PERTWOOD
The ancient parish of Pertwood lay on the summit of the downs about 3½ miles north from East
Knoyle and the same distance south from Sutton
Veny. (fn. 1) It comprised 450 a. (fn. 2) and since the 16th
century consisted of a single farm. The parish was
made up of two separate, roughly triangular
shaped pieces of land, the apex of the northern,
and smaller, triangle pointing towards, but not
quite touching the apex of the southern, and larger,
triangle. (fn. 3) Tracks running over the top of the downs
formed the eastern and western boundaries of both
parts of the parish. (fn. 4) The northern boundary of
the northern part of the parish ran just north of
Pertwood Wood, and the southern boundary of the
southern part across Bockerly Hill just south of
Upper Pertwood Bushes. (fn. 5) The church of St. Peter, (fn. 6)
and Upper Pertwood Farm, comprising the farm
house, called (in 1962) the Manor House, four or
five farm cottages, and the farm buildings, form the
only settlement within the area of the ancient
parish. This fairly compact group of buildings lies
in the southern portion of the former parish towards
the top of the down and is approached by a drive
from the main road. In 1885 all the southern portion
of Pertwood was taken into the civil parish of East
Knoyle and the whole of the northern portion into
that of Sutton Veny. (fn. 7)
The entire ancient parish lay upon the Upper
Chalk which in this region is capped with clay-with
-flints. (fn. 8) In the northern part of the parish the land
rises to about 700 ft., and in the southern part falls
to about 550 ft. John Aubrey, writing towards the
end of the 17th century, remarked that in spite of
its high, and apparently bracing, situation, Pertwood was frequently enveloped in mist and was not
a healthy place. (fn. 9) In 1962 there were two woods in
the northern part of the former parish but many of
the trees of Pertwood Wood (sometimes called Wylye
Wood) had been cut. In both parts there were
plantations of very large beech trees forming
windbreaks. Such plantations stretched along the
former northern and southern parish boundaries
and another sheltered the church and farm from
the west.
On Pertwood Down, to the west of the ancient
parish, there are numerous barrows and clear traces
of Celtic field systems, but none of these lies within
the area of the ancient parish. In 1962 the main
road from Shaftesbury to Warminster in the extreme south-west corner was the only road within
the former parish. But the point between the
apexes of the two triangles of land comprising the
former parish is the meeting place of a number of
tracks running over the downs, and through this
junction ran the Roman road from the Mendip
lead mines in the west to Old Salisbury in the east.
In 1962 a footpath led from the farm to Chicklade,
the nearest village, about 2 miles away.
No evidence has been found to suggest that there
was ever a much larger settlement at Pertwood.
It was assessed at 28s. to the 15th of 1334 when
5 hamlets in the hundred of Warminster had lower
assessments. (fn. 10) No poll-tax payers were returned
for Pertwood in 1377, (fn. 11) and in 1428 it was among
those places not assessed for taxation because they
had fewer than 10 householders. (fn. 12) When the
Census figures begin in 1801 there were 15 inhabitants and the largest number ever returned for the
ancient parish was 38 in 1881. (fn. 13)
Pertwood Manor stands facing east about 100
yds. from the church. It presumably stands upon
the site of an earlier house, which was the home of
the Mervyns in the 16th century, and possibly of
earlier lords of the manor. John Mervyn in his
will, proved in 1601, bequeathed to his brother,
Philip, the right to live at Pertwood for life 'if he
will take it, and orderly and quietly behave himself
in the same'. (fn. 14) The present (1962) house dates from
the 18th century but has been altered in the 19th
and 20th centuries, so that what was a quite modest
farmhouse has become a more sophisticated residence. It is a stone house of two stories with attic.
The east, and main, front of 3 bays has 4-pane
sash windows with drip moulds, and a half-glazed
double door in the centre.
MANOR.
