Ashton School

Ashton School is a co-educational Church of Ireland secondary school situated in Cork, Ireland. It was founded in 1972, following the merger of the Cork Grammar School and Rochelle School. As of 2017, Ashton School had over 500 pupils. Formation Cork Grammar School was a Church of Ireland grammar school for boys. Founded in 1881, it was originally based in Sydney Place in Cork city, and intended to offer an alternative to parents "who had been sending their children to England, to educate them". The school ultimately acquired Ashton House (a large 19th-century house on the Blackrock Road) and moved to the new site in 1956. Rochelle School was a predominantly Church of Ireland preparatory school for girls. Founded in 1829, it was originally based at Cook Street and South Terrace, before moving to Rochelle House (a large house also on the road to Blackrock) in 1863. Cork Grammar School (boys; 1880s-1970s) and Rochelle School (girls; 1820s-1970s) operated as separate schools until 1972, when they merged. The newly amalgamated co-educational school occupied the Ashton House site, from which its current name was taken. Rochelle House was used for boarding accommodation for a period, before being sold in 1999.