College of Matrons
The College of Matrons is a charitable organization and a Grade II listed building in Salisbury , England . As a building of extraordinary importance, it is entered in the highest category, grade I, on the English list of monuments.
location
It is located north of Salisbury Cathedral in the Close Cathedral District, at the southern end of High Street on the east side of it.
history
The college was founded in 1682 by Bishop Seth Ward . The founding deed is dated February 13, 1683.
Ten clergy widows were housed in the house. To finance the facility and the widows' livelihoods, Bishop Ward gave the college some real estate in the Alderbury and West Grimstead parishes , including Whaddon Farm. The widows' weekly pension was initially six shillings. Later it rose to 15 shillings a week, 40 pounds a year (1833) and 60 pounds a year (1869), respectively.
Entry into college required a minimum age of 50 and an annual income of less than £ 10. The income limit was later raised to £ 20 in 1833 and £ 50 in 1869. In addition, the women should come from the Diocese of Salisbury . If there were vacancies, women from the Exeter diocese were also admitted. The selection of the residents was initially up to Bishop Ward and passed on to the dean after his death . Beginning in 1869, the college was also allowed to accept unmarried daughters of clergymen.
The residents were obliged to attend two services in the cathedral every day. In total, they were not allowed to stay away from the cathedral for more than a month each year.
In 1869 the regular number of residents was reduced to eight, although an increase to ten was still possible. In 1907 there were eight women in college, most of whom had their own income and employed service personnel. In the 1930s and 1940s there were considerations to raise the income limit. However, it stayed at the 50 pound limit as there were enough applicants with this income range. It was not increased to 200 pounds until 1955. In 1958 nine women lived in the house.
In 2013 the conditions were fundamentally changed. Since then, women 55 and over from the Salisbury area have been able to use the college, with clergy giving preference to widows and unmarried daughters.
In the course of time there were repeated donations. In 1693, Robert King provided permanent rental income. So in 1796 by William Benson Earle 2000 guineas , 1865 by Thomas Henry Allen Poynder 1000 guineas, 1929 by Henry Nevill 1000 pounds and 1953 by Mary Fletcher 1500 pounds. Herbert Hardling had donated real estate in Salisbury in 1929, which was sold for £ 1,000 in 1945. Income was also drawn from properties in Berkshire , Cambridgeshire , London , Middlesex and Sussex . The corresponding income amounted to 28 pounds in 1883, but then decreased, so that in 1958 only 13 pounds were redeemed.
architecture
There are speculations that the building, built in 1685, was based on a design by Christopher Wren . The two-storey brick building was built as a three-wing complex. The middle wing stands in north-south direction at the eaves to the street. To the north and south, gable wings protrude slightly beyond the alignment of the central wing to the west. The building rests on a slightly protruding base. The cornice protrudes clearly.
The roofed main entrance is in the middle of the central wing and is spanned by a triangular gable on which the coat of arms of the United Kingdom from the Stuart period is located. It is decorated on the left and right with depictions of fruit. On the roof of the central wing there is an octagonal glazed roof lantern in the middle , which in turn is crowned by a golden ball. The window reveals are made of color-contrasting stones, on the building edges there are corner blocks . The chimneys of the house are arranged diagonally and grouped together.
The building originally comprised 42 rooms, with eight of the women each having four rooms and two women each having five rooms. It is known for 1833 that the women each had two rooms. In 1907, each of the women had a living room, a kitchen, a scullery and a pantry on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the upper floor. Today (as of 2020) the property comprises 15 apartments for the elderly.
In 1870 the building was enlarged and renovated for more than £ 2,000. Other major repairs were made in 1949 for £ 400 and in 1951 for about £ 1,000. The house has been listed as a monument since February 28, 1952. Another renovation took place in 1980.
To the east of the house is a garden with smaller red brick buildings. The property fence consists of a historic stone wall with three iron gates.
Web links
- THE MATRON'S COLLEGE at historicengland.org.uk (English)
- College of Matrons website
- The College of Matrons. on www.british-history.ac.uk (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The College of Matrons at www.housingcare.org (English)
- ↑ The College of Matrons at www.housingcare.org (English)
Coordinates: 51 ° 4 ′ 0 ″ N , 1 ° 47 ′ 51.6 ″ W.