History of education in England that reading comprehension acquired through Bible study could be transferred to secular studies. Raikes used his newspaper to publicize the schools and bore most of the cost in the early years. The movement began in July 1780 in the home of a Mrs. Meredith. Only boys attended, and she heard the lessons of the older boys who coached the younger. Later, girls also attended. Within two years, several schools opened in and around Gloucester. Raikes published an account on 3 November 1783 of Sunday School in his paper, and later word of the work spread through the "Gentleman's Magazine", and
Robert Raikes (1765–1837) Raikes, at the north end of Welton Dale, approximately from Welton village and Welton House. The building is circular with a shallow domed roof on top of a frieze decorated with triglyphs, and stands on a circular plinth that originally was railed. The inscription:AEDIFICAVIT ROBERTUS RAIKES ARMIGER AD MDCCCXVIII<br><br> "Robert Raikes, Esquire, built this. 1818 AD" is above the entrance. Eight doric pilasters divide the exterior into bays, alternate bays are blind, the remainder decorated in relief with sarcophagii. The building is faced in light stone, and may have been modelled on an original Roman building. The building is round