Cowan House was founded, as a private venture, in 1948, by David and Joy Black. Situated in Mountain Rise, Pietermaritzburg, it was started as a monastic boys school. David Black was granted permission to name the school after the residence he had stayed in while studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. So too was the emblem of Cowan House Residence adopted – the Rampant Lion. An initial enrolment of just boys quickly grew to 12 by the end of the first year. In 1949 there were 36 boys to start the year at Cowan House and by the end of 1950, enrolment had increased to nearly 50. Early on, a boarding facility was opened to accommodate the pupils in what was always to remain an intimate and homely atmosphere.