BROUGHTON GIFFORD
The parish of Broughton Gifford adjoins Melksham on the west. A small strip of land south-east of
Broughton Gifford, beyond the Avon, is common to
this parish and Melksham Without. The parish lies in
the Oxford and Kimeridge Clay region of north and
mid-west Wiltshire, and the height of the land within
the parish varies from 100 ft. in the east to about 200 ft.
in the west. (fn. 1)
The main road from Melksham to Bradford
(A 3053) enters the parish in the east and runs south-west; parallel with it is the railway line from Melksham
to Weymouth, which is joined in the extreme south of
the parish by the line between Devizes and Bradford.
The halt on the former line near Mill Farm was opened
in 1906. (fn. 2) The River Avon forms the south-eastern
boundary of the parish. It is crossed near Monkton
House by a pack bridge which was built in 1725 to
replace the small wooden bridge which had been the
only previous means of crossing the river at this point.
In 1856 a dispute arose as to who was liable for the upkeep of the bridge, and after the matter had been taken
to Quarter Sessions the county undertook the repairs. (fn. 3)
Also near Monkton House is an ancient ford, paved
over all its length. (fn. 4) A tributary of the Avon called the
South Brook forms a small part of the north-eastern
boundary. A second tributary which joins the river
near Challymead Mill rises in the extreme north of the
parish and forms most of the north-eastern boundary.
Broughton Brook flows through the south of the parish
to join the river near Monkton House.
The main centre of population is Broughton Gifford
village, 2 miles west of Melksham, where the houses
straggle along the road that leads to Broughton Common. This common, like Norrington Common which
lies ½ mile to the north-east, has never been inclosed.
Broughton Common, formerly known as Broughton
Marsh, is surrounded by houses.
Gifford Hall, situated on the north side of Broughton
Common, is a medium-sized house of two stories and
attic, L-shaped in plan. It was built about the beginning of the 18th century on the site of and incorporating some of the walls and cellars of a 16th-century
building. Most of the rooms have their original
panelling and chimney pieces, and the staircase with
turned baluster, moulded handrail, and panelled dado
has a fine decorated plaster ceiling in high relief, all
contemporary. The kitchen offices have been modernized and modern staff rooms have been added at the
back.
Broughton House, on the east side of Broughton
Common, is a late-16th-century building of two stories
and attic with a symmetrical front of two gabled
dormers. It was extended equally at both ends in the
18th century without the attic floor and lighted by a
single-light sash window to each floor. It retains its
original heavy moulded oak door frame and door with
a four-centred head. Above the door is an inserted oval
panel dated H.H. 1673. Internally some original
features, including a moulded stone chimney piece,
remain. The stone gate piers with moulded capitals and
pointed finials are probably mid-17th century. At the
back there is a 19th-century addition.
From the middle of the 17th century there was no
resident lord of the manor in the parish. This was
probably one of the reasons for the unhappy social condition of the parish described by Wilkinson, the historian of Broughton, in 1860. All the arable common
land was inclosed before 1783, but Broughton Common and Norrington Common were not inclosed.
Broughton Common, although the highest part of the
parish, was badly drained and unhealthy. The continued existence of common rights, however, was
responsible for the erection of cottages round the
common, and this led to disease. In 1851 there was a
scarlet fever epidemic in the parish during which there
were seventeen deaths—all of dwellers on the common. (fn. 5) In 1848–50 an unsuccessful attempt was made
to inclose the common. (fn. 6)
In the 16th and 17th centuries Broughton was the
home of clothiers and weavers. Among the clothiers
were one May (fl. c. 1550), (fn. 7) Jerome Gerish (1588), (fn. 8)
Nicholas Gore (c. 1623), (fn. 9) William Harding (fl. 1621–
c. 1650), (fn. 10) and Henry Harding (fl. 1652). (fn. 11) In
1860 there was still a substantial number of hand-loom
weavers in Broughton: Wilkinson put the number at
half that of the agricultural labourers. (fn. 12) By this time
the weavers of the parish were a depressed class, only able
to survive because the limited demand for the narrow,
fine cloths which they produced, had deterred the
manufacturers from introducing special machinery. (fn. 13)
In the 17th century Broughton was a relatively important place. In 1645–6 it was one of the parishes
in the Bradford-Melksham-Trowbridge area which
were compelled to contribute to support the Parliamentary garrison at Great Chalfield. It supplied the
largest quantity of wheat and more beer than any
other place, and its money contribution was equal to
that of Bradford and more than that of Melksham. (fn. 14)
It is interesting to note that Broughton, which at
one time was well known locally for the geese reared
in the parish, also supplied the only ducks that went to
the garrison.
