Category: Lob In The Landscape

Information and pictures of mostly rural topics and activities.

Otter Hunting At Hill Deverill 1859

The Warminster Herald, Saturday 12 March 1859, reported:

HILL DEVERILL
At an early hour on the 21st ult., it was announced that a large otter was proceeding in his peculiar jumping style of locomotion towards the river in this village. Mr. Cross armed with a gun, and a number of the villagers with sticks and prongs, were soon at the spot, and an exciting chase took place, an active runner succeeded in heeding the amphibious brute, who turned, and thus had to run the gauntlet between his human and canine foes. Mr. Cross sent no less than four charges of shot into him, all of which he received without flinching, and finally escaped into a withy-bed, but it was only to die. His remains were afterwards discovered, and the skin is now in the hands of the experienced taxidermist Mr. King, of Warminster, for preservation; it is nearly four feet in length, and the body when found weighed 23lbs.

Longbridge Deverill Sparrow Club Mdeeting At The King’s Head Inn, Crockerton

The Warminster Herald, Saturday 4 December 1858, reported:

LONGBRIDGE DEVERILL

The thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Longbridge Deverill Sparrow Club was commemorated on Wednesday evening last, at the King’s Head Inn, Crockerton.

The number of Birds killed during the past year, and the prizes awarded, were as follows:-

John Butcher, 3,690 Birds, £1 10s.;

Mr. Gad Wilton, 3,392 Birds, £1.;

Mr. John Randall, jun., 2,251 Birds, 10s.

Mr. J.H. Clifford’s extra prize of 10s. for the greatest number of hen Sparrows killed in the month of April, was won by Mr. G. Wilton, there being no less than 189 killed in the month of April, which if allowed to have lived would have made a vast increase in the feathered tribe, and supposing that each bird had three nests of young during the year, which is known to have been the case in many instances, and supposing each nest to contain 4 or 5 birds, but putting the average at 10 young birds per hen for the year, which would not be too great, would have made in that case the number to be 1,890.

The above numbers show an almost incredible increase of birds destroyed on any former year; so that the exertions of the destroyers must have been great to attain such numbers when it is taken into consideration the length of time the Club has existed.

An excellent supper was provided by Mr. Gad Wilton and gave general satisfaction, and the old English fare was done ample justice to; after which the evening was spent in a very pleasant and harmonious manner.

Leases: Malthouse In The Market Place, Warminster, 1817, 1825; And Mancombe Farm, 1832, 1840; Owned By The Warren Family

The Wiltshire And Swindon History Centre, at Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3QN, holds the following document(s):

Leases of premises including Malthouse in the Market Place 1817, 1825 and Mancombe farm 1832, 1840 all in Warminster owned by the Warren family. 1817-1840. Farnfield and Nicholls, Solicitors of Warminster. Reference 628/47/3.

Destructive Fire At Bishopstrow Farm

From The Cheltenham Chronicle, issue dated Thursday 29th August 1833:

A destructive fire broke out on Tuesday, Bishopstrow Farm, near Warminster, in the occupation of Mrs. Munday, arising from some sparks from the brewhouse chimney falling on the thatch, which from the long drought immediately ignited, and the wind blowing a gale the farmyard and rick barton were simultaneously a terrific blaze. Every exertion was made to arrest the progress of the flames, but unfortunately the farmhouse, large barn and stable containing two sacks of wheat, three wheat ricks, the greater part the household furniture, and all the farming implements, utensils, were totally consumed.

Copy Probate Of The Will Of James Munday Of Bishopstrow Farm, 1827

Copy Probate of the Will of James Munday of Bishopstrow Farm, Bishopstrow, farmer, proved Court of the Archdeacon of Salisbury, dated 1827, can be found in the archives at the Wiltshire And Swindon History Centre at Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2QN. This item includes Stamp Office Legacy Duty forms, 1828, 1840. The reference number for this item is 628/11/69.

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