Updated February 2025: Thank you for taking the time to visit the ORA Heritage Projects JustGiving page. If you would like to donate to a particular project, please mention this in the "comments" or email heritage@oldroedeanians.co.uk.The Old Roedeanians' Association have worked with the School Archivist and the Chair of the Estates Committee to identify several restoration projects which form an important part of the cultural heritage of the School.

The Fountain (£27,800)

The white marble fountain in the cloister garth was originally given to the school by OR, Muriel Silver (Abbott. No 2, 1894-99). She was Head of House and her sister Frances Elaine Abbott (SS 1894-97) became House Mistress of the JH, School Vice President, ORA President and Member of the Council. Sadly, the marble has deteriorated, the inscription is partly missing and the fountain itself is no longer in working order.

The Tiles (£38,300)

The glazed and intaglio tiles covering the walls in the Art Studio were designed and created by girls at the school during the 30's and 40's under the tutelage of the art mistress Dorothy Burt "DB" Martin. The intaglio tiles depict life at the school. Some tiles have simply fallen off the walls, some cracked and some deteriorated. The mortar in places is unstable and there is section of wall which is uncovered. Further intaglio tiles of the school life at Keswick have been discovered together with loose glazed tiles from the same period which we hope will be used to tile the uncovered section. Status: PHASE 1 TRIALS COMPLETED 2024

The Battle of Jutland Ensigns (£46,050)

Four Ensigns given by the four Houses to HMS Collingwood, Hercules, Neptune and Canterbury in 1914 were flown at the Battle of Jutland and later returned to Roedean in 1919 when the ships were taken out of commission. Due to their fragility the flags were taken down in the late 1980's and are stored in a glass fronted cabinet in the entrance to the Chapel. We would like to conserve the flags.

The Sundial/Armillary Sphere

RESTORATION COMPLETED 2024: The variously called Astrolabe/Sundial/Armillary Sphere situated on the front terrace was designed and donated to the School by it's Architect Sir J W Simpson in 1899 to commemorate his daughter, Clara Carrick Simpson’s (No. 4, 1897M -1899L) time at Roedean.

The 3 Sylvia Lawrence Friezes

CONSERVATION COMPLETED 2024/25: Sylvia Lawrence was a younger sister of the School’s founders. She worked at studios in Paris, was a protégée of GF Watts the prominent Victorian artist and she taught at Roedean. She painted the 3 friezes above the fireplaces in the Housemistresses drawing rooms of Nos 1, 2, and 3 between 1898 and 1905.They are important as Sylvia was linked to the Arts and Craft and Symbolist movement and she was a trailblazer in her artistic field. Like a number of other women artists she turned to mural painting at a time it was very much seen as a man’s preserve.

HMS Vernon WW2 Ensign

CONSERVATION COMPLETED 2024: This Ensign was flown on D-Day from the flagstaff on the front terrace at a time when HMS Vernon was stationed at the School.

ORA Support

The Old Roedeanians' Association have covered the costs of printing & postage, administration, any condition reports, professional and planning consent fees which means all donations will go towards conservation/restoration of these projects.

For further information on all these projects go: https://community.roedean.co.uk/resources or email heritage@oldroedeanians.co.uk