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Contiguous Parishes (Our Neighbours)
Durnford – Pitton & Farley – Winterbourne Earls – Winterbourne Gunner
Places Nearby
The parishes of Winterbourne Earls, Winterbourne Gunner, Porton, Idmiston, Gomeldon, Laverstock and Ford, Boscombe, Milford, Pitton and Farley are all within 3 miles of Winterbourne Dauntsey. The city of Salisbury is 4 miles.
Websites of Interest
The Parish Church of St. Michael & All Angels
St. Michael’s
In 1867/68 a new church, St Michael & All Angels, was built in Winterbourne Earls for the parishioners of Dauntsey and Earls – both their parish churches being extremely dilapidated at that time. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners deemed it far less costly to build a new church to serve both villages than to repair the two old ones.
The walls of the new church were built entirely of flint stones from the two old churches; old mortar was sifted and used for sand. Other materials – ancient glass, and timbers were incorporated, memorials and windows were relocated. There is a scratch dial, or Mass clock, on the wall to the east of the entrance and another on the south side which were brought from the two old churches. They were a form of sundial, but didn’t tell the time, only the hours of church services. For a detailed description of St Michael & All Angels, see ‘Consecration of New Church 1868’ below.
St Michael & All Angels is in the Bourne Valley Team Ministry which comprises the parishes of Allington & Boscombe, Cholderton, Newton Tony, Idmiston with Porton & Gomeldon, Winterbourne Gunner & Dauntsey, Old Sarum, Hurdcott and Ford. The Rector is the Reverend Peter Ostli-East. The church is normally open to visitors during daylight hours.
The Revered John Hockin Cartwright was Perpetual Curate of Winterbourne Dauntsey and Earls for 31 years from 1844 – 1875
Church Buildings
A New Church for Winterbourne 1867 Consecration of New Church 1868
St. Edwards (Old Parish Church)
St. Edward’s
The old church at Winterbourne Dauntsey – St. Edward’s – had been consecrated in 1326. Some 500 years later, Sir Richard Colt Hoare described it as “a small plain building formed of flint.” In 1867 it was considered unsafe and beyond repair. During its demolition paintings were discovered under the plasterwork walls depicting the principal events in the life of Christ. The parish register transcriptions at the foot of this page are from St. Edward’s church. The Old Church of St. Edward 1326-1867
Church Census
Church Supported Charities
Salisbury Infirmary Diocese of Salisbury Parish Donations 1858
Parish Register Transcripts
Marriages
1561-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1837
Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms – 1561-1886
Marriages – 1562-1886
Burials – 1562-1888
Parish History
The parish was named by fusing Winterbourne, meaning winter stream, with Dauntsey – from the Aunstie family who held the parish for over three hundred years from 1163-1493. Milo d’Aunstie was Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1163 Along with her neighbouring sister parishes of Winterbourne Earls and Winterbourne Gunner, the village lies 4 miles north east of Salisbury. The Bourne, a tributary of the River Avon, runs through the parish.
During the 18th century the wool trade was a very important source of income here – in 1767 one farmer owned 3,000 sheep – the majority of parishioners were employed in agriculture. In the 19th century, the three villages were self-sufficient. There was a post office, public houses and a school, boot and shoe makers, a draper, tailor, carpenter, wheelwright, grocer and baker, blacksmith, dressmakers and laundresses, a thatcher, florist and shopkeepers, a carrier, coal merchant and even a seminary for young ladies.
In 1934, the modern civil parish of ‘Winterbourne’ was created by joining together Earls, Dauntsey and Gunner. At the time of the Domesday survey (1087) the combined population of the three villages was about 200-250. In 2001, the combined population was 1,336. Population Figures and Other Information
Civil Registers
July 1837 – April 1936 – Amesbury Registration District
April 1936 Present – Salisbury 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. Primarily, articles shown are those that contain names of parishioners to assist family history researchers but these articles should not be presumed to be the only ones that appear in the in the given years, or that there are no articles in any of the years omitted. 1800-1899
Buildings and Land
Agriculture
County Agriculture Report 1847
Farms
Figsbury Ring
Otherwise known as Chlorus’ Camp, a mile south east of the village, is a Neolithic and Iron Age site of Special Scientific Interest. Offering exceptional views over Salisbury Plain, Old Sarum, and Salisbury Cathedral, the site is owned and managed by the National Trust and open to the public.
Landowners
Public Houses
New Inn/Tything Man/Winterbourne Arms (A338, Main Road)
This is a 17th century grade II listed building which was a farmhouse until 1848 when it waqs licensed as the New Inn. It is well situated for walkers and cyclists as it is easily accessed by the main thoroughfare to the Woodford Valley and Stonehenge via two fords across the river. Philip Tanswell was landlord of the New Inn for (at least) 36 years from 1859-1895
Crime and Legal Matters
Animal Related Crime
Crime Reports
Theft
Sheep Stealing at Dauntsey 1863 Charged with Stealing Money 1871
Directories
| Post Office 1855 | Post Office 1859 | Kellys 1867 | Kellys 1875 | Kellys 1889 | Kellys 1895 | Kellys 1898 |
| Kellys 1903 | Kellys 1907 | Kellys 1911 | Kellys 1915 | Kellys 1931 | Kellys 1939 |
Education
Emigration and Migration
Employment and Business
Agriculture
Communications
British Postal Service Appointment 1737-1969
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
A meeting house certificate was applied for in 1710 at the house of John Judd. In 1799 another certificate states that members had “lately erected a house”. This was built as an Independent Meeting House by the Blatch family. It passed into the possession of the Methodist New Connexion about 1844. The walls were built of cob with flints on brick footings. In 1974 the chapel was joined by members from the nearby parish of Idmiston when it became known as the Bourne Valley United Methodist Free church. (Wiltshire Community History)
People and Parish Notables
Celebrations
Census Returns Transcripts
1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1911
Elections and Polls
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1865 MP Nominations 2017
General Items
Suppressing Sexual Irregularities in the 17th Century Secrets of Farming Book Subscribers 1863
Inquests
Sport
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Amesbury Union Guardians Appointed 1835 Christmas Donation to the Poor 1846
Overseers
Probate
Parishioners Wills
Martha Jerome Dyke Proved 1818
War, Conflict and Military Matters
The War Memorial stands in the churchyard at St Michael & All Angels. It was unveiled on Sunday 2nd February 1921 and bears the names of 21 men from Winterbourne Earls, Dauntsey and Gunner who gave their lives in WWI, and 6 who fell in WWII.
Crimean War
Veterans
WWI
Casualties Harold Charles May 1915
War Memorials and Books of Remembrance
Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book WWI
WWII
