The Christ’s Hospital Endowment at Potterhanworth is part of a trust fund set up in honour of Dr. Richard Smith on his death in 1602. The fund was possible from the inheritance of assets of Potterhanworth Manor Estate granted by him to the Parish in his will.
The purpose of the fund was to provide education for the children of poor families of the village similar to the Bluecoat Charity School in London. When state education became compulsory for all, the fund was also used to provide further education of a vocational nature such as training in domestic skills and apprenticeships. Today the fund is used to provide grants to the children of Potterhanworth for the cost of educational trips, music lessons, sports activities and educational support in further education.
Unfortunately the fund was not always well managed and began to dwindle. In the 1970’s there was a strong movement by the Trustees of the time to rectify this situation. This strategy was very successful, and that sound management has continued to the present day, ensuring that village children and the village school continue to benefit from the fund. This improvement in the finances provided the opportunity in 1993 to replace the old outdated buildings with the modern Memorial hall, build a new classroom for the school in 2015 and a pre-school in 2016.
For more information contact The Clerk, Mrs. Yvonne Woodcock. Tel. 01522 790942