COLLINGBOURNE DUCIS
Collingbourne Ducis is the smaller and more
southerly of the two adjoining parishes called
Collingbourne. (fn. 1) Originally the name, meaning
stream of Cola's people, may have applied to the
whole of the upper part of the Bourne valley. (fn. 2) As
the element inga implies, it was settled comparatively
early. (fn. 3)
A distinction between the two Collingbournes
existed in 903 when 50 hides and the church at what
was later called Collingbourne Kingston were
granted to the New Minster at Winchester. (fn. 4) Its
neighbour on the south had been given a distinguishing name of Earl's (Comitis) by 1256 when the earl
of Leicester was lord of the manor. (fn. 5) The name
Duke's (Ducis) supplanted Earl's after the Wiltshire
lands of the honor of Leicester became part of the
duchy of Lancaster, (fn. 6) and was fairly regularly used
from the early 15th century. The parish has also
frequently been called Lower Collingbourne.
The parish lies on the Upper Chalk of Salisbury
Plain and is bisected by the Bourne which rises
a few miles north of the village, flows southwards
through it, and is compounded with the village
name. (fn. 7) For much of its course through Collingbourne Ducis the Bourne is a small stream, dry in
summer; but in the past it was liable to flood in wet
weather. Early meetings of the parish council were
much concerned with flooding in the village street.
Refuse frequently blocked the stream's course under
the bridges. (fn. 8)
The gravels of the river's shallow valley provide
the site of the village, and those of a now virtually
dry eastern tributary that of the hamlet of Cadley,
the only other settlement in the parish. Three
western tributaries of the Bourne, now likewise dry,
have scored narrow gravel covered valleys through
the chalk. South of the village the Bourne is flanked
on either side by water-meadows and beyond them
the land rises to heights of over 150 m. on the chalk,
climbing rather more steeply on the eastern side.
Much of that side was occupied by the southern end
of Collingbourne woods, part of Chute forest until
the 14th century. (fn. 9) There was some felling in the
19th century, particularly near Wick down, (fn. 10) but in
1929 the woods covered over 300 a., (fn. 11) roughly the
same area as in 1975. South of the woods and in the
extreme south-east corner of the parish is Crawlboys
farm, with a farm-house and some of its buildings
dating from the late 17th century or early 18th. The
remoteness of the farm from the village and church,
and its connexion with the woods, of which some of
its early owners were guardians, made it a virtually
detached part of the parish. (fn. 12)
Until 1934 the parish covered 3,431 a. (1,388 ha.),
and was roughly crescent shaped. The eastern end of
its southern boundary is formed by a bank and
ditch, following a line, the curve of which suggests
that it may represent the northern boundary of the
park of Ludgershall Castle. In 1934 Collingbourne
Sunton, a hamlet which is beside a continuation of
Collingbourne Ducis village street, and the northern
part of the hamlet of Cadley, both of which until then
were in Collingbourne Kingston, were brought into
Collingbourne Ducis parish. A narrow projection
was thereby added on the north, (fn. 13) giving a total area
of 1,469 ha. (3,629 a.).
Collingbourne Ducis adjoins Ludgershall, an
early market centre, on the south-east. It is 17 km.
south of Marlborough and 24 km. north of Salisbury.
Before 1831 the two principal routes leading southwards towards Salisbury bypassed the village. That
from Hungerford (Berks.) entered the parish by the
Shears inn and in 1772 was turnpiked as far as
Southly bridge. (fn. 14) The stretch beyond that towards
Salisbury was later abandoned. The road from
Marlborough to Salisbury, had it kept its original
course, would have missed the parish altogether.
That road, however, fell out of use beyond Everleigh, and in 1831 a sort of link road was formed by
turnpiking the road running from Southgrove copse
in Burbage, through the two Collingbourne villages,
and up Shaw hill in Collingbourne Ducis to join
the Hungerford—Salisbury road. (fn. 15) Its course as the
main road was almost immediately changed. At the
south end of the village, instead of climbing Shaw
hill, it took a more westerly route, called in 1777
Small Way, and followed the Bourne towards Salisbury. (fn. 16) The Andover-Devizes road, crossing the
parish from east to west, and the Bourne by
Leckford bridge, was turnpiked under an Act of
1762. (fn. 17) The Swindon, Marlborough & Andover
Railway, opened in 1882, ran through the parish
with a station at Cadley. (fn. 18) The line was closed in
1961. (fn. 19)
Prehistoric finds and sites, particularly the barrow
cemeteries on Snail and Cow downs, indicate the
congregation of men in the region from late Neolithic times. (fn. 20) There is also evidence of farming
activity on the downs in the late Bronze Age and the
Romano-British Period. (fn. 21) Short stretches of prehistoric ditch occur along the southern and western
boundaries and there is an early enclosure on Wick
down. The great Iron-Age fort on Sidbury hill in
North Tidworth, a focus for many tracks and
ditches, is near the southern parish boundary. (fn. 22)
In 1334 Collingbourne Ducis was taxed rather
lower than Everleigh, the only other entire parish
in the liberty of Everleigh, to which they both
belonged. In 1377, however, it had 127 poll-tax
payers to Everleigh's 99. (fn. 23) To the benevolence of
1545 it contributed £7, Everleigh £4. To the subsidy
of 1576 it paid £8, a little less than Everleigh. (fn. 24) In
1801 the population was 457. In 1861 it was 564 but
thereafter declined. The boundary change of 1934
added 166 inhabitants and in 1951 the population
was 544. (fn. 25) In 1971 it was 590. (fn. 26)
The village of Collingbourne Ducis is strung out
for nearly 1 km. along the main road to Marlborough. The church, manor farm-house (now
called Court Farm), and the old and new rectoryhouses stand towards the southern end of the street
which there widens and is called Church Street.
