Burton, Wiltshire
Encyclopedia
Burton is a small village with 96 households (March 2009) in the Cotswolds
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
in England
. Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire of 1915 identifies Burton as the most important part of the parish of Nettleton
. It is about 8 miles west of Chippenham
.
There is a record of Burton dating back to AD 1204, and more recently in Book 44 - Wiltshire, of the Topographical Collections of John Aubrey
1659-70.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin
, which lies on the hill above the hamlet of Burton, is the oldest and most important building in the village, and is a Grade I listed building. The oldest parts of the Church date from about 1290 although little remains from that period. The Register of Incumbents dates back to 1305 when the Abbot of Glastonbury
presented Johannes de Montacute to the living. The Manor and Advowson
of Netlington belonged, until the Dissolution
, to Glastonbury Abbey
. The Church is now in the ByBrook Benefice
in the rural deanery of Chippenham
, archdeaconry of Malmesbury, and the present patron is the Bishop
of Bristol
.
The external walls of the nave
and aisle date from the 14th century and in 1460 a general re-modelling of the church took place which included re-roofing the church, the building of the chancel
and the erection of the north and south porches.
The 15th century tower is one of a superb group to be found in this area, and has a western doorway over which is a quaint stone hood forming a shallow porch.
The north porch is richly vaulted within, and is surmounted externally by a panelled and battlemented parapet. On the cornice beneath are a number of grotesques to carry off the roof water : two at each side. A much-worn stoup for holy water is against the inner doorway. The door itself is the original one and still retains a large handle and escutcheon of the original ironwork. The door is fitted with a Banbury lock
, which is the earliest form of church lock. This type of lock is one in which the lock's metal components are separately fitted into a block of wood which forms the frame. There are two keys - the smaller, possibly the older, is 230 mm long, and weighs 483 gm; The larger is 317mm long, weighing 858gm.
The south doorway is an early example of Early English work and has a curious canopied niche over the apex with flanking buttresses in which are carved two small human figures.
The priest's door is in the north wall of the chancel chapel, as the rectory is on this side of the church, and has over it externally a curious little projecting hood. Above the chancel arch is a picturesque stone sanctus bell-turret with panelled sides surmounted by a short broach spirelet with foliated finial. The ceiled wagon roof is tiled in Cotswold stone
.
font, the lower part of which is formed like a scallop-capital with fish-scale ornamentation above.
The north aisle, which has three Georgian box pews, is a 14th century copy of Norman work. The arches of the nave rest on the round columns which have sculptured capitals, all of them different. Here is a fine array of thirty or forty figures and faces below the roof and on the arches. Most are human, with a few grotesques. Some of them are corbels holding up the roof.
The bench table (stone bench) on the inside of the north wall is of particular interest and probably dates from the 13th century.
Most of the ancient glass was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell
's men in the Fanatique Tymes, as John Aubrey
put it, but some fragmentary pieces remain in the north aisle windows, mainly heraldic forms. They show Royal Arms, Scrope
, Badlesmere, Dunstanville and Paulet among others. The families represented were all atone time or another associated with the Manor of Castle Combe
though the Paulet arms occur all over South and West England.
The 14th century aisle terminated in a line with the chancel arch. When the aisle was lengthened, the original three-light east window with reticulated tracery was reconstructed in the present 15th century east wall, and the square-headed three-light windows inserted in the north wall, and two in the south wall of the nave. Arthur Mee's description of the Church in 1939 describes the nave as 'filled with box pews', but these have been reconstructed at some unknown date into pews of a normal height.
The Royal Arms over the chancel arch, which by law after the Restoration
had to be displayed, is interesting as it is in the form used by the Georges until 1801. These were the last of the Royal Arms to display the Arms of France in the second quarter.
The pulpit is of stone, with 15th century stone carving. The stone steps up to it are 600 years old.
The altar is crowned with a late nineteenth century reredos
, which is a Doulton
terracotta panel of the Last Supper by George Tinworth
. The altar rails are 17th century with vertically symmetrical balusters. There is a heraldic wall monument beside the altar with marks of lightning on it, to Samuel Arnold a 19th century rector for 40 years. Some restoration work was carried out in 1900 and again in the 1970s when a serious fire destroyed much of the work just finished. Repairs were again completed a year later.
In 2009, the pews and pew platform were removed in the west end of the church, and a new stone floor laid over the earth floor underneath. This revealed that one of the beams supporting the pew platform was very old, hand carved and part painted - possibly part of the rood screen
that many churches had before the Protestant Reformation
.
The church possesses several pieces of silver, including a flagon, chalice, paten and paten cover, most of which dates from the 17th and 18th century.
There is a First World War memorial commemorating:
and Rolls of Honour for the Parish and for Nettleton
School.