The manor of PERTWOOD was held
before the Conquest by Wlward, but by the time
of the Domesday Survey it had passed to Geoffrey
de Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances. (fn. 15) Like Wing
field, another estate of the bishop in 1086, (fn. 16) Pertwood passed to the Earls of Gloucester and an
estate in Pertwood belonged to the honor of
Gloucester until the beginning of the 15th century. (fn. 17)
The Pertwood estate of the Earls of Gloucester
was held of them by the St. Quintins. It may have
formed part of the fee in Wiltshire held of the
honor of Gloucester by Herbert St. Quintin in
1210–12. (fn. 18) In 1242–3, 1299, and 1324 a John St.
Quintin held 1/5 fee there of the honor. (fn. 19) After the
last date no further trace has been found of the St.
Quintin interest in the manor.
By the middle of the 13th century the Mortimers,
later Earls of March, had also acquired an estate
in Pertwood. In 1242–3 Richard of Pertwood
(Pertewurth) held 1/5 fee there of Brian de Brampton,
who held of Ralph de Mortimer, and Thomas de
Caveresworth held ¼ fee there of the same Ralph. (fn. 20)
The overlordship of the Earls of March lasted
presumably until this honor was merged in the
Crown upon the accession of Edward, Duke of
York, as Edward IV in 1460. It was among the
possessions of Edward's great-uncle, Edmund,
Earl of March (d. 1425). (fn. 21)
In 1242–3 the estate in Pertwood held of the
honor of Gloucester by the St. Quintins (see above)
had been further subinfeudated and was held by
Roger de Trowe and Robert Gentil. (fn. 22) At the same
date Roger de Trowe also held 2 hides of James
de Trowe who held them of Hugh de Vivon. (fn. 23)
This 2-hide estate may also have been held of the
honor of Gloucester, for in 1401 Roger de
Trowe held a 2-hide estate there of that honor. (fn. 24)
Lack of evidence makes it impossible to trace
satisfactorily the subsequent descent of these
various holdings. In 1267 Alexander de Pertwood
(Purchewort) and Agnes, his wife, conveyed a
messuage and ½ virgate of land in Pertwood to
Christine de Pertwood (Purcewort), who may have
been the widow of the Richard de Pertwood of
1242–3 (see above). (fn. 25) Robert de Hoppegras and
Alice, his wife, possibly descendants of the Pertwoods, conveyed a messuage, a carucate of land,
and the advowson of the church of Pertwood in
1294 to Walter de Sutton. (fn. 26) Walter settled this
estate in 1320 upon himself and his wife Joan and
their issue with remainder to John Styward of
Upton Scudamore. (fn. 27) In 1330 Richard, son of James
de Trowe, conveyed his estate at Pertwood, part of
which was then held by his sister, Joan, to William
de Northo and Christine his wife with remainder
to William's son, another William, and Denise
his wife. (fn. 28) Sir William Sutton appears to have been
lord of the manor in 1333, for he presented to the
living of Pertwood that year, (fn. 29) and in 1365–6 John
Joye and Christine his wife, sold the manor, which
they held in right of Christine, to John Amberlegh. (fn. 30) John presented to the rectory in 1376 and
1379. (fn. 31)
Even less is known of the descent of the manor
during the 15th and earlier 16th centuries. If the
manor descended with the advowson, as is probable,
it was from 1400 until 1419 in the possession of
John Britte, or Brut, of Hindon; in 1433 of William
Elys, and in 1450 of John Elys. (fn. 32) Towards the end
of the 15th century William Fletcher became
possessed of the manor, apparently in right of his
wife Joan, daughter of John Brother of Pertwood. (fn. 33)
William died early in the 16th century, leaving as
his heirs two daughters, Agnes, wife of John Maton,
and Margaret, wife of John Ingram. (fn. 34) Margaret
seems to have married, as a second husband,
William Mervyn (fn. 35) and before 1539 her share of
