Chawton House Library

Analysis

Chawton House Library is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Alton. It was registered in October 1993, 33 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 02851718). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, sponsors or undertakes research and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Chawton House Library reported income of £878k and spending of £844k, spending 96% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £534k to £878k (+64%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 37%. Over the whole period it spent 110% 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, Chawton House Library sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Utopia Theatre (£875k), The Mayor of London's Fund for Young Musicians (£878k) and Get Set Girls (£871k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 36%, charitable activities 32%, donations and legacies 21% and investments 11%. Charitable activities took 70% of spending and raising funds 27%. Reserves of £35k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 25 people.