From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:
The Manor Dominick, c.1886.
THE MANOR
The Domesday Inquest was carried through in 1086. The word “Manor’ was introduced into the English language by the Norman clerks of William I. The French word “manor’ meant simply a dwelling or residence. Many of the manors noted by the Domesday clerks were very modest estates. There was often more than one manor in a southern village. Manor and village did not always coincide.
Before the end of the Early Middle Ages the word “Manor’ had come to be almost a technical term. It meant an estate which was an economic unit in which all the tenants were bound to the lord and his demesne farm, his free tenants paying him rent for their land; his unfree tenants doing weekly labour service and all of them regularly attending his court of justice, his hall moot for the settlement of their quarrels and for the regulation of communal affairs. (English Society in the Early Middle Ages – Stinton).
Colt Hoare quoting from “Institutiones” finds that in 1306 the church at Chicklade was in the hands of Rogerus, filius Pagani and continued in his family till 1388 when Thomas de Berkeley, miles, became patron and, according to “Inquisitiones post Mortem” Elizabeth, wife of Maurice de Berkeley held lands there (13 Richard II.) Colt Hoare continues “We also find that Thomas de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, held a fee or part of one at Chicklade (10 Henry IV.). It seems that formerly there were two manors in the Parish, one held by the Abbess of Shaftesbury as paramount and the other by a lay proprietor.”
“By a survey book of the Manor of Tisbury (Queen Elizabeth I.) Christopher Trapnell held a moiety, i.e. a share, of the Manor of Chicklade by military service. After the death of any tenants the lord to have a house and furniture as a montier, a chief rent payable to the Lord of Tisbury Manor of 1/8 (2 Sept. 43) – Elizabeth I. (1600) – Inquisition on death of John Mervyn of Pertwood. The jury presented that he died seised of a messuage (in possession of a house, etc.) and 70 acres and two acres of meadow with appurtenances in Chicklade and that the same was held of Drew Mompesson, Gent, as of his manor of Hindon and Chicklade in free soccage (i.e. tenure) by rent of ½ lb. pepper and ½ lb. cumin. The said John Mervyn died 14 June preceding and Thomas aged 34 years was his son and heir. This Manor (Chicklade) consists of 1070 acres of which 36a. 1r. 32p. Belong to the Rectory.”
It formerly belonged to the Mervyns who sold it to the Rev. John Russ of East Knoyle “and from him it descended to John Candy.” Colt Hoare thus brings the history of the owners of the Manor down to the time at which he was writing (c.1829) but there are gaps and omissions in his story. It is strange, for instance, that he never once mentions the Manor house by name – Dominick. It was situated near the church. It has now entirely disappeared although the site is marked by the buttress of a chimney and the well. We are fortunate to be able to reproduce a sketch of the old house made by Miss Margaret Halliday. Although derelict it was still standing in her childhood’s days. I have found only two references to the Manor as Dominick. One is from “Wiltshire Notes and Queries” Vol. III. Information is given to an enquirer about John Clare who became a Jesuit. “He probably belonged to the South Wilts family of that name, one of whom Robert Clare, alias Domenick, was about the year 1638 tenant of Chicklade Farm near Hindon rented at that time of the Bennett family.” John Clare born 1577 died 1628, probably abroad, became a Jesuit “a very learned man and author of “The Converted Jew’ published after his death.
In an article on East Knoyle Families by Lt.-Col. Benett-Stanford (W.A.M. no. CLXXXV.) some account is given of Dr. Christopher Wren, father of the great architect, Dean of Windsor and Rector of Knoyle. Referring to a letter written to Randall Dominick (c.1647) who may have been Dr. Wren’s churchwarden, the author adds the comment “There are still fields in Knoyle and Chicklade known as Dominick.” There is some mystery here.