List of people educated at Ampleforth College

This is a list of notable people educated at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire, England.

Arts, entertainment, writing

• Michael Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun (1942–2012), British-Australian farmer made famous in the documentary Britain's Real Monarch ^[1]
• Peter Bergen (born 1962), author, print and TV journalist, CNN, adjunct professor, Johns Hopkins University
• Ian Birrell, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief, The Independent ; Contributing Editor, The Mail on Sunday ^[2]
• Mark Burns (1936–2007), actor ^[3]
• John Bunting (1927–2002), sculptor and teacher ^[4]
• Mark Coreth (born 1959), animal sculptor
• Lord Anthony Crichton-Stuart (born 1961), art historian
• Vincent Cronin (1924–2011), historical writer and biographer ^[5]
• Lu Edmonds (born 1957), musician (Public Image Ltd., The Damned, The Mekons, The Spizzles, The Waterboys, among others)
• Rupert Everett (born 1959), actor ^[6]
• Mark Ezra (born 1950), film producer and writer
• Julian Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford (born 1949), actor, writer and creator of Downton Abbey ; Conservative peer of the House of Lords (2011–) ^[6]
• Andrew Festing (born 1941), British Royal Portrait painter
• Sir Antony Gormley (born 1950), sculptor ^[6]
• Harman Grisewood (1906–1997), Chief Assistant to the Director-General of the BBC, 1955–1964
• Albert Read, newspaper and magazine executive for Condé Nast
• Patrick Reyntiens (born 1925), stained glass artist
• Edward Holcroft (born 1987), film, television and stage actor
• James Honeyborne (born 1970), TV and film director
• Henry Hudson (born 1982), artist
• Geoffrey Huskinson (1935–2018), cartoonist ^[7]
• Martin Jennings (born 1957), sculptor
• Andrew Knight (born 1939), journalist, editor, and media magnate
• Guy Mankowski (born 1983), writer
• John Micklethwait (born 1962), editor-in-chief of The Economist
• Red Morris, 4th Baron Killanin (born 1947), film producer
• Paul Morrissey (born 1938), film director, best known for his association with Andy Warhol.
• James Norton (born 1985), film, television and stage actor ^[8]
• James O'Brien (born 1972), radio presenter and journalist
• Roderic O'Conor (1860–1940), artist
• Herbert Railton (1857–1910), illustrator ^[9]
• Benedict Read (1945–2016), art historian, Senior Lecturer in Art History at the University of Leeds. Brother of Piers Paul Read (see below).
• Piers Paul Read (born 1941), writer
• Stuart Reid (born 1942), journalist, pundit
• Joe Simpson (born 1960), mountaineer and autobiographer
• Edward Stourton (born 1957), journalist
• Julian Wadham (born 1958), actor
• Tom Waller (born 1974), film producer
• Michael Whitehall (born 1940), producer, agent, television personality; father of comedian Jack Whitehall
• Hugo Young (1938–2003), journalist

