Rayners (was Penn School)
June 2025
Rayners are progressing with their plans, with the demolition phase almost completed. Most of this work has been hidden from the public, as it is involved demolishing the 1960s additions, leaving the original Raynes building standing alone for the first time in decades.
What is visible to passers-by is the removal of the gates, pillars and front wall on Church Road This is a temporary removal to allow easier access during the construction phase. They will be able to accommodate 3 lorries off the road to prevent traffic building up on the road.
Once the construction phase is much further progressed, the gates will be rebuilt, with a slightly wider splay and a new pedestrian gate. The original bricks will be reused, and the gate posts and the all important Home Guard ‘hole in the wall’ and parish boundary markers will be reinstated too.
Resident Ellen Hawes shared a page from Village Voice from 2011 with us, showing how the gate posts were damaged by a hit and run driver and repaired by Jim and Kevin Hawes, which explained why, despite their care, the pillars were different.
Follow their news on their website https://raynerspenn.com/news/
March 2025
Following a successful planning application process, Rayners Penn are starting work on site. Their initial plans include the dismantling and recycling of the 1960s extensions.
Follow their news on their website https://raynerspenn.com/news/
December 2023
Rayners have submitted their planning application and listed building consent to convert the Rayners estate, latterly Penn School to a hotel, restaurant, bistro, cookery school and spa.
P&TGRS have responded to the application, supporting it, with specific comments regarding immediate neighbours, noise and disturbance.
July 2023
The Rayners owners and management team invited local residents into see their plans for the development of the hotel, restaurant, spa and cookery school.
They introduced their heritage architects, architects, traffic consultants, environment consultants each to present their areas of expertise and also for residents to submit their comments on the proposals.
The accompanying document showed much of the details of the renovation and development of this local iconic site.
December 2021
Rayners launched their website so that local residents can follow the journey of the plans for the site. During November 2021 local artist Dan Wilson painted images of Rayners and trompe d’oeils of brickwork on new security gates.
Planning permission has been granted for maintenance and removal of some trees on the perimeter and to reinstate the original boating pond. If you are concerned about which trees are being worked on, check against the planning permissions linked above, which are very specific regarding the nature of the work permitted.
July 2021
Penn School has been sold to a private purchaser who is still deciding exactly how to use the estate, but is keen to develop a boutique hotel and restaurant. News update
April 2021
Penn School has been marketed by Cushman & Wakefield on behalf of the Education Funding Agency. We await news as to the outcome of the sale process. The brochure is available here
How we saved Rayners
Rayners was built in 1847, by the first Sir Philip Rose, on the site of an old farm of the same name which first appears in a tax return of 1332. This impressive mansion house remained with the Rose family until the second Sir Philip died, when the whole Rayners Estate was sold off (see The Rose Family, Rayners and Tyler’s End Green (1982).
In 1921, the London County Council purchased Rayners as a school for deaf children from the capital. They were eventually succeeded, first by the newly-formed Inner London Education Authority, then by the London Borough of Camden, catering for both deaf and disabled children. A lively local campaign, aided by a special Parliamentary debate, saved the school from closure in 1998, and it was then managed by the Rayners Special Educational Trust (RSET) until shortage of funds resulting from a poor OFSTED inspection forced its closure in 2015.
In 2016, the government’s Education Funding Agency (EFA) purchased the site for £11m from RSET as the location for a future new Free School. Wycombe District, then the local planning authority drew up a clear definition of what development could be allowed on the site, and we were alarmed to discover that the draft 2016 District Local Plan assumed, without any prior consultation, that a large secondary school with over 1000 pupils was assigned to the site.
It was felt the occupancy and traffic implications of this proposal were not acceptable to local residents and in late summer of 2016 a small Working Group was formed with the aim of bringing influence to bear on the current owners (EFA) and on County Councillors and officers. The Group comprised some Directors of P&TGRS and two local residents with educational background and interests.
In Jan 2018, the RSET trustees announced that after settling all outstanding bills, pension obligations and so on, there was a £3m balance from the sale price received from the EFA. At this stage, the County Council seemed interested in the site as the location for another special education needs school. Strong support was given for this use but it was disappointing that it was not followed through. In early 2020, Bucks Council finally confirmed it had no requirement for a new school on the site and it was assumed that the EFA would put the property up for sale.
In October 2019, an application was made to Historic England for the listing of the buildings on the site and this was finally confirmed a year later. In April 2021 the EFA put the site on the market and it is understood that it has been purchased by an owner who wishes to restore and maintain these attractive and historic buildings.
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