Category: Wilton: People

A Nun’s Story – Saint Edith Of Wilton

Wednesday 7th December 2016

‘A Nun’s Story – Saint Edith Of Wilton’ was the title of a lecture by Dinton historian Dr Lucile Campey, at the Wednesday 7th December 2016 meeting of the Salisbury & South Wiltshire Association of the National Trust.

Saint Edith of Wilton was a nun of high status, as befitted her birth as the daughter of the Saxon King Edgar, but she never wanted high office. She died, aged only 23, in the year 984 and was buried in what was then Wilton Abbey. She was canonised a saint soon after her death.

Such was her fame that for over 500 years many thousands of pilgrims visited her grave and this only ceased when Henry VIII had Wilton Abbey razed to the ground during the dissolution of the monasteries. 

However, one present-day reminder of Saint Edith is her depiction in a stained glass window at St. Mary’s Church, Dinton.

Wilton, in Saint Edith’s time was a major centre of learning and was far more important than Salisbury. Indeed, Saint Edith’s mother Wulfthryth became the abbess of Wilton Abbey after she returned there with her daughter by King Edgar.

Third Time As Wilton Mayor For Betty

On 1st May 2012, Betty Belk became the Mayor of Wilton for the coming year, when she was handed the chain of office by the outgoing Mayor, Ivan Seviour. This will be the third time that Betty has been Wilton Mayor; the last term being in 2000. Funds raised by Betty during her 2012/13 mayoral term will be shared among local organisations and good causes in Wilton.

The Earl of Pembroke – Aristocrat Who Lends His Home To Film Companies

Friday 5th January 2001

The Earl of Pembroke comes 282= in a list of the top 300 British millionaires, as reported in the Mail On Sunday’s ‘The Rich Report 2001, the Definitive Guide To Wealth.’

He is reportedly worth £110 million (£2 million less than in 2000, when he came 250th in the list). The Report for 2001, which describes him as “Aristocrat who lends his home to film companies,” reads:

The Earl of Pembroke is not content just to live the life of elegant luxury portrayed in Merchant Ivory films. He wants to film it as well.

A non-executive director of the company which made Room With A View, he has also created films such as Emily, the soft porn production starring Prince Andrew’s former girlfriend Koo Stark.

But the wealth of the 17th Earl – known professionally as Henry Herbert – comes from his estate, including one of England’s finest stately homes and an art collection featuring works by Rubens, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Brueghel and the Flemish artist Van Dyck. One of his nine Van Dycks is a 17ft high portrait of the 4th Earl with his children.

Then no doubt feeling the weight of his family history, Old Etonian Herbert, 61, has made his own mark on Wilton House and the surrounding 21 acres of garden in the 13,000-acre estate which dates back to 1542, a gift of land from Henry VIII.

In memory of his father, he designed rose and water gardens, doing most of the planting himself, as ‘a labour of love’.

The house, near Salisbury, featured in Mrs Brown and The Madness Of King George and with slipping land values is worth about £60m.

A father of seven, he split from first wife Claire in 1981. He has three daughters with his second wife, Miranda, whom he married in 1988. His heir and only son, Lord William, is 22.

The Earl’s second daughter, Lady Emma, also has an interest in the arts. She is a trained trapeze artist, while one of Herbert’s predecessors, the 3rd Earl, is said to have rubbed shoulders with Shakespeare.

Pamela Street ~ Forthcoming Appearance At Salisbury Arts Centre

Monday 14 January 1985

Pamela Street
The novelist Pamela Street, who will be appearing at Salisbury Arts Centre on Friday evening, 25th January 1985, has many local connections.

She was born at Wilton and educated at the Godolphin School in Salisbury.

Her first book was a well-received biography of her father, the well-known writer and broadcaster, A.G. Street.

Her second book, which she is currently updating, was an authorative guide to her home county called Portrait Of Wiltshire.

She has just completed a novel entitled Many Waters, which is the last of a trilogy. The other two were The Mill Race and The Way Of The River.

She has also written Light Of Evening, Morning Glory, and The Step-Sisters. The latter was made into a serial and broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1982.

Pamela Street’s visit to Salisbury will include her reading from both her own work and that of her father, and will no doubt make an entertaining evening to round off the first month of the new year.

Sidney Herbert, 14th Earl Of Pembroke

From Contemporary Biographies, Wilts And Dorset, At The Opening Of The Twentieth Century, edited by W.T. Pike, published 1906:

Nobility And Gentry.

Pembroke. The Right Hon. The Earl of Pembroke, 14th Earl, created 1551, and Montgomery, 11th Earl, created 1605 (Sidney Herbert), P.C., G.C.V.O., J.P., Baron Herbert of Cardiff (1551), Shurland (1604), and Lea (1861), Wilton House, Salisbury, and Mount Merrion, Ireland; son of the 12th Earl of Pembroke; born in 1853; succeeded his brother in 1895; is a direct descendant of the 1st Earl; educated at Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford; B.A. Oxon. Lord Steward of His Majesty’s Household since 1895; Hereditary Grand Visitor of Jesus College, Oxford; Justice of the Peace for Wilts, and member of Wilts County Council; President of Wilts Agricultural Society, 1905, and of South Wilts Constitutional Association; a Visitor of Salisbury Infirmary and a Governor of Sherborne School; Conservative Member of Parliament for Wilton, 1877-85, and for Croydon, 1886-95; Lord of the Treasury, 1885-90. Married, in 1877, Beatrix, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Durham. Heir: Lord Herbert. Clubs: Constitutional, and Marlborough.

