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Tetbury Grammar School was founded by the legacy of Sir William Romney in 1610, of £13 to be paid annually to a schoolmaster. A contract was drawn up on 3 February 1689 between Charles Savage, Francis Savage, Giles Stedman, John Thomas Snr, ffeoffees and Christopher Hanley as the new school master. He had been educated at Oxford University and was to be paid the sum of £20 per annum, paid quarterly. He was to give notice of three months if wishing to leave. Reverend Rice Jones of Harescombe, GLS was appointed on 29 August 1717, and in 1721 Reverend Henry Wightwick was appointed at a salary of £30. He had a house provided but spent the 12 years between 1746 and 1758 with no salary. The building fell into disrepair and Wightwick taught the children at his house. As well as the charity boys he taught private boarding pupils. 

The School declined toward the end of the 18th century and was eventually discontinued, mainly owing to lack of money to provide the master's salary. 

Constitutions & ordinances made and appointed for ye school of Tetbury, to be required by ye Thirteen, and observed by ye schoolmaster that shall always supply the same.
1 First, it is ordained that the schoolmaster shall be chosen by common consent of the 13 and that no one person whatsoever shall oversway the same.
2 That none shall be thereunto chosen except he be a master or bachelor of Arts at the least in one of the Universities and be approved of for his sufficiency by two preachers that have skill to examine him and to which two preacher he shall be accountable and the thirteen by them to be satisfied as also to approve himself afterwards by an honest and sober life and conversation befitting his calling.
3 It is ordained that ye schoolmaster shall receive into the school and not refuse any of the children that are of the borough of Tetbury, being first able to read the Bible in English in any good sort.
4 That he shall being required teach the children to read cypher and cast accompts or procure one that shall do it under him whereby they shall be fitted for apprentices
5 That he shall teach the Latin tongue by the use of Lettie's grammar and such ordinary books as are most approved in schools and in like manner for the Greek, by such grammars and authors as are most usual and not by any quaint strange or new devices of his own.
6 That he shall not read unto the scholars any of the obscene odes, satyrs or epigrams of Jevenal, Martial or Horace, or any other but pass them over choosing the best in the same authors and in others; and that he shall not at all read in the school Ovid de art amandi nor [illegible in script] but utterly omit.
7 That he shall every Saturday cathechize the schollers in the ground of the religion now taught and maintained in the Church of England, and out of some approved catechism, acquainting them with the scriptures withall.
8 That he shall cause the prayer now used every morning to be continued by the schollers, with the reading a chapter in course, and shall not suffer swearing cursing or any other rudeness among them to his best endeavour.
9 That none unless he hath been an inhabitant in the burrough of Tetbury, by the space of three years at the least shall have any benefit or privilege by the school with out leave first had and obtained for the same by the 13 or the greatest part.
10 That the schoolmaster shall be constantly resident, nor take upon him any cure out of the town, and shall bring with him to Church all his schollers causing 'em to write sermons and to behave themselves quietly and reverently during the time of divine service, and to give an accompt of their profitting to him and he shall bestow some time in the school every Lords day in exercising them in religious duties, that our youth may learn to know and fear the Lord 

Glos Notes & Queries vol 1; no cccxviii
The constitutions & ordinances of Tetbury Grammar School 1623
Taken from article dated 8 April 1623; School attended by Philip Bisse, D.D, Bishop of Hereford, Joseph Trapp, D.D., of Oxford, & John Oldham, the poet.

SOURCES & RESOURCES:

Hodgson, Eric: History of Tetbury; pub 1976 Alan Sutton; ISBN 0904387100

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ARCHIVES
D 566/R/5/1 - date: 1721-1829 Miscellaneous papers, including agreement for increasing the schoolmaster's salary, 1721; copy of petition of the schoolmaster, the Rev. Henry Wightwick, for redress for non-payment of salary, c.1759, with case and opinion; correspondence on proposed alteration to a National School, 1828-29.

D 566/R/5/5 - date: 1737-1738 Receipts for payment for teaching at the Grammar School and for one year's Charity Money

VCH Gloucestershire Vol 11 available online

Sir William Romneys School