KELLY’S DIRECTORY 1880
FONTHILL BISHOP (or BISHOP’S FONTHILL) is a village and parish, in the Southern division of the county, Downton hundred, Tisbury union, Shaftesbury county court district, Hindon petty sessional division, Salisbury diocese and archdeaconry, and Chalke rural deanery second portion, 14 miles west from Salisbury, and 3 from the Tisbury station on the South Western railway and 10 north-east from Shaftesbury. The church of All Saints is a cruciform structure, about 700 years old; it consists of a chancel, nave and two transepts; its tower rises from the centre of the building, and contains 2 bells; the whole church has been thoroughly restored and the chancel rebuilt chiefly at the expense of a brother of the present rector, Mr. Wyatt being the architect and Mr. Wm. Crook, of West Dean, the builder. The register dates from the year 1754. The living is a rectory, yearly value £250, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Oxford and held by the Rev. Robert William Sheldon, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge. The Free school, for 16 poor children, was endowed with £10 annually, left by Abijah Clark; the cost of erecting the school-house was defrayed by voluntary contributions. There is a small charity, dispensed by the rector and churchwardens. The Bishop of Winchester is lord of the manor. The chief landowners are Alfred Morrison and Frederick King, Esqrs. The soil is chalky loam; subsoil, chalk and stone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and pasturage. There are 1,735 acres of land; rateable value, £1,716; the population in 1871 was 173.
Parish Clerk, Henry Pain.
POST OFFICE – Mrs. Susan Snook, postmistress. Letters from Salisbury by mail cart. The nearest money order and telegraph office is Hindon. Wall Letter Box cleared at 6.30 p.m.
National School, Miss Pilch, mistress.
Carrier to Salisbury – George Snook, Tuesday and Thursday, returning same days.
Carrier to Shaftesbury – George Snook, Saturday, returning same day.
Henry Adney.
Rev. Robt. Wm. Sheldon, M.A., Rectory.
Thomas Coombs, farmer.
Richard Gattrell, New inn, and farmer, Chicklade Bottom.
George Gray, King’s Arms.
Frederick Ingram, farmer.
Richard Perrett, shopkeeper.
George Snook, carrier.