There is a Second World War Memorial, commemorating:
There are several other memorials inside the Church, mainly of the incumbents and their relatives.
on a new steel frame in 1982 below the old wooden frame, thus displacing the old ringing chamber. The bells are now rung from the base of the tower. The bells and their dates and makers are as follows:
Treble: Lllewellins & James 1889 3cwt 1qr 19 lb
2: A Rudhall 1754 4cwt 0qr 17 lb
3: T Mears 1830 5cwt 1qr 6 lb
4: W Purdue 1652 6cwt 1qr 4 lb
5: W Purdue 1653 8cwt 3qr 7 lb
Tenor: A Worcester
foundry c1400 11cwt 2qr 11 lb
Tenor in Gsharp.
The tenor bell has an unusual border. Ornamental borders of foliage or arabesques between the words or on other parts of the bell are hardly ever found on mediaeval bells. The only other instances in an English Church are believed to be on the tenor at Hereford Cathedral
(about 1450), and a bell at Bintry, Norfolk (about 1530).
of Private Edwin Kent. The Wiltshire Times
of 30 October 1915 published the following report concerning the death and funeral of Edwin Kent:
In the churchyard here are also the graves of Captain John Russell Compton Domvile (1856–1893) and Eva Kathleen Domvile (1868–1897), children of Reverend Charles Compton Domvile (1816–1898) who was Rector of St Mary's. This branch of the Domvile family is descended from Charles Pocklington Esquire M.P. who succeeded his Uncle Sir Compton, and took the Name and Arms of Domville.
Burton Farmhouse, now known as The Old Farmhouse, is situated at the bottom of Church Hill, and is a Grade 2 listed building. It is late 17th or early 18th Century. The Plume of Feathers, now known as The Old Plume, is also Grade 2 listed. It is late 17th or early 18th Century.
next to the top (East-West) section of Church Hill, comprising several phases of stone surfacing approximately 2.6m wide, built on to a 4m wide bank of redeposited natural clay. Although limited dating evidence was recovered, the causeway appears to have been in use by the 17th century, and may well be Medieval in origin. The causeway seems likely to have been used until the construction of a dry-stone wall along its centre line in the 19th or 20th century. A possible early road surface extending beneath the modern lane was also identified and, although poorly dated, its construction and use appear to have been broadly contemporary with the causeway.
Junction 17, for travel eastward towards Reading
and London
, and about 5 minutes from M4 Junction 18 for travel towards Bristol
and South Wales
, connecting at Junction 20 north of Bristol
with the M5 motorway
for the South West
and Birmingham
.
, Didcot
, Reading
and London
to the East; Bath and Bristol
and onwards to the South West
; and also South via Westbury
to Southampton
.
Trains from Bristol Parkway railway station
(17 miles) serve South Wales
, the Midlands
and the North of England.
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire of 1915 identifies Burton as the most important part of the parish of Nettleton
Nettleton, Wiltshire
Nettleton is a village and civil parish about northwest of Chippenham in Wiltshire, England.-Archaeology:Lugbury is a chambered long barrow about east of the village. Excavations in the 19th century found 28 human skeletons in its chambers....
. It is about 8 miles west of Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
.
There is a record of Burton dating back to AD 1204, and more recently in Book 44 - Wiltshire, of the Topographical Collections of John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
1659-70.
St Mary's Church
St Mary the Virgin
-Churches:* St Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury* St Mary the Virgin, Blackburn Hamlet* St Mary the Virgin, Brighton* St Mary the Virgin, Barnes* St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick* St Mary the Virgin, Gillingham, Dorset* St Mary the Virgin, Henbury...
, which lies on the hill above the hamlet of Burton, is the oldest and most important building in the village, and is a Grade I listed building. The oldest parts of the Church date from about 1290 although little remains from that period. The Register of Incumbents dates back to 1305 when the Abbot of Glastonbury
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
presented Johannes de Montacute to the living. The Manor and Advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of Netlington belonged, until the Dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, to Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. The ruins are now a grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument and are open as a visitor attraction....
. The Church is now in the ByBrook Benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
in the rural deanery of Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
, archdeaconry of Malmesbury, and the present patron is the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
.
The external walls of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and aisle date from the 14th century and in 1460 a general re-modelling of the church took place which included re-roofing the church, the building of the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and the erection of the north and south porches.
The 15th century tower is one of a superb group to be found in this area, and has a western doorway over which is a quaint stone hood forming a shallow porch.
The north porch is richly vaulted within, and is surmounted externally by a panelled and battlemented parapet. On the cornice beneath are a number of grotesques to carry off the roof water : two at each side. A much-worn stoup for holy water is against the inner doorway. The door itself is the original one and still retains a large handle and escutcheon of the original ironwork. The door is fitted with a Banbury lock
Banbury lock
The Banbury lock is the earliest form of church lock. This type of lock is one in which the metal components of the lock are separately fitted into a block of wood which forms the frame....
, which is the earliest form of church lock. This type of lock is one in which the lock's metal components are separately fitted into a block of wood which forms the frame. There are two keys - the smaller, possibly the older, is 230 mm long, and weighs 483 gm; The larger is 317mm long, weighing 858gm.
