OPC Vacancy
Bishops Cannings Photo Gallery
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
All Cannings – Avebury – Blackland – Bromham – Calstone Wellington – Cherhill – Devizes St. John – Devizes St. Mary – Heddington – Rowde – Southbroom
Websites of Interest
United Benefice – Churches of Bishops Cannings, Etchilhampton & All Cannings
The Parish Church of St. Mary The Virgin
At the western end of the Vale of Pewsey stands one of Wiltshire’s most distinguished churches, St. Mary the Virgin at Bishops Cannings, built by the Bishops of Old Sarum towards the end of that city’s life. A large cruciform building surmounted by a spire, most of the building is of twelfth/thirteenth century date with a broad nave, a sturdy crossing, wide transepts and a vaulted chancel. The transepts were designed to lead to eastern chapels. An unusual item of furniture is the penitential seat ornamented with curious painting.
St. Mary’s Gallery St. Mary’s Interior Gallery St. Mary’s Churchyard Gallery
Bells and Bellringers
A Peal of Bells 1890 Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers Meeting 1915
Church Charities and Legacies
Recipients of George Ruddle’s Legacy 1740
Fixtures and Fittings
Incumbents and Church Officials
Incumbents List 1290 – Present Churchwardens 1592-1669 Officiating Clergymen 1746-1812
Parish Register Transcripts
Interesting Entries in the Parish Registers
Baptisms
| 1591-1620 | 1621-1640 | 1641-1660 | 1661-1680 | 1681-1700 | 1701-1720 | 1721-1740 | 1741-1760 | 1761-1780 | 1781-1800 |
| 1801-1820 | 1831-1840 | 1841-1850 | 1851-1870 | 1871-1880 |
Banns
Marriages
1591-1649 1650-1699 1700-1749 1750-1799 1800-1849 1850-1899
Burials
1591-1630 1631-1660 1661-1690 1691-1720 1721-1750 1751-1780 1781-1824 1825-1849 1850-1874 1875-1899
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1591-1928
Marriages 1591-1973
Burials 1591-1882
Parish History
Bishops Cannings which is also known as Cannings Episcopi includes the tythings of Bourton, Coate, Easton and Horton. It formerly covered the chapelries of Chittoe and Southbroom St. James which are now stand alone parishes. It also contains the hamlets of Bedborough and Nursteed. It also covers the area of Devizes known as Roundway.
Civil Registration
1837 – Present Devizes Registration District
Buildings and Land
Archaeology
Inclosure Awards
Inclosure Award Extract 1812-1813 George to Hunt 1872
Land Owners
Parting Letter of Mr. Estcourt 1859 Owners of Land 1873
Property Sales
Crime and Legal Matters
Animal Crime
Assaults
Bastardy
Bastardy Examinations 1853-1878
Commercial Crime
Maltings Regulations Breaches 1812-1813
Courts
Committed to the County Gaol 26 May 1874 Anthony Harte & William Haywarde, Proceedings in Chancery 1558-1603
Petty Sessions
Devizes District 13 April 1846
Crime Reports
Transportation
Transportation of Prisoners 1827
Directories
| Slaters 1852-1853 | Post Office 1855 | Post Office 1859 | Kellys 1867 | Post Office 1875 | Kellys 1889 | Kellys 1895 | Kellys 1898 |
| Gllmans 1899 | Gilmans 1900 | Kellys 1903 | Kellys 1907 | Kellys 1911 | Gillmans 1914 | Kellys 1915 |
Education
This section is awaiting information to be compiled
Emigration and Migration
Emigration to Australia
Emigrants to Van Diemens Land 1843
Employment and Business
Agriculture and Land
Gamekeepers
Ploughing Matches
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
Thomas Allen 1756 William Baley 1743 Samuel Thurgood Bartlett 1747 John Bryant 1750
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
William Hutchins 1838 Charles Henry Smith 1912
Communications
British Postal Service Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Quaker Burials at Gallows Ditch 1678-1681
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations & Societies
Agricultural Society Meetings & Shows
Wiltshire Agricultural Show Prize Winners 1904
Friendly Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society
Membership 1827-1871 Annual Festival 1847 Annual Meeting 1859 Promotion 1912
Bankruptcy Reports
George Hitchcock Blake 1932-1935
Census Returns Transcripts
Coroners Bills
County coroners were introduced in England in around 1194 once established other boroughs and liberties sought the right to have their own coroner. Often in Medieval times the coroner also assumed the role of the sheriff and his duties weren’t limited to holding inquests on dead bodies although almost a full time post they were unpaid for the duties apart from those that were deemed murder of manslaughter when they would receive 13s. 4d. From the 24th June 1752 a law was passed allowing the coroner to claim £1 for every inquest they attended not held in a gaol and also to claim 9d per mile travel allowance from the place of residence. Inquests held in any gaol were performed at a rate totalling no more than £1. These costs were to be paid from the county rates. In cases of homicide the coroner also received the former fee of 13s. 4d. The coroners submitted their bills at the quarter session sittings for approval. Coroners Bills 1752-1796
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832
Voters Lists Revisions 1843
Council Elections
County Council Election Notice 1925
MP Nominations
Family Notices
Parish Notables
| Ida Gandy – Writer – Born 9 September 1885; Died 28 September 1977 | James Pound – Clergyman, Doctor of Medicine, Naturalist and Astronomer – Born 1669 in Bishops Cannings; Died 16th November 1724 in Wanstead, Essex and is buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Wanstead |
Personal Research Items
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 refer to Quaker burials found across the county
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts
Sport
Hunting Notices 1800-1999 Cricket Match Bishops Cannings v Heddington 1890
Subscriptions
Fifth Annual Report for Negro Emancipation 1830
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Poor Commission Election 1837 Poor Law Cottages for Sale by Auction 1837 Poor Law Union Bread & Flour Tenders 1838
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Griffin Nicholas 1635 Michael Drew 1633
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Boer War
War Memorial in St. Mary’s 1900-1902
General Items