The farm buildings of Collingbourne farm stood
north of the rectory-house until the 19th century.
At that end of the village, until filled in c. 1960, there
was a large pond called Great Mere formed by a
widening of the Bourne. It could be crossed by a
ford. (fn. 27) North-west of Great Mere was another large
pond in 1777 which had disappeared by the 1880s. (fn. 28)
East of Great Mere, along Mill Lane, stood the
windmill in 1773. (fn. 29)
The early manor farm-house was probably
represented in 1975 by the house called the Hermitage. That house dates mainly from the 18th century
but possibly incorporates part of an earlier building.
The present Court Farm, which adjoins it, was
built for a marquess of Ailesbury in the 1850s.
Spaced out along both sides of the street are a
number of small timber-framed houses, their walls
chiefly infilled with flint, rubble, and brick. Some
are thatched. Most appear to be of 17th- or 18th-century origin. Linden Cottage is dated 1694.
Houses on the west side are reached by small
bridges spanning the Bourne which runs down that
side of the road.
The hamlet of Cadley lies north-east of Collingbourne Ducis village along Cadley Road, which
formerly continued eastwards beyond the Shears
inn. (fn. 30) In the 18th century the main settlement at
Cadley seems to have been concentrated about the
crossing of Cadley Road and the Hungerford-Salisbury road. (fn. 31) In 1777 there were at least fourteen
houses in the hamlet. (fn. 32) The railway station and a
small nonconformist chapel were built along Cadley
Road in the 1880s. In 1975 almost nothing remained
of the settlement at the cross-road and 19th- and
20th-century development has been concentrated at
the western end of Cadley Road.
In 1604 the rector and eighteen parishioners
petitioned for a licence for Robert Fay to keep a
victualling house. A reason given was that many
travellers lost on the downs sought shelter in the
village. (fn. 33) The Shears inn at Cadley was in existence
at least in 1773. (fn. 34) The present building is of the early
19th century. A New Inn is mentioned in 1844; (fn. 35)
the Blue Lion was in the village street in 1863 (fn. 36) and
probably much earlier. After the coming of the
railway it was called the Blue Lion and Railway
Hotel. The present building, which is of vitreous
brick with red-brick dressings, dates from the early
18th century.
William Batt(1744–1812), physician and scientist,
was born in Collingbourne Ducis where his family
held land. He practised for many years in Genoa. (fn. 37)
Manors.
At the time of Domesday Collingbourne
Ducis was held by the king, having been held by
Harold before the Conquest. (fn. 38) It may, with Everleigh, have been granted to Robert de Beaumont
(d. 1118), said to have been created earl of Leicester,
for like Everleigh it belonged to Robert's grandson
to whom the earldom of Leicester passed. (fn. 39) Thereafter COLLINGBOURNE DUCIS passed with
the earldom in the same way as Everleigh to become
part of the duchy of Lancaster's Wiltshire estate.
In 1536 Collingbourne was granted, like Everleigh,
to Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp (from
1537 earl of Hertford, from 1546 duke of Somerset,
the Lord Protector). (fn. 40)
After the Protector's execution in 1552 Collingbourne passed to his son Edward Seymour, then
a minor. (fn. 41) It was confirmed to Edward, by then
created earl of Hertford, in 1581. (fn. 42) Edward was
succeeded in 1621 by his grandson William, who
was restored as duke of Somerset in 1660, a month
before he died without surviving issue. (fn. 43) His grandson and heir, William, duke of Somerset, died a
minor and unmarried in 1671. That William's
Wiltshire estates then devolved upon his sister
Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Bruce, who succeeded as
earl of Ailesbury in 1685 and died in 1741. (fn. 44)
Collingbourne passed to Charles, son of Thomas
and Elizabeth, on whose death in 1747 the earldom
of Ailesbury became extinct. Charles's lands and the
barony of Bruce of Tottenham passed to the son of
his sister Elizabeth, wife of George Brudenell, earl
of Cardigan (d. 1732). That son, Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, was created earl of Ailesbury in 1776 and died
in 1814. His younger son Charles was created
marquess of Ailesbury in 1821 and died in 1856. (fn. 45)
Collingbourne continued to descend with the Ailesbury title until 1929 when with other parts of the
Savernake estate it was broken up and sold in lots. (fn. 46)
Two of the principal farms, Court and Hougomont, (fn. 47)
were sold respectively to A. J. Bridgman and
J. P. Wiltshire. Both farms were bought by the
War Department in 1939. (fn. 48)
An estate including 10 virgates of land was conveyed in 1326 by Henry of Hanydon, a chaplain, and
John Tourand to Walter Douce and Emmeline his
wife. (fn. 49) That may be an early reference to the estate
called COLLINGBOURNE FARM which John
Dowse (d. 1535 or 1536) held of the duchy of
Lancaster. (fn. 50) John was succeeded by his son Richard,
perhaps the free tenant of that name present at the
court of Collingbourne Ducis manor in 1572. (fn. 51)
A Richard Dowse died in 1611 or 1612 having
settled an estate of some 390 a., then called a manor,
upon his son Thomas. (fn. 52) In 1615–16 Thomas settled
it on his son Richard, and in 1640–1 Richard settled it
on his son Walter. Richard and Walter conveyed it in
1656 to William Long. (fn. 53) William Long conveyed it
to Richard Long, and Richard to his son Henry. (fn. 54)
In 1724 Henry Long of Melksham conveyed the
manor, or 'reputed manor called Collingbourne
Farm', to the Revd. Thomas Cheney. It then
included rather more than 200 a. and paid a quitrent to the lord of Collingbourne Ducis manor.
