The OPC is Tracey Piper
Upper Chute Gallery Lower Chute Gallery Chute Standen Gallery
Contiguous Parishes
Collingbourne Kingston – Great Bedwyn – Hurstbourne Tarrant (HAM) – Ludgershall – Tangley (HAM) – Tidcombe with Hippenscombe
Websites of Interest
Wikipedia – Entry for Chute
Wikipedia – Entry for Chute Forest
The Parish Church of St. Nicholas
Rebuilt between 1869 and 1872, the church is of red brick with stone facings; inside is a chancel, nave, small south transept, a wagon roof and a south western tower with a spire. The Norman font from a previous church on the same site is still in use. Just inside the churchyard gate is a hand pump and stone bowl installed in the Victorian era for the use of poor parishioners. The main benefactor of St. Nicholas was Thomas Fowle who also financed the building of St. Mary’s in neighbouring Chute Forest. The eminent Victorian architect John Loughborough Pearson was employed on both churches so it is no surprise that they are of similar design. Chute with Chute Forest are in the Savernake Team Ministry together with ten other parishes in north east Wiltshire – Burbage, Collingbourne Ducis & Everleigh, Collingbourne Kingston, East Grafton, Great Bedwyn, Little Bedwyn, Ham & Buttermere, Savernake Forest, Shalbourne and Tidcombe & Fosbury. The church is normally open to visitors during daylight hours.
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St. Nicholas Gallery St. Nicholas Interior Gallery St. Nicholas Churchyard Gallery
Incumbents List Chancel Rebuilt 1869 Grant for Sittings Approved 1869 Church Re-Opening 1872 Church Restoration 1872
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
Marriages
1582-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1837
Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1871-1950
Marriages 1877-1947
Burials 1875-1971
Parish History
Chute and Chute Forest are two separate neighbouring parishes on the eastern border of the county where Wiltshire meets Hampshire. They have been joined ecclesiastically since 1954.
The parish of Chute is made up of the hamlets of Upper Chute, Lower Chute, Chute Cadley and Chute Standen; the latter two are isolated and have no more than about a dozen dwellings between them. Upper Chute is the largest of the hamlets and offers spectacular views across the Wiltshire countryside.
Civil Registration
July 1837 – 31st March 1880 – Andover Registration District
1st April 1880 – 31st April 1936 – Pewsey Registration District
1st May 1936 – Present – Devizes Registration District
Newspaper Articles
Newspapers are a treasure trove of information for family history researchers and social historians. You may find your ancestors mentioned in the court columns either as the perpetrator or victim of crime – alcohol related offences, poaching and theft were the most common misdemeanours in the courts in the 19th century.
Primarily, the articles shown below are those that contain names of parishioners to assist family history researchers however, these articles should not be presumed to be all that appear in the given years, or that there are no articles in the years omitted. Articles relating to the parishes of Chute and Chute Forest have been placed here together.
1700-1799 1800-1849 1850-1869 1870-1899
Parish Location
Hurstbourne Tarrant, Upton, Clanville, Tangley, Vernham Dean (Hampshire) and Ludgershall (Wiltshire) are all within 3 miles of Chute and Chute Forest. The nearest towns are Andover (Hampshire) 7 miles and Marlborough (Wiltshire) 17 miles
Buildings and Land
Archaeology
Farms
Biddesden Farm
Fires
Fires in the Parish 1800-1899 Disastrous Fires at Chute 1868
House & Estate Sales
Landowners
Listed Buildings
Grade I
Chute Lodge
Maps
Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1808 Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1808-1809 Map of Chute 1841
Public Houses
Cross Keys, Upper Chute, off the A346
Cross Keys Gallery Cross Keys 1870
Situated near the old sheep drove with beautiful panoramic views of the surroundings
Hatchet Inn, Lower Chute off the A342
Is a thatched 14th century pub originally two cottages.
Crime and Legal Matters
Animal Crime
Stolen Puppy 1775 Boy Accused of Killing a Horse 1860
Arson
Arson at Ludgershall 1830-1831 Executed for Arson 1835 Transported for Arson 1838
Assault
Alleged Assault on a Farmer 1883
Business Crime
Bakers Charged with Selling Underweight Bread 1869
Capital Punishment
Crime Reports
Robbery
Swing Riots
Trial of the North Brothers 1831
Theft
Theft at Chute 1783 Vicar’s Servant in Court 1847 Stealing Oats 1864
Directories
Kellys 1867 Kellys 1875 Kellys 1889 Kellys 1898 Kellys 1907 Kellys 1923 Telephone Directory 1940
Education
There were two schools in Chute in 1818. From 1841 a room at Chute Standen was used partly for a school affiliated to the National Society. A new school, built between Chute and Chute Standen in 1858, was attended by pupils from Chute, its hamlets, and Chute Forest. The school closed in 1978.