Politics, law, business and nobility

• Michael Ancram, 14th Marquess of Lothian (1945–2024), Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party, 2001–2005
• Dominic Asquith (born 1957), Ambassador to Iraq, 2006—2007, Ambassador to Egypt, 2007–present.
• Julian Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1916–2011), diplomat ^[10]
• Raymond Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (born 1952), former diplomat and businessman
• Anthony Bamford, Lord Bamford (born 1945), Chairman, J.C.Bamford (Excavators) Ltd.
• Andrew Bertie (1929–2008), first British Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller since 1258 (1988–2008)
• Richard Bertie, 14th Earl of Lindsey (born 1931), soldier and hereditary peer
• John Burnett, Baron Burnett (born 1945), Liberal Democrat MP for Torridge and West Devon, 1997–2001, 2001–5, Life Peer (2006–present)
• John Crichton-Stuart, 6th Marquess of Bute (1933–1993), Chairman, Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, 1983–1988, and National Museums of Scotland, 1985–1993
• Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh (born 1950), landowner and UKIP politician
• Matthew Festing (born 1949), second British Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller since 1258 (2008–2017)
• Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk (born 1956), Earl Marshal
• Major-General Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk (1915–2002), Earl Marshal
• Francis Fitzherbert, 15th Baron Stafford (born 1954), landowner, peer and deputy lieutenant
• Sir Hugh Fraser (1918–1984), Secretary of State for Air, 1962–1964
• David Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham (born 1932), Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords, 1973–1974
• Auberon Herbert (1922–1974), campaigner for Eastern European causes
• Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian (1922–2004), Scottish peer, landowner and politician
• John George (1930–2012), HM Kintyre Pursuivant of Arms, herald and author
• Sir Arthur Goodall, GCMG (born 1931), British diplomat, High Commissioner to India 1987–1991
• Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg (1921–2019), Grand Duke of Luxembourg, 1964–2000
• Don Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte (1807–1866), Prince Imperial of Mexico
• Sir Jeremy Johnson (born 1971), High Court judge ^[11]

• King Letsie III of Lesotho (born 1963), King of Lesotho (1990–1995, 1996–present)
• Paul Moore, (born 1958), whistleblower sacked from HBOS
• King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho (1938–1996), King of Lesotho (1966–1970, 1970–1990, 1995–96)
• George Nelson, 8th Earl Nelson (1905–1981)
• Michael Nolan, Baron Nolan (1928–2007), Law Lord and first chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
• Richard Norton, 8th Baron Grantley (born 1956), banker and politician
• William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel (born 1947), Lord Chamberlain
• Peter Hope, 4th Baron Rankeillour (1935–2005), Scottish landowner and peer ^[12]
• Nick Read (born 1966), business executive, CEO of Post Office Limited
• John Home Robertson (born 1948), former Labour MP and currently Member of the Scottish Parliament
• John Scott, 4th Earl of Eldon (1899–1976) ^[13]
• John Scott, 5th Earl of Eldon (1937–2017) ^[13]
• Charles Stourton, 26th Baron Mowbray (1923–2006), a representative hereditary peer
• Edward Stourton, 27th Baron Mowbray (1953–2021)
• Sir Swinton Barclay Thomas (1931–2016), British judge, privy councillor, and the Interception of Communications Commissioner

Military

• Michael Allmand (1923–1944), Victoria Cross recipient (posthumous). Killed In Action on 24 June 1944, in Burma
• Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles (born 1939), soldier
• Brigadier Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat (1911–1995), pioneering officer of the British Army's commandos
• Major General Lord Michael Fitzalan-Howard (1916–2007), Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps 1972–1981
• Major General Christopher John Ghika, Major-General commanding the Household Division 2019-present
• Major-General Sir Freddie de Guingand (1900–1979), Chief of Staff to Field Marshal Montgomery, 1942–1945
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Johnston, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's office
• Wing Commander Tony Lovell (1919–1945), flying ace of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War
• Captain Robert Nairac (1948–1977), George Cross, intelligence officer murdered by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
• Major-General Peter Grant Peterkin (born c.1947), Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons
• Major General Sir Sebastian Roberts (1954–2023), GOC The Household Division 2003–2007
• Colonel Sir David Stirling (1915–1990), founder of the SAS
• Major Gus March-Phillipps (1908–1942), founder of No. 62 Commando ^[14]

Philosophy, history and academia

• Michael Clanchy (1936–2021), Professor of Medieval History, University of London
• William Dalrymple (born 1965), historian
• John Keay (born 1941), historian, journalist and radio presenter
• Angus Loughran (born 1966), journalist, commentator and pundit
• Robert Maximilian de Gaynesford (born 1968), philosopher
• Fred Halliday, (1946–2010), academic, Fellow of the British Academy, Montague Burton Professor of International Relations at London School of Economics
• Philip Lawrence (1947–1995), headmaster and murder victim
• Gabriel Turville-Petre (1908–1978), Professor of Ancient Icelandic Literature and Antiquities, University of Oxford, 1953–1975
• Henry Wansbrough (1934), Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford, 1990–2004