Before 1762 the parish was linked with the outside
world by an old pack road, which can still be traced. (fn. 15)
In that year an Act was passed which resulted in the
construction of the modern road from Melksham,
through Broughton and Holt to Bradford. (fn. 16) The road
was turnpiked. A causeway called 'the Street' linking
Broughton village with Broughton Common was in
existence at least as early as 1629. About 1830 'an
enterprising surveyor signalized his term of office by
employing the labouring poor in a slack time, in taking
up some lengths of the paving stones and breaking them
to pieces'. (fn. 17)
Wilkinson, writing in 1860, summed up the social
condition of the parish with the words 'we are rather
dull'. (fn. 18) This was an understatement. There were no
public games or amusements. A Michaelmas revel had
been held until ten years before when it had been suppressed by the police and excise officers as being a mere
excuse for drunkenness. Wilkinson had known a
'skimmington'. He mentioned the sale of 'Kattern
cakes' on St. Katherine's Day. But most significant of
all is his description of the village weddings, which
were 'a ceremony, and no more'. 'Nobody comes to
church but the bride and bridegroom, walking down
the "Street" arm in arm, followed by one or two
couples more who are "keeping company". Parents
never think of gracing the union with their presence.' (fn. 19)
Manors
The first mention of BROUGHTON
GIFFORD is in a charter of 1001. At this
time Aelfwig and Aelfwine evidently held
land there. (fn. 20) They or their descendants may have been
among the three thegns who were tenants in the time
of Edward the Confessor. (fn. 21) In 1086 the manor was held
in chief by Humphrey de Lisle. Its descent appears to
have been the same as that of Castle Combe, which was
the caput of the barony of which Broughton was part. (fn. 22)
In 1188 Broughton was in the possession of Walter de
Dunstanville, a descendant of Adeline de Lisle (possibly
daughter of Humphrey de Lisle) who had married
Reynold de Dunstanville. (fn. 23) Walter died in 1194 or
1195, leaving as his heir his son Walter, then under age.
It seems probable that the elder Walter was dispossessed
of his lands shortly before his death. (fn. 24) The younger
Walter and his inheritance were in the king's hands
from 1194 until 1201 when the wardship was sold to
William Brewer the elder. For a short time in 1199–
1200 custody seems to have been granted to Ingram des
Preaux, who became the husband of Sybil, relict of
Walter de Dunstanville the elder. (fn. 25) Various farmers
accounted to the exchequer for Broughton during this
period. (fn. 26) William Brewer held the wardship only for
a few months; in the same year Gilbert Basset bought it
and held it until his death in 1205. (fn. 27) Gilbert was succeeded by his brother Thomas, who paid the king 200
marks for the remaining period of wardship. (fn. 28) These
Bassets were nephews of Walter de Dunstanville the
elder. Thomas was still holding Broughton in 1210–
12. (fn. 29) Walter the younger attained his majority in or
before 1214. (fn. 30) He joined the rebels against King
John and in 1216 Broughton was granted by John to
Geoffrey and Olive de Buteville. (fn. 31) Walter's forfeiture
was brief: in 1217 the Sheriff of Wiltshire was ordered
to restore to him all his lands. (fn. 32) In 1232 a settlement
was made between Walter de Dunstanville and Ingram
des Preaux and Sybil his wife, Walter's mother.
Broughton was settled on Walter, whereas Colerne and
other manors were settled on Ingram and Sybil. (fn. 33) In
1241 Walter was dead, and had been succeeded by his
son, Walter de Dunstanville III. (fn. 34)
In 1268 Walter de Dunstanville III granted
Broughton to John Giffard, 1st Baron Giffard of
Brimpsfield, who was to hold it of him for a rent of
6 barbed arrows and royal services belonging to the fee
of 1 knight, and for all services belonging to the manor
except foreign service. (fn. 35) Free warren in the manor
was granted to John in 1281 and in the same year he
made good his claim to view of frankpledge, gallows,
and the assize of bread and ale. (fn. 36) He died in 1299,
leaving as his heir his son by his third wife Margaret de
Neville, a boy of 12 named John. (fn. 37) Along with other
Wiltshire manors Broughton was assigned as dower to
his relict Margaret, who held it until her death in
1338. (fn. 38) John Giffard her son, 2nd Baron Giffard,
was executed for treason in 1322, and his lands escheated to the Crown. Soon afterwards the forfeiture
was reversed, and inquisitions were held to discover the
heir of John Giffard. (fn. 39)
Meanwhile, in 1271, Walter de Dunstanville, overlord of Broughton Gifford, had died without sons,
leaving as his heir his daughter Parnel, wife of Robert
de Montfort. (fn. 40) Robert was dead before 1274 and
Parnel married as her second husband John de la Mare.
She died before 1292, leaving as her heir her son
William de Montfort. (fn. 41) John de la Mare held her
lands by the courtesy of England until his death in
1313. Montfort sold the reversion of all the lands of
the barony of Castle Combe to Bartholomew, Lord
Badlesmere, in 1309. (fn. 42) Like John Giffard, Badlesmere
was executed in 1322, and his lands were granted to
Hugh le Despenser the younger. Broughton was
among the places named in 1325 as having been
acquired by Despenser from Alice, relict of Thomas,
Earl of Lancaster, but this must have been a mistake. (fn. 43)
There were six claimants to the inheritance of John
Giffard. Three of them were the descendants of the
half-sisters of John Giffard the elder. Other claimants
were James de Audley, 2nd Lord Audley, and John
Lestrange, 2nd Lord Strange, descendants of Katherine
and Eleanor, daughters of John Giffard the elder by
his first wife. All these five claimants were heirs of the
half blood of John Giffard the younger, and the final
award of the court was given in favour of John de
Kelloway, lord of the manor of Kellaways (in Chippenham hundred), who traced his descent from Berta,
daughter of Elias Giffard, grandfather of John Giffard
the elder, and was therefore heir of the whole blood. (fn. 44)
During the litigation the Giffard lands had been in the
king's hands, and had been granted in 1327 to John
Mautravers the younger, 1st Lord Mautravers, the
friend of Mortimer and Queen Isabel. (fn. 45) In 1328 John
de Kelloway was recognized as John Giffard's heir,
but in 1329 the Giffard lands were again granted to
Mautravers, and in May 1330 Kelloway conceded his
claim to Mautravers. (fn. 46) Margaret Giffard was still
holding the manor of Broughton Gifford in dower.
