Head of House: Mrs Harrison
House Captains: Sam Carter
Why Laud House?
Laud House is named after William Laud, ‘a little low red faced man’, who was Dean of Gloucester from 1616–1621 and later, Bishop of St David’s, Bishop of Bath and Wells, Chancellor of Oxford University and, from 1633–1645, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Laud was heavily involved in efforts to restore order and dignity in Church of England services and was an opponent of the Puritans.
At Gloucester, Laud introduced reforms including the revival of early morning prayers in the Lady Chapel which ‘The College School’ (King’s) was expected to attend. He controversially had the communion table moved to the east end of the cathedral which was seen by opponents as ‘popish’.
Laud was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1641 by Puritan opponents of Charles I. John Langley, who from 1618 was Headmaster of The College School, was a strong Puritan and a critical opponent of Laud’s reforms. In 1643 he gave evidence which helped to convict Laud when he was put on trial for Popery during the civil war. Laud was executed on Tower Hill on 30th January 1645.