Subject

Following the Reformation the taxes on church livings, which used to be paid to the Pope, went to the Crown. In 1704, during Queen Anne's reign, a scheme was implemented that used some of these funds to augment the incomes of the poorer clergy. Trustees were appointed to manage the scheme.

The Charter (see picture) was dated 3 November 1703 and sources consistently give 1704 as the year the scheme was established. There were at least 9 Queen Anne's Bounty Acts between then and 1870. In 1947 the functions and assets of Queen Anne's Bounty were merged with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to form the Church Commissioners.

Initially the Bounty used offices next to the Banqueting House but in 1734 it moved into a permanent home on the west side of Dean’s Yard (where we found the plaque) and here it remained until the merger into the Church Commissioners which operated from 1 Millbank.

The Church of England's booklet is a well-written resource for this topic.