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The current Giggleswick school was founded on half an acre of land leased by the Prior and Convent of Durham, to James Carr the Chantry Priest at the local Parish Church of St Alkelda, for the express purpose of enclosing it and building, at his own expense, one 'Gramar Scole'. By 1512 the school consisted of two small, irregular buildings, next to the local parish church. The school was run traditionally by the Chantry Priests until Edward VI dissolved the position. The school was saved, however, by the petition of the Kings Chaplain, John Nowell, and in 1553 it received its royal charter. This granted land to the school, and endowed it with the title: The Free Grammar School of King Edward the VI of Giggleswick. The first chairman of the Free Grammar School was John Catterall. The junior school is in Catterall Hall.