the manor had passed to her son John Mervyn. (fn. 36)
The moiety belonging to Agnes Maton had by
then passed to Robert Temmys and Joan his wife,
who was probably Agnes's daughter. (fn. 37) This part
of the manor subsequently passed to George
Ludlow, who sold it in 1553 to John Mervyn who
thus became possessed of the whole. (fn. 38) John Mervyn
was succeeded by his son, also John, who died in
1601, when the manor passed to his son Thomas. (fn. 39)
Thomas died without issue and Pertwood passed
to his brother George. (fn. 40) It then descended in the
Mervyn family until 1692 when John Mervyn,
grandson of George, sold it to Sir James Howe. (fn. 41)
Sir James died without issue in 1736 and left the
estate to his nephew Henry Lee, commonly called
Lee Warner. (fn. 42) On Lee Warner's death in 1804 the
estate passed to his nephew James Woodward,
who assumed the name of Lee Warner, (fn. 43) and sold
Pertwood in 1805 to John Benett of Pythouse. (fn. 44)
Benett sold it in 1810 to Richard Ricward of
Longbridge Deverill. (fn. 45) Before 1838 it passed to
Henry Seymour, and from Seymour's son, Alfred,
it was bought in 1877 by the Hon. Percy Scawen
Wyndham. (fn. 46) In 1919 Guy Richard Charles
Wyndham, grandson of Percy Scawen Wyndham,
sold the estate to Arthur Mitchell, who in c. 1939
sold it to Paul Weldon. (fn. 47) In 1945 it was bought
from Paul Weldon by Col. Scrope Egerton who
owned it in 1962. (fn. 48) Annotation 670
CHURCH.
The earliest reference found to a
church at Pertwood is in 1333 when a rector was
instituted to replace another. (fn. 49) The living was a
rectory and the advowson belonged to the lords of
the manor who, so far as is known, always exercised
their patronage except in 1469 when the 'abbot of
St. Saviour, Syon' presented. (fn. 50) Rectors seem to
have been instituted fairly regularly until 1899
when the church was annexed to that of Chicklade
as a chapel-of-ease. (fn. 51) It was then served by the
Rector of Chicklade until 1921, when Chicklade
with Pertwood were united to the church of Hindon,
and since this date all three churches have been
served by the Vicar of Hindon. (fn. 52)
The living was discharged in the 18th century
when it was valued at £28, (fn. 53) and a grant of £6 10s.
a year was made from Queen Anne's Bounty. (fn. 54)
There were approximately 10 a. of glebe. In 1677
the glebe arable was distributed between the East,
Middle, and West Fields and there was a close of
meadow. (fn. 55) The tithe map of 1838 shows the glebe
lying in two lots of roughly equal size in the southern part of the parish just below the farmstead. (fn. 56)
All tithes were paid to the rector and were commuted
in 1838 for a rent charge of £74. (fn. 57) In 1677 there
was a rectory, or parsonage, house with barn and
stable adjoining. (fn. 58) This is not mentioned in the
glebe terrier of 1704 (fn. 59) and at the end of the 18th
century the rector lived in Hindon. (fn. 60) In 1835 the
house was still there but was said to be uninhabitable. (fn. 61) It was, however, later restored and in
1919 was let, with the glebe lands, to the tenant of
Pertwood Farm. (fn. 62) In 1962 a small farm cottage
stood on the site of the former parsonage house
just to the south-east of Pertwood Manor.
Little is known about the church. In c. 1361
William le Frend of New Salisbury left 40d. in his
will to it. (fn. 63) Richard Mervyn, probably a brother of
the lord of the manor, was instituted as rector in 1631
and held the living for 7 years. (fn. 64) Lancelot Morehouse, scholar and mathematician, and a friend of
John Aubrey, was rector in c. 1660. (fn. 65) In 1676 the
congregation seems to have amounted to no more
than 8 persons. (fn. 66) A service was held at 1 o'clock on
every other Sunday and at no other times in 1783.
