20 June 2024
I know that some who might read this were at Caldecott during the transition away from Mersham-le-Hatch. This is my understanding of it, but subject to correction by those that know better. I am grateful to those who have already informed me that there were changes at Hatch not known by me, as of course I was not there then.
My first point is that the process did not happen all at once. It really began even before it was definitely known in early 1996 that Caldecott's lease of Hatch and its grounds would not be renewed. The process had not been fully completed even on 2 September 2002 when Simon Rodway (then Chair of the Trustees) signed the form notifying the Companies Registry that Caldecott House, Smeeth had become the registered office of the Caldecott Foundation Ltd.
By 1993 it was obvious that a grade I listed mansion house built in the 1760's would not meet the changing needs of Caldecott going into the 21st Century, hence much money would have to be raised to build modern premises - anyway difficult in the grounds of Hatch in view of Lord Brabourne's 12 November 1967 deed of covenant with the National Trust. Fortunately, Caldecott had just taken over the Paddocks, Smeeth, with some grounds, after the closure of the Clover Trust's children's home. The Paddocks itself (now Caldecott House) was being used for staff training, going on to become Caldecott College. It was decided to raise money and build three residential units in the then grounds of the Paddocks, with construction of the first of these starting in 1994.
This first new unit was to be called Leopold Muller House but in practice it was called West Haven, which was later changed to Summer House.
When it was clear that Caldecott would have to leave the Hatch site altogether, with a need to replace Caldecott Community School (which had junior and secondary classes), even more funds had to be raised to cover buying some land adjoining the Paddocks and for construction etc.
Evidently, in 1996 West Wing group at Hatch moved into the first new unit. Mayfield group moved into the vacated West Wing, with that group's former space upstairs in the main building being divided for expansion of Lakeview and Oaklea.
The second residential unit was called Oaklea and was first occupied in 1997 by the group of that name from Hatch, enabling Lakeview to expand to include the very top floor. The Oaklea unit was in effect sacrificed in recent years to make way for the new primary school premises in this location.
In order to facilitate fund-raising, it was decided to change the name of the Caldecott Community to the Caldecott Foundation Ltd in Autumn 1997. The name change also suits the later diversified operations, extending to a school for children with special needs attended largely by children that are not full-time residents (Caldecott children without such needs attend local schools) and also a fostering service. Similarly, the later change of name to what now is the Mulberry Bush Organisation Ltd points up that it is not just operating a residential school in Oxfordshire.
Hornbeam group (from the Colt House at Hatch) moved into the new Hornbeam unit in May 2001. Garden House group (derived from the Nursery above the old school, that had looked onto the kitchen gardens) moved into the new Garden House unit in August 2001. That unit now is used for used for weekly boarders attending Caldecott School during terms.