Welsh Journals

private property, as his father and himself had been in possession for upwards of 40 years. A law suit is now pending between the master and the parishioners respecting the validity of his pretentions to the property, which it is expected will be speedily brought to an issue". The Reverend David Lloyd, vicar of Llanbister, claimed that within his area there was "a school for instructing 6 children to read the Bible, the teacher of whom has £ 2 per annum paid yearly out of a small estate in the parish for that purpose; and there are about 14 other children". In addition, he goes on to report that there are "occasional schools, attended by about 20 children. Two schools in Llanddewi Ystradenny, kept occasionally, in each of which 15 children are instructed". In New Radnor there was a school in which from 30 to 40 children were instructed, while at Old Radnor there existed a school in which from 25 to 30 children were taught with a few pay scholars. The school had apparently not been kept for many years, but in 1817 a master had been appointed at a salary of about £ 30 per annum arising from the rent of a small farm. Finally Presteigne, which could claim the only grammar school in Radnorshire. Here the Reverend James Beebee writes simply that there is "a grammar school, in which about 30 boys are educated by a master, whose salary is £ 140 per annum arising from lands in the parish". He also refers to "a writing school, containing 50 scholars. 30 of whom are paid for by Thomas Beebee esq.; the remaining 20 by their parents". In addition there were two other schools, both kept by women, who taught only reading, one of 30 children and another of 15. Clearly, therefore, provision for education in Radnorshire in 1818 was rudimentary and inadequate. Schools were provided spasmodically and in a haphazard fashion, depending upon a fortuitous bequest or the goodwill and enthusiasm of the local clergy. This was the age of laissez- faire. State intervention was to commence in a very modest way in 1833 with the first government grant, but it was not until 1870 that the first of the great Education Acts began to construct a more coherent structure of schools accessible to all. Moreover, in all the descriptions provided by the clergy in the examples quoted, the word 'school' should not, of course, be taken to imply a building provided for that purpose. In many cases such schools were held in some part of the parish church itself. Schools built exclusively for the instruction of children were, in most instances, not to appear for another half century.