Category: Chicklade: Gleanings

Thursday 28th March 2024

From the Facebook page of Warminster Police:

Please be aware of closures in place due to flooding on the A303 at Chicklade.

Drivers are advised to seek alternative routes and expect significant delays.

Thursday 30th January 2014:

Arundell James are the selling agents for The Old School House at Chicklade. This detached one-bedroom house comprises sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, en-suite shower room, and utility hall. To the side of the property is off-road parking for one car. Price: £170,000. Arundell James, London House, High Street, Tisbury, SP3 6HA. Telephone 01747 871234, email: sales@arundelljames.co.uk www.arundelljames.co.uk

Sunday 8th April 1984

John Halliday, in a hardback exercise book he titled Warminster Notes, in which he compiled various handwritten notes about Warminster and district for local history slide shows he was giving during the 1980s, penned the following:

Chicklade. The Parish Plan & Award are kept and were examined in the Rural District Council Offices at Mere in 1954. The Bull Inn, in which the Plan was formulated, was (1954) the residence of a Miss Garland. A bakery was at this inn?

Sunday 8th April 1984

John Halliday, in a hardback exercise book he titled Warminster Notes, in which he compiled various handwritten notes about Warminster and district for local history slide shows he was giving during the 1980s, penned the following:

Chicklade. The lane from Berwick St. Leonard – Lundy’s Lane, known locally as ‘The Chimney’ (no reason given). At the foot of the lane was the village shop. The Halliday children from Chicklade House bought ginger pop from there.

From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:

THE PARISH PLAN AND AWARD 1783
Now we must turn again to the year 1783. The Rev. Benjamin Blatch “presented’ to the Bishop in that year that the Parish had been lately enclosed and that the Plan and Award are kept in the Parish Church. In the Terrier of this same year, 1783, among the furniture of the Church is mentioned a “small’ box annexed to the Communion Table, containing the Plan and Award of the Parish.

We hardly expected that we should ever have the good fortune to see this Plan and Award. For one thing it is believed by some people that at some time unknown a fire occurred within the Church; if that happened documents and objects of interest may have been destroyed. Also when the ancient Church was demolished in 1832, articles of interest may have been lost. But when we were told that documents of value were in safe keeping at the Rural District Council Offices at Mere we went over there one day. The reader will readily imagine our pleasure and interest when the Parish Award and Plan of 1783 were produced for our inspection. We are able, by the courtesy of the Clerk, to reproduce a copy of a small part of the map which was prepared for us at the Rural District Council offices. On it are shown the properties in the village of Chicklade and the names of the owners in 1783.

The original map is a very large one, about the size of those one sees on the walls of a schoolroom, and on it are shown all the properties that were exchanged in the outlying parts of the parish surrounding the village.

We also examined a number of sheets (parchments) referred to as “skins” on which the different exchanges of land are set forth by the Commissioners appointed for the purpose of the Settlement (some sheets are missing and a few scorched as the edge as by fire).

The preamble of the Commissioners runs as follows:-

“Richard Richarson, Gentleman, Thomas Hawker, Gentleman of the Parish of Longbridge Deverill and Richard Bloxam of the Parish of Winterslow, Gentleman, send greetings.’

“Whereas by Act of Parliament (21 Geo. III.) institute an Article for dividing and inclosing common fields, common downs and waste lands and commonable places in the Parish of Chicklade in the county of Wiltshire. It was enacted that the said gentlemen – – be elected – – – as Commissioners for dividing the land in the said Parish of Chicklade.’

The Commissioners sat at the Bull Inn in the village (now Miss Garland’s house), the landlord of which at that time was William Blake. William Blake, “respectable landlord” i.e. a much respected man and a churchwarden or overseer (1769 – 1790) died in June 1791. Colt Hoare states that at the time of the Enclosure (21st Geo. III.) Rev. John Russ (Lord of the Manor), Henry Edgell, Thos. Waters, Nathan Wright, Esq., Thos. Hull and Martha Burney were the chief proprietors.

From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:

Chicklade had no school as yet but now and again fees for a year’s schooling were paid, e.g., 1799 Parish paid £1 6s. 8d. to Mrs. Edoms for the children’s school.

From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:

THE SCHOOL
The school was built by the Rev. J.C. Faber and bears the date 1848 above the door. Before that date, as we have seen, the church occasionally paid for “schooling”; probably the children went to Hindon or Tisbury.

