History of the School

The Appleton School is named after Sir Roger Appleton of South Benfleet. Before 1500 A.D. the Appleton family became Lords of the Manor of Jarvis Hall. This was a Domesday Manor (1086) which was originally in Suene but was forfeited by Suene's grandson, Henry of Essex, to King Henry II. The boundaries of the manor were from Tarpots to Victoria House Corner, Thundersley Glen and down into Benfleet to Hopes Green, excluding Kents Hill and Boyce Hill. It also included New Thundersley as far as the Arterial Road, up to the Weir and along Rayleigh Road. Later the manor passed down into the family of de Coggeshall. William de Coggeshall married a daughter of Sir John Hawkwood, his daughter Alice married Sir John Tyrell of Horndon and the granddaughter of Sir John Tyrell married Thomas Appleton. Thus the family of Appleton came to be Lords of Jarvis Hall Manor. The Appleton family itself hails from Dartford and earned their money farming and trading. The Appletons were key players in both Jack Cade’s Rebellion as well as Wyatt’s rebellion against Mary I. Roger Appleton was a cardinal as well as High Sheriff of Essex from 1608.

The Appleton School's crest is based on the coat of arms awarded to Roger on being knighted and accepting the title of First Baronet of South Benfleet from James I in 1611. Roger was awarded Jarvis Hall as the family’s seat, which dated back to the time of Edward II- or even earlier to a hunting lodge owned by King John. The family continued to play a role in English politics and trade (including siding with Charles I and his Royalist Army during the English Civil War) until 1710.