The OPC is Paul Vivash
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Burbage – Chute – Collingbourne Kingston – Little Bedwyn – Shalbourne
Websites of Interest
Great Bedwyn – Village Website.
The Parish Church of St. Mary
Humble in appearance is the parish church of the ancient borough of Great Bedwyn near the Berkshire border. Unimpressive externally it has a perfect late twelfth century nave with circular pillars carrying pointed arches enriched with carving. A spacious crossing flanked by large transepts leads to a long 13th Century chancel lit by lancet windows. Among the monuments in the chancel is that to Sir John Seymour, Warden of neighbouring Savernake Forest, who died in 1536 and was buried in the vanished Priory of Easton Royal. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries his son transferred his father’s tomb to Great Bedwyn. The church of St. Mary was built completely of flint most of which was completed during the 12th and 13th Centuries and is one of the largest churches in the area.
St. Mary’s Gallery St. Mary’s Interior Gallery St. Mary’s Churchyard Gallery
Church Supported Charities and Funding
Church News
Church Brief for Great Bedwyn 1717, Loss by Fire, 2485.l.
Briefs were a way for people to raise money for the rebuilding or repair of their church, or for damage after a natural disaster.
Church Officials
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1844-1925
Marriages 1844-1969
Burials 1844-1902
Parish History
Great Bedwyn includes the tythings of Crofton with Wolfhall, East Grafton, Martin, Wexcombe and Wilton. It also includes the demesne of Tottenham Park and the hamlet of Wolfhall
Books
Collectanea Topographica Et Genealogica, Volume 5 – An account on church matters from page 20 onwards by Rev. John Ward, published in 1838
A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 16: Kinwardstone Hundred – A history of the village published in 1999
Civil Registration
1837 – April 1937 Hungerford Registration District
April 1937 – Present Marlborough Registration District
Buildings and Land
Hemingby’s Register (Land Entries) 1345 Tithe Apportionments 1850 Owners of Land 1873
Hospitals
Savernake Cottage Hospital 1869
Maps
Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1808-1809
Post Office
The post office at Great Bedwyn has become a unique talking point for visitors to this East Wiltshire haunt. Lloyds stonemasons have embellished the post office walls with some of their historical works of art. The post office forecourt is used to display several monumental adornments creating a museum of stonemasonry within the town. One such plaque reads:-
Here lies John Higgs, A famous man for killing pigs, For killing pigs was his delight , Both morning afternoon and night, Both heats and colds he did endure, Which no physician could ere cure, His knife is laid his work is done, I hope to Heaven his soul has gone.
Public Houses
Cross Keys
Three Tuns
Railway
Savernake Estate
Sale of Savernake Estate 1929 Savernake Estate Sold 1929
Crime and Legal Matters
Assault
Thomas Bartholomew on Annie Elizabeth Elkins 1908
Court Sessions
Court Appearance Emerson Lewis Bartholomew 1914
Eyre Rolls 1249 Feet of Fines 1284-1314 Feet of Fines 1377-1509 Quarter Sessions 1563-1592 Quarter Sessions Lists 1735-1736
Debtors
Miscellaneous Items
William de Braybuf, Snr., Justice 1276-1284 Crime Reports 1800-1849
Prison
Gaol Delivery 1275-1306 Committed to the Devizes House Of Correction 1800-1849 Inmates of Gloucester Gaol 1815-1879
Swing Riots
Robert Vivash, Swing Rioter 1830 Swing Riot Trial of Charles Pizzie 1831
Directories
| Universal British 1793-1798 | Pigots 1830 | Post Office 1855 | Kellys 1867 | Post Office 1875 | Kellys 1915 |
| Post Office Telephone 1920 | Swindon & District 1928 |
Education
Emigration and Migration
Published in tables from the Poor Law Commissioners Annual Reports for 1835, 1836 and 1847-1848 the following may be of use for tracing missing ancestors. 5 paupers emigrated to Australia on an assisted emigration programme between April 1840 and April 1841
Employment and Business
Agriculture and Land
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 Bathe 1710 Ralph Broad 1716 John Collins 1711 Robert Vivash 1715 William Wilmett 1710/11 Michael Wilmott 1717
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Kathleen Emily Lee 1909 John T. Lewington 1869 Sam Lewington 1874 Thomas Mason 1870 Joshua Roberts 1861 Phillis Smallbones 1914
Community Services
Sergeant Enos Molden 1843-1892 Wiltshire Constabulary 1858
General Items
Medical
Coroner Candidate William Reeves 1767 General Medical Council Registrations 1859-1959
Stone Masons
Lloyds Monumental Sculptors
Lloyds Gallery A Short History of Lloyds
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
People and Parish Notables
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
Family Notices
