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 A HISTORY OF RUTLAND RUTLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOUNDED BEFORE 1800^ Belton. — Charles Roberts, by will 19 April 1768, devised his messuages, cottages, closes, lands, and hereditaments, in Belton and Bis- brooke to his nephew, Charles Roberts, his heirs and assigns, upon condition that within six months after the decease of testator's wife the sum of ^^200 should be invested by him or them in his or their names, and in the name of the vicar of Belton, or in the names of persons appointed by his nephew, his heirs and assigns, and by the vicar of Belton, and that the proceeds, after paying charges attending the execution of the trust, should be devoted to the benefit and educating of the poor children of the parish, the number to be settled from time to time by the possessor of testator's real estate in Belton. The widow died in 1800, and next year ;^200 was invested in the purchase of ^^329 18s. of three per cent, consols. The dividends, amounting to ^9 ijs. bd., were paid to the parish school- master for instructing twelve children of the parish, nominated by the vicar with the con- currence of the nephew, in the three R's, free of charge. £^ ~s. a year was also paid in 1820, and probably for many years previously, from the Charity for the Poor to the schoolmaster for teaching twelve poor children of the parish, chosen by the trustees of the charity, to read and write. This charity was investigated by Commissioners under the statute of Charitable Uses in 1688, and the endowment certified to consist of 34 acres assigned to the parish in 1630 at the time of the disafforestation of Leighfield, j^io given by Sir Richard Dewney, ^'-i each given by Francis Exton, Thomas Jerman, Valen- tine Cotton, and Endymion Canning, ^^3 6j. %d. given by George Pilkington, and 40;. by Thomas Bonnor. In 1820 the total income of this charity from land and stock amounted to ;^83. The Schools Inquiry Report gives the income of the school in 1866 as ;^I0, and the number of children in attendance as 12 boys, who all re- ceived free instruction. The school had appar- ently ceased to be supported from the Poor's Charity. In 1907 the average attendance was given as 74. The present building was erected in 1870. Braunston. — Augustin Burton, formerly of Braunston, by indenture of 1587, gave 'unto Sir Thomas Burton and his issue male all that my annuity of ^^30 yearly issuing out of the manor of Hollstead, in the county of Leicester ... to these purposes following : that is to say, I do ' This account of the Elementary Schools is based upon the report of the Commission for inquiring con- cerning Charities and Education (1820), the Schools Inquiry Report (1867), and the latest list of Elemen- tary Schools published by the Board of Education. give of that annuity ^^5 to be paid by the said Sir Thomas Burton and his heirs, for ever, to the chaplain and curate of Braunston successively, as they shall come to the place, to teach 20 of the poorest men's children in the said town such as Sir Thomas Burton and the rest of my name shall think fit, that shall be in the town. And if the said chaplain or curate, at any time here- after, shall deny to teach them, my will is, that the ;^5 shall be and remain to 12 of the poorest people dwelling in the town, to have, every Sunday, a loaf of a penny a piece, and a penny- worth of ale a piece for ever, to be paid by the said Sir Thomas and his heirs for ever.' In 1820 it was reported that the curates and ministers had not been in the habit of instructing the children themselves, but had paid the annuity to the parish clerk for doing so. About 18 10 the number of scholars to be instructed free was reduced to 8. In 1820 the 8 free scholars were instructed in reading and the Church Catechism; there were also paying scholars. This school is not included in the Schools Inquiry list of En- dowed Elementary Schools. In 1907 the average attendance of the Braunston National School was 85. The present building was erected in 1846. Empingham. — By indentures of lease and re- lease, 19 and 20 August 1692, Henry Forster conveyed and released to Bennett Lord Sherrard and others, justices of the peace for the county of Rutland, and their heirs, all his messuages, lands, and hereditaments in Swineshead, Lincoln- shire, Sewstern, Leicestershire, and Thistleton, Rutland, with the appurtenances, and all other his lands and tenements wheresoever, upon trust, after his decease, for the charitable and other uses to be declared by his will. BJ' his will, bearing date 26 August 1692, he directed that the said premises should be let to the best advantage, and the yearly rents and pro- fits, among other purposes, be devoted to the support of a sufficient and fit schoolmaster in each of the parish towns of Thistleton, Greet- ham, Exton, Langham, and Empingham, to be chosen in each case by the ministers, church- wardens, and overseers, who should instruct gratis all such poor children, being inhabitants within the said towns and parishes, in the English Bible and Catechism, whose parents were not able to procure their said children to be taught. Each schoolmaster was to be paid appointed in any of the parishes, the amount of the stipend was to be employed in clothing and apprenticing poor children there. He directed that the schoolmasters should be unmarried, and follow no other employment; unless the minister or ministers of the parishes should think fit to 298
 * ^I0 a year, and if a schoolmaster should not be