OPC Vacancy
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Broad Hinton – Broad Town – Chisledon with Draycote Foliat – Lydiard Tregoze – Ogbourne St. Andrew – Ogbourne St. George – Swindon
Websites
Wroughton History Group – Local History Group website.
The Wroughton History Group – The Group can be emailed via the Contact an OPC link on the home page under contact us or can be reached from the link at the top of this page.
The Parish Church of St. John The Baptist and St. Helen
Wroughton closely adjoins Swindon on the South west., and the old village has been much spoilt by the erection of many ugly brick cottages and villas. The church (SS. John the Baptist and Helen) stands high on the ridge at the west end of the village and commands fine views to the north. The nave and tower are perpendicular and the chancel is good decorated. Two transitional doorways to the north and south of the nave recall an earlier church. Notice (1) perpendicular font (2) royal arms , George III (1817) in south aisle (3) 17th century altar-table in south aisle (4) good corbels to nave roof (5)beautiful decorated sedilia and piscina (6) brass with interesting rhyming epitaph to William Sadler and his wife (1588) on north of sanctuary (7) handsome 18th century heraldic tablets to the Benet and Botton families in chancel. In the churchyard is an old cross and a wide spreading yew. Burderop Park associated with Richard Jefferies, lies a little to the east. It was the ‘Oketowne Chase ‘in his ‘Round about the estate’. [source: The Little Guide, Methuen 1949]
Sts. John the Baptist & Helen Gallery Sts. John the Baptist & Helen Interior Gallery
Sts. John the Baptist & Helen Interior – Floor Ledgers Gallery Sts. John the Baptist & Helen Interior – Wall Memorials Gallery
Internal Floor Ledger Inscriptions Internal Wall Memorial Inscriptions
William & Christian Sadler’s Epitaph Benet Benefaction Board 1743 Blanch Sadler Epitaph 1632 List Rectors and Vicars
Churchyard
St. John the Baptist & St. Helen Churchyard Gallery Churchyard Memorial Inscriptions
Please note that the Churchyard Survey above has been compiled from images published on Find A Grave it is a work in progress and entries will be added as and when we come across them.
Church Matters
Parish Register Transcripts
Extracts from the Parish Register
Marriages
Parish Registers held at WSHC
Baptisms 1653-1964
Marriages 1654-1973
Burials 1654-1962
BTs 1838-1844 are held at the Bristol Record Office
Sunday School
Parish History
Today, Wroughton is a picturesque village at the foot of the Downs. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is a fast growing village housing over nine thousand people. Wroughton Parish Church is unusual in having a dual dedication to St. John the Baptist and St. Helen, and whilst located high above the present village it is approximately at the centre of the parish. The parish, itself, is situated on the southern edge of the Municipal Borough of Swindon and through its clay vale pass the M4 Motorway, the main railway line from London to Bristol and the remains of the Wilts and Berks Canal. The ancient Ridgeway path, now a National Trail, runs along the top of the Downs and passes near the earthworks known as Barbury Castle. For most of its existence Wroughton was an agricultural area in the lee of the North Wilts Downs. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century it was home to seven successful racing establishments, one of which trained five Grand National winners.
The parish includes the tythings of Elcombe, Overtown, Salthrop and Westlecott
Civil Registrations
1837 – 1898 Highworth Registration District
1898 – Present Swindon Registration District
Buildings and Land
Building of Note
Midsummer Cottage
Is a typical chocolate box cottage situated in Bakers Road and built around 1740. Originally it was two cottages but was converted to a single dwelling in 1954.
Canal
Notice of Intended Construction of the Wilts & Berks Canal 1793
Inclosures
Inclosure Awards abstract for Elstub Hundred 1796 Inclosure Awards Abstract 1797
Landowners
Maps
Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1818 Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawing North Wilts 1826
Property Sales
Public Houses and Beerhouses
Swan
Swan Beerhouse License 1875-1877
Tithes
Crime and Legal Matters
Animal Related Crime
Appeal for Return of Cart Horse 1780
Arson
Incendiarism Charge – Richard Jefferies 1833 Arson by a Boy 1859 3 Runaway Boys 1859
Bastardy and Paternity
Crime Reports
Poaching and Game Law Crime
Game Trespass by Mays and Broad 1877
Prisons and Prisoners
Inmates of Gloucester Gaol 1815-1879 Order to Maintain Convicted Daughter 1874
Quarter Sessions
Court Appearances
Swing Riots
Theft
Transportation
Transportation of Prisoners 1827
Directories
Kellys 1867 Swindon & District 1928
The directories below have been transcribed by members of the Wroughton History Group and are available for look ups.
