Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Aldbourne - Baydon - Chilton Foliat - Froxfield - Hungerford - Lambourn (BRK) - Little Bedwyn - Mildenhall - Ogbourne St. George
Websites of Interest
Duncan and Mandy Ball's - Website for images of Holy Cross Church.
GenUKI - For information relating to Wiltshire and Ramsbury.
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre - The Wiltshire County Archives for all historical documents and the place to obtain original copies.
Wiltshire Community History - Historical information for parishes within the Wiltshire County jurisdiction.
The Parish Church of Holy Cross
On the banks of the River Kennet not far from the Berkshire border is the ancient town of Ramsbury which in pre-Conquest days was the seat of Wiltshire's Bishop. Its large mediaeval church is distinguished by a massive west tower surrounded by tremendous buttresses. The chancel is of thirteenth century origin but its windows were replaced during the fourteenth century. The spacious nave is late Gothic. The church contains a number of monuments, particularly in the Darrell chapel north of the chancel. Of outstanding interest are the fragments of crosses and gravestones of pre-Conquest date, gathered together at the west end of the north aisle. They are presumably relics of the old cathedral.
Holy Cross Gallery Inside Holy Cross Gallery Holy Cross Churchyard Gallery
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1678-1968
Marriages 1678-2008
Burials 1678-1945
Parish History
The Village Square was once the location of its centuries old Wych Elm. The tree was believed to have been left standing as Ramsbury grew from a clearing in the great expanse of Savernake Forest. Over the years the tree became dried out and became hollow due to Dutch Elm Disease. The tree was deemed unsafe and removed but replaced with an Oak Tree. Legend has it that the original elm tree was the shade of a local witch who had taken up residence in the tree, and locals were worried that she may curse the area if the elm was felled.
Ramsbury Includes the tythings of Axford, Eastridge and Whittonditch. Also includes the areas known as Marridge or Marriage Hill and Membury.
Civil Registration
1837 - April 1937 Hungerford Registration District
April 1937 - Present Marlborough Registration District
Buildings and Land
Indenture of Land Transfer 1701 Inclosure Award Extract 1778 The Genuine Brewery for Auction 1842 Cattle Plague Regulations 1867 Owners of Land 1873
Maps
Ordnance Surveyor's Drawings 1818
Crime and Legal Matters
Crime Reports
Fraud
Inspector Huntley Gets the Man 1862
Prisons and Prisoners
Inmates of Gloucester Gaol 1815-1879
Quarter Sessions
Victims of Crime
Swing Riots
Theft
Directories
Education
Emigration and Migration
Assisted Emigration
Thomas & Jane Dawson 1854 Abraham Evans & Family 1854 Thomas & Maryann Fuller 1854 Thomas & Mary Ann Fuller 1854-1893
General Emigration/Migration Items
Strays Index Emigration Home Contact Requested 1800 - Present
Obituaries of Emigrants in Australia
Employment and Business
Apprentices
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
People and Parish Notables
Accidents
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that these transcripts also contain the tithings of Ramsbury such as Axford.
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll of Freeholders 1772 (Marridge Hill) Poll Book 1818 Poll Book 1818 (East Ridge) Voters List 1832 Voters lists Revisions 1843
Council Elections
County Council Election Notice 1925 Councillor Nominations 2015
MP Nominations
Entertainment
Family Notices
Inquest Reports
Miscellaneous Items
People of The Village Secrets of Farming Book Subscribers 1863
Parish Notables
Laura Collett, British Three Day Eventer. Laura is based at the stables of Membury House and had the honour of training the former champion racehorse Kauto Star in dressage. Sadly the horse was injured in a freak accident whilst in his paddock and later had to put to sleep by vets in July 2015
Personal Research Items
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts - These items were donated by Ken Tuck and contains entries that may or may not relate to the Tuck family however they have been published as such. Many references to Quaker entries may be found from across the county.
Sport
Death Ends Strange Golf Match 1938
Wedding Reports
Wedding of Martha Whiting 1951
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Thomas Freeman 1639 Joan Noyes 1623 William, Earl of Pembroke 1630
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
WWII Casualties
Axford
The Church of St. Michael
St. Michael Gallery St. Michael Churchyard
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1866-2006
Marriages 1944-1990
Burials 1866-2007
Other Resources
Village History
Buildings and Land
Public House Licenses Granted 1860 Owners of Land 1873
Crime and Legal Matters
Directories
Employment and Business
Apprentices
Apprentice records published here may not necessarily mean that the apprentice was from the parish but was apprenticed to a master within the parish
People and Parish Notables
Census Returns Transcripts
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Edward Appleford Proved 1695 Stephen Appleford Proved 1765 Thomas Vickers Proved 1821
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Servicemen & Families with the 1st Wilts. Regt. in South Africa 1911
Littlecott
Buildings and Land
Littlecote House
Crime and Legal Matters
William Darrell of Littlecott William Darrell Proceedings in Chancery 1558-1603
People and Parish Notables
Whittonditch
Buildings and Land
Emigration and Migration
People and Parish Notables
Census Returns Transcripts
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
