OPC Vacancy
Donhead St. Andrew Photo Gallery
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Ansty – Berwick St. John – Donhead St. Mary – Semley – Tisbury (Wardour)
Websites of Interest
Gurd and Associated Families – One Name Study.
The Parish Church of St. Andrew
The church of St Andrew lies almost hidden from sight in the valley bottom near a small bridge. The chantry was founded in 1327. In the east window are the arms of Shaftesbury Abbey, whilst other windows are dedicated to members of the family of the rector William Dansey, who died 1856. Among the memorials is that of Captain John Cooke RN, who was killed commanding HMS Bellerophon at the Battle of Trafalgar. His widow Louisa and their only daughter Louisa Charlotte continued to live at Donhead Lodge for some years before moving to Cheltenham. There is another memorial commemorating the ‘consummate skill and bravery’ of John Cooke in St Paul’s cathedral.
St. Andrew’s Gallery St. Andrew’s Interior Gallery St. Andrew’s Churchyard Gallery
Churchyard Memorial Inscriptions Church Bells Interior Wall Memorial Inscriptions
Choir
Incumbents
Ordination of Deacons & Priests 1876 Rectors List Priests List
Church Supported Charities and Funding
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
1610-1699 1700-1749 1750-1799 1800-1824 1825-1849
Marriages
Burials
1610-1699 1700-1749 1750-1799 1800-1824 1825-1849
Parish Registers Held at WSHC
Baptisms 1645-1922
Marriages 1657-2000
Burials 1657-1879
Parish History
In the Dunworth Hundred of Wiltshire, a few miles east of Shaftesbury, the sister villages of Donhead St Andrew and Donhead St Mary merge and nestle between a maze of small winding roads and steep hills. The River Nadder arises between the two villages and flows north before joining the River Sem on its eastward journey towards Salisbury. Beyond the old turnpike road, now the A30, and to the south of the parish, lies Ferne, once seat of the Grove family. After centuries of occupation on the site, the house built by Thomas Grove in 1811 and later re-modelled by his grandson, Thomas Fraser Grove, was finally demolished by 1966. Today, a new house, Ferne Park, stands on the site, built in 2001 in the Palladian style for 4th Viscount Rothermere, to the design of architect Quinlan Terry. The much earlier ancestral home of the Grove family was Berrycourt, now Lower Berrycourt Farm. Apart from the two churches, this beautiful house is thought to be the oldest building in “Donhead”. Once it was the demesne farm house and the boundary between the two parishes was deliberately detoured to run through the middle of the house, enabling the official business of both parishes to be held in one room. To the north and east lies another famous ancestral seat, Wardour, for many centuries home to the Arundell family.
Books
The Donheads Past and Present, by Michael Coward, David Mclean, Rex Sawyer, Christine Speak, The Hobnob Press, 2007
Victoria County History of Wiltshire, Volume 13, D A Crowley (Ed), 1987
The History of Donhead, by Diana Ladas. Available to read as reference only from Salisbury Local Studies Library and Wilts & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham
Civil Registration
1837 – April 1936 Tisbury Registration District
April 1936 – January 1978 Mere Registration District
January 1978 – Present Salisbury Registration District
The Diaries of Charlotte Grove
Those researching families in Berwick St John, the Donheads and other surrounding parishes may be interested to learn about The Diaries of Charlotte Grove. Charlotte (1783-1860), the daughter of Thomas Grove of Ferne, married the rector of Berwick St John, Richard Downes. Her surviving diaries, within the period 1811-1858, include entries mentioning a great many parishioners and other individuals from every section of society – lords and ladies, clergymen, tenant farmers, shopkeepers, tradesmen, agricultural labourers and paupers. Further details can be found at The Diaries of Charlotte Grove
Buildings and Land
Agriculture
Cattle Plague Regulations 1867
Cemetery
Landowners
Land Surveys
Public Houses
The Forester. Lower Street
Is a 13th century building, previously used as a blacksmiths and a brewery. A previous landlord was lead guitarist with a well known 60/70s pop group. If anyone knows who this maybe then please let the administrator know.
Closed January 2025 and for sale at £550.000.
Taxes
Appointment of Select Commissioners for Land and Assessed Taxes 1842
Crime and Legal Matters
Bastardy
Bastardy Examinations 1850-1856
General Crime
Crime Reports 1800-1849 Crime Reports 1850-1899
Directories
Education
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.
Peter Bowne 1754 William Bowen 1751 Robert Bugden 1729
Agriculture and Land
Game Notice 1805 Gamekeepers Certificates 1807 Gamekeepers Certificates 1834
Communications
British Postal Service Appointments 1737-1969
Medicine
General Medical Council Registrations 1859-1959
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Meeting House Certificate 1811
Roman Catholicism
Papist Oath of Allegiance 1792
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations, Societies and Sport
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871 Pigeon Shooting 1838
Census Returns Transcripts
Elections and Polls
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1865 MP Nominations 2015
Family Notices
Inquest Reports
Parish Notables
Julian Bream, Classical Guitarist Captain John Cooke, Naval Officer Frank Hugh Hann, Explorer William Hann, Explorer
Kenneth Christie Cooper, CB, DSO, OBE
Major-General in the British Army. He commanded the 7th Armoured Division in Italy during WWII. He was born in Cardiff, Glamorganshire on the 18th October 1905. He died in Salisbury on the 4th September 1981 aged 75. He lived at West End House, Donhead St. Andrew.
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and the Workhouse
Probate
Probate Index 1837-1879 (WSHC) National Probate Index 1858-1966
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Boer War
Wiltshire Yeomanry – Volunteers for Active Service 1899
WWI
Books of Remembrance and War Memorials
Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918
Casualties
Casualty Biographies Of WWI Walter Geoffrey Hill 1916 William George Litten 1915
