No-one was quite sure whether it was the school's centenary, but villagers celebrated just the same.

A week of activities was organised in September, 1958 to mark 100 years of education at Bladon, near Woodstock.

However, the villagers had little evidence to go on.

The only record was a long scroll, carved into the stone wall near the entrance to the main schoolroom, with the words “The Duchess of Marlborough School, erected 1858, enlarged 1889 and 1894”.

In fact, old villagers had blurred memories of a shed-like structure where children were taught before The Duchess of Marlborough School was built.

However, the school was undeterred.

As headmistress Mrs L E Edwards said: “An excuse for a celebration is welcome.”

The next questions were what date did the school open and when should the celebration be held?

Mrs Edwards telephoned Blenheim Palace for help, but no-one knew the day the school opened.

Oxfordshire Education Department was no help either as its records went back only 75 years.

Finally, the school chose a week in September. The village warmed to the idea of a celebration with great gusto.

At first, it was decided to hold celebrations on one day, but as enthusiasm for the centenary grew and other village organisations joined in, a whole week of events was held.

Mrs Edwards, who had taught at Bladon for 17 years, told the Oxford Mail at the time: “We formed a committee with organisations which included the church, the British Legion and the Women's Institute, and arranged a week's programme.”

Many old pupils returned to the village to take part.

The celebrations took place seven years before Bladon became a village of international focus as the burial place of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.