Cotswolds private school’s surprise visit from herd of cows

Hatherop Castle School, a prep school and nursery set in the rolling countryside of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, near Quenington, had an unannounced visit from some neighbours during the first week of their summer term.

A herd of approximately 40 cows had broken free from their water meadow field and wandered along the lane, through the village of Quenington, to the green grounds of the school.

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Headteacher Nigel Reed spotted the visitors ‘brazenly’ wandering through the school gates as he did his rounds to wake the boarding pupils up at about 7am.

Headteacher Mr Reed rounded the visitors up into the walled garden (Image: Hatherop Castle School)

Using skills learnt in his childhood among the cattle and sheep of Bodmin Moor, Mr Reed quickly rounded up the ‘new pupils’ into the school’s walled garden where they could safely await rescue from the farmer.

Mr Reed said: “I often say that no day is ever the same when running a school, but Wednesday morning certainly was a first when a herd of cows had travelled through the night from near Fairford to come to school.

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“These mischievous young cows certainly made themselves at home – they did not want to leave! – and clearly were keen to stay for the first lesson.

“I was in my suit and tie, probably the smartest farmer around, as I and some colleagues herded them into the walled garden. 

The young herd had wandered four miles to arrive on the Cotswolds school’s grounds (Image: Hatherop Castle School)

“I think our youngest pupils were certainly keen to keep the cows and thoroughly enjoyed welcoming them to the Castle.”

The cows were later retrieved by the farmer, a tenant of The Ernest Cook Trust’s land from which the runaways escaped, who loaded them into cattle trucks and drove them the four miles home.

The cows being safely transported home by the farmer (Image: The Ernest Cook Trust)

A spokesperson for The Ernest Cook Trust said: “The context of the cows’ adventure is that these are well-cared for animals, but they do have minds of their own, and when working with living creatures and nature sometimes the unexpected happens – in this instance the cows’ curiosity got the better of them.

“It’s a reminder that farming is a 24/7 job, and this is why the Ernest Cook Trust has out-of-hours processes in place to support.

“Thanks to the community and the school, we were alerted to the incident quickly and the cows were rounded up.

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“We want to thank Mr Reed and the team at Hatherop Castle School for dealing with it so constructively and in such good humour. It made the round up quicker, safer, and more enjoyable for all.

“Sadly for the cows they missed out on any lessons, but the children had a nice time waving them off as they headed home.”

The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity grounded in the land and outdoor learning, which cares for 9.000 acres across estates in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire and enjoys a long relationship with Hatherop Castle School.