Cheney was followed soon after 1724 by his son
Thomas. The younger Thomas died in 1764; the
farm passed to Robert Lowth, soon to become bishop
of Oxford and later bishop of London, (fn. 55) whose wife
Mary was a cousin of the younger Thomas.
The bishop died in 1787 having left the farm to
his wife for life. In 1794 she conveyed it to their son
Robert who sold it in 1805 to Thomas Bruce, earl
of Ailesbury (d. 1814). Thenceforth it was merged
in the manor of Collingbourne Ducis.
About 1400 an estate called the manor of
CRAWLBOYS, of which John Skilling was tenant,
was granted by John Croilboys and his wife Agnes to
Sir Thomas de Skelton and his wife Joan. (fn. 56) In 1464
Crawlboys was among the estates conveyed by John
Wynnard and his wife Elizabeth to John Wydeslade
in fee. (fn. 57) By then the custody of the chase of Collingbourne Ducis went with the grant of Crawlboys. (fn. 58)
In 1482 Thomas Wayte died seised of Crawlboys
and the keepership of the woods in the right of his
wife Elizabeth, perhaps the daughter of John
Wydeslade. His heir was his brother William. (fn. 59) In
1552 Peter Merkat held Crawlboys as a free tenant
of Collingbourne Ducis manor. (fn. 60)
By 1575 Crawlboys and the custody of the
Collingbourne woods had passed to Thomas Philpot
(d. 1586) who also held the manor of Chute and the
wardenship of Chute forest. (fn. 61) Thomas's son and
heir, Sir George Philpot, died in 1624 seised of
Crawlboys and the custody of the woods. (fn. 62) His heir
was his son, Sir John (d. c. 1634), who was compensated by the king for the loss of the wardenship. (fn. 63)
The connexion between Crawlboys and the custody
of the Collingbourne woods was apparently then
severed. (fn. 64) Sir John's son, Sir Henry, succeeded
him (fn. 65) but was probably the last Philpot to hold
Crawlboys.
The later descent of Crawlboys farm can be
traced only intermittently. In 1703 George Parry
held it as a free tenant of the capital manor. (fn. 66) In the
later 18th century it was held by William Garrard. (fn. 67)
In 1844 Joseph Hague Everett owned it (fn. 68) and a Mr.
Everett still owned it in 1863. (fn. 69) In 1935 it was
acquired by the Hon. Bryan Guinness, later Lord
Moyne, who owned it in 1975. (fn. 70)
Economic History.
Collingbourne Ducis
increased in value from £40 to £60 between King
Harold's time and the Domesday survey. (fn. 71) In 1086
there was land for 45 ploughs. On the 5 demesne
hides there were 12 serfs with 5 ploughs. There
were also elsewhere on the estate 49 villeins and 26
bordars with 15 ploughs. There was pasture 2
leagues long by 1 league broad.