Pigots 1830 & 1842 (Gentry Only) Robsons 1839 (Traders) Only Post Office 1848, 1855, 1867, 1875
North Wilts 1875, 1876, 1878-1888, 1892, 1920 Swindon & District 1927-1935, 1952-1953
Kellys 1880, 1885, 1895, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1907, 1911, 1915, 1920, 1923, 1927, 1931, 1935, 1939
Education
Ministry of Education Notice 1954
Emigration and Migration
Employment and Business
Agriculture and Land
Game Licences 1834 Aspects of the Life of the Wiltshire Agricultural Labourer c1850
Stock Sales
Stock Sales by Mrs. Watts 1878
Communications
British Postal Services Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
Medicine
General Medical Council Registrations 1839-1939
Situations Vacant
Transport
Aviation
Aviators Certificate – Elizabeth Jean McClure 1947
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Primitive Methodist Chapel
Primitive Methodist, Joseph Sweeper 1834-1911 Primitive Methodist Chapel Sale by Auction 1879
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Wesleyan Chapel In the News 1877-1895
People and Parish Notables
Census Returns Transcripts
Elections and Polls
Election Notices
Voters Lists Revisions 1843 Electoral Lists Revision Court 1902 County Council Election Notice 1925 General Election Candidates, North West Wiltshire 2010
Voters Lists
Poll Book 1705 Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818 Voters List 1832 Poll Book 1868
Family Notices
1800-1849 1850-1899 1900-1949 2000 – Present
Inquest Reports
Hannah Burchall 1771 New Born Child 1869
Personal Research Items
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts – These items were 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 references to Quaker entries may be found from across the county.
Uncategorised Items
Secrets of Farming Book Subscribers 1863
Wedding Reports
Ronald Victor Fuller to Lilian Joan Greenman 1941
Poor Law, Charity and the Workhouse
Bastardy
Bastardy Payment Rules Bastardy Payments Made 1810-1824
Medical Matters
Miscellaneous items
Public Assistance Administration 1948
Removal Orders
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Peter Bathe for his contribution of Bathe Family information to the Removal Orders Documents.
Union Supplies
Workhouse Crime
Probate
Will of John Dore Bendrey 1864 – Trust Indenture only – Although the testator lived and died in Worcestershire the Trust Estate created by the Will, later had an Indenture dated 1877 and 1884. This Indenture included the appointment of Richard Tooth Bendry (Wroughton resident) as trustee under the Will of John Dore Bendry, transfer of estate, Trustees, Wroughton property, death dates and other useful information.
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
General Military Items
Servicemen & Women
War Memorials
War Memorial WWI & WWII Poppy Trail 2014
Wiltshire Regiments
North Wiltshire Muster Roll 1539 Servicemen & Families with the 1st Wilts. Regt. in South Africa 1911
WWI
Funeral Report of Private William F. Stevens 1914 For King and Country 1916
British Red Cross/Voluntary Aid Detachment
Service Record for Kate Burford 1916-1918
Medal Records
Victoria Cross Recipient William Gosling 1917
WWI Medal Entitlements
Frederick William Bedford 1919-1923
War Memorials
St. John Church Roll of Honour 1914-1918
Wiltshire Regiment in WWI
WWII
A. R. P.
New Head Warden 1940 Presentation to Former Head Warden 1940
Elcombe
Employment & Business
Agriculture
Swindon Livestock Market Prizes 1874
People & Parish Notables
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that servants in the above census returns were recorded by given name only
You may request look ups for parish information such as church records, census etc. by contacting the Wroughton History Group via the OPC contact list or from the link at the top of the page
Probate
Parishioners Wills
War, Conflict and Military Matters
North Wiltshire Muster Roll 1539
Markham
Buildings and Land
Sale by Auction of Buildings and Land 1902
War, Conflict and Military Matters
Crimean War
Veterans
Death of Captain Francis Pavy 1902
Overtown
Crime & Legal Matters
Debtors
Prisoners in Fisherton Gaol 1761
Probate
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that servants in the above census returns were recorded by given name only
You may request look ups for parish information such as church records, census etc. by contacting the Wroughton History Group via the OPC contact list or from the link at the top of the page
Salthrop
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations & Societies
Agricultural Societies
Wiltshire Agricultural Society Annual Meeting 1848
Family Notices
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that servants in the above census returns were recorded by given name only
You may request look ups for parish information such as church records, census etc. by contacting the Wroughton History Group via the OPC contact list or from the link at the top of the page
Uffcot
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that servants in the above census returns were recorded by given name only
You may request look ups for parish information such as church records, census etc. by contacting the Wroughton History Group via the OPC contact list or from the link at the top of the page
Westlecot
Census Returns Transcripts
Please note that servants in the above census returns were recorded by given name only
You may request look ups for parish information such as church records, census etc. by contacting the Wroughton History Group via the OPC contact list or from the link at the top of the page.
