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When Nicholas was 17 King Charles I was executed.

In 1660 the Restoration of the Monarchy took place and Charles II became King.

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Nicholas came to Bedworth at the invitation of his patron Sir Clement Throckmorton.

Sir Clement was a high Churchman being virtually Catholic in his beliefs.

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In 1685 Louis 14th repealed the Edict of Nantes which forced many Protestants to flee France. They became known as Huguenots and many settled in Bedworth; names like Spencer, Jacques and Prideaux emerged with Courtauld being one of the more famous.

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In 1683 a law about repairing the highway was imposed. Nicholas Chamberlaine is said to have brought prosecutions against those who failed to conform and ex-communicated three parishioners including a Churchwarden.

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Nicholas was a fervent Royalist and Churchman and used a Liturgy in English.

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In 1665 the Five Mile Act was imposed. Non-Conformists could not worship within five miles of a corporate town, i.e. Coventry, so they travelled to the Old Meeting Chapel at Bedworth which was just far enough away...

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When Nicholas was 10 the Battle of Edgehill was being fought.

Welcome to Bedworth and in particular to the Almshouses.

Often called the jewel in Bedworth’s crown, the picturesque Elizabethan style buildings were built in 1840. They stand in the centre of the town as a testament to a former Rector, the Reverend Nicholas Chamberlaine. Designed by notable Victorian Architect Thomas Larkins Walker, they were built by Mr John Toone as replacements for an earlier building which was next to the Parish Church.

The charity which manages the Almshouses was established in 1715 as part of a bequest by Nicholas. He was Rector of Bedworth for 51 years from 1664 until his death in 1715. Nicholas also secured the future of three Church schools which also continue to benefit from his great generosity. Today, tandem Trusts with the same twelve Governors manage that legacy.

The Ladies of the Almshouses (1911)

Back Row: Harriet Moore(58), Eliza Richards(68), Harriet Critchlow(73), Sarah Smith(74), Harriet Jephcote(64), Jane Emma Ford(60), Henretta Haywood(68), Sarah Hammersley(73), Leah Moore(65)

Front Row: Ann Walker(72), Eliza Tibbets(68), Eliza Moore(85), Sarah Lucas(68), Ann Wilkinson(73), Annie Camwell(71), Naomi Jaques(69), Emma Hall(74)

Registered Charity Numbers
Nicholas Chamberlaine School Foundation (528672)
Nicholas Chamberlaine Hospital and Sermon (216930)

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