In this section
Our Heritage
Our heritage is our Foundation. It is the buildings and grounds and the people that have made it what it is today. We are passionate about sharing our heritage with others, preserving and interpreting the past to inspire and create our futures.
Sir John Moore made his fortune as a London merchant through the sale of lead mined in the Pennines to customers in England, Europe and Asia. Master of the Grocers Company in 1671 he was later a major shareholder and director of the East India Company, and a director of the Royal African Company for 4 years. Knighted in 1672 he was Lord Mayor of London in 1682. President of Christ’s Hospital School in the City of London he endowed its Writing School in 1695 and the Appleby School in 1697.
We are pleased to share our heritage, through group visits, local community projects and national campaigns such as Heritage Open Days.
Visits include access to historic parts of the building, particularly the main hall; access to our recreated 1891 schoolroom, headmaster's study and dormitory; and changing exhibitions.
A visit by a WI group to our Victorian Classroom
Children painting interpretations of the building as part of our Heritage Open Day
An historic working model of the school building
We also share our knowledge about the wider history of Appleby. We have created a local history walk map, displayed temporary heritage boards around the village during Covid lockdown in 2020 and will soon have two permanent boards in place.
Visits
For more information
Sir John Moore Member of Parliament
News Summary List
Unlocking the Collections Project
The Unlocking the Collections Project aims to tell the unique story of the site, which first opened as a school in 1697.
As part of this:
The historic classroom would be redesigned to reflect how it may have looked in 1697, including the installation of purpose-built benches to recreate the learning environment of the period.
The Trustees’ Room would be reinstated in place of the current Headmaster’s Office, restoring an important aspect of the building’s historic function.
In the exhibition room, the existing large glass cabinets would be replaced with smaller display cases better suited to the nature of the collection. Much of the museum’s collection consists of paper-based items, including the Headmaster’s Log Books, which would benefit from more appropriate and accessible display.
Through these changes, the project seeks to unlock the collection and bring to life the unique story of this magnificent location, using improved interpretation and thoughtful redesign to create a more engaging and historically authentic museum experience.
For a more detailed look: Unlocking the Collections Project 2026
[More]Walk around Appleby Magna
To help walk off any festive indulgences, why not take a stroll around our beautiful village using the Heritage Map created in 2019 by the History Café and volunteers at the Sir John Moore Foundation?
Full leaflet can be found here including some fascinating information about each location.
If you’d like to get involved with the heritage volunteers group, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Sally at sally.lowe@sirjohnmoore.org.uk
[More]
100 years of Appleby Magna Cricket Club
Come along to our free museum open day including a new exhibition on the cricket club.