At this point the descent of the overlordship of the
manor and of the subtenancy becomes obscure. The
barony of Castle Combe had been restored in 1327 to
Margaret, relict of Bartholomew de Badlesmere. (fn. 47)
She died in 1333 and the barony passed to her son Giles
Lord Badlesmere. (fn. 48) Giles died in 1338, holding as
overlord 2 knights' fees in Broughton. (fn. 49) In 1337, however, the king had granted to John de Wylinton, Ralph
his son, and Eleanor wife of Ralph 'the manor of
Broughton, which after the death of Margaret, late
wife of John Giffard of Brimpsfield would revert to the
king by reason of John Mautravers the younger, a
rebel'. This grant, in conjunction with the release of
the manor by John Kelloway to John Mautravers in
1330, would seem to mean that Mautravers had acquired and subsequently forfeited the reversion of the
tenancy of the manor formerly held by John Giffard. (fn. 50)
Mautravers was restored to favour in 1345 and in 1351
the king ordered that the manor of Broughton, 'which
Margaret late the wife of John Giffard of Brimpsfield
held for life of the inheritance of John Mautravers',
and the reversion of which had been granted to John
de Wylinton, should be granted to John Mautravers if
Margaret were dead. (fn. 51) Mautravers does not seem to
have succeeded in gaining the tenancy of the manor and
there was no mention of it in the inquisitions after his
death in 1364. (fn. 52) He must, however, have retained, or
at least continued to claim an interest in the manor, for
in 1383 and later his successors, the Lords Mautravers,
were described as overlords of half the manor. (fn. 53)
Possibly he or his successors came to some indefinite
arrangement as to the overlordship, with the holders of
the barony of Castle Combe on the one hand, and the
tenants of Broughton Gifford on the other.
After the death of Margaret Giffard in 1338 the
tenancy of the manor was divided between James,
Lord Audley and John, Lord Strange, who have
already been mentioned. Audley's half of the manor
continued to be held as of the barony of Castle Combe,
which itself was divided among coheiresses in 1338. (fn. 54)
Strange's half was held of Castle Combe in 1338, 1349,
and 1372. (fn. 55) Thereafter the overlordship was subject
to confusion. In 1375 it was said to be held in chief, (fn. 56)
but in 1383, 1396, and 1413 it was found to be vested
in the Lords Mautravers. (fn. 57) Subsequent inquisitions
found this half of the manor to be held of Queen Joan
(1418) and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester as of the
castle of Devizes (1421). (fn. 58) In and after 1447 (the date
of Humphrey's death) the overlordship was always
assigned to the king as of Devizes castle, except in
1460, when it was assigned to the lord of Castle
Combe. (fn. 59)
The moiety of the manor held by John, Lord
Strange, passed on his death in 1349 to his son Fulk,
3rd Lord Strange, who died a minor in the same year. (fn. 60)
Fulk's heir was his brother John, 4th Lord Strange but
the half manor was assigned as dower to Fulk's relict
Elizabeth. (fn. 61) She married as her second husband Sir
John de Ferrars, who died in 1367. (fn. 62) Elizabeth married
thirdly Reynold de Cobham and died in 1375. (fn. 63) The
half manor passed to Elizabeth Lestrange, infant
granddaughter of John, 4th Lord Strange. (fn. 64) The
wardship of Elizabeth Lestrange was granted to
Richard, 4th Earl of Arundel. (fn. 65) She married Thomas,
Earl of Nottingham, and died, still a minor, in 1383. (fn. 66)
Her heiress was her aunt Ankaret wife of Richard, 4th
Lord Talbot, and daughter of John, 4th Lord Strange. (fn. 67)
Richard died in 1396 and Ankaret in 1413, when
she was succeeded by her son Gilbert, 5th Lord
Talbot. (fn. 68) Gilbert died in 1418, and ⅓ of the ½ manor
was assigned as dower to his relict Beatrice, who held it
until her death in 1447. Beatrice married before 1423
Thomas Fettiplace who in 1421 was acting as steward
of the ½ manor, which was sometimes known as Talbot's
manor. (fn. 69) Gilbert's heir was his daughter Ankaret, who
died in 1421. (fn. 70) Her heir was John Talbot, brother of
Gilbert, later 4th Earl of Shrewsbury. (fn. 71) John surrendered his interest in 2/3 of the ½ manor to his sister-inlaw Beatrice, who thus held the whole ½ manor from
1421 until her death. (fn. 72) The Earl of Shrewsbury died
fighting in Gascony in 1403 and was succeeded by his
son John, 5 th earl. (fn. 73) Margaret, relict of the 4th earl,
received ⅓ of the ½ manor in dower. The 5 th earl dispossessed his stepmother of her dower but she recovered it and apparently held it at his death in 1460. (fn. 74)
Margaret herself died in 1467 and her ⅓ of the ½ manor
passed to John, 6th earl, who was holding it at his death
in 1473. (fn. 75) The remaining 2/3 of the ½ manor had been
settled upon Elizabeth, relict of the 5 th earl, and was
among her possessions on her death, which also
occurred in 1473. (fn. 76) The heir to her ½ manor was the
infant George, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, but dower in
it was granted to George's mother Katherine, who died
in 1476. (fn. 77) The wardship of George was in 1475
granted to William, Lord Hastings. (fn. 78) Between 1505
and 1508 various conveyances of the manor were made
for the purpose of selling it to Guy Palmer, serjeantat-law, for the payment of the debts of George, Earl of
Shrewsbury. (fn. 79) Guy Palmer died seised of the ½ manor
in 1516, having left it in his will to his wife Joan, with
remainder to his eldest son Brian. (fn. 80) On Brian's death
in 1528 the estate passed to his son Francis. (fn. 81) In 1579
Francis, son of Francis Palmer, sold the ½ manor to
(Sir) William Brouncker. (fn. 82) Sir William's grandson
William Brouncker sold it in 1622 to Sir John Horton,
in whom, as will appear below, the other ½ of the manor
of Broughton Gifford also became vested. (fn. 83)
The ½ of the manor which had passed in the 14th
century to James, Lord Audley, was settled for life
upon his aunt Eleanor, wife of Philip, Lord Columbers.