School Admissions Register 1864-1882
Emigration and Migration
Employment and Business
Gamekeepers Certificates 1807 Gamekeepers Certificates 1834
Apprentices
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Frederick William Cook 1874 Elizabeth Catherine Mott 1875
Business Sales
Communications
Postal Services
British Postal Services Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
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
1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911
Coroner 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 or 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 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1818 Poll Book 1865 Electoral Register 1939
MP Nominations
Family Notices
Inquest Reports
Thomas Hendy 1838 William Webb 1894 Inquest Reports 1850-1899 Unknown Man 1850
Obituaries
Parish Notables
Paul Van Vlissingen – Dutch Businessman and Philanthropist was born in Utrecht, Netherlands on 21st March 1941. He died at Longbraek, Netherlands on 21st August 2006. He was resident at Conholt from 1994 until his death.
Lord Charles Wellesley – The youngest son of the (Iron) Duke of Wellington was born in Dublin on 16th January 1808. He lived at Conholt Park, a large estate in Chute until his death on the 9th October 1858 for many years.
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Chute and Chute Forest fell within the Andover Union
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Situated in Upper Chute, the war memorial commemorates casualties from WWI and WWII from both parishes.
| Attestations – (with Chute Forest) | Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 | WWI Casualties – (with Chute Forest) |
| WWII Casualties – (with Chute Forest) | Home Guard WWII |
Chute Forest
The Parish Church of St. Mary
St. Mary’s is a beautiful church built in 1872 of flint and red brick. It has a square tower with a striking shingled pyramid spire. Inside, the roof is of trussed timber divided into bays by brick arches; the nave and low narrow aisles have transverse red brick arches; the vestry has a wagon roof. The six bells from St. Mary’s were re-hung at St. Nicholas’ church in Chute in 1976.
The benefactor of St Mary’s was the same Thomas Fowle who also financed much of the rebuilding of St. Nicholas’ church in neighbouring Chute. Speculation has abounded over the years as to why he financed 2 churches in 2 years just 2 miles apart. One theory is that he had seriously fallen out with the first incumbent of St. Nicholas in Chute and so built another church of similar design even closer to his own home in Chute Forest.
St. Mary’s closed in 1972 and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, the national charity protecting historic churches at risk. The church remains consecrated and one service is held annually. St. Mary’s is only accessible on foot along an uneven farm track running the full length of a field; everyone is welcome to visit.
St. Mary’s Gallery St. Mary’s Interior Gallery St. Mary’s Churchyard Gallery
Churches Conservation Trust Ecclesiastical Intelligence
History
This tiny parish, owned by the Crown until the late 17th Century, is made up almost entirely of woodland. In 1801 the population was 88, in 2001 it was 147.
There are no major roads across the forest, most are very narrow or one track. The ‘village’ is isolated and comprises about half a dozen farm houses and a dozen residential houses which are clustered close to Chute Lodge, a large palladian style mansion sitting in 300 acres of parkland and forest. A mansion house called Chute Lodge is known to have existed in 1652 and included a consecrated chapel.
A new Lodge was built in 1778 by John Freeman, who made his fortune through the West Indian sugar trade. During the 19th Century, the Lodge was the home of Thomas Fowle and his descendants. In the early 1940’s it was used as a borstal and a school; it is now a residential property again.
Chute is an old English word for forest
Chute Forest belonged to the Lords Arundell of Wardour from 1691 until 1778
Chute Causeway is a section of an old Roman road running along the border between Wiltshire and Hampshire
Buildings and Land
Chute Lodge
Sale at Chute Lodge 1866 Chute Lodge 1920
Legend
In 1665, during the reign of King Charles II, the bubonic plague struck the neighbouring village of Vernham on the edge of Chute Causeway. The Rector of Vernham persuaded all villagers who had been in contact with the disease to move to an isolated camp at the top of a hillside on the Causeway. He promised he would take them regular supplies of food. This he did for a while, but became so frightened of catching the plague himself, that he deserted his flock. Those poor souls who did not die of the plague, starved to death. The Rector himself caught the disease and died. His grief stricken ghost is said to be seen climbing the hillside of Chute Causeway on clear nights, crying out to his parishioners for forgiveness.
Directories
Kellys 1898 Kellys 1907 Kellys 1923
Employment and Business
Inventors and Patents
People and Parish Notables
Celebrations
Census Returns Transcripts
1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911
Coroner 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 or 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 and Polls
Poll Book 1865 Electoral Register 1939
Family Notices
Obituaries
Freeman Sister Die on Same Day 1819
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Charitable Donations 1700-1899
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Chute Standen
Buildings & Land
Listed Buildings
Grade II
The Dower House
Dower House for Sale by Auction 1963
Standen House
People and Parish Notables
Anthony Andrews – Actor, born Anthony Colin Gerald Andrews in Finchley, London on 12th January 1948. He is best known for his role in TV’s Brideshead Revisited and Danger UXB, he lived at Chute Standen for several years
Upper Chute
People and Parish Notables
Parish Notables
Viscount David McAdam Eccles – Education Minister in three Conservative governments, and MP for Chippenham from 1943-1962. He was born in London on 18th September 1904. He died on 24th February 1999 in Branchburg, New Jersey, USA. He lived at Dean Farm, Upper Chute
Lord Ernest Rutherford – Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry in 1908 – He was born in Brightwater, Nelson Province, New Zealand on 30th August 1871. He died at Cambridge on 19th October 1937. He was the first owner of Chantry Cottage which he built on land purchased in 1934.
