Category: About Warminster: Sambourne

Sambourne, Warminster

In Christ Church, Warminster, The First 150 Years, a booklet published in October 1980, to celebrate the 150th birthday of Christ Church, the Rev. John C. Day (Vicar) wrote:

Sambourne was once a small hamlet in its own right. Its name means ‘A sandy stream’ or bank.

This has always been an important corner, on the then main road from London to Barnstaple. It must have seen many people pass its way. There was once a turnpike in Sambourne Road, just below the entrance to West Parade. Here, users of the road would pay the toll for themselves and their animals to a representative of the road owners for the privilege of using it.

Up until 1970 there was a cluster of old stone cottages round the present roundabout [at Sambourne]. Here, as well as a number of dwelling places was the original schoolroom and a reading room which doubled as the Christ Church Hall until the present Hall in the Old Vicarage grounds was opened on September 27th 1971.

A Lease For The Sexton’s House And Parish Room At Sambourne, Warminster

A lease by Lord Bath of premises at Sambourne, used as a sexton’s house and parish room, dated 1903, can be found in the archives at the Wiltshire And Swindon History Centre at Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2QN. The reference number is PR/Warminster, Christ Church/1391/88.

A Good Crop Of ‘Schoolmaster’ Potatoes At Sambourne, Warminster

From The Warminster Herald, Saturday 30 October 1869:

Warminster. A Good Potato Crop
During the planting season, Mr. Timothy Moore, of Sambourne, planted 5 lbs. of the ‘Schoolmaster’ potatoes, and on digging the same a few days ago, found that the said 5 lbs. had produced four bushels of good sized potatoes. We should say that the seed planted was very small.