In 1212 the manor was valued at £20, or, with its
stock, at £34. Included in the stock were over 1,000
sheep. (fn. 72) In 1361 there were reckoned to be 500 a. of
arable, half of which was sown every year, leaving
the other half fallow. (fn. 73) Among the customary tenants
was a class known as Mondaymen employed chiefly
for work with the demesne flocks. (fn. 74) From the 13th
century to the 15th those flocks contained over 1,000
sheep. (fn. 75)
A close connexion existed between Collingbourne
Ducis and Everleigh during the time that both
formed part of the duchy of Lancaster's Wiltshire
estate. Produce was exchanged between the two, and
the comparatively sparsely wooded Everleigh depended largely on Collingbourne for timber. (fn. 76) In
the later 15th century the office of hayward for both
manors was apparently used to reward a royal
servant. (fn. 77) In 1444–5 the demesne farms of both
manors were leased together to John Stamford of
Rushall, the duchy's stock-keeper. (fn. 78)
At Collingbourne in the 15th century the demesne
lands were leased out in lots. There were usually
seven parcels in addition to the manor farm. (fn. 79) In
1461–2 Richard Batt, who for several years had been
bailiff of the manor, leased the farm in partnership
with William Dyper. (fn. 80) Dyper continued alone as
lessee and was followed after 1524 by William
Button. By 1552 Button had been succeeded by
Thomas Dowse, perhaps a son of the Richard
Dowse who held Collingbourne farm at that date. (fn. 81)
Thomas had been succeeded by Sir Francis Dowse
by 1608. (fn. 82)
In 1552 the manor farm had three small inclosed
arable fields, and the common arable was in East,
Middle, and West fields which lay together on the
west side of the later main Marlborough—Salisbury
road. An outfield had been created along the southern
end of the three. (fn. 83) In the 18th century a rotation of
three corn crops succeeded by one year fallow was
followed in the three fields, and alternate years corn
crop and fallow in the outfield. (fn. 84) Most of the 16th-century copyholders held 1 virgate of arable with
other scattered small parcels of land. Among the
smaller holdings was the workland, measuring 10 a.
In 1552 there were 5 Mondaylands, the original
holding of the Mondayman, but then held with
other pieces of land. A ½-reeveland, measuring 15a.,
occurs at the same date. (fn. 85)
A string of small inclosed water-meadows, known
at least in 1651 as ropes, followed the curve of the
Bourne south of the village. (fn. 86) The size of a single
rope varied, ¼ a. being about average. In the 18th
century some tenants held as many as six ropes. (fn. 87)
In the mid 16th century there were about 250 a.
of down for the demesne farm, including 100 a. on
Cow down. The tenantry had 100 a. on Snail down
and 40 a. elsewhere. Wick heath in the north-east
part of the parish provided 30 a. of common land and
there was another common of 10 a. Stinting allowed
for 70 sheep for every yardland, 15 sheep for a
workland, and 10 sheep for a Mondayland. (fn. 88)
A complaint in the manor court in 1590 about the
ploughing of Widgerly down presages the changes
in the pattern of farming then beginning and carried
through in the 18th century. (fn. 89) In the 1730s downland belonging to the manor farm in the south part
of the parish was first burnt and then ploughed.
More land on Cow and Snail downs was similarly
treated soon afterwards when tenants surrendered
their common rights in return for permission to
plough and inclose for themselves in the same region.
As a result the manor farm acquired an inclosed
farm on Cow down called in 1745 New farm. (fn. 90)
The breaking up of the downs for arable was
accompanied from the late 17th century by a long
series of agreements between the lord of the manor,
freeholders, and tenants for inclosure and exchanges
of the common land. (fn. 91) Awards by specially appointed commissioners were made in 1738 and
1775. (fn. 92) That of 1775 provided for the continued
cultivation of the three common fields and the
outfield, for feeding the downs in common, and for
the allotment of sheep leazes. (fn. 93) The last agreement
for exchanges, divisions, and inclosure was made in
1815, and although an award was intended, none
has been found. (fn. 94)
By the mid 18th century the ploughing of the
downs had reduced the number of sheep kept on the
manor farm from 1,300 to about half that number.
Reductions were agreed for all the farms in the
parish. On Collingbourne farm the number fell from
385 to 330; on the glebe farm from 140 to 120.
Husbandry throughout the 18th century was strictly
regulated. The new agrarian arrangements, and in
particular the rights of way along droves leading to
and from the new inclosures, were recorded in the
manor courts. (fn. 95)
There were two freehold farms within Collingbourne. Crawlboys farm, in its isolated situation,
had no share in the common fields and was farmed
in severalty. (fn. 96) In 1608 it was said to be totally
inclosed with banks and ditches. (fn. 97) It was, therefore,
not included in any of the agreements for exchanges
of land in the 18th century and was independent of
the regulations laid down for the rest of the parish.
Collingbourne farm, known as either Cheney's or
Lowth's in the 18th century, was included in many
of the inclosure agreements, (fn. 98) so that by 1777 much
of the farm lay consolidated and inclosed in the
north-east part of the parish. (fn. 99) When bought by
Lord Ailesbury in 1810 it measured 387 a. Thereafter it was merged with the adjoining land of Church
Street farm (see below). Its buildings were in disrepair in 1763. (fn. 100) A new farm-house was built c. 1845
and the farm became known as Mount Orleans. (fn. 101)
When sold in 1929 it had 592 a. and was farmed by
H. C. Pullen. (fn. 102)
Church Street farm grew from an accumulation
of copyholds acquired c. 1751 by Robert Shepherd
and Robert Croome, a wheelwright, both of Collingbourne Ducis. (fn. 103) Its farm-house lay east of and close
to Court Farm. (fn. 104) In 1777, farmed by Robert Croome,
the farm measured 706 a. and included some of the
new arable on Cow down and two ropes of watermeadow. (fn. 105) Croome was succeeded before 1810 by
Harry Pike, and he before 1844 by George Pike. (fn. 106) By
1929 most of the farm had been merged with Mount
Orleans farm. (fn. 107)
In 1745 the manor farm was known as Court
farm, and farm and farm-house were divided
between two tenants, Hester Callow and William
Maton. (fn. 108) In 1773 Edward Andrews, then tenant of
both parts, was given leave to plough part of
Tatshanger down for the cultivation of sainfoin.