The Rev. J.C. Faber also built the cottage next to the school (on the east side). Above the back door is a crest (a hand raised, holding a torch), the initials J.C.F. and the date 1867. Probably this was the school house. The parish pump still stands nearby.

We have a little information about the school from Kelly’s Directory:-

1855 A Free School. Mrs. Holden, schoolmistress.

1867 The school chiefly supported by the Rector. Mrs. Ann Helps, schoolmistress.

1875 The school chiefly supported by voluntary contributions.

1881 The Infant School built in 1848 for 30 children. Average attendance 12. Supported by voluntary contributions, Mrs. Doughty, Mistress. The elder children attend Hindon National School.

We are not able to state in what year the school was closed. In 1881 the attendance averaged 12 and in 1892 the question arose as to what was to become of the school building.

Vestry, Easter 1892. “The Rector was requested to communicate with Willm. Faber Esq. and with the landowners of the parish as to the possession and maintenance of the building formerly used as a school, now used as a Reading Room and Vestry Hall.’

Vestry, Easter 1894. The Rector reported that the building formerly used as a school had been duly conveyed by the representatives of the late J.C. Faber to the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Finance. Mr. Halliday had generously promised to bear all expenses incurred in putting the building into repair. It is sad to think that the school had such a short life and that the number of children in the village became so small but we may console ourselves, perhaps, by the knowledge that a school could no longer be carried on in the old building owing to the dangers of the highway and the high speed of modern motor traffic through the village. It is unfortunate, however, that the building cannot be kept in repair and put to some good use beyond the very occasional Parish Meetings.

I met an old pupil of the school a short time ago. Let us call him “Harry.” He told me that the Schoolmistress of his day lived at Berwick and walked over the hill each day – and so, probably, down the Chimney (Lundy’s Lane) into Chicklade. “Many a hiding I got,” said Harry, and when one was told that an ink-pot was thrown at the schoolmistress someone certainly deserved “a hiding.” Perhaps boys took their punishment in good part in the old days, knowing they deserved it; and when it was over, forgot all about it.

The School.

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.

From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:

THE TERRIERS 1783 AND 1704
In answer to the Bishop’s queries regarding “a true and perfect Terrier’ the Rev. Benjamin Blatch replied that there was a Parish Plan and Award in accordance with the Act of Enclosure (1781).

It is fortunate that the Terrier or Inventory of 1783 still exists as it extends our knowledge of the parish during this period and the incumbency of the Rev. Benjamin Blatch “A True and perfect tenet of all the Glebe lands, Meadows, Gardens, Houses, Barns, Stables, Outhouses, Tithes, Profits, Privileges, Advantages whatsoever belonging to the Parsonage of Chicklade in the County of Wilts, within the Diocese of Sarum and the Deanery of Chalk made and taken by the view of us whose names are hereunto subscribed this fourth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three.”

“One Parsonage house built of stone and thatched with straw about forty-seven foot in length and eighteen in breadth containing two small rooms and two pantries on the ground floor, one room at the north end floored partly with wood and partly with stone – the other at the south end floored with stone only and the pantries with earth. Three chambers with elm floors ceiled but not wainscoted – also one barn eighteen foot wide, fifty-eight foot in length with a small wing about twenty foot long – also a stable joining to the barn at the north end but under one roof and covered with thatch, also one farm-yard, one meadow and garden together containing three rood and fenced with a dead hedge.”

“The Parish being lately divided by Act of Parliament the arable Glebe land is in one entire piece situated at the west end of the parish on the left hand of the turnpike road leading from Chicklade to Mere and contains thirty-two acres two rood and thirty-two perch and is bounded on the north by the above mentioned turnpike road, on the east by the road leading from Chicklade to Hindon, on the south by the old London road and on the west by the lands of Harry Edgell Esqe. and Elias Lucas.

“Furthermore we own, confess and acknowledge that all Tithes of everything growing and increasing in the said Parish of Chicklade are and may be taken and received by our Minister at the usual times of our having and taking the increase in our substances as Corn, Hay, Wool, Lambs, Pigs, Calves, Eggs, Honey, Apples and all other tithes both small and great are and may be taken in kind.”

“We also acknowledge and confess offerings to be due and that according to the accustomed manner and times they ought to be had and received by our Minister.”

“The furniture of the church is as follows:- Two Bells, A Font in the church. In the Chancel a Communion Table with two small linnen cloths, a small Chalice and a small plate of Silver; the plate with this inscription “John Hibberd and Elias Lucas, Chicklade – Anno Domini 1705′; one Pewter Flagon, one Oak Chest, a small box annexed to the Communion Table containing the Plan and Award of the Parish.”

