New Hall School is not open to the public. It is a leading Catholic independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3-18. Founded in 1642, New Hall School on the outskirts of Chelmsford is the oldest Catholic school in England that has always taken girls. Following the establishment of its new charitable status as New Hall School Trust in 2005, the former convent school opened its doors to senior boys. New Hall is set in a stunning location dominated by the magnificent former Tudor palace of Beaulieu. Approached from a mile-long tree-lined avenue, the main building is Grade I listed and the grounds and avenue of trees are also a listed historic park and garden. New Hall is ranked by English Heritage in the top 2% of heritage buildings in the country. The estate was formally owned by Sir Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne Boleyn; King Henry VIII acquired it in 1517 and built the first of his great palaces, Beaulieu, on which Hampton Court was modelled.