The farm's arable then included part of the land on
Cow down, ploughed for the first time in 1738, and
was arranged in five fields. (fn. 109) In 1777 the farm
measured 759 a. (fn. 110) Andrews was followed as tenant
before 1810 by William Blatch and in 1844 Leonard
Pitt Maton was tenant. (fn. 111) In 1867 John Russ was
farmer and a new farm-house had recently been
built. (fn. 112) At the sale of 1929 the farm was estimated at
859 a. (fn. 113) In 1975 it was farmed by Mr. P. J. Gordon. (fn. 114)
Another substantial farm originated in the accumulation of a number of leaseholds and copyholds held in the 17th and 18th centuries by members
of the Batt family. (fn. 115) In 1774 Elizabeth Batt and her
son William Batt, the physician, surrendered their
holdings to Lord Bruce. (fn. 116) The farm so formed was
held by John Bailey in 1777 and measured 162 a.
Land in the south-west part of the parish was added
to it, including part of New farm on Cow down
created in 1738. (fn. 117) William Bailey was the tenant in
1810 and soon after the farm-house, called Hougomont, was built. (fn. 118) In 1844 John Bailey farmed the
778 a. of Hougomont farm. (fn. 119) In 1867 the farmer
was Charles Petar. (fn. 120) When sold in 1929 the farm
measured 832 a. (fn. 121) In 1975 it was farmed by Mr.
F. J. Wallis. (fn. 122)
A report on Lord Ailesbury's Collingbourne
farms in 1867 found that in spite of the advantages
of suitable soils and good communications, Court,
Hougomont, and Mount Orleans farms were not
well farmed. An inefficient rotation of crops, it was
alleged, was followed, and too many breeding ewes
kept at the expense of sheep for fattening and
cattle. The report was also critical of the labour upon
the farms. (fn. 123)
After the break-up of the Ailesbury estate in 1929
the farms continued as mixed farms. After 1939,
however, when the War Office acquired the western
half of the parish, restrictions were imposed upon
Hougomont and Court farms, and crops could not
be grown in tank-training areas. (fn. 124)
A small foundry, known as the Bourne Iron Works,
was established on the east side of the village street
by James Rawlings in the 1860s. The Rawlings
family manufactured agricultural implements there
until the outbreak of the Second World War. (fn. 125) A
group of local farmers acquired the premises in 1958
and a company, later called Hosier Farming Systems,
was formed to manufacture milking machines and
some other farming equipment. In 1973 it became
a subsidiary of the Hillspan Group of Eastleigh
(Hants). In 1975 it employed no people. (fn. 126)
In 1086 a third of Chute forest belonged to the
king's manor of Collingbourne which also had
woodland measuring 1 league square. (fn. 127) The third
of Chute probably refers to Collingbourne woods,
the southern part of which occupied much of the
eastern half of Collingbourne Ducis. By 1330 the
woods had been disafforested (fn. 128) and thenceforth
remained in the hands of the lord of the manor until
1929.
By 1464 the southern part of the woods had been
made a chase known as Collingbourne Ducis chase.
From then until the mid 17th century its keepership
belonged to the holders of Crawlboys farm. (fn. 129)
In 1540 the woods covered about 265 a. and
included 14 coppices and 2,338 trees. (fn. 130) They
remained unsold at the sale of the Savernake estate
in 1929, but soon after were acquired by the
Forestry Commission, which still owned them in
1975. (fn. 131)
The timber was valued among the assets of the
manor at 60s. a year in 1297. (fn. 132) In 1540 the farmer of
the manor farm was allowed ten loads of wood a
year, and tenants on some other duchy manors had
allowances of wood from Collingbourne. (fn. 133) Curtailment of those allowances after Collingbourne passed
to the duke of Somerset produced complaints in the
manor court in 1552. (fn. 134) When sold c. 1929 the woods
were highly valued for the shooting which was let
for £99 a year. (fn. 135)
There was a windmill on the manor in 1361. (fn. 136)
There was a mill leased for about 10s. a year in the
15th century. (fn. 137) A mill leased by one of the Dowse
family in 1552 was described as a horse-mill. (fn. 138) The
windmill stood south-east of the village in 1773. (fn. 139)
Market and Fairs.
A weekly market and two
annual fairs were granted to the duke of Lancaster
(d. 1361) in 1353. The market was to be held on
Mondays and the fairs on the eve, feast, and morrow
of St. Barnabas (11 June) and of St. Andrew (30
Nov.). (fn. 140) Nothing more is heard of the Monday
market and in the mid 16th century a combined
fair and market was held annually and called St.
