Early Schools, Chippenham
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A combination of charities have contributed to the education of children in Chippenham:
The 1615 will of Thomas Ray, Salisbury, made bequests to poor clothiers of Chippenham, Marlborough, Trowbridge and Westbury. The Chippenham receipts were used for educational purposes.
A gift by William Woodroffe in 1664 of an annuity of £5 from the rent of a field known as 'The Breach' in Rowden Lane, was paid to a schoolmaster to teach ten poor boys of the borough.
In 1674 Mrs. Mary Bridges left £10 for the use of the 'Free School'. A century later, in 1774, executors gave this sum and accrued interest of £5 to the borough to pay 15 shillings yearly to the master of the Free School for the education of two boys in reading, writing and arithmetic.
Under a scheme devised in 1875, a one quarter share of Sir Francis Popham's Charity of 1637 which fell to Chippenham was also devoted to educational purposes.
In 1719 the Rev. Robert Cock, 1719, left land rental of £10 to support a charity school for girls of the parish of Chippenham. In the early 19th century the trustees transferred the income to the National Girls' School.
Following a bequest by Richard Scott in1661, his great-grandson, also named Richard Scott, in 1733 gave a house in Cooke (now St. Mary) Street for the accommodation of the master and boys of the Free School. In addition he granted £20 for repairs to the property.
The 1615 will of Thomas Ray, Salisbury, made bequests to poor clothiers of Chippenham, Marlborough, Trowbridge and Westbury. The Chippenham receipts were used for educational purposes.
A gift by William Woodroffe in 1664 of an annuity of £5 from the rent of a field known as 'The Breach' in Rowden Lane, was paid to a schoolmaster to teach ten poor boys of the borough.
In 1674 Mrs. Mary Bridges left £10 for the use of the 'Free School'. A century later, in 1774, executors gave this sum and accrued interest of £5 to the borough to pay 15 shillings yearly to the master of the Free School for the education of two boys in reading, writing and arithmetic.
Under a scheme devised in 1875, a one quarter share of Sir Francis Popham's Charity of 1637 which fell to Chippenham was also devoted to educational purposes.
In 1719 the Rev. Robert Cock, 1719, left land rental of £10 to support a charity school for girls of the parish of Chippenham. In the early 19th century the trustees transferred the income to the National Girls' School.
Following a bequest by Richard Scott in1661, his great-grandson, also named Richard Scott, in 1733 gave a house in Cooke (now St. Mary) Street for the accommodation of the master and boys of the Free School. In addition he granted £20 for repairs to the property.
In 1895 the Charity Commissioners merged the educational charities of Ray, Scott, Bridges and Woodroffe; the income was to be used for the education of six boys. In addition, by a scheme of 1898, part of the Colborne Trust income arising from the 1781 will of Joseph Colbourne of Hardenhuish, was to be applied to educational purposes. The Free School remained in Cooke Street until 1860. In the 20th century the Governors of Chippenham Grammar School would become the trustees of the combined educational charities.