Category: Sutton Veny: Gleanings

From The West Wiltshire District Guide 1978:

The village of Sutton Veny lies about two miles south-east of Warminster, bounded by the water meadows of the River Wylye one side, and the downs on the other.

Like so many villages in this part of Wiltshire, its origins and history date back for many centuries: there are several barrows or tumuli, an Iron Age earthwork called “Robin Hood’s Bower” in Southleigh Wood, the sites of two Roman villas in the parish, and it is reputed that King Alfred collected part of his forces in Eastleigh Wood, then known as Igley [Iglea], before advancing to defeat the Danes at the battle of Ethandune on the south-west edge of Salisbury Plain.

Sutton Veny has depended on agriculture, traditionally sheep farming, to provide the living for its inhabitants although now, in an age of more mobility, there are a number of people living there who work outside the parish in light industry or other occupations.

St. Leonard’s Church, which lies at the south end of the village, is first mentioned in 1220, though it contains Norman work of an earlier date. In former years the focal point of the village was centred around the church but later moved to higher ground to the north, and in 1868 the Church of St. John was dedicated, and has since that date been the parish church; it was built by the Everett family of Greenhill at a cost of £7,000; unfortunately the older church was from that time allowed to lapse into ruins although part of it has now been restored.

During the 1914-18 War a large number of Australian soldiers were stationed at Sutton Veny, and in 1918 during the severe influenza epidemic many died, and are buried in the churchyard of St. John’s; each year on Anzac Sunday a special service is held, and until recent years a short service was broadcast to Australia on Anzac Day.

1976

K.H. Rogers, in Wiltshire And Somerset Woollen Mills, published by the Pasold Research Fund Ltd., in 1976, noted:

Sutton Veny: Mount Mill
This was used as a fulling mill by 1469, when it belonged to the Hungerford family. In the later sixteenth century, it was occupied by Thomas Ashlock and Geoffrey Hawkins, both clothiers, successively. Later occupiers were Thomas Cooke (died c.1610) and Philip Bishop (died c.1718), both described as fullers.

The mill was advertised for sale in 1759, with a good house and trout fishery, and again in 1765, when it had two stocks and room to work a third. The ownership probably passed at this time to the Benett family of Norton Bavant, from whom it was held by the Everetts, clothiers of Heytesbury. It was still in use in 1831, and may have  continued until the end of Joseph Everett’s business in 1846. In 1849 it was empty, and had apparently been pulled down by 1861.

WRO, Arch. Sarum, wills;
SJ, 20.8.1759, 25.11.1765;
WRO, 949, copy of 1831 census, and poor rates.

K.H. Rogers, in Wiltshire And Somerset Woollen Mills, published by the Pasold Research Fund Ltd., in 1976, noted:

Crockerton: Job’s Mill
This mill was part of the manor of Little Sutton in Sutton Veny, and in the eighteenth century formed part of the Longleat estate.

It takes its name from father and son, both called Job Lewis, who occupied it as a corn mill for much of the eighteenth century.

In 1786, the lease was renewed to John Phipps, a miller from Chilmark, who three years later assigned it to John Everett of Heytesbury.

When a new life was added to the lease by John Gale Everett, clothier, in the same year, permission was given to convert it to a fulling mill providing the value was not lessened.

The mill was part of a considerable amount of Longleat property which was exchanged to J.D. Astley in 1809.

It is not known how long it remained a fulling mill (if indeed it ever became one); it was certainly occupied by a miller in 1831.

WRO, 845, lease books, estate papers, etc.;
WRO, 949, copy of 1831 census.

Wilfred Middlebrook, in The Changing Face Of Warminster, first written in 1960, updated in 1971, noted:

The valley path comes out at Job’s Mill, a modern, stone-built mansion with a spacious forecourt and fine gates of scrolled ironwork. It is now the home of Lord Bath. For many years a humble corn mill, this was transformed by a former owner into a luxurious mansion. Items of beauty were brought from different parts of the country to help in this transformation, including the ornate gates and a fine interior staircase.

Wilfred Middlebrook, in The Changing Face Of Warminster, first written in 1960, updated in 1971, noted:

When Mary Queen of Scots forbade Bible reading by the commoners, burning over 800 persons at the stake in the process, the people of Crockerton and the neighbourhood used to meet in secret in Southleigh Woods, holding Bible meetings by moonlight in a secluded glen. These ancient woods were again the scene of many clandestine meetings when Charles the Second ordered the ministers to use the Established Book Of Common Prayer, thus giving birth to the non-conformist church in this country. Over 2,000 clergymen were ejected from their livings for refusing to “conform;” fifty of them from Wiltshire, including James Eburne of Kingston Deverill. One of these ejected ministers found refuge along the river Wylye at Bull Mill, and he used to hold secret religious meetings in Southleigh Woods.

Mrs. Beatrice McClellan White (1898 – 1969), of Longbridge Deverill, writing in 1960 on the subject of Crockerton, noted:

There is still a mill standing at Crockerton, but this part of Crockerton used to belong to Sutton Veny parish. This mill was converted a few years ago into a very lovely house, known as Job’s Mill, and is the present home of the Marquess of Bath. Until about 1920 it was a grist mill. It stands in Five Ash Lane.