About

You may have heard of William Harding School, Harding’s Restaurant at Aylesbury College or received a grant towards the costs of your university course. But who was he?

William Harding was a yeoman farmer who owned farmland in Aylesbury, Walton, Broughton, Bierton, Stoke Mandeville and Princes Risborough. He owned his house opposite Walton Pond and the New Inn (now called Broad Leys). He died in 1718, and in his will in 1719 he left his estate to provide:

• 40 shillings a year to buy coats for the poor men and women of Walton
• to select children of poor families in Aylesbury and Walton to be given apprenticeships
• to clothe those same children

By 1772 the original endowment had grown to £280 and over the three centuries this has grown as land he owned has been developed around the town. His house, the New Inn and some farm lands were sold in the 1920’s and in 1940 40 acres of Elm Farm were requisitioned by the government to build Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In 1974 the Charity sold the rest of Elm Farm for development and this gave a considerable increase in funds for the Charity Trustees to use.

This has enabled the Charity’s main aim which is to support young people in education. In the 18th century it placed them in apprenticeships as coopers, blacksmiths, carpenters, dressmakers and milliners.

In the 21st century this support is continued with funding for school trips, school uniforms and annual financial and maintenance assistance to young people at university or in higher education. It also makes grants to schools and educational establishments, sports clubs, arts societies, community projects and organisations working for residents of Aylesbury. You do not need to be a charity to apply.

In addition to the grants there are 35 almshouses in several locations across the town, made up of terraced houses, bungalows and flats, offered to older residents from Aylesbury. For more details see the information on our alms houses. This enables the charity to continue to support the elderly as William Harding instructed in his will.

The Charity meets monthly to consider applications. Application forms and information required are shown on our website.

For more information please contact:

The Clerk to the Trustees
William Harding’s Charity
Rickford House,
12 Rickfords Hill,
Aylesbury,
Buckinghamshire HP20 2RZ