Wilton Easter Book 1625~1630

WILTON EASTER BOOK

“An imperfect rate which seems to be of the kind called the Easter Book.”

Payments (taxes) made to incumbents by adult members (those old enough to receive Holy Communion) of the Church of England congregations.

The following lists for Wilton are circa 1625-1630.

East Street
The Mawdlin
Piggs Marshe
South Street
West Street 

Wilton Easter Book
East Street
Listed in alphabetical order (surnames):

William Collinges, 3d.
Alce Evens, 2d.
Richard Foster, 3d.
William Hill, 3d.
Widow North, -d.

John Patteson, 3d.
Nicholas Pope, 3d.
Richard Stevens, d.

Robert Sumshinne, 2d.
John Surman, 3d.
Robert Surman, 3d.
Robert Teawe, 2d.
Henry Whoatmore, 3d.

Wilton East Book
The Mawdlin
Listed in alphabetical order (surnames):

Jone Bateman, 2d.
Gabriell Batten, -d.
Thomas Blaith, 3d.
Widow Bruer, 2d.

Nicholas Chaunler, 2d.
Jone Compton, -d.
Elizabeth Coomes, -d.
John Crispine, 3d.

Widow Elliot, -d.
Hughe Forth, 2d.
Robert Fribbings, 3d.
Henry Fussell, 3d.

Gibberd Gibbes, 3d.
Mr. Thomas Gray, 3d.
Henry Graye, 2d.
Mistress Graye, 3d.

Mr. Walter Graye, 3d.
Hughe Griffinge, -d.
Mr. John Haies, the elder, 2d.
John Haies, the younger, 2d.

Alce James, -d.
Widow Kinge, -d.
John London, 3d.
Thomas Longe, 3d.

Leonard Milles, 3d.
Thomas More, 1d.
John Myller, 2d.
Robert Paradise, -d.

Saunder Parfett, 3d.
Mr. Colberte Parker, 3d.
Mr. William Phillippes, 3d.
Widow Pile, 1d.

Robert Read, 3d.
Thomas Rendale, 3d.
Allexander Rose, -d.
John Selcoke, -d.

Widow Selcoke, 2d.
John Smith, 3d.
Widow Waker, 1d.
Henry Walworth, 2d.

John White, 3d.
Walter White, 3d.
John Woodroofe, 3d.

Wilton Easter Book
Piggs Marshe
Listed in alphabetical order (surnames):

William Baker, 3d.
Widow Bell, 2d.
John Brooke, 3d.
Widow Chatwell, 2d.

Widow Cooke, 2d.
Robert Corbett, 3d.
Jone Hampride, 1d.
Alce Handole, -d.

Henry Hayward, 2d.
John Knight, 2d.
Bartholomew Miller, 3d.
Dominick Pyle, 2d.

Mr. William Sharpe, 10d.
Richard Smith.
Ellis Stokes, 2d.
John White, 2d.

Wilton Easter Book
South Street
Listed in alphabetical order (surnames):

Laurence Baker, -d.
Richard Baylie, 2d.
Allexander Beckett, 3d.
Thomas Best, 3d.
Robert Blake, 3d.

Widow Blake, 1d.
Richard Elliott, 2d.
Mary Evens, 2d.
John Gibbes, 3d.
Widow Glide, 2d.

Robert Haydon, 3d.
Mr. Thomas Hayes, 3d.
Mr. Hughes, 5d.
Thomas Johnson, 3d.
Richard Jones, 3d.

John Kinchington, 3d.
William Lasie, 2d.
Mr. Mayor, 3d.
John Overtone, 3d.
William Pearle, 2d.

Machaell Ray, 3d.
Christopher Redman, -d.
Mr. Richard Redman, 3d.
Peter Reynall, 2d.
Mr. Jarvis Sharpe, 4d.

Thomas Smith, 3d.
William Stevens, -d.
Roger Timms, 3d.
Mr. Toogood, 2d.

Wilton Easter Book
West Street
Listed in alphabetical order (surnames):

Thomas Anterrim, 3d.
Widow Baileife, 2d.
John Batten, 3d.
William Bayleife, 3d.

Robert Bennett, 3d.
Walter Brasier, 3d.
Thomas Bull, 2d.
-  Callawaye, 2d.

William Carpenter, 3d.
Phillip Clare, 3d.
Thomas Cuddymore, 3d.
John Cuerlie, 3d.

Margarett Curtesse, -d.
John Curtisse, 3d.
Umfery Ditton, 6d.
Allexaunder Freestone, 1d.

Mr. Richard Gray, 4d.
Widow Gray, 2d.
Richard Haiter, 3d.
Jone Hollett, 2d.

William Knige, 1d.
Richard Lakisse, -d.
Mistress Markes, 3d.
John Marshall, 3d.

John Milborne, 1d.
Edmond Miller, 2d.
John Mollins, 3d.
William Mollins, 3d.

George Moore, 1d.
Thomas Nerris, 2d.
Robert North, 2d.
Thomas North, 3d.

Walter Northest, 3d.
Richard Pile, 3d.
Alce Pine, widow, 2d.
Thomas Pine, 3d.

Richard Selcocke, 1d.
John Smith, 3d.
William Spark, the younger, 3d.
John Swifte, -d.

Richard Tarante, 2d.
William Tarrante, 3d.
Robert Vineye, 2d.
Mr. Richard White, 2d.