The OPC is John Pope
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Bishops Cannings – Bromham – Devizes St. John – Devizes St. Mary – Melksham – Potterne – Poulshot – Seend
Websites of Interest
The Parish Church of St. Matthew
The church has a perpendicular tower , but the nave was rebuilt in 1833 and the chancel restored in 1892. It contains a squint and there is a font designed by Sir Digby Wyatt, who was a native of the village. [source: The Little Guide, published 1949]
St. Matthew’s Gallery St. Matthew’s Interior Gallery St. Matthew’s Churchyard Gallery
Churchyard Memorial Inscriptions
Church Monuments
Robert Jefferies 1735 Benjamin Stephens 1784 Eleazor Webbe 1647 Edgar Webb 1674 Samuel Webb 1739
Church Supported Charities and Funding
General Church Items
Contents of the Parish Chest 1708
Parish Officials
A list of early Rowde Rectors Parish Officials 1616-1756 Vicars List
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
Marriages
Burials
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1606-1960
Marriages 1606-1990
Burials 1606-1955
Parish History
Rowde (Old English , rhoed = reedy place) lies on the road from Devizes to Chippenham at the foot of Roundway Down. On the road to Chippenham, north of the village, is the Bell, which is a fine old house dated 1698. [source: The Little Guide, published 1949]
John Aubrey’s North Wilts 1659 Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of England 1845
Civil Registrations
1837 – Present Devizes Registration District
Weather Conditions
This note was found in the parish register of 1703:- 1703 ‘november ye 27th there happened the most dreadful tempest which was ever know in the memory of man’
Rowde Coloured Postcards
Do you hold pre 1920’s coloured postcards which you are willing to contribute?. They would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Buildings and Land
Caen Hill Lock Flight
Indentures
John & George Gee to Moore/Bernard 1729 John & George Gee to Browne 1733 Clarke to Phillips 1748 Release of Land, Axford to Adlam 1772
Housing Developments
Build Homes at Malthouse Farm 2017
Property for Sale by Auction
Freehold Property for Auction 1839
Maps
Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1808-1811
Property for Sale
Principal Wing at Rowde Court for Sale 2019
Property Sales by Auction
| Property Auctions 1700-1799 | Property Sale by Auction 1768 | Property Sale by Auction 1794 | Property Sale by Auction 1797 |
| Property Sale by Auction 1841 | Property Sale by Auction 1844 | Rowde Estate Sale 1874 |
Public Houses
Annual Inn License Renewal 1874
Olive Branch Inn
The Inn is now closed
The Cross Keys Inn
Landlords: 2010, Wayne & Helen Plummer
The George Inn (now George & Dragon)
Queen’s Head, Dunkirk Hill
Closed 2008, For Sale 2020
Landlords: 1756, Joseph Baster; 1805, John Ingram; 1841, David Harding?; 1915, Eli Burry; 1939, Arthur Wm Torrington
Railways
Roads and Highways
Lease of Toll Gates West Lavington to Seend 1799
Weather
Crime and Legal Matters
Bankruptcy & Debt
Prisoner for Debt Isaac Phillips 1769
Bastardy
Bastardy Examinations 1836-1877
Court Cases
Court Case – Stuart v Locke 1843 Petty Sessions Anne Phillips 1844
Crime Reports
Criminal Damage
Malicious Damage to a Shawl 1890
Miscellaneous
Feet of Fines 1541 – 1561 Dissenter Claims Tollgate Exemption 1818
Murder
Murder of Sergeant W F Crouch & Suicide of Constable E Pike 1913
Theft
Church Robber 1829 Old Man Assaulted and Robbed 1831 Richard Stump – Duck Theft 1833 Shop Volunteer Escaped Jail Sentence 2011
Trespass
Thomas Francis – Trespass 1894
Directories
Trade directories review the town or village at a given point in time. They usually include population information and lists of Gentry, Residents and Tradesmen
Post Office 1855 Kelly’s 1895 Kelly’s 1915
Education
This section is awaiting information to be compiled
Emigration and Migration
Strays Index Helps Family Emigration to South Australia 1854
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
Stephen Andrews 1753 John Bayley 1755 John Boswell 1725
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Ann Margaret Little 1841 John Thomas Mulcock 1870
Auctioneers
New Business Venture in Swindon 1846
Brewing
Devitera Brewery – The New Bakery, High Street Rowde
Devitera is a small start-up microbrewery based in Rowde near the beautiful market town of Devizes (near the base of the Caen Hill Locks). Brewing began in 2017 using a four-barrel brew plant. It is the vision of Glen Upward and is set in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside. Devitera is a combination of two words. Boundaries from the Latin ad divisas, and Terra (land). Together Boundary Lands…..Dev-i-tera. Devitera is based in the heart of Wiltshire and produces small volume hand-made beer. Each beer is hand bottled, labelled, stamped, making every individual bottle 100% unique. Ingredients include Maris Otter barley that is hand malted locally, and loose leaf hops. Beer is bottle conditioned to create natural CO2. Our beer is also naturally vegan friendly. Bottles are smart clean-cut 330ml with gold caps.
