During the Commonwealth period Sherholt Lodge at Sherholt Park was the home of William Key a 17^th century landowner and keeper of the Barton Ward of the Needwood Forest. Little is known about the life of William Key, but his benevolence on his death is well documented. He bequeathed some land in 1651 to be leased or rented and the income put to charitable use for the good of the poor of Barton-under-Needwood and Dunstall. One of the conditions of the charity, which is still carried out today, is that the vicar must preach a sermon on Good Friday and be paid the sum of ten shillings (50 pence) for doing so.

The following entries are in the Parish Register: "12th June 1650 Margarett, wife of William Key buried" and "11th October 1651 Gulielmus Key, de Sherhold Logd buried". Gulielmus is the Latin form of William. In the church is a brass tablet to the memory of William Key, gent. keeper of Barton ward, who died October 10th 1651, aged 69, and gave several charities to this town etc. and forty pounds, to buy lands with, for the poor of Tutbury. There is a gap in the records of the Parish Register around the time of the birth of William, circa 1582. A number of entries mention Richard Key or Richardi Kay with respect to his children and his burial in 1617, so can this be the father of William our benefactor?

From the Charities Commissioners' reports 1839 Ex: from the 7th report of January 1822

"The benefaction table in St. James' Church records that William Key, late keeper of Barton ward, who died on 10th October 1651, perpetuated the annual profits of two closes, in Barton, called Lincroft and Bonthorne, and of two acres arable the one upon Collier's Flat and the other upon Spellow, to the uses following that is to say, 10s. thereof for a sermon, yearly, upon every Good Friday, to be preached within the chapel of Barton, by an orthodox minister lawfully qualified, and the residue of the whole profits to be divided into five parts; whereof one part, yearly, to be disposed for the necessary repairs of the chapel aforesaid; one other part to be annually distributed to the poor of the village of Dunstall, after the sermon ended; and the other three remaining parts likewise to the poor within the chapelry of Barton aforesaid, after the ministerial blessing pronounced upon the auditory."

An ancient parish book contains an entry, which appears to be the substance of the will of William Key. It states that he gave by his will, one close of meadow or pasture copyhold, containing about 5 acres, more or less, adjoining to a certain common called Lincroft on the west, and Mr. Thomas Cowper's Stew, at Sandyford on the east; one other close of pasture or meadow, freehold, containing about 4 acres, more or less, lying at Bonthorne and adjoining to a close, called the Heathley's on the north abutting upon a common lane, called the Heaflinch Lane on the west, one acre of arable land, more or less, lying on Rowmeadow Furlong upon a flat there called the Spellow; one other acre of arable land, more or less, lying in the Riddings upon a flat there, called Collier's Flat, the yearly profits of which said two closes and arable land, the said William Key did give to the uses thereafter mentioned; viz. ( as in the table before stated) adding that it was to be distributed by the chapel wardens and overseers of the poor for the time being, at the discretion of Mr. Thomas Cowper, Mr. William Holland, and Mr. Walter Grane, and their heirs, being appointed, by the said William Key, trustees for that purpose.

The Parish is in enjoyment of the freehold close of pasture in Bonthorne, which contains 5A (acres) 1R (rod) 38P (pole). But it appears that only a part of the copyhold close adjoining the Lincroft Common was taken by the Parish under the will, the remaining part of the close appearing to have been since obtained in exchange for the two acres of arable land. The whole close, as it is now in possession by the parish, contains 5A 1R 5P. An allotment was made out of waste lands in Lincroft Common and Brown's Lane, under the parish inclosure containing 2A 1R 32P, and another out of the forest land containing 1A 3R 16P.

The trustees at the time of the Charities Commissioners' report were Mr. Thomas Webb and Mr. John Holland, two gentlemen who have large landed estates in the place. Lincroft Close was on lease to Stephen Hawkesworth and Charles Mold, as churchwardens, and is under-let by them in many small pieces of garden ground to poor parishioners at easy rents. Bonthorne Close was let to William Rowley and the allotments in Lincroft and Brown's Lane are held by John Shilton; the forest allotment was held by Thomas Gray.

The Charities Commissioners reported that the sum of 10s was deducted for the sermon preached by the minister of Barton on Good Friday; one fifth of the remainder was retained by the churchwardens for repair of St. James' Church; one fifth is paid to officers of Dunstall to be distributed to the poor of that township; and three fifths are paid to the poor of Barton. The money was given away, on Good Friday, at the workhouse in sums varying from 3s to 10s.

The beneficence of William Key is still carried out today under the auspices of the trustees for the Henry Warford and William Key Charities. The income of the William Key charity is raised by renting the land at Bonthorne, the allotments opposite Bonthorne Farm in Dogshead Lane and the adjacent field known as Bonthorne Common. The land at Lincroft, the field adjacent to A38 on the area known as Fatholme between Barton Turn and Catholme, was sold and now is part of the Barton Business Park housing the Bombardier train servicing facility and the Argos Distribution Centre.