The Merchant's House (Marlborough) Trust

Analysis

The Merchant's House (Marlborough) Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Marlborough. It was registered in May 1992, 34 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02704749). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Merchant's House (Marlborough) Trust reported income of £130k and spending of £140k, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £170k to £130k (-23%), an average of -6.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income dropped by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 119% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Merchant's House (Marlborough) Trust sits at the 81st percentile: it is larger than about 81% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 75th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Elgar Festival (£130k), Monkton Wyld School Limited (£130k) and The Decorative Arts Society 1850 to Present (£130k).

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.