In 1624 King James paid £500 to the people of Cheshunt as compensation for taking a large piece of Cheshunt Common to extend Theobalds Park.   £320 was used to purchase farmland in Nazeing.  The remaining £180 was used to build ten almshouses in Turner’s Hill for widows. The rent from the lease of the farmland in Nazeing and income from other charities was able to provide the 10 widows with four guineas every quarter, half a cauldron of coal a year and six pence a week in bread!

It is not known how the Beaumont Charity got its name. It is possible the lords of the manor of Beaumont, which was situated near by, were benefactors to and promoters of the Charity.

The Charity also owned almshouses at Spittalbrook in Waltham Cross which were demolished when the M25 was built.  The compensation, together with a loan (now discharged) from the Housing Corporation, enabled the Charity to build 12 flats at Homeleigh Court in Cheshunt.