boys are in each other’s company a lot which forges an incredibly strong house spirit.

Housemaster

Jono was appointed Housemaster of Shapwick in September 2025, joined by his wife Louise, two children Bella and Hugo and dog Martha. He previously spent 16 years at City of London School working in pastoral and academic leadership roles such as Deputy Head of Sixth Form, Director of Off-Site Sport and Head of Universities Guidance. Jono is a UEFA A License football coach and the England Independent Schools FA U18 Boys Manager. His additional roles at Millfield are Head of Futures and Football/Cricket Coach. He loves playing and watching all sports, particularly with his children who are making the most of sporting opportunities at Millfield Prep.

An interesting fact...

The house tie colour used to be brown. They are quite glad to have adopted the maroon formerly of Butleigh!

History

Shapwick Manor in Shapwick village opened as a boarding house in 1956 with RH Goodwin as Housemaster. Barry Hobson took over in 1958 and ran the house until 1981 when the house closed and moved into its present building on Butleigh Road. Northfield and Shapwick Houses were amalgamated into one house in 1985. The house has been home to several well-known alumni including Edward Chudleigh MBE (1993-1996) and British author, Simon Mawer (1964-1967) and rugby players, Adam Hastings (2013-2015) and Callum Sheedy (2012-2014).

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Tom Stokes
Assistant Housemaster: James Milburn
Liaison tutors: Justin Dodd, David Moon, Julie Barrett, Ben Boyd and Connor Davies

Twitter: @St_Annes_House

House Spirit

There is a warm family atmosphere at St Anne’s with the pupils getting to know each other and the staff very well. House staff strive to create a ‘home-from-home’, providing a relaxed and caring environment which allows everyone to feel safe and respected; in essence, a place the boys will look forward to returning to at the end of a busy school day. Furthermore, the boys dine in house for five out of the seven nights each week, which helps foster a strong sense of community and enables friendships to grow across year groups, as well as develops positive relations between the boys and the staff. This very social occasion also helps build an immense feeling of house spirit within St Anne’s.

Housemaster

Tom joined Millfield in September 2019 from Oakham School in Rutland, where he was Head of Physical Education. Prior to this, he worked as Head of Physical Education and Assistant Housemaster at Christ’s Hospital School in West Sussex. Since being at Millfield, he has been Head of Physical Education and Assistant Housemaster at Kingweston boarding house. He is currently coach of the U16 Rugby and 7’s teams along with coaching cricket to the U15s. His wife Sian and dog Rua are keen trail runners and love exploring the UK and Europe in their campervan.

Facilities

The house has two main common rooms with televisions, PlayStations, DVD and satellite facilities; one for the Sixth Form and one for the remainder of the house. There is also a table football table, pool table and two table tennis tables (one inside, one outside), as well as a large gym with numerous weight and CV machines. There is study space, which contains computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines. There are also two kitchen areas for the boys for snacks and drinks. Outside we have a floodlit hard court for tennis, basketball or football; a football pitch; a golf driving net; a croquet lawn and badminton court. The country houses have good transport links with the main school campus, with a morning coach departing each day from house at 7.40am and minibuses departing back to house every half hour from 3.30 to 6.45pm. Taxis operate in the evenings between both sites. There are no charges for these transport services.

An interesting fact...

St Anne’s, originally set within an orchard and farmland, was formerly a nunnery school for a Christian order of Oxford Nuns. The old chapel can still be seen, as can a number of the original features; there is even a turret room!

History

A former manor house, St. Anne’s has been a boarding house for the majority of Millfield’s existence. St. Anne’s dates back to the early Victorian period and is situated in the pleasant Somerset village of Baltonsborough.  The house has been home to many famous names from a range of talents and achievements. To mention a few: Jonathan Joseph (Bath & England Rugby); Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa & England Football); Henry Thomas (Bath & England Rugby); Olly Morgan (Gloucester & England Rugby); Ian Ward (Surrey & England Cricket, and Sky Sports presenter); Guy Bennett (former art advisor and former co-head of Christie’s impressionist and Modern art department); John Brake (England 7s Rugby); Warren Marston (former National Hunt Jockey); and Sandy Strallen (Theatre Producer and Entertainment Marketing Consultant).

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Luke Monument
Assistant Housemaster: Sheree Cuff
Liaison tutors: Richard Bradshaw and Stacey Edwards
Twitter: @house_walton

House Spirit

Walton sits in its own beautiful bucolic grounds in the village of Walton, which is a short drive from Millfield. It is a true ‘home’ away from school and the extensive gardens and wonderful facilities provide the boys with an idyllic setting to grow up together. There is an emphasis on manners, kindness and integrity within the family run house. The boys are encouraged to be the best version of themselves and to look after each other. It really is full boarding at its very best.

Housemaster

Luke Monument joined Walton as housemaster in 2024 with his wife Rosemary and their daughter Poppy and Labrador Ralph. Luke brings a wealth of experience having held roles as Head of PSHE, Master in charge of Rugby and Housemaster. Hailing from the Northeast, Luke is a keen sportsman having represented clubs in the region for both swimming and rugby. He has been working within boarding for two decades with 11 as HsM. In his free time, he enjoys watching live sport and music, traveling and spending quality time with his family.

Facilities

The facilities include floodlit outdoor tennis and basketball courts, a football pitch, a squash court (Millfield’s original!) and a multi-gym, whilst inside there is a games room including table football and pool table as well as four common rooms to help the boys relax and wind down from the ‘melee' of school life. The newly- refurbished dining room provides a wonderfully spacious room for in-house suppers and house events. The boys also have a base during the day at school, the ‘Country Club’, where they can relax at breaks or before returning to their houses at the end of the day.  They share the Country Club with boys from our other two country houses. 

An interesting fact...

The boys compete against each other in ‘wolfpacks’, the groups in which they do their orderlies and house duties, on a weekly basis. This internal competition looks to reward good behaviour both in house and in the wider community. The results are published weekly (and half termly), and the winning group are rewarded with a steak supper, a lie in and either supper or a trip! This system aims to raise personal standards, and focuses on teamwork and recognising positive behaviour. Ultimately, the aim is for boys in Walton to be ‘good blokes’ and have a positive impact on the community and the wider world.

History

We have had a number of famous faces board at Walton including;

Lord Brougham and Vaux, CBE (1952-1957); British peer and a Member of the House of Lords

Major General Michael Charlton-Weedy, CBE (1960*-1968); Head of International Resilience in the Cabinet Office

Duncan Goodhew, MBE (1970-1975); Olympic Gold Medallist Moscow 1980, OM of the Year 2011

Gordon Miller (1952-1956); Olympic Athlete Rome 1960

Jeremy Thomas (1963-1967); Chairman, the British Film Institute; Film Producer - The Last Emperor (9 Oscars); Director - Crash; OM of the Year 2007