In his will of 1800, Reverend Thomas Nowell (c.1730-1801) bequeathed £400 in canal shares to the trustees of Alice Smith's charity, upon the wishes of his late wife Sarah Nowell (née Munday, 1733-1800). Interest generated on the shares was to fund educational provision in Iffley, including renting a schoolroom, paying a schoolmistress and buying clothes and equipment for the scholars. Surplus money was to be used to provide clothing and supplies for the poor of Iffley. Although this bequest seems to have been voided, it appears that the wishes were ultimately executed in 1805 by his heir Richard Twopenny, who gave a £1300 endowment to the same trustees upon trusts to form the Sarah Nowell Charity.
From 1822, the Nowell School operated from a house on the east side of Church Way. It also provided lodging for the schoolmistress. Twopenny additionally gifted this messuage, ‘Nowell House’, and £1400 worth of shares by feoffment of 1828. The students were primarily female, aged from 6 to 12 years. From 1842, some students from Iffley Parish School were taken on to be educated at the Nowell School from charity funds, and reciprocal teaching was provided to Nowell scholars at the parish school. The two schools were amalgamated in 1853, with all students moving to the parish school premises. Mrs White, mistress of the Nowell School, continued in limited duties until 1859. On her removal sole instruction was provided by the parish schoolmistress, Sarah Jackson. By this time, fifteen 'Nowell Scholars' attending the parish school were funded by the Sarah Nowell Charity.
The Sarah Nowell Educational Foundation was established by a Scheme of 1905, as a distinct entity from the Charity for the Poor, and was administered by the Board of Education. The Foundation still exists to support education of young people in the local area.
The administration of the Sarah Nowell Charity overlapped with that of the Alice Smith Charity. As such, further core records including minutes and accounts can be found in section PAR145/13B.