 The school was opened in 1877 by the Reverend Clement Hales to prepare boys for a secondary school education.In 1890, the school moved to newly built premises costing £20,000 in the village of Newton-le-Willows but retained the name of Aysgarth School.The chapel was a new building too, but contained items from elsewhere, such as the pulpit which was originally from Easby Abbey near Richmond.