House System

The house system creates unity between tutor groups across the year groups. This happens through inter-form competitions, sporting activities and the termly conduct point results.

The houses are named after cathedrals and abbeys of Britain, using the previously existing tutor group  letters T, W, Y, F, R, D, C


Truro

TruroA Victorian Cathedral built on the colossal scale of its medieval predecessors. It shows the spiritual confidence and optimism of this era. The first foundation stones were laid in 1880 along with the base of a column for the grand nave of the cathedral - even thought there was not at that stage money to build it ! The column was started as an act of faith that the Cathedral would one day be finished - and in grand style. So you could say Truro stands for 'Trust' in God - as well as optimism!




Wells


wellsAs its name suggests, Wells is the city of many streams and its cathedral (or the church which preceded) it was build at the site of one of them by the wells of St Andrew. The Cathedral itself is late 12th & early 13th century - its style Gothic - quite the latest thing at the time! The bishop responsible for the great West front also built a school for choristers, a grammar school, a hospital for travellers and a chapel. A contemporary historian wrote 'In Wells we not only believe, we know and we feel that men have been happy'. Wells can be properly associated with 'Wellbeing'



York

YorkYork was a Roman settlement from 71 AD. It was an important military post for the Romans to policing the border with Scotland. The minister was first of all a monastic church and was begun around 1220. York is one of the most important dioceses in the Anglican church second only to be Canterbury. Its church was built with a real competitive spirit - not wanting to be outshone. We might see Yorkists as proud and not to be outdone!




Fountains

fountainsFountains may be our most romantic place of worship. Actually an abbey rather than a Cathedral and with very close links to Ripon which is geographically nearby. In fact Fountains was founded by monks from Ripon in 1132 who thought that the regime at Ripon was not strict enough for them. In the early days the monks coped with considerable poverty to maintain Fountains was a very prosperous establishment but this came to an end at the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. It is now one of the most popular sites of the National Trust. The tough folk of Fountains remind us of fortitude

Ripon

RiponRipon also started as a monastic foundation in 657 and was a centre for the early Celtic Christianity in Britain. St Wilfrid of Lindisfarne was actually responsible for bringing Roman Christianity to the area and this caused some confrontations. The church at Ripon was rebuilt 4 times and only became a Cathedral in 1836. In this sense it is Twyford's youngest house - but it certainly stands for Resilience




Durham

DurhamDurham Cathedral was founded in 1093 and is regarded as the finest example of  a Norman cathedral in Europe. It was founded by Monks fleeing from Lindisfarne following raids by Vikings. The monks carried with them the remains of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (a 7th century saint). They stopped and built a shrine at this site because (legend has it) at this point the coffin became immovable as if it had resolved to go no further. The Shrine became a church and in due course a Cathedral. The House might give us a sense of devotion and duty.



Canterbury


CanterburyThis is the oldest of our houses dating back to 597AD when St Augustine came to Britain as a missionary bringing Roman Christianity with him. Legend has it that Pope Gregory sent Augustine having been struck by the angelic beauty of the British slaves he saw being sold in Rome and sent Augustine to convert them to Christianity. Canterbury became a great place of pilgrimage as well as the centre of the Anglican church in the UK. Over a thousand years of ongoing ministry, Canterbury people have lasting commitment!