She died in 1343 and the ½ manor reverted to her
nephew, who in 1357 settled it for life upon his
daughter Katherine, wife of Thomas Spigurnell. (fn. 84)
Katherine evidently died before her father, for Lord
Audley held the ½ manor at his death in 1386. (fn. 85)
Nicholas, 3rd Lord Audley, succeeded his father and
died in 1391, without issue. His heirs were his sister
Margaret, wife of Sir Roger Hillary, and John Tuchet,
grandson of Joan, another sister and wife of John
Tuchet. (fn. 86) Elizabeth, relict of Lord Audley, held the
½ manor in dower until her death in 1400. (fn. 87) The
property was then divided between the heirs.
Shortly after the death of Nicholas in 1391, Sir
Roger Hillary and Margaret had conveyed the reversion of their share, i.e. ¼ of the manor, to Hugh de
Holes. (fn. 88) Seisin seems to have been given to Hugh in
1400, in spite of the fact that the ¼ manor was numbered among the possessions of Margaret Hillary at her
death in 1411. (fn. 89) Hugh de Holes died in 1415 leaving
¼ of Broughton Gifford to his son Thomas. (fn. 90) Thomas
died in 1420 and his property passed to his daughter
Margery, who married John Troutbeck. (fn. 91) Margery
died in 1456 and her husband two years later. (fn. 92) Their
son William inherited the ¼ manor but was killed in
1459 at the battle of Blore Heath, leaving his son
William, a minor. (fn. 93) William Troutbeck the younger
died in 1511, and his estate passed to Margaret,
daughter of his brother Adam, and wife of (Sir) John
Talbot, grandson of the 5th Earl of Shrewsbury. (fn. 94)
Sir John and his wife held a manorial court at Broughton
in 1531. (fn. 95) The ¼ manor was held by their son, Sir John
(d. 1555), by Francis, eldest son of the latter, and from
1570 or earlier by John, younger brother of Francis. (fn. 96)
In 1584 the last-named John Talbot sold his ¼ manor
to Edward Horton of Westwood, who died without
issue in 1603, leaving it to Edward Horton, his great
nephew. (fn. 97) On Edward's death in 1605 the property
passed to his brother (Sir) John Horton. (fn. 98)
John Tuchet, the second coheir of Nicholas, 3rd
Lord Audley, was summoned to Parliament as a peer
and is held to have been 4th Lord Audley. (fn. 99) He died
in 1409, leaving ¼ of Broughton Gifford on his son
James, 5th Lord Audley. (fn. 100) In 1455 James settled the
reversion of the ¼ manor after his death on his son
Edmund, with remainder to his son John. (fn. 101) Probably
Edmund died without heirs, for the estate passed after
the death of the 5th Lord Audley successively to his son
and grandson the 6th and 7th barons. (fn. 102) The 7th baron
was beheaded for treason in 1497, and although his
wife Joan held the estate in Broughton after his death
she was from that day onwards a helpless lunatic, presumably as the result of shock. (fn. 103) She died in 1532, and
in the same year her stepson, John, 8th Lord Audley,
confirmed his previous grant of the ¼ manor to Richard
Brigges. (fn. 104) Brigges sold it in 1544 to Robert May alias
Hayston. (fn. 105) In 1550 Richard Brigges again confirmed
the grant to a Robert May, who was probably the son of
the first Robert. (fn. 106)
The second Robert May had by his first wife a son,
Henry, and daughters Alice, Mary, and Anne. About
1565–6 Robert May, then a widower, married the
daughter of a baker, and settled his property in Broughton Gifford upon his son. Henry May later married
Eleanor Hinton, who apparently offended her fatherin-law in some way. Henry May also appears to have
been feeble-minded. Shortly before his death in 1584
Robert settled his lands upon his son with remainder to
his daughters, thus barring the succession of Eleanor
and her children by Henry. (fn. 107) Henry entered into
possession on his father's death and set out to defeat
Robert's last settlement. Robert's three daughters
resisted this attempt and took the case into Chancery,
where a compromise was arranged. The lands were to
pass as settled by Robert May, but an annuity of 100
marks was to be paid to Eleanor after her husband's
death, and an annuity of 50 marks to Anne, her daughter,
wife of John Eyre, with benefit of survivorship to
either of them in the annuity of the other. The husbands of Robert May's daughters Alice, Mary, and
Anne were Edward Horton of Westwood (who in 1584
had bought ¼ of the manor from John Talbot), Henry
Long (son of Sir Henry Long of Whaddon (q.v.) ), and
Jeremy Horton, nephew of Edward. Each of them
had in right of their wives the reversion of 1/12 of the
manor. Henry May died in 1606. (fn. 108) The 1/12 of the
manor which passed to his sister Alice descended to
Sir John Horton, great nephew of her husband. Sir
John also inherited the 1/12 forming the share of Anne
May, who was his mother. Meanwhile in 1603 Henry
Long had settled half of his wife's 1/12 of the manor, i.e.
