Poster, London Midland & Scottish Railway, Repton School, by Norman Wilkinson, 1938. Old Priory Buildings seen through Arch, part of original Gatehouse. Text: Repton was in Saxon times the capital of the Kingdom of Mercia and the seat of the first Mercian Bishop. The earliest ecclesiastical buildings were sacked by the Danes. The Norman Priory was built in the 11th century and sold after the dissolution of the Monasteries to Gilbert Thacker, who stripped it of roof and ornaments and converted part intoa dwelling house. "Alarumed with this news that Queen Mary had set up the Abbeys again, Thacker called together, one Sunday, Carpenters and masons of the County of Derby to destroy the nest for fear the birds should build again." The executors of Sir John Port under whose will had been established in 1557 "a scole for poor scollers", happily intervened before the Priory was totally destroyed and bought the western range of buildings. These have been handed down intact through the centuries and are to be seen in the picture framed by the Arch which is part of the original Gate House. LMS logo and School Coat-of-Arms. Famous Public Schools on the LMS. Other ids ERO53351. Format: quad royal.