HISTORY OF HARTING. 163 



of sons of poor parents in Harting, Wittering and 

 Chichester in the principles of the Established Church, 

 and further directed that they should be taught Navi- 

 gation. The original foundation was for 12 boys, but 

 now Harting alone sends 9 out of a total of 45. "No 

 Parliament man or Dissenter" is to have the privilege 

 of sending his son to this Bluecoat School : and Mr. 

 Lower has a story to the effect that when Oliver's 

 father, the Archdeacon, was preaching in Petworth 

 Church he was shot at by a Puritan, who fired a pistol 

 at him ; and hence, out of filial piety, the son Oliver 

 (forgetful of his namesake Oliver Cromwell) excluded 

 the children of Covenanters, " Parliament Men," or 

 Dissenters from his school. This school has been of 

 the greatest advantage to the good folk of Harting 

 for near two centuries, and its wise management in 

 the present day, secures to many a poor home, in the 

 midst of all the quickening influences of a town, a 

 good training for its eldest sons in religion, manliness 

 of character, industry and thrift. 



^ 



Oliver Whitby, jun., Founder of Blue Coat School, Chichester, Aged 18, 1678- 



