The Warden

"The Warden", the first novel in the "Chronicles of Barsetshire" series, concerns Mr Septimus Harding, elderly warden of Hiram's Hospital and Precentor of Barchester Cathedral. Hiram's Hospital is an alms house supported by the income from a medieval charitable bequest to the Diocese of Barchester. The income maintains the alms house itself, supports its twelve bedesmen, and, in addition, provides a comfortable abode and living for its warden. The warden, who lives with his remaining child, an unmarried younger daughter Eleanor, performs his duties conscientiously. The story concerns the impact upon Harding and his circle when a zealous young reformer, John Bold, launches a campaign to expose the disparity in the apportionment of the charity's income between its object, the bedesmen, and its officer, Mr Harding. John Bold embarks on this campaign out of a spirit of public duty despite his romantic involvement with Eleanor and previously cordial relations with Mr Harding.