William Sponne, D.D., archdeacon of Norfolk, and the rector of this parish in the reign of Henry VI., by will demised the Talbot Inn at Towcester, and several closes which according to a survey made in 1820, amounted to 57a. 1r. 33p. To certain trustees, for the support of the two chaplains of the chantry founded by him, in the parish church, and in which they were to perform divine offices for his soul at the altar of the Blessed Virgin in the chapel at the east end of the aisle. He also directed, that whenever any fifteenth of the liege goods of the King, granted by the commonality of England, was to be paid to the King, it should be discharged by the trustees under his will, instead of being levied on the parish; and that the surplus should be expended in the repairs of the footways of the town. The estates belonging to this charity are vested in feoffees chosen from amongst the, parishioners of Towcester, the number of whom when complete is 15. Two of the feoffees are appointed in succession every year to receive and apply the rents of the estates, and an annual meeting of the feoffees is held in Easter week for the examination of the accounts and the general administration of the trust. The annual income of the charity is applied for the purpose of the repairs of the Talbot Inn and premises, the repairs of the footways in the town of Towcester, the payment of an annual composition or sum of £10. to the trustees of the turnpike road passing through the town, and the keeping in repair the monument of the founder in Towcester church; and the surplus of the rents, after payment of the expenses of the trust, is distributed yearly by the two feoffees, among the poor of the parish.

The Grammar School. - The college or Chantry house, founded by Archdeacon Sponne, was valued at the dissolution at £19. 6s. 8d. per annum, and with a messuage belonging to it, were granted in the 4th of Edward VI. (1550), to Richard Hyebourn, and William Dalby, who sold them to the feoffees of the said Archdeacon's will, by whom they were converted into a grammar school, and schoolmaster's house, in the following year, 1552. The endowment now consists of a messuage, with a yard and garden, in Park lane, (also purchased by the feoffees), two cottages and a small garden also, in Park lane, a close of 1a. 2r. 3Op. of land, in the master's occupation, which was allotted at the inclosure in lieu of rights of common; £7. 2s. 8d. per annum payable out of the crown rents of the county, varying 4s. from the original pension of £7. 6s. 8d. to the schoolmaster or second chaplain of the chantry. Besides the above, there is other property arising from benefactions either given to the school itself, or for the education of poor children generally, which is now become annexed to the institution. The annual value of the endowment at present is £63. 9s., which after deducting the income tax and repairs of the school, leaves the nett income about £57. 10s. for which 31 children are taught free. The master is appointed by the feoffees who usually choose one qualified to teach the classics, and generally select a person in holy orders. The school is conducted as a grammar and English school for boarders and pay scholars, as well as for children educated on the foundation. The school is ably conducted by the Rev. James W. Willetts.

Almshouses. - Thomas Bickerstaffe, of London, a native of this town, erected almshouses for three poor aged women; and by will, dated 20th January, 1695, devised to the trustees of Sponne's charity a piece of ground in Towcester, and the sum of £250, to lay out in the purchase of an estate for the endowment of the same. Land was purchased in 1698, in the open field in Farthingston, in lieu of which 28a. 17p. was allotted at the inclosure, which lets for about £70 a year. The cottages were rebuilt in 1815, and the inmates received 7s per week each, and coals. There are two other almshouses for poor widows also, one of which was built in 1788, by subscription, and the other by Mr. Simon Adams prior to 1801. The funds of the whole have been augmented by the following benefactions: [see tables below]

Charities of Towcester Hundred

Date

Donor and nature of gift

To what place and purpose applied

Annual Value

1646

Leeson, Jane (land)

Abthorpe Parish (poor)

£3

1646

Leeson, Jane (land)

Abthorpe Parish (school)

£8

1646

Leeson, Jane (rent)

Cold Higham Parish (poor)

£1

1646

Leeson, Jane (rent)

Pattishall Parish

£1

1646

Marke's Charity Estate

Pattishall Parish (apprenticing children)

£4

1646

Leeson, Jane (rent)

Tiffield Parish (poor)

10s

1647

Thomas Cleave (land)

Pattishall Parish (bread to poor)

£6

1670

Leveson, Lady Kath.

Pattishall Parish (two poor widows)

£30

1670

Leveson, Lady Kath.

Pattishall Parish (three poor widows)

£3

1670

Leveson, Lady Kath.

Pattishall Parish (teaching 4 poor widows)

£5

1670

Leveson, Lady Kath.

Pattishall Parish (apprenticing children)

£55

1670

Bidford Charity

Pattishall Parish (poor)

£20

1684

Young, Thomas (rents)

Pattishall Parish (teaching 6 poor boys)

£13 15s

1684

Foxley Charity

Pattishall Parish (school)

£5

1698

Poor's Estate

Gayton Parish

£41

1698

Church Land

Gayton Parish

£19

1726

Nicoll, Thomas (£200)

Abthorpe Parish (endowmen of the church living)

£10

1726

Nicoll, Thomas (£200)

Abthorpe Parish (poor and parish clerk)

£5

1726

Shephard and Porters' Gifts (£5 each)

Abthorpe Parish (bread to poor)

10s

1780

Church and Poor's Land

Tiffield Parish

£5 10s

1809

Waite, William (£200)

Pattishall Parish (one poor widow)

£10

1809

Waite, William (£100)

Pattishall Parish (school)

£5

Charities of Towcester Parish

Date

Donor and nature of gift

To what place and purpose applied

Annual Value

1451

Sponne's Charity Estate

£164

1552

Trustee's of Sponne's Charity (rents)

Grammar School

£13 16s

1552

Payable out of the Crown rents of the county

Grammar School

£7 2s 8d

1617

Sheppard Wm. and George, Frances

poor

10s

1617

Clarke, John (rent)

poor

£2

1617

Bland, Richard (rent)

£1

1646

Leeson, Jane (rent)

poor

£ 2

1646

Church Estate

£53 10s

1691

Perry, Wm. (land)

teaching 2 poor boys and supplying them with coats and caps

£5

1694

Jones, John and Anne (rent)

bread to poor

£9 6s

1694

Poor's Land

£9

1695

Bickerstaff, [sic] Thos. (£250)

almshouse for 3 poor people

£70

1697

Jones, Anne (land)

teaching six poor boys

£3 3s

1704

Saunders, Jph. (rent)

Grammar School

£5 1s

1738

Ratnett, Rd.

teaching 2 poor boys

£2

1776

Newman, Jph. (£100)

4 poor widows

£5

1789

Churchill, Sarah (£80)

4 poor widows

£3

1789

Churchill, Sarah (several sums £551 9s 6d)

the 5 poor almspeople

£17

1797

Land allotted at the inclosures

Grammar School

£20

1800

Cooke, Mary (£10)

candles, &c. for the 5 poor almspeople

10s

1801

Adams, Simon (£120)

one elderly person

£5

1802

Knightley, Sir John (£200, 3 per cent consols)

Sunday School

£5 14s

1805

Hall, James (£100)

almshouses

£4 1s

1805

Cleaver, Thomas (£50)

bread to poor

£13 7s

1814

Churchill, Sarah (£100)

the 5 poor almspeople

£3

References
This text has been transcribed (with original spelling and punctuation) from pages 540-541 and 560 of "History, Gazetteer and Directory of Northamptonshire" by William Whellan and Co, London, MDCCCXLIX. Published by Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane, London. Printed by Robert Gardner, Narrow Street, Peterborough. Transcription and additional research by David Wilcock.