Communications
British Postal Services Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
Medicine
Medical License for John Wick 1673
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Baptists
There seems to have been a reasonable number of Baptists in the village for about one hundred years but never sufficient, or with sufficient money, to build a chapel. A house in the courtyard of James Dyer was registered for worship in 1773 and there were eight householders as signatories. Other houses were registered in 1816, 1846 (in Trafalgar Place) and 1852; other houses registered were specified as Baptist although some may have been. [source: Wiltshire Community History]
Particular Baptist – Census 1851
Dissenters
The dwelling of Richard Watts was registered for worship in December 1718. [source: Wiltshire Community History]
Quakers
In 1677 there was a meeting known as the Bromham and Rowde Meeting, but soon afterwards the name was changed to the Bromham Meeting. It is likely that some Rowde people continued to attend it. [source: Wiltshire Community History]
The few details I could find can be found here!
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
A Methodist Society existed in the village in 1829 as part of the Devizes Circuit, but it was not until 1838 that a chapel was built in Marsh Lane. It was in brick with a three bay gabled front and round arched windows. By 1852 there were 20 members but the number had dropped to 17 in 1886 and declined in the 20th century so that there were only seven members in 1950. It is now a private dwelling house. [source: Wiltshire Community History]
People and Parish Notables
Do you have early photographs or engravings of family members born in Rowde? These are not only of great interest to researchers in the UK and Worldwide who cannot get to the parish in person, but they really do help the Rowde pages ‘come alive’. If you would like to share photographs of your ancestors (copyright credited and retained by contributor) of your email me via the Contact an OPC link. Thank you
Accidents and Suicides
Lucky Escape for Alfred Manley 1886 Carriage Accident 1890
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Friendly Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society
Membership 1827-1871 Promotion 1912
Census Returns Transcripts
1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901
The Census’s for 1841 & 1871 link to my website North Wiltshire Online Census Project
Bishop Compton’s census 1676
Aged over 16 years – 287 conformists, 20 non-conformists.
Elections and Polls
Elections
The County Council Election Notice transcribed in the published document is an exact replica of that posted within the parish of Rowde by Edward C. Russell, Police Constable No. 135 on the 7th day of February 1925. The original poster is held by the Administrator which is endorsed on the reverse with the information about the posting of the notice and a signature of PC Russell.
General Politics
Members of Parliament
Polls
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Voters Lists
Voters List 1832 Voters Lists Revisions 1843
Entertainment
Family Notices
1750-1799 1800-1849 1850-1899 1900-1999
Funeral Reports
General Items
Inquests
Inquest Reports 1850-1899 Rebecca and Sarah Dally 1839 John Snozzle 1871
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
Taxes
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Poor Commission Election 1837 Poor Law Union Bread & Flour Contract 1838
Recipients of the Poor Rate
1707 1734 1737 1741 1749 1753 1756
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Michael Drewe 1633 William Norden 1638 Richard Norden 1640
Parishioners Wills
John Fylkes proved 1629 Jane Webb proved 1657 Robert Stevens proved 1659 Thomas Syms proved 1672 Edward Smith proved 1689 Thomas Pope proved 1725 John Deane proved 1840
Probate Notices
Daniel Stump 1768 Eliz. Grant 1781
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Chelsea Pensioners 1808-1828 Bell Ringers Commemorated in the Book of Remembrance in St. Pauls Cathedral Library WWII Poppies Planted For First World War Anniversary 2014
Crimean War
Veterans
Death of William Ritch Sudbeek 1903
Napoleonic Wars
Deserters
Wiltshire Militia Deserters 1812
Waterloo Veterans
Royal Navy
Naval Attestation
| Albert Burbidge 1872 | Charles Helps 1873 | Frank Helps 1859 | James Helps 1858 | John Liddiard 1867 |
| George Townsend 1864 | John Wheeler 1868 | Thomas Young 1834 |
WWI
Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918 Soldiers Who Died in WWI Named in Calne & District Casualty Lists
WWI Serving Military Personnel 1914 WWI Tribunal Exemption Appeals 1916
Casualties
Foxhangers
Foxhangers Lock
An agriculural area and a lock on the Kennet and Avon Canel.
Thomas Pope (1685-1725), had an indenture of lease in 1710 on farm and lands called Foxhangers, lying in the parish of Rowde.
The 1841 Tithe Awards show that there was a Lower Foxhangers Farm (of 43 acres) and Upper Foxhangers Farm (of 202 acres with Rowde Hill Farm).
Now a location for canal narrow boat hire and servicing based round Lower Foxhangers Farm.