Andrew's fair. The duke of Somerset's bailiff bought
eight halters and whipcord there c. 1548. (fn. 141) Measuring and weighing beams were in use in the early 17th
century. (fn. 142)
In the later 16th century the fair was leased by the
lord of the manor to Francis Vincent. (fn. 143) In 1608
a Francis Vincent, then the lessee, was described as
a gentleman, and in 1612 as the servant of the earl
of Hertford (d. 1621). (fn. 144) In 1617 Francis Vincent and
his son John were lessees, (fn. 145) and the Vincent family
continued as lessees until the mid 18th century and
possibly longer. (fn. 146) It is not known precisely when the
fair was last held. It was recorded in a list of fairs of
1792 as being held on n December, but does not
appear in one of 1888. (fn. 147)
The fair was held at Hill field, otherwise Fair
close, apparently at the southern end of the village
where the ground was liable to flooding. (fn. 148) Stands
and booths were damaged by water c. 1590. (fn. 149)
Local Government.
It has been suggested
that Collingbourne Ducis, as it was later called, did
not belong to any hundred in the nth century. In
the geld rolls it was not returned as part of any
hundred, but was placed as if it were a small hundred
on its own. (fn. 150)
Court books and rolls survive from the later 16th
century until 1821 when the court met for the last
time. (fn. 151) They show a view of frankpledge and manor
court to have been held together twice a year. From
the late 16th century, and particularly in the 18th
century, the court was much concerned to record
and regulate the agrarian changes taking place. (fn. 152)
The vestry, made up of the more substantial
ratepayers, met, occasionally at least, in the earlier
19th century at the New Inn. (fn. 153) In 1833 it agreed to
provide vaccination for the infant poor and 73
children were vaccinated. In 1835 it appointed a
doctor to tend the poor. The vestry decided upon
the distribution of wood given every year to the
parish by Lord Ailesbury. In 1843 it made arrangements and certain payments for sixteen people
emigrating to Australia. (fn. 154) Records of overseers'
disbursements and some receipts survive from 1770
to 1912. (fn. 155) Collingbourne became part of Pewsey
poor-law union in 1836. (fn. 156)
Church.
By 1086 the tithes of Collingbourne
Ducis had been granted to Gerald of Wilton, a
priest, and the church, presumably as a consequence,
was reputed to be impoverished and ruinous. (fn. 157)
Before 1228 it was granted to Wherwell Abbey. (fn. 158)
Although the abbey did not appropriate the revenues,
the abbesses drew a pension of £8 from the church. (fn. 159)
The benefice was united with that of Collingbourne
Kingston in 1963. The rectory of Everleigh was
added to the united benefice, thereafter called the
Collingbournes and Everleigh, in 1975. (fn. 160) Collingbourne Ducis and Everleigh were united to create
a new ecclesiastical parish called Collingbourne Ducis
and Everleigh in 1977. (fn. 161)
The abbesses of Wherwell presented rectors until
the dissolution of their house in 1539, but apparently
shortly before then the next turn was granted away,
for in 1545 John Salmon presented by consent of
the abbess. (fn. 162) The advowson had, however, been
included in the grant of the manor to Edward
Seymour (the Lord Protector, d. 1552) in 1536 (fn. 163) and
on the death of the rector presented by Salmon,
Seymour, by then earl of Hertford, presented. (fn. 164) His
widow Anne, duchess of Somerset (d. 1587), presented in 1554, (fn. 165) but the advowson, unlike the
manor, apparently did not pass to Seymour's son,
and in 1581 the patron was Sir Richard Kingsmill. (fn. 166)
In 1614 and 1633 the king exercised the patronage,
but on the first occasion merely confirmed Kingsmill's presentation. (fn. 167) By 1650 the patronage had
been restored to Seymour's great-grandson William,
marquess of Hertford, later duke of Somerset (d.
1660). (fn. 168) From him it passed to his grandson and
heir as duke of Somerset (d. 1671) who presented in
1662. (fn. 169) After the duke's death the advowson did not
pass like the manor and in 1700 Merton College,
Oxford, presented one of their Fellows to the living. (fn. 170)
The king exercised the patronage in the following
year, but only to confirm Merton's presentation. (fn. 171)
In 1735 the advowson returned, after over 70 years,
to the hands of the lord of the manor when Charles,
Lord Bruce of Whorlton, later earl of Ailesbury (d.