1/24 on his own heirs, and sold the remaining 1/24 to Jeremy
Horton, husband of Anne May and father of (Sir) John
Horton. Finally in 1627 Sir John Horton bought the
1/24 of Broughton Gifford that had passed to Sir Walter
Long, grandson of Henry Long and Mary May. Sir
John Horton thus became the owner of the entire and
reunited manor of Broughton Gifford.
At his death in 1667 Sir John was succeeded by his
son Thomas, who settled the manor in that year upon
his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Guise. (fn. 109)
Thomas's greatgrandson Thomas died without issue
in 1755; an inquisition of 1722 shows that he was then
a lunatic. (fn. 110) His heirs (to whom he had given the reversion of his property by a deed of 1739) (fn. 111) were his
sisters Elizabeth, wife of William Blanche, and
Eleanor, wife of Richard Roberts. At the death of
Thomas, however, the property was also claimed by
Richard Brereton and others, to whom Thomas had
left it in a will dated 1735. The dispute was settled in
1758. John Roberts, son and heir of Eleanor, took the
manorial rights of Broughton Gifford together with
Church Farm and other lands while Richard Brereton
took Mill Farm and Broad Mead in the parish. William
Blanche's share was the property of Thomas Horton
in Gloucestershire. (fn. 112)
The manor passed from John Roberts to his brother
William Roberts, D.D., Provost of Eton, who in 1789
sold it to (Sir) Benjamin Hobhouse, bt. Sir Benjamin's
son, Sir John Cam Hobhouse, bt., took his title of
Baron Broughton from his manor here, in 1851. The
manor passed from Lord Broughton to Sir C. P. Hobhouse, bt., who conveyed it about 1890 to his son who
later became Sir Charles E. H. Hobhouse, bt. (fn. 113)
The Wiltshire Record Office has documents relating
to Broughton Gifford, 1575–1839.
Broughton Gifford Manor House was built by Sir
John Horton in 1622. It was converted into two houses
early in the 19th century. In 1910 it was reconverted
into one, restored, and an elaborate chimney-piece
moved to the ground floor from the first. A first floor
was inserted in the hall and its open roof ceiled, probably at the time of the 19th-century conversion. The
house is L-shaped, consists of two stories and an attic,
is built of rubble with worked dressings, and is roofed
with stone slates. There are original gate-posts with
rebated joints and ball finials.
Before the Conquest an estate at Broughton containing 5 hides had been held by Godric. In 1086 this
was held by Rainburgus. (fn. 114) Another estate, of 3 hides,
was held before the Conquest by Alwold, and in 1086
by Saward. (fn. 115) The manor held by Rainburgus seems
to have passed to Ilbert le Chaz, who granted it in the
12th century to the priory of Monkton Farleigh. (fn. 116)
The grant was probably made soon after the foundation
of the priory, for the manor belonged to the prior in
1166, when it was held by him of Humphrey de
Bohun. (fn. 117) The other manor of 3 hides seems to have
passed from Saward to Thomas Bassett, who held lands
in Broughton in 1210–12, and later to Walter, son of
Philip de Somerford. (fn. 118) Between 1228 and 1236 there
was litigation between Walter and the Prior of Farleigh, which ended in Walter's surrender to the prior
in the latter year of 3 hides of land in LITTLE
BROUGHTON. (fn. 119) In 1227 the Abbess of Shaftesbury
released to the prior her claim to his suit at her hundred
of Bradford, in exchange for a money rent. (fn. 120) In 1242–3
the prior held a knight's fee in Little Broughton of the
Earl of Salisbury, as of the honour of Trowbridge. (fn. 121)
The priory of Farleigh continued to hold this manor
until the Dissolution, except for certain periods when
it was taken into the king's hands owing to the wars
with France. (fn. 122) It was probably during one of these
temporary custodies that a survey of the manor was
made in 1293–4. It was then valued at £11. 9s. 3d. a
year, and its stock at £26. 16s. 1d. (fn. 123) The annual value
had been estimated in 1291 to be £5. 15s. 10d. (fn. 124) At
the Dissolution this manor was valued at £12. 7s. 4d.,
and attached to it were various tenements; in 1525 it
had also included a meadow called Chaldmeade (the
modern Challymead) worth £1. 6s. 8d. (fn. 125)
Just before the Dissolution the manor had been
leased by the prior to his brother Walter Mellyn.
Being doubtful whether he would be allowed to enjoy
the lease Walter transferred his interest to Sir Henry
Long. It is doubtful whether this was a true sale or was
intended by Mellyn to be a conveyance in trust for
himself. Long evidently treated it as the former and
later sold the manor to Sir John Thynne. Shortly
afterwards Thynne sold it to Henry Long of Whaddon
(d. 1558), who left it to his son Edward of Monkton
Farleigh who held the lease in 1565. (fn. 126) Meanwhile, in
1536 the manor had been granted by the king to
Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp, later Duke of
Somerset and Lord Protector. (fn. 127) Somerset suffered
attainder and execution in 1552. Broughton Gifford
was probably restored to Edward, Earl of Hertford,
Somerset's eldest son by his second wife, early in the
reign of Elizabeth (see Trowbridge), and in 1580 it
was confirmed to Hertford by letters patent. (fn. 128) Hertford renewed the lease to Edward Long in 1600 and in
1615 conveyed to the same Edward the fee simple of
the manor. (fn. 129) Edward Long was the second son of Sir
Henry Long of Whaddon. (fn. 130) On Edward's death in
1622 Monkton passed to his son Edward and later to
another son John, at whose death in 1654 it descended
to John's son Thomas. (fn. 131) In 1670 Thomas Long conveyed to Sir James Thynne a messuage and other tenements in Monkton with view of frankpledge and other
manorial rights. (fn. 132) Thomas Long, however, retained
the site of the manor and conveyed it in 1674 to John
Hardy. (fn. 133) In 1671 Thomas Thynne, nephew and heir
of Sir James, who died in 1670, mortgaged his interest
in the manor to his kinsman John Hall of Bradford. (fn. 134)
Thomas Thynne was murdered in 1682 and his
property passed to Hall, who seems to have acquired
also the site of the manor. (fn. 135) From John Hall the manor
passed in the same way as Hall's manor in Bradford
(q.v.) to Evelyn, Duke of Kingston. In 1726 it was
leased to John Bissey for seven years at £230 a year. In
1763 it was being held by James Bissey at the same
rent. (fn. 136) The Duke of Kingston sold the manor in 1768
to Samuel Shering his steward. (fn. 137) There is a local tradition that the duke, wanting money to buy a wedding
dress for his bride, was advised by Shering to sell his
outlying manor of Monkton. Afterwards, when the
duke was hunting in the neighbourhood, he admired the
old house with its rich meadows, and learning that he
had very lately possessed it himself, swore that he would
never again sell any possession which he had not seen. (fn. 138)
On Samuel Shering's death the estate passed to his
brother John who conveyed it in 1800 to John Keddle.
It passed on Keddle's death in 1844 to his brother
Samuel Shering Keddle. (fn. 139) The descendants of Samuel
S. Keddle continued to hold the manor until the death
of Mrs. Charlotte Keddle in c. 1910 when it was sold
to Mr. H. J. P. Blake, whose father had been tenant of
the house and estate for many years. In 1938 Mr. Blake
sold the house and estate to New College, Oxford. (fn. 140)
Monkton House, built about 1550, was originally
L-shaped, the arms of the L running south and east
from their meeting point in the north-west. A staircase, built into the angle of the L, is dated 1596, and
about the same time the house was enlarged on the
north side. In the 17th century an entrance was inserted at the east end of the new north block. There is
no trace of an entrance to the original building. The
house is built of rubble with worked dressings, the
rubble covered with plaster which has fallen away in
parts, showing relieving arches over the windows of the
original building. There are two stories with attics in
gables and the roofs are of stone slates. The north
block extends along the whole of the north side and its
floors are at a lower level than those of the original
building. The entrance is fitted with its original
counterboarded door, having a large nail-studded oval
panel with a raised central oval medallion inscribed
round the border 'ay bonne cause' and in the middle
a stag.
Churches
The 'chapel' of Broughton Gifford
with land and tithes was given to the
abbey of Shaftesbury by 'Gundrada'
when her kinswoman Albreda 'de Bosco Roalda'
entered the monastery. The gift was confirmed by
Henry I, Henry II, and John. (fn. 141) In spite of the gift the
lord of the manor occasionally claimed the advowson
of the church. A lawsuit between Walter de Dunstanville and the abbess in 1265 seems to have gone against
Walter, for in that year he acknowledged the advowson
to be the right of the abbess. (fn. 142) In 1330, however, the
advowson was considered as part of the manor by John
de Kelloway, when he surrendered his claim to John
de Mautravers. (fn. 143) The king presented in 1338, but
afterwards revoked the presentation, which seems to
have been made during a vacancy of the see of Salisbury
under the impression that the advowson belonged to
that see. (fn. 144) In 1375–6 James Lord Audley and Sir
Reynold de Cobham, then lords of the manor, sued the
abbess for the next presentation to the church, claiming
it through their ancestor John Giffard. (fn. 145) In 1419 the
presentation every third turn was assigned as dower to
Beatrice, relict of Gilbert, Lord Talbot. (fn. 146) This seems
to have been the last time the advowson was claimed by
the lords of the manor, and the abbey remained in
peaceful possession until the Dissolution. (fn. 147) Between
1308 and 1523 the lords of the manor never succeeded
in presenting. (fn. 148) Since the Dissolution the advowson
of Broughton Gifford has remained with the Crown. (fn. 149)
The church of Broughton was valued at £10 in
1291, (fn. 150) and at £20. 8s. gross in 1535. (fn. 151)
There was a chapel at Little Broughton or Monkton,
the patronage of which was claimed both by the Prior
of Monkton Farleigh and by the Abbess of Shaftesbury.
An agreement was made in 1232 by which the abbess
was to retain the patronage of the chapel as part of
Great Broughton, and the prior was to be free from the
payment of tithes from the two hides of land which he
held in the parish, of which the tithe had previously
been paid to the chapel. (fn. 152) The chapel must soon afterwards have fallen into disuse, for in 1341 it was stated
that there was no chapel in the parish except the parish
church. There are no recorded institutions to the
chapel. (fn. 153)
There was a fraternity at Broughton at the time of
the Dissolution which also existed as late as 1633. (fn. 154)
William Kechyn gave a messuage and land in Broughton
for the maintenance of an annual anniversary in the
church of Broughton, and this may have been connected with the fraternity. This tenement, however, was
granted in 1549 to John Barwicke and Robert Freke. (fn. 155)
Henry Long of Wraxall, by his will proved in 1480,
gave 13s. 4d. to the church of Broughton for vestments. (fn. 156)
A tenement in Broughton called Darbies belonged
to Terumber's charity at Trowbridge, and was granted
in 1549 to the above John Barwicke and Robert Freke. (fn. 157)
It seems to have passed later to William Gore, who was
involved in litigation concerning it with John Warren. (fn. 158)
The church house of Broughton Gifford was built
in 1500 or soon after. In that year George, Earl of
Shrewsbury, then one of the lords of the manor,
granted to William Cuffe and others a parcel of land in
the parish lying near the graveyard in the south,
measuring 21 by 10 ft. On this land the feoffees were
to 'make and build anew' a house to be used for the
profit of the church. For this land a rent of 2d. was to
be paid to the earl and his heirs, and if the land was not
used for its original purpose the earl might re-enter the
premises and bring them to their original purpose. (fn. 159)
In 1629 it was presented at the manor court that the
house belonged to the parishioners, and that sixty and
more years before had been at their use and disposal,
but that for more than thirty years the lords had held it
and disposed of it. (fn. 160) The church house was pulled
down in 1732 and the materials used in rebuilding the
church farmhouse. In 1780 the glebe consisted of a
total of 34 a. 2 r. 12 p. The parsonage house, with
stable and garden, occupied 21 p. and the church and
churchyard 1 r. 34 p. The rest was spread over the
following fields: Bailey's Court Ground, Bailey's Close,
Shepherd's Corner, Hundred Acres, Barn Ground (a
barn therein), Little Barn Ground, Wells Mead, Little
Wells Mead, Triangles, and Further Bradley Mead.
It was added that twenty years before, when the turnpike road from Melksham to Holt was being made,
rather more than 1½ acre had been taken from the glebe
through which the road passed. The turnpike commissioners valued the ground at £50 and agreed to pay
50s. a year interest on this sum to the rector and his
successors. (fn. 161)
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN consists
of chancel, nave, north aisle, western tower, and chapel
on the south side with a connected porch which forms
with it a south aisle. It dates from the 13th century,
when it consisted of chancel, nave, and north aisle.
In the 14th century the chapel was added and a new
chancel arch built. In the 15th century the north wall
was rebuilt, the windows replaced, the whole church
reroofed, and the tower and south porch added. In
1708 a gallery was built and in 1720 the open roofs
were covered in with plaster ceilings. Extensive
restoration was carried out in 1850: the walls and pillars
were strengthened, the gallery was removed, the high
box pews were replaced with benches, and the ceilings
stripped again to reveal the roofs. In 1878 the nave
was reroofed and the north aisle extended at its eastern
end to form an organ chamber, from which a square
opening was cut into the chancel. In 1920 a carved oak
screen was built across the tower arch to form a vestry.
Electric light was installed in 1930.
Of the 13th-century church the north arcade and
three lancets remain, one at the west end of the south
wall of the nave, one inserted in the south wall of the
chapel and which was possibly taken out of the nave
wall when the porch was added, and the third in the
south wall of the chancel. All the remaining windows
are tracery windows of the 15th century restored. The
aisles retain their 15th-century collar-beam roofs.
The large stone pulpit is modern. The font, which
has been redressed, is of uncertain date. On the south
wall of the nave there is a brass to Robert Longe
(d. 1620).
The parish registers are complete from 1665. (fn. 162)
Edward VI's commissioners found no church plate
at Broughton. There is now an Elizabethan cup with
a paten cover hall-marked 1576, a paten given by John
Horton in 1731, a silver-mounted glass flagon given in
1878 by Mrs. Hopkins of Northleigh House, Bradfordon-Avon, and a silver chalice with paten cover given
by Mrs. Floyd in 1949. (fn. 163)
The same commissioners left three bells. A bell hung
in 1665 is said to have been cracked in 1732. Another
bell was cracked before 1850 as the result of a drunken
carousal. (fn. 164) The present bells were cast in 1850. (fn. 165)
In 1705 the house of Joan Gore, widow, of Broughton
Gifford, was licensed as a dissenters' meeting-house. (fn. 166)
Nonconformity
Methodism in Broughton
Gifford was an offshoot of that
in Melksham. A small society
existed at Broughton in 1826 and a chapel was built
in 1828, at a cost of £100. The money was advanced
by a Mr. James of Melksham, who stipulated that the
society should pay interest on it at a rate of 4 per cent.,
the interest to be applied to the support of Methodist
Missions. Before his death he converted his loan into a
gift. (fn. 167) The circumstances of the loan and gift were
apparently obscure to those who compiled the Melksham Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Schedule of trust
property in 1862. There were then no trust deeds for
Broughton and the circuit officials were not sure of
their title to the chapel. (fn. 168) The society was weak for
the first fifty years of its existence. It had only 5
members in 1857 and the Revd. T. R. Jones commented in that year, 'this appears to be an ungenial soil
for Methodism, for though the chapel is neat and comfortable the congregation is small and disheartening'. (fn. 169)
There were no members at all in 1862 and only 6 in
1886. (fn. 170) The number had risen to 12 by 1890, however, and from that time onwards there was steady
progress. (fn. 171) In 1907 a new chapel was built, and the
society has continued to flourish. (fn. 172)
The Particular Baptist church at Broughton Gifford
was built in 1806. (fn. 173) In 1829 it had 43 members. (fn. 174)
A Sunday school was started in connexion with it in
1830, and in 1833 was attended by 43 boys and 34
girls. (fn. 175) It was registered for marriages in 1871. (fn. 176) It is
now Strict Baptist. (fn. 177)
Agriculture
Little evidence has been found
about the medieval economy of
Broughton Gifford and none of it
suggests that it was in any way unusual. (fn. 178) In 1299
the manor of Broughton contained 16 free tenants, 7
'customars', 11 holders of half-virgates, and 16 cottars. (fn. 179)
The rearing of geese is perhaps the parish's chief
claim to local fame. There is a legend that a Broughton
man once called the blacksmith to shoe his geese to
prevent their going lame on the way to market. (fn. 180) Until
recent time the men of Broughton have been called
'Broughton ganders'.
In 1801 the only crop acreages returned from
Broughton were wheat, 59; oats, 4; peas, 3. (fn. 181) At
the Tithe Commutation in 1841 the parish contained
254 acres of arable, 1207 acres of pasture, 70 acres
occupied by houses and gardens, 20 acres occupied by
the railway, 1 acre of 'plantation', and 83 'river, roads,
and waste'. (fn. 182) According to Wilkinson (1860) cattle
fed on Monkton pastures once had a good name at
Smithfield. (fn. 183)
Mills
At the time of the Domesday Survey there
were two mills in the principal manor of
Broughton, worth 9s. (fn. 184) In 1299 there appears
to have been only one attached to the manor. (fn. 185) This
mill apparently passed with the Lestrange moiety of
the manor and in 1419 was assigned in dower to
Beatrice, relict of Gilbert Lord Talbot. (fn. 186) A second
mill seems to have belonged to a tenement called Greenhill. In 1347 John le Lange conveyed a mill to John
de Crudewell. (fn. 187) In 1427 Margaret wife of John
Greenhill and William Geffray and Margaret his wife
conveyed a mill and tenements in Broughton, Monkton,
and Greenhill to Robert Long (? of S. Wraxall), and
in the same year William Curteys, who appears to have
been the father of Margaret Geffray, released all his
right therein to the same Robert. (fn. 188) Sir Henry Long
sold the mill in 1544 to Robert May. (fn. 189) From Robert
May it passed to Edward son of Jeremy Horton and
Anne May, and from him to Sir John Horton. (fn. 190) There
was only one mill attached to the manor in 1731. (fn. 191)
One mill, now disused, stands near the junction of the
Avon and its tributary in the north-east of the parish.
Another must have stood on or near the site of Mill
Farm, near Monkton.
Schools
The origin of the charity school founded
in 1782 and the destiny of its endowments
are described below (see Charities). In
1819 the school contained 20 free scholars and 12
others for whom their parents paid. (fn. 192) In 1823 12
boys and 8 girls attended. (fn. 193) In 1852 the site and
buildings of the school, then in union with the National
Society, were conveyed in trust by the Revd. J. Wilkinson, then rector, to the rector and churchwardens. (fn. 194)
In 1853 a building grant of £90 was made by the State
and £463. 14s. 11d. raised by local subscription. (fn. 195) The
school, comprising schoolroom and classroom, was built
(or perhaps, more strictly, rebuilt) in 1856. (fn. 196) In 1858
it was attended by 40 children, of whom 20 were still
taught free. (fn. 197) In 1871 Richard P. Long added to
the trust property. (fn. 198) In 1872 a further grant of
£105. 15s. 10d. was authorized by the State and an
additional building was erected. (fn. 199) In 1893 accommodation was computed at 161; the average attendance
was 93. (fn. 200) In the same year the school was again enlarged. (fn. 201) In the years 1910, 1938, and 1950 the reported accommodation was: mixed 110, infants 43. (fn. 202)
The average attendance in July 1950 was 76. The
school now has a headmaster and 2 assistants. (fn. 203)
In 1833 there were two other schools besides the
charity school. They were founded in 1828 and 1833
and attended by a total of 10 boys and 13 girls. (fn. 204)
Charities
In 1782 Francis Paradice and Betty
his wife gave £500 to be invested, out
of the dividends of which £20 a year
was to be paid to a schoolmaster for instructing 20
poor boys and girls. The residue of the income was
to be distributed yearly at or about Christmas to ten
poor persons of the parish. A further capital sum of
£1. 15s. was added in 1782. By a Board of Education
order of 1904, the sum of £666. 13s. 4d. stock, producing £20 a year, was apportioned to the educational
foundation, and the balance of £171. 13s. 3d. stock,
producing £5. 3s. a year, to the eleemosynary charity.
Sarah Purbeck, by her will proved 1821, bequeathed
£1,000, the annual dividends to the amount of £5 to
be applied immediately before Christmas for the benefit
of the poor of the parish, and the residue to paying
annuities to the inhabitants of certain parishes in
Southampton. In 1877 the sum of £1,000 Consols
was transferred to the Official Trustees, of which
£166. 13s. 4d. Consols was apportioned to Broughton.
Elizabeth Sly by her will proved 1880 bequeathed
to the incumbent and churchwardens £100, the annual
income of which was to be paid to such poor people of
the parish and in such proportion as they should think
fit. The income of this charity and of Sarah Purbeck's
charity were in 1904 applied at the same time as
Paradice's charity. (fn. 205)
The Mortimer charity was founded (apparently
after 1904) by Robert Mortimer. The income of this
consisted in 1922 of about £20, which was to be paid
at Christmas to the poor. The Mortimer Scholarship
Fund, founded by the same donor (also after 1904)
provided for the maintenance of two Broughton Gifford
children at secondary schools. (fn. 206)