Hugh Sexey (died 1619) was a royal auditor born near

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a market town, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, 10 ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

, England, who attended Bruton Grammar School. By the age of 43 he had been appointed as royal auditor of the

Exchequer In the civil service of the United Kingdom, His Majesty’s Exchequer, or just the Exchequer, is the accounting process of central government and the government's '' current account'' (i.e., money held from taxation and other government revenu ...

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

and later

King James I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

. After his death the trustees of his will established

Sexey's Hospital Sexey's Hospital in Bruton, Somerset, England was built around 1630 as almshouses. The West Wing and chapel have been designated as a Grade I listed building. The East Wing and gateway are grade II listed. Hugh Sexey (1556–1619), was a local ...

in Bruton as an institution to care for the elderly. This included the site of

Sexey's School Sexey's School is a Church of England, co-educational state boarding and day school in Bruton, Somerset, England for 11-18 year olds. Sexey's School is named after Hugh Sexey who, in 1599, was appointed as a Royal auditor to Elizabeth I and la ...

, which still exists today. Also founded was Hugh Sexey Middle School in Blackford near

Wedmore Wedmore is a large village and civil parish in the county of Somerset, England. It is situated on raised ground, in the Somerset Levels between the River Axe and River Brue, often called the Isle of Wedmore. It forms part of Sedgemoor district. ...

. A baptism of a 'Hugh' is recorded in

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epi ...

on 18 November 1556 and early twentieth century scholars had suggested this was Sexey. However records of land conveyance suggest his birth may have been c. 1540. Although Sexey received some education, mainly in Latin, probably at the local Free School (now King’s School), he was apparently largely self-taught and, despite his humble origins, rose to important government positions. Through these influential positions Sexey's wealth increased, as he gained a fortune mainly through fees, revenues, property dealings and money lending. During his life he undertook many charitable activities in the Bruton area and to ensure these continued after his death most of his estate was transferred to twelve trustees in 1616.

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