List of headmasters of Durham School


Durham School, tracing its history back to Thomas Langley in 1414 and earlier, has had a number of Headmasters.

1414 to 1541

This incomplete list comes from The Durham School Register, 1991. The list is derived from The Account Rolls of the Receiver General which show that two chaplains, the forerunners of the Headmasters, were paid, one for the Langley Grammar School and one for the Langley Song School. They do not make it clear which chaplain was for which school however, so two names are often given here.
  • 1414 - William Browne
  • 1416 to 1419 - John Claiton John Arteys - James Eversleet William Dosse
  • 1484 to 1497 - Thomas Todd William Dosse
  • 1504 to 1511 - John Hochonson William Dosse
  • 1511 to 1512 - Thomas Sanderson
  • 1512 to 1513 - Thomas Sanderson William Watson
  • 1513 to 1519 - Thomas Sanderson Edward Watson
  • 1520 to 1521 - Thomas Sanderson George Fowberry
  • 1523 to 1529 - William Cokey George Fowberry
  • 1529 to 1535 - William Cokey Ralph Todd
  • 1537 to 1541 - William Cokey Henry Stafford

1541 to 1844

This list comes from The Durham School Register supplemented as indicated.
After the Dissolution in 1541, Henry VIII reconstituted the school.

Post-1844

Originally located on Palace Green outside Durham Cathedral, the school moved to its present site in 1844.
Headmasters since then have been: