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Heytesbury in Wilts County England History and GeographyHEYTESBURY, a borough, formerly a markettown, in the hundred of HEYTESBURY, county of WILTS, 3½ miles (E.S.E.) from Warminster, and 93 (W.S.W.) from London, containing 1329 inhabitants. The ancient appellations of this town were Hegtredesbyrig and Heightsbury, whence is obviously derived its present name. During the contest between Stephen and Matilda, the empress is said to have occasionally resided here. The town is situated in a pleasant valley, on the south-west verge of Salisbury plain, and on the northern bank of the small river Wily, on the high road from London to Bridg-water. In its vicinity are several bold eminences, which are for the most part crowned with ancient encampments, British, Roman, Saxon, and Danish. It consists principally of one long and irregular street, of which the borough comprises the western extremity, called in ancient records West Heytesbury, or Heytesbury Magna; it is neither paved nor lighted, but is supplied with good water. The manufacture of cloth is carried on to a considerable extent, the vicinity of the river affording a facility for the erection of mills and factories: there are two manufactories, one for broad cloth, the other both for cloth and kerseymere, one of the proprietors having also an extensive establishment at Upton, about a mile and a half distant, where the articles are finished. The number of persons employed in the various branches of the trade amounts to about eight hundred. There is a small fair on May 14th, for cattle, sheep, &c. Heytesbury is a borough by prescription, but not incorporated: it first sent members to parliament in the 28th of Henry VI., since which time two have been regularly returned. The right of election is in the burgageholders, about thirty-three in number, and the returning officer is the bailiff, who is appointed by Lord Heytesbury, as lord of the manor, his lordship also appointing the bailiff of the hundred, which is co-extensive with the manor. A court leet is held annually at Michaelmas, at which two constables and two tythingmen for the town, and similar officers for the hundred, are appointed. Heytesbury is within the jurisdiction of a court of requests held at Warminster, for the recovery of debts to the amount of £5. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the Dean of Sarum, endowed with £1000 private benefaction, £1000 royal bounty, and £600 parliamentary grant. The church, situated in the centre of the town, is a spacious, massive, cruciform structure, with a square tower at the intersection: in the choir are fourteen very ancient oak stalls. It was made collegiate about the year 1165, by Josceline, Bishop of Salisbury, and was rebuilt by Thomas, Lord Hungerford, in 1404; there were formerly two chantries, to which are now attached the prebends of Tytherington, Horningsham, Hill-Deverill, and Swallowcliff. There is a place of worship for Independents. An hospital, begun by Robert, Lord Hungerford, was completed and endowed, pursuant to his will, by his widow Margaret, Lady Hungerford and Botseaux, who, about 1472, amortized the manors of Cheverell-Burnell and Cheverell-Hales for the latter purpose. The design of the institution was to maintain a custos (who was to be a priest in full orders, and to teach grammar), twelve poor men, and one woman, nine of whom are nominated by the Lord of the Manor, and three from the parish of Cheverell. By the 11th of Edward IV. this endowment was confirmed, and the society invested with power to hold lands, to plead and be impleaded, and to use a common seal, &c., by the title of 'The Custos, Poor Men and Women of the Hospital of Walter and Robert, late Lords of Hungerford and Heytesbury.' At the dissolution, it being discovered that daily prayers were directed for the souls of the founders, it escheated to the crown on the plea of superstitious uses, and was granted, with all its possessions, to Sir John Sharington; in the reign of Mary it was restored, and afterwards exempted by Elizabeth from the payment of tenths and first fruits. James I., at the request of the Earl of Northampton, fully confirmed all its rights and privileges by his charter of Inspeximus, dated in 1610, since which time its affairs have been and still are regulated by this charter. In 1633, a body of statutes for its government was framed by the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, who are visitors by appointment of the foundress, and a revision of them is now in contemplation. The patronage is vested in the Chancellor of Sarum, if resident, otherwise in the Dean and Chapter: the present custos is the incumbent of the collegiate church. The several annual salaries are, £60 to the custos and £40 to the sub-custos, whose offices are now united; that of the schoolmaster is not paid, the school having ceased to exist for nearly a century. All the buildings and furniture of the hospital were destroyed by a fire which occurred in 1765, and which consumed nearly two-thirds of the town; but the whole was rebuilt in a very substantial manner. The original costume of the poor men was a scarlet gown, or cloak, with the greek characters I.H.. in black on the back, and X.P.. on the breast; and to this has been recently added a complete suit of blue cloth, with a red cross on the left breast of the coat. The hospital possesses the two manors of Cheverell-Burnell and Cheverell-Hales, or Cheverell-Magna, with twenty loads of wood yearly from Southley, which last is now commuted for an annual payment of £14; also certain closes of land in Warminster, and an allowance of wheat yearly from lands in Upton-Scudamore, the gift of another branch of the Hungerford family; in addition to these are the manor of Churton, purchased many years since with the surplus funds of the hospital, and other more recent but very considerable purchases. On the summit of Cotley hill, north-westward from the town, is a large tumulus, surrounded by a circular ditch and low vallum, and on another hill in the vicinity is the large ancient encampment, called Scratchbury Camp, so named from the British word Crech, signifying a hill; the circuit of its rampart is one mile and eighty-six yards, and its greatest height sixty-six feet, including an area of forty acres. Mr. William Cunnington, an industrious antiquary, was long a resident at this place, where he died and was interred in 1810. Heytesbury confers the title of baron on the family of ACourt. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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