1746), presented. (fn. 172) Lord Ailesbury presented again
in 1743 and thereafter the advowson descended like
the Ailesbury title (fn. 173) until 1957 when it was transferred to the bishop. (fn. 174) When the Collingbournes and
Everleigh were united in 1975 the bishop of Salisbury as patron of Collingbourne Ducis was allotted
the first and fourth of five turns. (fn. 175)
In 1291 the church was valued at £6 13s. 4d., (fn. 176) in
1535 at £16 net. (fn. 177) At both dates £8 was deducted for
the pension due to the abbess of Wherwell. The
pension passed to the Crown at the Dissolution, and
was still payable in 1783. (fn. 178) In 1650 the rectory with
glebe was said to be worth £300. (fn. 179) From 1829 to
1831 the average net income was £585. (fn. 180)
In 1086 ½ hide belonged to the church. (fn. 181) In 1671
there were 60½ a. of arable glebe lying scattered in
the west and east fields. (fn. 182) Right of common for 140
sheep went with the glebe in 1783 and there was a
large parsonage-house with a farmyard and meadow
land adjoining. (fn. 183) The glebe, measuring some 55 a.,
still belonged to the benefice in 1975 and was farmed
with Hougomont farm. (fn. 184) A new rectory-house,
designed by Benjamin Ingelow, was built on roughly
the same site as the old in 1863. (fn. 185) In 1964 a smaller
house was built in the grounds for the incumbent of
the united benefice of the Collingbournes. (fn. 186) All
tithes were due to the rector and were commuted in
1846 for a rent-charge of £636. (fn. 187)
Possibly as at Trowbridge, the lord of the manor
exercised archidiaconal jurisdiction within the parish
from at least the late 13th century. (fn. 188) After 1544,
when Edward Seymour, by then Lord Hertford (d.
1552), was granted the former prebend of Bedwyn, (fn. 189)
Collingbourne Ducis and Great and Little Bedwyn
formed a peculiar, known as the peculiar of the Lord
Warden of Savernake Forest, the hereditary office
held by the Seymours and their successors the
Bruces. (fn. 190) In 1663 the duke of Somerset appointed
the rector of Collingbourne Ducis as his official for
the peculiar, (fn. 191) and later lords of the manor frequently, but not invariably, made like appointments.
The Collingbourne churchwardens presented faults
to the official twice a year at visitation courts held
either in Collingbourne Ducis or Great Bedwyn
church. At Collingbourne presentations were usually
either for non-attendance at church or for failure to
maintain pews which were the personal responsibility
of their owners. (fn. 192) As everywhere else the peculiar
jurisdiction was abolished in 1847. (fn. 193)
In 1536 Robert Richardson, rector 1506–44, had
licence to absent himself from the parish, perhaps
one of many such dispensations as until 1522 he was
also vicar of St. Mary's, Marlborough, and between
1510 and 1535 master of St. John's Hospital there. (fn. 194)
Between 1633 and 1662 three active presbyterians
held the living. Henry Scudder (1633–c. 1650) was
a member of the Westminster Assembly and the
author of several treatises. Adoniram Byfield (c.
1650–60) was one of the scribes to the assembly
and an assistant commissioner for Wiltshire under
the ordinance for ejecting 'scandalous' ministers. (fn. 195)
Daniel Burgess (1660–2), in spite of appeals from
his patron, the duke of Somerset (d. 1671), to
conform, was ejected from the living for his nonconformity and retired to Marlborough. (fn. 196)
In the 18th century there were rectors with
commitments outside the parish. William Sherwin
(1700–35), a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford,
spent the last fifteen years of his incumbency in
Chichester, where he was a residentiary canon. (fn. 197) A
curate served the church meanwhile, and probably
continued to do so during the incumbency of the
following rector, the Hon. Thomas Bruce (1735–8),
who never resided. (fn. 198) William Tomblins (1756–88)
lived in Collingbourne although he also held the
rectory of Upham (Hants). (fn. 199) Thomas Talbot (1743–58) had a detailed survey made of the parish at his
own expense. (fn. 200)
Among later incumbents Charles Francis (1788–1821) employed a curate and only occasionally
resided, as he also served the church of Mildenhall. (fn. 201)
W. C. Lukis (1855–62) published the first record of
English bell inscriptions in 1857 and was a local
antiquary. (fn. 202)
In 1650 it was proposed that the residents of
Crawlboys Farm should attend Ludgershall church
which was much closer than their parish church.
At the same time the inhabitants of Collingbourne
Sunton, then in Collingbourne Kingston, except
those on Dr. Hyde's farm, were to be brought into
the parish of Collingbourne Ducis. (fn. 203) In 1676 the
rector reported 170 conformists in the parish. (fn. 204) In
1783, although there was no dissenter, the incumbent
considered church attendances to be rather poor.
Services were held twice on Sundays and Holy
Communion celebrated four times a year, when
there were never more than twenty communicants. (fn. 205)
On Census Sunday in 1851 it was estimated that
100 were in church in the morning and 90 in the
afternoon. (fn. 206) In 1864 there were reckoned to be more
than 80 communicants, of whom on average 29
attended at the great festivals. The congregation
then averaged about 50, and would have been larger
but for the bad accommodation in the church. (fn. 207)
The early dedication of the church was to St.
Mary but by 1786 had been changed to ST.
ANDREW. (fn. 208) The building of flint and rubble with
stone dressings stands on high ground at the
southern end of the village. It consists of chancel
with north vestry and organ chamber, an aisled nave
with south porch, and a west tower.
