Rydal Penrhos

Rydal Penrhos School is a private day school in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. It is the only Methodist school in the independent sector in Wales. It is located on multiple sites around the town with a site in the neighbouring village of Rhos-on-Sea where it keeps its watersports equipment for easy access to the beach. History The school started life as five separate institutions: Penrhos College was a Methodist girls-only boarding school founded in 1880 as a result of the generosity of Reverend Frederick Payne (1814-1895), a wealthy benefactor and Wesleyan Methodist minister who lived in Colwyn Bay. It was prominently situated above the promenade towards Rhos-on-Sea. Its motto was Semper ad lucem ("Always towards the light"). Rydal School was founded (as Rydal Mount School) by Thomas Osborn in 1885 as a boys’ boarding school. It was named after the house, at the junction of Lansdowne Road and Pwllycrochan Avenue in Colwyn Bay, which Osborn had acquired from Reverend Payne. This is still the main school site. From 1977 it was a co-educational school. Its former motto was Prodesse quam conspici ("Do good without display"). In the early 20th century both Rydal and Penrhos created preparatory or junior departments, which in due course each moved to its own premises. Rydal Preparatory School occupied Walshaw House, Oak Drive, Colwyn Bay when Rydal School was evacuated to Oakwood Park during the Second World War (see below). In 1946 when Rydal came back from Oakwood Park, the Preparatory School took its place there. It remained there until 1953, when it moved to its present site at Pwllycrochan. This had been the property of Lady Erskine, owner of the Pwllycrochan estate, and was developed as the Pwllycrochan Hotel before being bought by Rydal. Penrhos Junior School occupied a substantial house in Oak Drive, Colwyn Bay. Lyndon School was a private preparatory school in Colwyn Bay. In 1887, Payne founded St John's Methodist Church on Pwllycrochan Avenue, which was used regularly by both Rydal and Penrhos. In 2010, the stewardship of St John's was passed to Rydal Penrhos, which needed more space for school worship and special events.