“The church is maintained by the Parishioners and the Chancel by the Minister.”

“The churchyard Fence on the west side by the Inhabitants.”

“The north side by Mr. Richd. Randall and The South and east by the Minister.”

“The Clerk’s and Sexton’s wages are paid by the Parish and appointed by the Minister.”

“Signed by
Benjamin Blatch, Rector of Chicklade
Wm. Blake, Churchwarden
Richard Randall, Churchwarden
Nathan Wright, Inhabitant.”

A Terrier of the early 18th Century (1704) contains a long description of fields, etc., but merely mentions one Parsonage house (no account of its size and number of rooms) – one barn, one cow-house, one cart-house, one Backside, one Garden containing 17 poles, one little meadow containing 61 poles and a quarter of a pole; Also Feeding and Pasturage for eight cows and horses on commonable fields and Downs of Chicklade; the right to cut down and carry away of wood in proportion to that cut down by other inhabitants; Tithes and Tenths, Corn, Hay, Wool, Lambs, Piggs, Calves, Eggs, Apples, Honey and all other Tithes both small and great are and may be taken in kind.

Luke Simpson, Rector
Henry Burnett, John Halbert? } Churchwardens
The mark of Elias E. Lucas.

It has already been noted that in 1662, in answer to a Bishop’s Query, the churchwardens “presented’ that “there was no Terrier as yet belonging to the Parish.’

From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:

SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN RURAL LIFE
(18th – 19th Centuries)
From the Church books (Registers, Vestry books and Accounts) we can glean many interesting facts that help to illustrate the kind of lives led by the country people in those times. The oldest Register dates from 1721.

A close study of the Church Accounts is very revealing. One is surprised and pleased to find how well the Overseer for the Poor and other members of the Vestry attended to the needs of the poorer parishioners; how carefully the money collected by Parish rates was administered and accounted for. A few items from different years may be quoted.

1795
£85 paid to the poor. A sum of £98 10s. 0d. was collected in Rates.

1799-1800
Bread for the poor cost £40 3s. 7d. In the same year 22 sacks of potatoes at 6/- per sack were bought for distribution.

Such items as the above made us realise that some special state of affairs either local or national had increased the hardships of the poor in those years.

And so to look up our history books – where we at once learn that the state of affairs was national and may be briefly summarised as follows:- Britain was at war with France from 1793 until 1815. Yet during the first years of war the wealth of England increased by a vast amount. Owing to the peculiar circumstances of the times (Green’s History pp.828-9) the distribution of the wealth was only partial. Along with the increase in wealth occurred a large growth in population and this kept the rate of wages low. The rise in the price of wheat brought famine, for England was cut off by the war from the vast cornfields of the Continent and America which nowadays redress from their abundance the losses of a poor harvest. The amount of the Poor Rate rose by fifty per cent. The increase of pauperisation led inevitably to the increase in crime. In the Parish Register of 1781 is recorded a grim incident:-

“In August 1806 two men of the parish were hanged. John Portnall aged 38 years and David Ford aged 28, the former leaving a pregnant widow and six small children. They were privately interred by their friends at 11 o’clock in the evening having been that day executed on the drop erected in the Court of the County Gaol at Fisherton Anger for stealing 7 sheep and 7 lambs the property of John Gales of Stockton and Mr. Henry Phillips of Boyton.’

That story in the Burial Register is by the Rector of Chicklade of that time, the Rev. John Still.

In the following December a daughter was born to Mrs. Portnall.

There were not very many years to pass before the Act for the abolition of Capital Punishment for minor offences was passed by the second Parliament of George IV’s reign. We hope that later generations of Portnalls led happier and more fortunate lives than their ill-starred forebears.

In 1854 is recorded the appointment of a Constable for Chicklade (the first in the parish, we may assume). By a strange turn of Fate his name was Thomas Portnall.

Aid in other ways was given by the Parish to the poor. Many relations and neighbours were repaid for attending to sick persons. In 1807 and again in 1809 the Vestry authorised the acting overseer “to provide a stock of coal and wood for the use of the poor to be delivered to them “at prime cost” on condition of their paying ready money for the same.’ In many cases rents were paid by the Parish each year for poor tenants. When the Parsonage was unoccupied by the Rector, the Vestry let parts of it to different tenants. In the same way Windmill House was occupied by tenants whose rents were paid to the owners out of the Parish Rate.