350 Bradford-on-Avon. [ Charities. 
The gifts alluded to in the above extract, are, no doubt, those of 
Mr. Francis Smith, and Mrs. Jane Brown, the former of whom pro- 
vided for the children of the Borough of Bradford, and the latter 
for those of the Tithing of Atworth. 
In the year 1715, a building was assigned over to Trustees for 
the purposes of a School-house. Of this building we have already 
given a full and complete account, it having proved to be an 
ancient Church of Pre-Norman date, and, as such, most interesting 
to Archeologists. It was conveyed to nine Trustees “ for the term 
of 1000 years, without impeachment of waste, paying a pepper- 
corn rent, upon trust, that the said Trustees, and the survivors 
and survivor of them, their executors, administrators, and assigns, 
should keep and use the aforesaid edifice or building, with the 
appurtenances, as a Charity School-house, during the term afore- 
said, and upon trust, that when the major part of the Trustees 
thereby appointed, or of any other Trustees from time to time to be 
appointed, should die, the survivors should from time to time assign 
over the premises to nine other sufficient persons inhabiting within, or 
belonging to the Parish of Bradford, upon the like trusts.” 
It would appear that the Premises thus conveyed were put into 
repair, and fitted up as a School-house, by means of subscriptions. 
On a panel in front of the organ gallery in the Church, the fact is 
thus stated ;— 
“The Charity-school, with the Schoolmaster’s-house, were given by Mr. 
Anthony Methuen, and the fee thereof by the Hon. Lady Paulet, and the Rev. 
Mr. Wright. To put them in repair, the Rev. Mr. Rogers applied £35, part of 
£50 given by Edward Dike, Clerk, and about £50 more subscribed by different 
persons.” 
The income of this Charity is derived from the following 
sources ;— 
I. Smrrn’s Girr.—The account of this gift is recorded on a 
board formerly in front of the Chancel Gallery, and now removed 
to the Vestry of the Parish Church. The inscription has been 
painted over, but is still to be deciphered; it ran as follows ;— 
“Mr. Francis Suir gave £250, the interest to be paid the Schoolmaster 
for teaching ten Charity children.” 
This gift was left by the donor in his will, about the year 1720. 
