Charity School, Great Bedwyn

A schoolmaster has been recorded at Great Bedwyn from as early as 1580. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, when the parish was much larger than it is now, there were up to 13 day schools recorded in as being in operation. Charitable bequests from William Cox and W. G. Pike in the early 1800s supported educational provision in Great Bedwyn. Cox's charitable land bequest particularly funded 10 boys aged between 5 and 10 to read and eventually, in 1824, funds accumulated to cover the fees of a schoolmaster, Josiah Clark. Children had to pay extra if they wanted to be taught writing or arithmetic. Josiah's son continued the teaching after his father's death in 1837 but presumably the school closed around a decade later as in 1847 the funds from Cox's charity were split between the mistress and master of the National School. Funds from the charity continued to be used towards education until 1993.