The OPC is Jane Dick
Contiguous Parishes
Bishopstone (Wilton) – Bowerchalke – Burcombe – Compton Chamberlain – Fifield Bavant – Fovant – Martin – Pentridge (DOR)
Websites of Interest
Broad Chalke Village – Current village life, photographs and village history.
Broad Chalke Parish Archives – Old documents, various transcriptions and history books.
Discover Chalke Valley – Fascinating places to stay, things to do and activities to enjoy.
Gurd and Associated Families – One Name Study.
The Parish Church of All Saints
All Saints Church Gallery All Saints Interior Gallery All Saints Churchyard Gallery
Church Supported Charities and Funding
Building
Parishioner Donations To Belfry Restoration 1874
Churchyard
Churchyard Memorial Plot Map Churchyard Memorial Survey
Church Matters
Church Surveys and Census
Broade Chalke Protestation Return 1641-1642
Incumbents
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
1538-1599 1600-1630 1631-1660 1661-1780 1802-1807 1808-1812 1813-1818 1819-1839
Marriages
Burials
1552-1615 1616-1670 1671-1710 1711-1780 1813-1840
Miscellaneous Register Items
Interesting Parish Register Entries 1653
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1538-1979 (From 1653-1670 a birth register is included)
Marriages 1562-2006
Burials 1552-1866
Parish History
Broad Chalke is a rural parish located in the Chalke Vale, six miles south west of Wilton and eight miles west of Salisbury. The village sits on the banks of the River Ebble, which feeds the watercress beds for which Broad Chalke is notable. The parish includes the the neighbouring hamlets of Stoke Farthing and Knighton to the east and Little London, Gurston and Mount Sorrel to the west and is home to around 650 people. Few are dependent on the land, as were most of the villagers up until the end of the 19th Century. Broad Chalke remains a thriving village with its Anglican Church, United Reform Chapel, community policeman, doctor’s surgery, school, pub, butcher, and part time Post Office, all functioning at the heart of the community.
Listed in Domesday Book as part of Chelche, the greater part of the Parish was granted to the nuns of Wilton Abbey in 955 by the Saxon King Eadwic. It remained with them until the Reformation when Henry VIII rewarded his staunch supporter the Earl of Pembroke with large tracts of land, including the Manors of the Chalke Vale. Broad Chalke remained in the ownership of the Earls of Pembroke until just after the First Word War when parts of the family estates were sold. Read more about Broad Chalke.
The parish includes the hamlets of Knighton and Stoke Farthing
Jurisdictions and Population Figures Parish News 1900-1949
Civil Registration
1837 – April 1936 Wilton Registration District
April 1936 – Present Salisbury Registration District
Buildings and Land
Agriculture
County Agriculture Report 1847
Farms
Knoyle Farm
Land and Building News
Landowners
Public Houses
Queens Head, North Street
15th century building which was once part of the Earl of Pembroke’s estate.
Sales
Weather
Summer Hailstorm of 1785 & Damage Caused 1853 Thunder Storm 1855
Crime and Legal Matters
Bastardy Orders 1747-1849 Execution for Highway Robbery 1794 Committed to Fisherton Gaol 1800-1849 Crime Reports 1800-1849 Not Good Neighbours 1858
Directories
Post Office 1855 Post Office 1875 Post Office Telephone 1940
Education
Emigration and Migration
Books
From Wiltshire to Wales by Ray Palmer. Please be aware that this book is not available freely.
General Items
Employment and Business
Agriculture and Land
Gamekeepers Certificates 1807 Gamekeepers Certificates 1834
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.
John Aylesbury 1757 Robert Barfoot 1743 John Bennet 1755 Thomas Street 1719
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
James Crine 1833 Thomas Crine 1824 James Dixon 1823
Communications
British Postal Service Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
Medicine
General Medical Council Membership 1859-1959
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Congregationalists
Congregational Chapel Gallery Chapelyard Burial Ground Gallery
Independent Chapel (now URC)
Independent Chapel Yard Gallery
People and Parish Notables
Golden Wedding – John and Betsy Leaver 1898
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1837-1871
Census Returns Transcript
1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911
Elections and Polls
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1865 MP Nominations 2015 MP Nominations 2017 Poll Book 1818
Family Notices
Family Notices 1800-1849 Family Notices 1850-1899
Inquest Reports
Inquest Reports 1800-1849 Inquest Reports 1850-1899 John Lush 1868
Miscellaneous Items
Parish Notables
John Aubrey
17th Century diarist and antiquarian, author of Brief Lives and The Natural History of Wiltshire, occupied Chalke, now Manor Farm for a number of years from 1648. Manor Farmhouse was the principle secular building in the Village.
Cecil Beaton
Photographer, film and theatre costume designer who resided at Reddish House in the parish after moving from Ashcombe House, Tollard Royal in 1945. Although not born in the county, Beaton made this his home to retreat from his hectic and somewhat flamboyant life. His love of Wiltshire is portrayed in his biographical book “Ashcombe House – The Story of A Fifteen Year Lease”. When he purchased Reddish house he found the roof top had been converted into illegal cock or dog fighting arenas and pens; he converted them to store his famous fashion creations including those designed for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. Cecil Beaton is buried at All Saints Church. Reddish House was later occupied by the singer Toyah Wilcox.
John Beckinsau, Author Maurice Henry Hewlett, Novelist, poet and essayist Sir Terry Pratchett, Novelist Toyah Wilcox, Singer and Actress
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
The workhouse for the parish of Broad Chalke was situated in Wilton
Wilton Union Guardians Appointed 1835 Guardians Dinner & Election of Guardians 1870
Elected Overseers
Workhouse
Christmas at the Workhouse 1909
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
William, Earl of Pembroke 1630
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
War Memorial Inscriptions WWI & WWII
Boer War
Casualties
WWI
Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 Casualty Biographies WWI
