THORNTON. 



ought to be a grammar school only, or a free school 

 for reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as clas- 

 sical learning when it was determined to be a 

 grammar school only ; and it was at the same time 

 distinctly stated by his honour the vice chancellor Sir 

 Thomas Plumer, that the branch school at Sinning- 

 ton, being " a nuvelty not within the meaning of the 

 the founder," nor warranted by " the deed," could 

 not be considered a part of the grammar school, or 

 be entitled to the university scholarships 



Several excellent classical scholars have been 

 educated at this school ; and amongst those who 

 have distinguished themselves in public life, we 



deductions, by passing through the fiery ordeal of the 

 court of chancery. This charity was left in 1657 ; and 

 go early as the year 1679, dean Comber, as rector of the 

 parish of Thornton, (the incumbent of Thornton pro 

 temporc, being according to the original institution al- 

 ways one of the trustees,) found himself called upon to 

 correct the abuses that had crept in ; and again in 1690 

 to bring an action in the court of chancery against Sir 

 Anthony Mayne, one of lady Lumley's trustees, for a 

 misapplication of the funds. Which suit, depending 3 

 or 4 years, wasted above 40 ,(a large sum in that day,) 

 which had been saved out of the improved rents, and 

 which had been designed for repairs and other uses. The 

 court of chancery upon a full hearing of the cause, com- 

 pelled the intruders to quit the receipts, and Sir Anthony 

 his trust, which he had so shamefully betrayed : and as 

 Dr. Comber was then about to leave this part of the 

 country, he got a decree to settle those charities in the 

 hands of 6 or 7 of the neighbouring gentry : who were 

 likely to take care of them for the time to come. 



Comber's life of Dean Comber, p. 126, 289, 



The charity was again in chancery from 1738 to 1741> 

 at the instance of the Rev. William Ward, the master 5 

 and still more recently from 1814 to 1816, as already 

 noticed. 



