Jenner's School, Cricklade
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In 1651 Robert Jenner, a London goldsmith who had family connections with Cricklade, owning the manor of Widhill, died and was buried in St. Sampson's Church. He left money for a free school next to St. Sampson's and this enabled the purchase of the land, the erection of the school and an endowment of £20 a year. The school was built in 1652 as a single large room with three gables to the south and two to the north. Boys were taught only Latin and the maximum fee charged for a Cricklade boy was 4 shillings a year but more could be charged for a boy from elsewhere. Later an upper floor with three rooms was inserted.
The school had closed by c.1690 and in 1719 St. Sampson's parish took possession of the building and used it as a poorhouse. It was converted to a workhouse, or house of maintenance, in 1726-7 and was greatly extended at this time. It remained as a workhouse until 1835 when the Purton and Cricklade Poor Law Union was formed and a union workhouse built at Purton. There was a sale of parish property in 1840 and the eastern part of the school and workhouse was sold to subscribers for a school. This was conveyed to the National Society in 1843, when a government building grant was also obtained. Further information will be found under St. Sampson's National School.
The school had closed by c.1690 and in 1719 St. Sampson's parish took possession of the building and used it as a poorhouse. It was converted to a workhouse, or house of maintenance, in 1726-7 and was greatly extended at this time. It remained as a workhouse until 1835 when the Purton and Cricklade Poor Law Union was formed and a union workhouse built at Purton. There was a sale of parish property in 1840 and the eastern part of the school and workhouse was sold to subscribers for a school. This was conveyed to the National Society in 1843, when a government building grant was also obtained. Further information will be found under St. Sampson's National School.