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Footpath at the foot of Knowle Hill, Kenilworth
A map shows a pond; certainly the signs are that surface water draining off the hill makes this path very muddy.
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 9 Apr 2022
0.02 miles
2
Kenilworth (Knowle Hill) Approved School
Knowle Hill School for Girls, Kenilworth was opened in Nov. 1906 and continued as an Approved School until 1985. After that date the main building was converted to apartments and houses were built in the grounds. The drive up to the school was renamed Frythe Close after a local councillor. This is the view along the drive to the main building of the school.
I visited the school in 1970 as part of an exchange visit with Kenilworth grammar school and to a teenage boy one of the most memorable sights was the "padded cell", small lockable room with heavy padding on the walls floor and door.
This is an extraction from a home office memorandum about a riot at the school in 1923:
Internal Home Office memorandum by Dr. A.W. Norris, 30 May 1923
OUTBREAK OF INSUBORDINATION at the KENILWORTH TRAINING SCHOOL.
On May 8th I received a telephone message from the new Superintendent of the school, Miss Langley, to the effect that most of the girls were defying the staff, smashing windows and doors, refusing to obey orders and declining to do any work.
One girl, Florence Loch, had threatened to attack the staff with a knife and refused to go to bed at 2 in the morning, and was doing such material damage to the school and inciting the others to riot to an extent which made the Superintendent call in the assistance of the police.
A police inspector and sergeant came out and, in a moment of surprise, this girl of 18 caught the Inspector by the throat, got him on the ground and sat on his head. On the sergeant coming to the rescue she bit him in the arm, the teeth penetrating the flesh to the bone.
I advised Miss Langley to charge the girl under Section II of the Prevention of Crime Act with committing a breach of the rules of the school and with absconding, and this was done the following day. A very foolish magistrate, however, refused to send the girl to Borstal and sent her back to the school. Trouble at once recurred and the Superintendent communicated by telephone to the office in my absence and Miss Wall arranged with Mr. Crapper for the immediate transfer of the girl to Stafford Reformatory where I understand she has settled down.
It was assumed here that things were quiet at Kenilworth and I heard nothing more until the afternoon of the 16th when Mrs. Rotherham, a manager, called here and informed me that the school for some days had been in an almost continuous state of riot. Girls had been out half the night, some of them had even spent the night on motor lorries, two having visited London. The police had attempted to secure the absconders. Windows and doors had been broken; the staff isolated, and all the girls, with the exception of about eight, were disobeying orders.
I went straight down to the school arriving at 9.30 p.m. and although the girls were going to bed there was still a disgraceful noise and I heard a window smash as I entered the school. I stayed till 11 p.m. when matters had quietened down and then left the school after having arranged to be called if there was any trouble. At 7 a.m. I received a telephone message to the effect that there was further trouble and I went straight to the school where I found three girls under 16 had barricaded themselves in one of the dormitories and refused to open the door and were then smashing windows and the panel of the door. They refused to open at first but ultimately did so.
I found one girl of 15 (Dora Help) had been the ringleader for some days amongst the juniors and I advised the Superintendent to inflict corporal punishment which she did forthwith.
After breakfast two of the worst offenders amongst the older girls (Hannah Turner and Violet Bateman) who were then under arrest were brought before the Leamington Petty Session at Milverton, and after much pressure on my part the Magistrate decided to hold a special court and ultimately sent these two girls to Borstal. I regretted to send the younger one aged 16 but it was absolutely essential to make an example to stop the riot.
To read more of this report, go to:
http://www.corpun.com/kenilworth.htm
Image: © Nigel Mykura
Taken: 18 Jul 2010
0.03 miles
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Front Doors Knowle Hill Approved School, Kenilworth
These are the main doors to the school which was converted to apartments in the late 1980's.
Image: © Nigel Mykura
Taken: 18 Jul 2010
0.03 miles
4
Kenilworth Golf Course, looking west to Knowle Hill woodland
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 9 Apr 2022
0.06 miles
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Frythe Close off Knowle Hill, Kenilworth
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 9 Apr 2022
0.07 miles
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Frythe Close off Knowle Hill, Kenilworth
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 17 Jan 2010
0.07 miles
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Start of footpath off Knowle Hill, Kenilworth
The black hole, centre, is the start of a long dark tedious walk between rear property boundaries, leading eventually to Kenilworth Golf Course.
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 9 Apr 2022
0.08 miles
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Footpath running east from Knowle Hill, Kenilworth
Blink and you'll miss it. It runs between the fences of suburban gardens, then across a golf course, then it hits the route of HS2, the high speed railway under construction, and is diverted. See also
Image
Image: © A J Paxton
Taken: 3 Oct 2023
0.08 miles
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Up Knowle Hill from Frythe Close, Kenilworth
Image: © Robin Stott
Taken: 9 Apr 2022
0.09 miles
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Lulworth park
This is a recent housing development on the steep northern slopes of Knowle Hill just off Dalehouse lane. Quite large retaining walls have been built to prevent soil movement. the road in the foreground is a short link road between Lulworth park and Dalehouse lane.
Image: © Nigel Mykura
Taken: 30 Apr 2011
0.10 miles