Servicemen & Families with the 1st Wilts Regiment in South Africa in 1911 War Memorial
Royal Navy
Attestations
Samuel Hibbard 1843 John Hillier 1809
WWI
Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 Bell Ringers Memorial Book WWI, St. Paul’s Cathedral Library, London Calne & District Casualty Lists WWI
WWI Serving Military Personnel 1914
WWI Casualties
Bedborough
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Coroners Bills
Elections, Polls & Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Joseph Waterman (alias Watts) 1675 (Nuncupative)
Probate Indexes
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Bourton
Former Bourton Farmhouse
Buildings and Land
Land Owners
Crime and Legal Matters
Bastardy
Civil Matters
Emigration & Migration
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Coroners Bills
Elections, Polls & Voters Lists
Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832
Family Notices
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Margaret Pope proved 1587 Thomas Pope proved 1611
Coate
Buildings and Land
Indenture between Hill and Macklin 1867
Crime and Legal Matters
Bastardy
Bastardy Examinations 1847-1865
Employment Crime
Leaving Service (John Weston) 1874
Theft
Directories
Emigration and Migration
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
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Medical License – Daniel Elson (Nelson) 1599
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations & Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Coroners Bills
County coroners were introduced in England in around 1194 once established other boroughs and liberties sought the right to have their own coroner. Often in Medieval times the coroner also assumed the role of the sheriff and his duties weren’t limited to holding inquests on dead bodies although almost a full time post they were unpaid for the duties apart from those that were deemed murder of manslaughter when they would receive 13s. 4d. From the 24th June 1752 a law was passed allowing the coroner to claim £1 for every inquest they attended not held in a gaol and also to claim 9d per mile travel allowance from the place of residence. Inquests held in any gaol were performed at a rate totalling no more than £1. These costs were to be paid from the county rates. In cases of homicide the coroner also received the former fee of 13s. 4d. The coroners submitted their bills at the quarter session sittings for approval. Coroners Bills 1752-1796
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832
Family Research
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Poor Law Cottages for Sale by Auction 1837
Horton
Horton Bridge Inn
Buildings and Land
Owners of Land 1873 Horton Village Design Statement 2004
Public Houses
Bridge Inn
Crime and Legal Matters
Crime Reports 1800-1849 Bastardy Examinations 1863-1880
Directories
Emigration
Employment and Business
Agriculture & Land
Game List 1846 Sale at Compton Farm, Enford. 1870
People and Parish Notables
Accidents
Associations, Clubs, Organisations & Societies
Agricultural Societies
Wiltshire Agricultural Society Annual Meeting 1848
Friendly Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832
Personal Research Items
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts – This item was 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 refer to Quaker burials found across the county
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Poor Law Cottages for Sale by Auction 1837 Poor Law Rate Assessment Challenged 1846
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict & Military Matters
Nursteed
Nursteed Farm Crop Circles
Crime and Legal Matters
Assaults
Beerhouse Keeper Savagely Beaten 1841
Firearm Crime
Mr. Lyne Shot at Whilst in Bed 1830
Vehicle and Highway Crime
Employment and Business
Apprentices
Wiltshire Society
Markets and Fairs
People and Parish Notables
Elections Polls & Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Personal Research Items
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 refer to Quaker burials found across the county
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts
Roundway
Roundway House
History
Buildings and Land
Archaeological Finds
Roundway Hospital
Opened 1851 and closed 1995. Previously named Wiltshire County Lunatic Asylum and Wiltshire County Mental Hospital.
Roundway Hospital Cemetery
The Cemetery at Roundway Hospital was in use from 1852 to 1966 and probably contains some 2,500 burials, the overwhelming majority being patients from the hospital. To date some 1300 names have been transcribed from the burial book to a more manageable database.
Nothing now remains of the once well kept grass, poaths and numbered marker bricks that showed this sloping field was once in use. It was the closure of Roundwat Hospital and this anonymous patch of overgrown weeds and grass that prompted the work of assembling the names of all those interred with a view to ensuring their existance is recorded for those who search for long lost relatives.
Sadly all the numbered grave markers were removed by an overzealous grass cutter whose mower kept hitting them when cutting the grass.
Source: Down Pans Lane by Philip Steele; part of an chapter written by Geoff Mascall.
Recommended Reading
Down Pans Lane: The History of Roundway Hospital, Devizes: 1851-1995 – Philip Steele 2000. Isbn 0-9539264-0-0
Under Lock and Key: 30 Years as a Nurse at Roundway Hospital – Keith Genever 2018.
Crime and Legal Matters
Employment and Business
William Read Business Advertisement 1847
People and Parish Notables
Family Notices Bankruptcy Notices of
Associations, Clubs, Organisations & Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Bankruptcy
Celebrations
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Members of Parliament
Walter Long Talks Schedule 1890
Polls
Family Notices
Inquest Reports
E. F. Colston 1847 Charles Curtis 1881
Parish Notables
Colston Family at Roundway House
People News
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Parishioners Wills
John Lewis proved 1712 William Lewis proved 1732 James Pope proved 1645
War, Conflict and Military Matters
Battle of Roundway 1643 (Overview) Entertainment at Roundway Park 1874
