Great great grandson of last headmaster of original Grasmere village school helps launch ‘Old School Toffee’

Grasmere village’s original 17^th century school has provided sweet inspiration for a tasty New Year confectionery.

‘Sarah Nelson’s Old School Toffee’ is the world-famous bakery and visitor attraction’s latest collaboration with fellow Cumbrian food producer Country Flavour.

“This lovely artisan family business from Kirkby Stephen already makes all our wonderful fudges,” explained Joanne Hunter, co-director of Grasmere Gingerbread®.

“So we were thrilled when they offered to make our brand new toffee which is absolutely delicious.

“But after fruitlessly racking our brains for a suitable name, it was only when my husband Andrew declared that it tasted just like ‘old school toffee’ that I knew we had the perfect description.”

“As we explain on the box, the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop was originally the village’s first school built in 1630 by public subscription,” said Joanne.

Joanne asked Grasmere villager Richard Hardisty – the great great grandson of the school’s last headmaster James Airey – to help launch the new toffee just as children return to school for the longest term of the year.

Richard Hardisty recives a box of Old School Toffee from Joanne Hunter outside The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop

Mr Hardisty described his ancestor as a “very modest” man who “gave so much to the village”.

His great great grandfather’s former school was where William Wordsworth occasionally taught before it was converted into a dwelling called Church Cottage for a ‘poor and needy family’ in 1854.

This was the year Sarah Nelson moved in with her husband and two daughters and invented Grasmere Gingerbread® which she sold from a tree stump outside her front door.

Later – perhaps encouraged by her home’s former status – Sarah created giant Grasmere Gingerbread® letters which she used to teach local children the alphabet.

“We have continued the educational provenance of the building by creating a dedicated teaching resource on our website at www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk/education,” said Joanne.

“As children are returning to school after all the glitter and light of Christmas, it seemed the right time to launch our toffee with all its old village school associations,” said Joanne.