CHARITIES.

Sheen Priory, which held the rectory of Tidenham in the late Middle Ages, gave 13d. and 13 bushels of wheat to be paid out of the great tithes and distributed to the poor of the parish on Maundy Thursday. (fn. 68) John Horner, the lessee of the rectory, was withholding payment in the 1540s, (fn. 69) but the charity was confirmed by James I when he granted the rectory to Thomas James and the James family apparently distributed it regularly during the 17th century. (fn. 70) In 1828 payment of the charity was being shared among the three owners of the great tithes. (fn. 71) In 1970, when the charity was administered by trustees appointed by the parish council, cash was being distributed instead of wheat; in that year six parishioners each received 10s. (fn. 72)

William Stevens of Bishton c. 1677 left £5 for an annual payment to five poor widows, and the interest, 5s., was being distributed in 1683. (fn. 73) By 1704 the parish also had 1 a. of land in Sedbury Mead purchased with money left by William Williams and Edward Edwin. (fn. 74) In the late 18th century the land was bringing in a rent of 30s. which was distributed in units of 1s. to poor people at Easter. At inclosure in 1815 2½ a. (part of Poor's Allotment) was awarded to the parish instead of the land in Sedbury Mead and the 30s. continued to be distributed (fn. 75) until 1834 when the vestry decided to suspend it until the allotment could be made to produce a profit. (fn. 76) John Stevens of Bristol by will proved 1733 left £10, the interest to be distributed in bread. The legacy was not paid to the parish by his widow, but later his son made the annual interest of the sum, 10s., payable as a rent-charge from his lands in Sedbury and in 1767 a later owner of the property freed it from the obligation by paying the £10 to the churchwardens. (fn. 77) In 1834, however, the vestry concluded that there was no means of tracing either that or the charity of William Stevens. (fn. 78)

Sophia Williams by will proved 1860 left £200 stock for the poor, and in 1907 Mrs. Frances Palmer left £100 for the poor who were members of the Church of England. In 1921 Mary Curre left £200 for the poor, in particular inhabitants of Beachley evicted from their homes in 1917 when the shipyard was established. In 1969 the annual income from the three charities, c. £15, was distributed in cash at Christmas. (fn. 79)

Footnotes