A HISTORY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE 



CHELTENHAM SCHOOLS 



CHELTENHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL 



The earliest knowledge we have of the school at Cheltenham is in the 

 document which recorded its disendowment, though not its disestablishment. 



The certificate 1 made under the Chantries Act of 1547 records in 'The 

 Deanery of Wynchecombe ' : 



53. In the parysshe of Cheltenham, where are of howselinge people, 2 600. 



Saynt Kateryne Service. The clere yerely value, uSs. lid. Edward Grove, 

 incumbent, hath for his yerelye stypend, loos. 



Memorandum ; that the sayde Syr Edward Grove, one of the incumbentes, was 

 charged by speciall Covenaunt betwene the Parysshoners of the saide Towne of Cheltenham 

 and him, always to teache their children ; which Towne is a markett Towne and muche 

 youthe within the same, nere wherunto is no scolle kept. Wherefore it is thought 

 convenyent to signifye unto your Mastershipps the same to be a meate place to establyshe 

 some Teacher and erect a Gramer Scole, So it might stande with the Kynges Majesties 

 pleasure. 



Continuatur Schola quousque. 



Places for Grammerscoles to be newlye erected. The townes of Newent, Cirencestour, 

 Tewkesburye, Cheltenham, in the aforesaide countie of Glouceter. 



The direction for the continuance of the school was duly carried out. 

 In the accounts 8 of the Crown received for Gloucestershire 34 Edward VI, 

 we find ' and in like cash (denariis) paid to Edward Grove, schoolmaster of a 

 certain grammar school of the foundation of the chantry of St. Katherine in 

 the parish of Cheltenham, and for his wages or stipend so (i.e. by warrant 

 of Sir Walter Mildmay knight) granted to him at IOQJ. a year, in such 

 allowances due for a year 5.' 



This item is continued yearly up to and including iz Philip and 

 Mary, when it stops and appears no more.* 



It is probable that the school was kept going in some form. For 

 on 7 January, 1574, Richard Pate of Minsterworth, Gloucestershire, who 

 had been one of the Chantry Commissioners, obtained a grant of the property 

 or part of the property of St. Katherine's Chantry and also of that of Our 

 Lady's Chantry in the parish church with other property ; the queen being 

 ' well pleased to make the said Richard Pate more hable and sufficient to 

 perfect and accomplish that good work which he then intended in the 

 edifying, building and perpetual foundation and maintenance of a Free 

 Grammar School and an Hospital in the town of Cheltenham.' Pate had 

 also acquired some other chantry land in Gloucester ; three houses in 

 St. Aldate's parish, Gloucester ; the house of the Trinity College be- 

 longing to Our Lady Chantry in Trinity Church, Gloucester, and Grace 

 Lane College belonging to the Lady Chantry in Saint Mary Grace Lane, 

 Gloucester. 



All these by deed of i October, 1585, he gave to Corpus Christi 

 College, Oxford, 'in token of his thankful remembrance that he had been 

 brought up heretofore in good letters ' there ' for the perpetual maintenance 



1 A. F. Leach, Engl. Sch. at the Reformation, 85. * Communicants. 



5 Mins. Accts. 3-4 Edw. VI, Roll 90. 



4 Mins. Accts. 4-5 Edw. VI, R. 90 ; 5-6 Edw. VI, R. 76 ; Ld. Rev. Rec. Accts. bdle. 28, 1 and 2. 

 Phil, and Mary. 



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