Religion

• Athanasius Allanson (1804–1876), Benedictine monk, and Abbot of Glastonbury, 1874–1876
• Thomas Burgess (1791–1854), Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton, 1851–1854
• Columba Cary-Elwes (1903–1994), monastery founder, ecumenist and author
• Sheikh Abdur Raheem Green (born 1962), convert to Islam and founder of the iERA ^[15]
• Ambrose Griffiths (1928–2011), Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
• John Cuthbert Hedley (1837–1915), Roman Catholic Bishop of Newport, 1881–1915 ^[16]
• Basil, Cardinal Hume (1923–1999), Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey, 1963–1975, and Archbishop of Westminster, 1975–1999

Science and medicine

• Peter Christopher Caldwell (1927–1979), zoologist
• Thomas Cecil Gray (1913–2008), pioneered modern anaesthetic techniques
• Bill Inman (1929–2005), pharmacovigilance pioneer
• John William Polidori (1795–1821), physician and writer

Sport

• Christopher Bartle, (born 1952) equestrian, member of the GB team at the 1984 Summer Olympics
• John Bean (1913–2005), first-class cricketer and British Army officer
• John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute (1958–2021), a Scottish peer and former racing driver ("Johnny Dumfries") ^[17]
• Lawrence Dallaglio (born 1972), former captain of the English national rugby team ^[6]
• John Dalrymple (born 1957), cricketer
• Howard Dunbar (1904–1942), cricketer
• Simon Easterby (born 1975), former member of the Ireland national rugby union team
• Guy Easterby (born 1972), former member of the Ireland national rugby union team
• Maurice Fitzgerald (born 1976), former rugby player for Biarritz and England A
• Tomas Francis, rugby player for Wales national rugby union team
• Charles Grieve (1913–2000), cricketer who played for Oxford University and Guernsey
• Edward O'Donovan Crean (born 1887), English rugby union player who was part of the first official British and Irish Lions team that toured South Africa in 1910 ^[18]
• Jonathan Pearce (born 1957), cricketer

References

1. Pearlman, Jonathan (3 July 2012). "'Rightful king of England' dies in Australia". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
2. Ian Birrell (22 October 2005). "The hell I share with David Cameron". The Spectator (political magazine). Retrieved 25 April 2021.
3. Evans, Peter (18 July 2007). "Obituary: Mark Burns". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
4. "John Bunting". The Telegraph. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
5. "Vincent Cronin". The Telegraph. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
6. Pells, Rachael (25 August 2016). "Top Catholic school 'hid' sex abuse claims to deny victims justice, say former pupils". The Independent. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
7. "Mark Huskinson, comic illustrator – obituary" . The Daily Telegraph . London. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
8. Sweney, Mark (1 February 2016). "James Norton: TV producers also typecast against posh actors". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 July 2017.
9. The Ampleforth Journal, published by Ampleforth Abbey (York, England), Item notes: 14 (1908–1909), p. 233
10. The Catholic Who's who and Yearbook edited by Francis Cowley Burnand, Published by Burns & Oates., 1940, page 39
11. The Anpleforth Journal, Spring 1993, p. 104
12. Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Issue 173 (Dod's Parliamentary Companion Limited, 1992), p. 258
13. Burke's Peerage , volume 1 (2003), p. 1293
14. "The Ampleforth Journal" (PDF). The Ampleforth Journal. 48: 81. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
15. "Sheikh Abdur-Raheem Green Biography". Islam Events -. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
16. "HEDLEY, Rt. Rev. John Cuthbert". Who's Who. Vol. 59. 1907. pp. 815–816.
17. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 601. ISBN   0-9711966-2-1.
18. The Ampleforth Journal, by Ampleforth Abbey (York, England), Page 234, Item notes: 14 (1908–1909)