Sub-sub-series 71 - Duchess of Somerset scholarships

Sarah, Duchess of Somerset, gave:

1) by Indenture, 12 July 1682, to support five scholarships in the College, a messuage or tenement with appurtenances now or late in the tenure or occupation of Robert Wildbore the Elder, his assigns or undertenants, in March, parish of Doddington in the Isle of Ely; also 120 acres of fen or marsh ground....at or near a certain place called The Hundred Acres; also 66 a. of pasture with appurtenances...commonly called Estover, near Norwold Green... with all and singular barns, etc. etc... commons, common of pasture...”. (Torry, p. 60, Archives D241.6).
The Duchess was to nominate the scholars during her life, and after they were to be chosen from Hereford School. They were to have one or two chambers (neither ground floor nor garret) with 5 studies; dress, gowns with open sleeves as at Christ Church Oxford and square caps with tassels; an annual commemoration on the day of foundation, with a Latin speech in Hall by the scholars in turn.

The expenses at entry of the College to Estover (1684-6) survive (Archives D57.115) and include references to the Scholars’ caps and gowns, as do the farm accounts 1700-14 for their payments (D109.127). The name Estover itself implies some common privilege, for it has been defined as ‘common of estover, that is necessaries, is a liberty of taking necessary wood for the use or furniture of a house or farm, from off another’s estate...’ (Mozeley and Whiteley, Law Dictionary, 8th edn., p.134).

2) by bequest 17 May 1686 (copy will D22.19, pp.17-23, 50) the manor of Wootton Rivers, Wiltshire, with copyholds and leaseholds for the maintenance of additional scholars (number not stated), to be chosen from Marlborough, Hereford and Manchester free Schools; any scholar absent from College for more than 3 months to lose his place; if SJC fail to notify the schools of a vacancy within 30 days, to lose their privilege of election for 7 years. (The same conditions apply to Brasenose College Oxford, endowed with Thornhill manor, Wilts). An additional scholar shall be elected first when the rents of the manor (i.e. the copyholds?, see below) reach £30 per year, and subsequently, at each increase of £15 per year. Copyhold rents should be reserved at two-thirds of the improved value of the holding, fines restricted to one third.
Three-quarters of fines on renewal of copyholds shall be dedicated to SJC in compensation for provision of chambers and dress for the additional scholars, one quarter to provide books for all the Somerset scholars.
When the leasehold rents now worth £160 expire, 6 more Somerset scholars shall be chosen, these only to be supported by the entire new rents of the leaseholds. These 6 shall be students whose parents and friends are not able to assist them much in their support, and they shall study divinity.

3) by bequest, in codicil, 10 Feb. 1692 the advowson of Wootton Rivers Church to St John's College and Brasenose, for them to present by turns after her death (beginning with SJC) a Somerset scholar, and no other person.

Sarah died 25 Oct. 1692 (memorial in Westminster Abbey). On 12 March 1698 [old style 1697, as printed in Statutes of 1860] her executor, by virtue of Chancery decree and letters patent 22 May 1696, conveyed the property to trustees for the use of St John's College (and likewise of Brasenose for its part of the legacy). The agent for the estate in Wiltshire had been authorized to pay rents to SJC 22 June 1695 (D109.256) but none appear in the Rentals, since there are separate foundation accounts, the earliest surviving of which run from 1715 (SB9.1). A major leasehold estate fell in to SJC in 1735 (fine books, SB7.1-2).
Seven Scholars were first appointed by the Duchess’s nomination in 1683 and 1684. In 1860 the scholarships were replaced by as many exhibitions value £40 a year limited to Hereford School, as could be supported from the March estate, and similarly exhibitions value £50 limited to Marlborough, Hereford and Manchester Schools, to be supported from the Wootton Rivers estate. Separate funds were maintained, and annually an award was advertised to each of the three schools, the value of unallocated awards being added to the scholarship and exhibition fund.

Information taken from document written by Dr Malcolm Underwood as archivist at St John's.