290 



Great Bedwyn. 



The communion plate belonging to this church consists of a 

 paten, two chalices, not very ancient, a flagon, given in a.d. 1840 

 by the Marquis of Ailesbury, and an offertory dish, parcel gilt, 

 having in the centre a representation of the Adoration of the 

 Magi, presented on Easter Day 1847 by the four eldest daughters 

 of the then vicar. 



There have been made, at several periods, grants of land and 

 money for the benefit of the poor in this parish, the most consider- 

 able of which are Sir Anthony Hungerford's charity of £10 an- 

 nually, granted by deed, dated 24th August, 1604, to certain 

 trustees and their heirs, to be paid for ever out of his lands at 

 Eysey and Water Eaton, in North Wilts, for apprenticing two 

 children yearly, which should be born in the borough of Great 

 Bedwyn. This rent-charge being insufficient to procure good 

 masters in the present day, one boy only has been annually appren- 

 ticed for some time, and the premium raised to the whole sum of 

 £10. 



Mr. John Bushell's charity of ten shillings yearly, to be paid 

 out of his free land in the parish of Great Bedwjm to the church- 

 wardens, six days before each Christmas, to be distributed to the 

 most honest poor widows of the town of Great Bedwyn. 



Mr. William Cox made a grant in a.d. 1799, of land situated in 

 Frog Lane, to certain trustees, the rents and profits of which were 

 to be applied after his death to the education of ten poor children 

 of the parish of Great Bedwyn. Mr. Cox died in a.d. 1812, but 

 the profits were not immediately available in consequence of dila- 

 pidation on the premises, and other hindrances, but a school has 

 been in operation for more than thirty years upon this foundation. 

 In 1832, a conveyance was made by the surviving trustee under 

 Mr. Cox's deed of feoffment, to five new trustees, two of whom are 

 now living. 



Mr. William Gale Pike, by will dated 30th March, 1839, be- 

 queathed the sum of £100 to the poor of Great Bedwyn, and £50 

 to the National Charity School. Mr. Pike died on the 25th of May 

 following, and his executrix paid these bequests with interest, 

 sometime afterwards, to the vicar and churchwardens, by whom 