Communion was not administered and the family
living in the farmhouse usually went to church in
Hindon. The incumbent at this date also served
the church at Hindon, then a chapel-of-ease of
East Knoyle. (fn. 67) In 1863 the rector lived at Chicklade,
but Pertwood was his only benefice. Services were
held on every Sunday, either in the morning or in
the afternoon, and a sermon was preached at every
service. There was also a service on Christmas Day,
and on Good Friday, and Communion was celebrated at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun. There
were 4 regular communicants, but the congregation
sometimes numbered 40 and was said to have much
increased of late. Fairly substantial numbers came
from Brixton Deverill to attend the services. In
that year there was one baptism within the church
and one burial in the churchyard. (fn. 68) In 1919 a
service was held on one afternoon a week, and in
1962 about once a month and at the time of the
Harvest Festival. (fn. 69)
Until the beginning of the 19th century,
the church of ST. PETER was a small, stone,
12th-century building with a round-headed door
on the south side. (fn. 70) It was restored in c. 1812
by the lord of the manor, and in 1822 there was
said to be no feature of antiquity left except a holywater stoop to the south of the altar. The chancel
at the later date was separated from the nave by
a round-headed arch. (fn. 71) Late in the 19th century the
church was completely rebuilt in flint with stone
dressings. It comprises nave, chancel, and small
north aisle. In spite of their long connexion with
the manor there are only two memorials to the
Mervyn family: one to Sheldon Mervyn (d. 1734),
the other to his sister Mrs. Mary Pouldon (d. 1747).
There is a wall tablet to Richard Ricward, lord of
the manor after 1810 who restored the church. In
1908 the bowl of a 14th-century font was discovered
buried in a nearby copse and was restored to the
church at the expense of the then lord of the manor,
Percy Scawen Wyndham. (fn. 72) In 1553 there were two
bells. In 1963 there was but one small bell probably
of late 13th-century date. (fn. 73) In 1553 a chalice
weighing 2 oz. was left for the parish and ½ oz.
silver taken for the king. In 1963 there was a silvergilt chalice with an indistinct hall-mark date,
thought to be 1676 and a paten probably of the same
date. (fn. 74) The oldest surviving register begins in 1811.
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
In 1086 Pertwood
comprised 2 hides. Of these, 1½ was demesne on
which there was one plough, leaving ½ hide for
tenant farming. There were 2 villeins and 3 bordars
with 1 plough. At that time there were 20 a. of
pasture and 4 a. of woodland. (fn. 75) Situated entirely
on chalk downland, the land of Pertwood for most
of its history has been used for corn growing and
sheep rearing. Since the middle of the 16th century, when John Mervyn acquired the whole
manor, (fn. 76) the parish has comprised but a single
farm. Almost nothing can be said about its agrarian
economy before the 19th century. John Mervyn,
who died in 1601, bequeathed 100 sheep each to
two of his younger sons, presumably over and above
his main stock which went with the manor to his
eldest son. (fn. 77) This son, Thomas Mervyn, had a
warren at Pertwood, which was plundered by two
of his neighbours from Sutton Veny and their
servants. (fn. 78)
In 1838 of the land subject to tithe 203 a. were
arable, 181 a. down, 8 a. pasture, and 30 a. wood.
Oats were the largest crop then produced, followed
by barley, followed by wheat. At this date in the
southern portion of the parish there were 2 large
arable fields, namely West Field and Middle Field,
and 3 smaller arable fields, two of them apparently
subdivisions of Middle Field, and the third
possibly made from the down at a fairly late date.
In the northern portion of the parish, much of which
was woodland, there were 2 fairly small arable
fields. (fn. 79) In 1857 a sale notice mentions 800 sheep,
and 23 horses, but no other stock on the farm. (fn. 80) In
1919 the arable was described as some of the best
corn-growing land in the district. New dairy buildings had recently been erected. About 188 a. of the
former parish were then pasture and 148 a. arable. (fn. 81)
In 1962 the land was used mainly for cereal crops
but there was also a herd of pedigree cows.