Boat House
The Boathouse is built in the same style as the main building and was used for 2 classrooms as well as trumpet and bugle lessons, conveniently keeping the noise away from the main building. The view from classroom window across the lake was very distracting and led to much daydreaming during lessons!
After a recent exchange about the boathouse being offered for sale in 2012, David Fortune (1962-1965) wrote:
” Very interesting, the owners appear to have an optimistic view of the property market both generally and in the locality. I spent my first term at HH in the 4th form in the boathouse and had a desk in the right hand of the front row, furthest from the window but it was still a stunning view. A previous occupant had carved or gouged a schooner in the middle of the desk, and I was a very keen sailor, so over the next few weeks, carrying on the tradition, I converted the desk lid into a yacht race with several buoys and a number of yachts with different rigs. Major B was less than appreciative of my artistic efforts and nautical knowledge and I think that he threatened to bill my parents. My other memories are of the mini dam stream outside (when it rained) and (Martin? The elder) Willey declining the future tense of amo and when he got to amabunt he vomited. The rest is a blur, but what a place for a classroom.
Regards
David “
The wooden beam across the top of the boat entance has an inscription carved into it which was restored with the boathouse.
Andrew West has sent the photograph and translation (click on it to enlarge):
As near as I can read, the inscription says:
“I am the roof tree and the keel I bridge the seas for woe and weal”
From my extensive knowledge of poetry (and from 2 minutes on Google) I can confidently state that it is an Ode to the Oak by William Morris from Tapestry Trees.
It is thought that Beckfoot in the book “Swallows and Amazons” was based on Pullwood House and the surrounding area. See the blog “Beckfoot Found” http://arthurransome.blogspot.com/2006/05/beckfoot-found.html
In 1962 the BBC filmed a TV series of Swallows and Amazons, some of the filming was at the shore by the school and the boathouse was used. Here are two stills from a trailer found on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PESjxe5uuMc&feature=related