Inquest Reports
James Edward Aldridge 1861 James Long 1865
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1865 Poll Book Analysis for Polling District July 1865
Council Elections
County Council Election Notice 1925
Entertainment
Dance
MP Nominations
Miscellaneous Items
Parish Notables
Thomas Willis, Specialist Physician in anatomy, neurology & psychology
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
Sport
Cricket Matches Football Team 1908-1909
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Charity
Whist Drive for Forces Christmas Parcels 1941
Workhouse
Overseers
Overseers of the Poor 1743-1829
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
William, Earl of Pembroke 1630 Thomas Bushell 1634
Parishioners Wills
Thomas Vivash written 1732 Christian Norris 1748 Amelia Thatcher Proved 1850
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
| Servicemen & Families with the 1st Wilts. Regt. in South Africa 1911 | Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 | Roll of Honour Plaque 1939-1945 |
| Great Bedwyn War Memorial |
Crofton
Church Matters
Extracts from the Registers of John Chandler 1404-1417
Buildings and Land
Hemingby’s Register (Land Entries) 1345 Feet of Fines 1377-1509
Crofton Pump Station
Crime and Legal Matters
Employment and Business
Apprentice – William Chapman 1774
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871
Coroners Bills & Inquest Reports
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 and Polls
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
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Parishioners Wills
Grafton
The Parish Church of St. Nicholas
East Grafton – St. Nicholas
(Grove Farm) has a church (St. Nicholas) dating from 1844. The cottages of the village are grouped round a picturesque green.
(Source: The Littlr Guides, Methuen 1949).
Grafton Church was built in 1845, so there were no burials in the churchyard befor that date. Previously, parishioners had been buried at Great Bedwyn, 4 miles away and carried thither by a short cut called “the coffin road”. So our churchyard has only a sort history and no splendid “table” monuments (there are some lovely ones in Great Bedwyn from the Tanner family of Wexcombe, which is in our Parish) and only one vault, where the Edwards family are buried. Against this, all burials in the Parish take place still in the original churchyard which is something quite rare today.
The first alteration was the building, in about 1880 of a fine lych-gate, in keeping with the Church. This was given in memory of Philip and Mary Selfe and their daughter, Henrietta Cave-Brown. A low wall and railings accompanied the lych-gate each side.
Rhododendrons wew planted outside the gate and these were removed to make way for the War Memorial after the Second World War.
(Source: St. Nicholas Church).
St. Nicholas Gallery St. Nicholas Interior Gallery St. Nicholas Churchyard Gallery
Church Supported Charities and Funding
St. Mary Church Matters
Extracts from the Registers of John Chandler 1404-1417
Buildings and Land
Railway
Proposed Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway 1872
Crime and Legal Matters
Eyre Rolls 1249 Feet of Fines 1320 Extent For Debts 1358-1577 Quarter Sessions 1563-1592
Proceedings in Chancery Elizabeth I Era (1558-1603)
Directories
Kellys 1915 Swindon & District 1928
Employment and Business
British Postal Service Appointments 1737-1969
People and Parish Notables
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 (East Grafton) Coroners Bills 1752-1796 (West Grafton)
Inquest Reports
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
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
WWI
| Dioceses of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 | East Grafton War Memorial | Roll of Honour 1914-1918 (East Grafton) | |
| Wilton Men Who Served & Returned WWI | Roll of Honour 1939-1945 (East Grafton) |
Casualties
Frederick William Doggett 1917
British Red Cross/Voluntary Aid
Elizabeth Sandwith Dowson 1914-1919 Edith Vere Gauntlett 1914-1919
Marten
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Wexcombe
Crime and Legal Matters
Courts
Quarter Sessions Lists 1735-1736
Prisons and Prisoners
People and Parish Notables
Elections, Poll and Voters Lists
Inquest Reports
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Wilton
Church Matters
Extracts from the Registers of John Chandler 1404-1417
Buildings and Land
Savernake Estate Sale 1929 Savernake Estate Sold 1929
Crime and Legal Matters
Employment and Business
Apprentice – Edward Broad 1752
People and Parish Notables
Bankruptcy
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
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
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
British Red Cross/Voluntary Aid Detachment
Frances Mary Cousins 1916-1919 Emily Adelaide Hoare 1916-1919