In the early 13th century there was an aisled nave,
with arcades of three bays in transitional style, and
presumably a chancel. The chancel was enlarged or
rebuilt later in the century and new windows were
put into the aisles early in the 14th century, the
south aisle probably being rebuilt at that time. The
tower arch may be late-14th-century and the oblong
plan of the tower suggests an earlier date than the
15th century, at which time it was rebuilt. Within
the middle stage of the tower is a large dovecot
with nesting-boxes lining all four walls. A square
aperture to the outside has an alighting and takingoff platform. The south doorway of the church and
the window to its east were renewed in the 16th
century.
The chancel was rebuilt on a narrower plan in
1856 by Lukis when he became rector. (fn. 209) The north
vestry was added at the same time. The architect
was G. E. Street. In 1877, with Sir Arthur Blomfield
as architect, (fn. 210) the nave and aisles were thoroughly
restored and re-roofed and a new porch was built
to replace one of brick dated 1791. The chancel arch
was renewed and an organ-chamber added. The
tower was restored in 1902 with money from Charles
Francis's charity. The west window by Ward and
Hughes was inserted c. 1887 by John Mackrell to
commemorate his ancestors. (fn. 211)
Charles Francis (d. 1821) bequeathed £100 to
provide a fund for church repairs. The money has
since been used for that purpose. John Mackrell
gave £200 to maintain the window in the west wall
of the tower. Some of the interest has been used to
pay insurance premiums and the rest, in accordance
with Mackrell's wishes, on benefits for the poor. (fn. 212)
A brass on the south wall of the chancel commemorates Edward (d. 1631 aged 11 months), son
of William Seymour, duke of Somerset (d. 1660). (fn. 213)
In 1553 the church kept its silver chalice, but 17 oz.
of silver were taken for the king. (fn. 214) In 1783, besides
the chalice, the church had some pewter vessels. (fn. 215)
New plate was acquired in the 19th century. It
included a chalice, given at the time of the restoration of 1877, and a small cup with handle, a paten,
and an alms-dish given by Charles Francis. (fn. 216) Two
small items were added in the 20th century. (fn. 217) In
1783 there were four bells, (fn. 218) later six: (ii), by
Robert Wells of Aldbourne, and (vi), by James
Borough of Devizes, were recast in 1902. Bells (iii)
and (iv) are 17th-century and (v) early-16th-century.
The treble was added in 1927. (fn. 219) The registers begin
in 1653, and, except for a gap for marriages between
1727 and 1730, are complete. (fn. 220)
Nonconformity.
There was no dissenter in
the parish in 1676. (fn. 221) Some houses in the village were
used for nonconformist worship in the earlier 19th
century. That of John Hillier was registered in 1812,
that of John Lansley or Lousley in 1828 and 1844,
and that of Joseph Butcher in 1840. At Cadley the
house of Joseph Allen was registered in 1834. (fn. 222) In
1838 there were thought to be 22 Baptists and 36
Primitive Methodists meeting in houses in the
neighbourhood. (fn. 223) A chapel was built by the Primitive
Methodists in 1849 and on Census Sunday in 1851
it was reckoned that 195 people attended there in
the morning, 194 in the afternoon, and 210 in the
evening. (fn. 224)
In 1864 there were thought to be some 200 nonconformists. The Wesleyan Methodists and Baptists
attended chapels outside the parish. (fn. 225) A new
Primitive Methodist chapel was built at Cadley in
1880 and in 1975 was still in use. (fn. 226)
Education.
In 1819 there were two schools for
about 35 children, most of whom were paid for by
the rector. About twelve children came from
neighbouring parishes. A strong desire for education
prevailed, (fn. 227) but in 1833 there was no school. (fn. 228)
In 1858 between 20 and 30 children were taught
in a dame school and others went to the school in
Collingbourne Kingston. In 1859, however, a school,
supported by the National Society, was opened with
a certificated master in charge. (fn. 229) The architect of
the new building was Samuel Overton. (fn. 230) Average
attendance throughout the later 19th century was
around 80. (fn. 231) School pence were abolished in 1891,
and a penny bank opened in the school to which
parents could subscribe. (fn. 232) The school had 85
children in 1975. (fn. 233) In 1864 there was an eveningschool during the winter for about twenty young
men and boys. (fn. 234)
Charities for the Poor.
George John
Hooper by his will proved 1862 left £100 for investment to provide coal for poor widows in the parish.
Marianna Hooper by her will proved 1867 left £100
similarly to buy flannel or blankets for poor working
women. In 1904 the income from G. J. Hooper's
bequest was £2 10s. and eight widows received 9
cwt. of coal each. Marianna Hooper's charity by
that date had been extended to needy children as
well as poor women and that year nine recipients
received vouchers worth about 5s. each. Elizabeth
Piper by her will proved 1890 bequeathed £200 for
investment to provide coals and blankets for the
elderly. In 1904 the income was about £5 and there
were thirteen beneficiaries. (fn. 235)
The poor also sometimes benefited from John
Mackrell's charity which was primarily intended to
maintain the west window in the church. (fn. 236) In 1904
nearly £5 was distributed. (fn. 237)
In 1975 the two Hooper charities yielded £2.50
each. That of Elizabeth Piper brought in about £5.
All three were spent on vouchers for groceries at
Christmas. (fn. 238)