Beds Feet, in the parish of Warminster, Wiltshire.
Condition: grassed area.
Ten figure OS Grid Reference: ST87113 45025/
Six figure OS Grid Reference: ST871450.
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Beds Feet is bounded on the west by Sambourne Road, on the north by Primrose Lane (Shittingalleylane) and on the south by Sambourne Gardens.
Thursday 23rd May 2013
At the lower end of Sambourne, Warminster, up on the high bank opposite the house known as The Myrtles (the white house in the above photo) is a small area of grass, tucked between Primrose Lane and Sambourne Gardens.
This area is marked on maps from the late 1700s and early 1800s as “Beds Feet”.
Louisa Wansey, born in 1821, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Wansey, grew up at Sambourne House. Writing some of her hildhood memories, in 1875 (by which time she was Mrs. Louisa Colfox), she recalled “delightful games” of hide and seek with her sister Anna Elizabeth and her brother Arthur at various places around her home including Beds Feet, which she mentioned by name.
Beds Feet can be accessed today by an alleyway between Nos.16 and 17 Sambourne Gardens.
The access to Beds Feet between 16 and 17 Sambourne Gardens, Warminster.
This is how vehicles such as the grass mowing machines get in and out of Beds Feet.
View north-west across Beds Feet.
These photographs were taken by Danny Howell on Thursday 23rd May 2013.
Pedestrian access to Beds Feet can also be gained by these ten stone steps off the western end of Primrose Lane, between Sambourne Road and Weymouth Street.
Up the steps to Beds Feet.
The view down the steps from Beds Feet to Primrose Lane.
Beds Feet.
Danny Howell writes:
Children set light to the grass on the high bank, on the eastern side of Sambourne Road, Warminster, on the afternoon of Monday 12th July 2004. An open space (with the old name Beds Feet) adjacent to the scene is often frequented by youngsters and is a well-known area for litter and graffiti. After running away from the fire the children returned to try and put it out, but panicked when they were unable to, and they ran away again. Warminster Fire Brigade successfully dealt with the situation at 4.00 p.m. They are asking children to heed the danger of playing with matches, even when long grass is damp due to the showery weather.
