Dean Close St John's - The Story of Tutshill House and St John's School

Join us for a tour of one of Tutshill's most significant historic buildings, now home to Dean Close St John's, a day and boarding school. Known to many local residents as "the building behind the big walls", this is a rare opportunity to step beyond those walls and discover its fascinating history!

Standing on Castleford Hill with beautiful views across the River Wye and Chepstow, the main school building began life as Tutshill House, an elegant country residence built in the early nineteenth century. Today, it is recognised as a Grade II listed building.
Over the years, Tutshill House evolved to meet the changing needs of the local community. It later became St John's College and, by 1954, was known as St John's on the Hill School. Since 2015, the school has been part of the Dean Close Foundation, continuing its long educational tradition.

Join us to explore the history of the house, learn about its transformation from private residence to school, and discover what life was like here for generations of pupils. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear stories from the past, view historic photographs, and enjoy a guided tour of Tutshill House and its grounds.

Please sign in at Main Reception on arrival. The tour will begin in the Embassy Room with a welcome tea and coffee reception, followed by a guided tour of the house and grounds. The visit will take approximately one hour.

Timings

Thursday 17 September:

16:30 - 17:30

Location & directions

Dean Close St John's School, Castleford Hill, Tutshill, Cas-Gwent, Gloucestershire, NP16 7LE

Contact on day:

Judit Schaub

Telephone number:

+441291622045

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

To book a tour, please complete our simple booking form below. https://forms.office.com/e/Y33LT2uKpq Alternatively, you can reserve your place by emailing us at [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming you!

Booking contact name:

Judit Schaub

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://forms.office.com/e/Y33LT2uKpq

Booking opens:

17 Jul 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

17 Sep 2026 12:00 PM

Accessibility details

Please note that access to some areas of Tutshill House involves stairs. As this is a historic building, there is currently no lift or wheelchair-accessible alternative to reach certain parts of the tour.

Additional information

Parking is available in the school's main car park. Please enter the school grounds via the Castleford Hill entrance and follow the road to the main car park near Reception. If you have any questions before the tour, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Max number of people:

15

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s)

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