The study of Latin was crucial in medieval England for both the Church and the ruling class. As a result, grammar schools sprouted up across the country, with some of them being affiliated with Oxford University.
Notable grammar-masters
Grammar masters were instrumental in teaching generations of students how to read and write Latin. One of the most notable grammar masters in Oxford University history was John of Cornwall, who taught at Cat Hall on the east side of Cat Street.
He is often credited with bringing about a change in the way children learnt Latin, substituting English for French as the language of instruction.
Another famous grammar-master was John Leland, senior, who taught at Peckwater Inn and won a lasting reputation as a grammarian.
He wrote Distinctiones Rhetoricae and other literature, and he kept a school large enough to employ assistants.
Master Robert Lane, destined to hold a similar position of authority at Bristol Grammar School in the future, initially held the role of principal grammaticus under the guidance of John Leland.
John Anwykyll and his innovative approach
John Anwykyll’s appointment as the first head of Magdalen Free Grammar School marked a pivotal moment in the history of Latin education in England, as he introduced an innovative approach to teaching grammar that would go on to revolutionise the way students learned and understood this fundamental subject.
He consented to endeavour to qualify a select group of talented students, ultimately preparing them for careers as instructors who would disseminate his groundbreaking teaching approach.
Lasting impact
Throughout its storied past, Oxford University has been home to a succession of celebrated grammar-masters whose pedagogical innovations and contributions have had a lasting impact on grammar development, and the teaching and learning of Latin.
The significant and lasting effects of their work continue to be evident in the evolution of teaching methods.