By the Rev. W. H. Jones. 243 



iJHcmoranVum. The sayde Incumbent is a verey honeste man, well lerned and 

 ryghte able to serve a cure, albeit a verey poore man and hathe 

 none other ly vinge but the sayde Chuntrey, and furthermore he 

 hathe occupyed hymself in teachynge a scole there ever sith he 

 came fyrste thider. 



Also the sayde parishe of Trowbridge is a great parishe wherein 

 be the number of 500 people whiche receyve the Blessed Communion 

 and no Preeste besides the Yicar to helpe in administracion savinge 

 the sayd Chuntre Preeste. "Wherefore the Inhabytants there 

 desyre the Kinges most honorable Councell to consyder them 

 accordinglye. 



The Alms-house, which, as we learn from the deed, James 

 Terumber " new bielded," is thus described by Leland : — " This 

 Terumber made also a little almose-house by Through-bridge chirch, 

 and yn it be a 6 poore folkes having a 3 pence a peace by the week 

 toward theyr fyndynge." — It had, it is said, six small rooms below 

 and six above, and stood at the north-east side of the church-yard. 

 In the account of the lands and tenements left by Terumber, we 

 have mention of " vi. chambers in the alms-house," and of " a cham- 

 ber with a garden " occupied by Robert Wheatacre, the Chantry 

 Priest. The provision for the maintenance of the Chantry and of 

 the Alms-house was made by the same deed, and issued from the 

 same estates. It is more than probable, that when, on the dissolu- 

 tion of the chantry, the lands and tenements were sold, the pro- 

 vision for the alms-folk was disposed of also. Who were the 

 purchasers of the various properties, I have not been able to ascer- 

 tain, the Chantry Records, as far as they have been examined, 

 containing no entry respecting those matters. 



The Charity Commissioners, who visited Trowbridge some 35 

 years ago for the purpose of enquiring into all the charitable en- 

 dowments, were able to elicit very little concerning the old alms- 

 house. After giving an abstract of the provisions of Terumber's 

 deed, they go on to report as follows : — 



" There used to be an old building, containing six small rooms 

 on the ground-floor, and six others above them ; the premises were 

 standing adjoining to the north-east side of the church-yard, and 

 were known by the name of the old alms-house, and are believed 

 to have been the alms-house built by Terumber." 



" It appears by several entries in the churchwardens' book, ' that 



