Our school’s stately house has had many noted owners over the past 800 years for varying lengths of time – royalty, noblemen and financiers. History has revealed that several famous people have been associated with the Heywood Estate:

• A reference in 1778 describes it as a “delightful summit near Claremont” up for sale by Lord Onslow

• In 1828, the estate was conveyed to HRH Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, who later became King Leopold I of Belgium, uncle to Queen Victoria

• In 1847 Heywood was sold to Thomas Price, Esquire, who became High Sherriff of Surrey in 1866

• Another distinguished owner in the late 1800’s was Lord Iveagh, great-grandson of Arthur Guinness of Irish brewery fame

• The property was conferred to Walter Butler of Lambert and Butler tobacco firm who held it until the 1950’s when it was sold to the Honourable Anthony Samuel, of the famous English merchant bank

• In 1975, the estate was purchased by us, the American Community School as we were then known.

Over the years the House has been extensively restored, maintained, and altered to suit its purposes. During World War I, the Butler family allowed the house to be used as an Auxiliary Home Hospital by the British Red Cross. During World War II it was used by the Fairmile Marine Company, responsible for the manufacture of torpedo boats. It housed ACS students from the school’s opening in 1975 until it closed for refurbishment at the end of 2004. Over a period of time, the house was known by many names including the Mansion House, the Main House, and the White House, but now as it enters a new phase as the new head office for ACS International Schools, it will be officially know as Heywood House.

During open days in early October, guests from the school community were invited to explore the new building with members of staff on hand to give tours and answer questions. Many staff members and families reminisced about “the way things were” and shared special memories with one another. Children who had been taught in this special building led their parents by the hand to find their old classrooms. A very keen visitor on Open Day was Arthur Boulter, a local historian, whose father worked on the Heywood Estate in the first half of the 20th century, as the kitchen gardener.

Heywood history was on display in the drawing room. Of special interest were the sales particulars of the grand estate from 1886, photos of the estate during the Butler era, the front cover of Country Life magazine when the estate was featured in 1975. The recognizable White House patchwork quilt created by students in 1976 and photos from White House wedding receptions and special events of the ACS “family” during the early years of the school were also highlights.