The south doorway is an early example of Early English work and has a curious canopied niche over the apex with flanking buttresses in which are carved two small human figures.
The priest's door is in the north wall of the chancel chapel, as the rectory is on this side of the church, and has over it externally a curious little projecting hood. Above the chancel arch is a picturesque stone sanctus bell-turret with panelled sides surmounted by a short broach spirelet with foliated finial. The ceiled wagon roof is tiled in Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic limestone quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills in the south midlands of England. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'....
.
Inside the Church
The earliest feature of the church is the circular NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
font, the lower part of which is formed like a scallop-capital with fish-scale ornamentation above.
The north aisle, which has three Georgian box pews, is a 14th century copy of Norman work. The arches of the nave rest on the round columns which have sculptured capitals, all of them different. Here is a fine array of thirty or forty figures and faces below the roof and on the arches. Most are human, with a few grotesques. Some of them are corbels holding up the roof.
The bench table (stone bench) on the inside of the north wall is of particular interest and probably dates from the 13th century.
Most of the ancient glass was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's men in the Fanatique Tymes, as John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
put it, but some fragmentary pieces remain in the north aisle windows, mainly heraldic forms. They show Royal Arms, Scrope
Scrope
-Origin of name:The name may be derived from the old Anglo-Norman word for "crab" and that it began as a nickname for a club-footed illegitimate son of an English princess by a Norman knight. A crab moves sideways and so the name could fit a child with club feet...
, Badlesmere, Dunstanville and Paulet among others. The families represented were all atone time or another associated with the Manor of Castle Combe
Castle Combe
Castle Combe is a small village in Wiltshire, England, with a population of about 350. It is renowned for its attractiveness and tranquillity, and for fine buildings including the medieval church. The 14th century market cross, erected when the privilege to hold a weekly market in Castle Combe was...
though the Paulet arms occur all over South and West England.
The 14th century aisle terminated in a line with the chancel arch. When the aisle was lengthened, the original three-light east window with reticulated tracery was reconstructed in the present 15th century east wall, and the square-headed three-light windows inserted in the north wall, and two in the south wall of the nave. Arthur Mee's description of the Church in 1939 describes the nave as 'filled with box pews', but these have been reconstructed at some unknown date into pews of a normal height.
The Royal Arms over the chancel arch, which by law after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
had to be displayed, is interesting as it is in the form used by the Georges until 1801. These were the last of the Royal Arms to display the Arms of France in the second quarter.
The pulpit is of stone, with 15th century stone carving. The stone steps up to it are 600 years old.
The altar is crowned with a late nineteenth century reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
, which is a Doulton
Doulton
Doulton may refer to:*Royal Doulton, ceramic manufacturing company*John Doulton, potter, founder of Royal Doulton*Henry Doulton, potter and son of John Doulton*Frederick Doulton, Member of Parliament and son of John Doulton...
terracotta panel of the Last Supper by George Tinworth
George Tinworth
George Tinworth was an English ceramic artist who worked for the Doulton factory at Lambeth from 1867 until his death.-Life:...
. The altar rails are 17th century with vertically symmetrical balusters. There is a heraldic wall monument beside the altar with marks of lightning on it, to Samuel Arnold a 19th century rector for 40 years. Some restoration work was carried out in 1900 and again in the 1970s when a serious fire destroyed much of the work just finished. Repairs were again completed a year later.
In 2009, the pews and pew platform were removed in the west end of the church, and a new stone floor laid over the earth floor underneath. This revealed that one of the beams supporting the pew platform was very old, hand carved and part painted - possibly part of the rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
that many churches had before the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
.
The church possesses several pieces of silver, including a flagon, chalice, paten and paten cover, most of which dates from the 17th and 18th century.
There is a First World War memorial commemorating:
- Albert Boucher,
- Percy Brookman,
- E.W.Hacker,
- Edwin Kent,
- Arthur G. Reed,
- Victor Tarling,
- Frederick J. Young,
and Rolls of Honour for the Parish and for Nettleton
Nettleton
Nettleton may refer to:People* Asahel Nettleton , an American theologian and pastor, an evangelist in the Second Great Awakening* John Nettleton, various people...
School.
There is a Second World War Memorial, commemorating:
- George Copeland,
- Sydney Edridge,
- Kenneth Rawlings
- Frederick Webb,
- Frank Young.
There are several other memorials inside the Church, mainly of the incumbents and their relatives.
The Church Bells
The tower holds six bells which were restored and rehung by John Taylor & Co of LoughboroughLoughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
on a new steel frame in 1982 below the old wooden frame, thus displacing the old ringing chamber. The bells are now rung from the base of the tower. The bells and their dates and makers are as follows:
Treble: Lllewellins & James 1889 3cwt 1qr 19 lb
2: A Rudhall 1754 4cwt 0qr 17 lb
3: T Mears 1830 5cwt 1qr 6 lb
4: W Purdue 1652 6cwt 1qr 4 lb
5: W Purdue 1653 8cwt 3qr 7 lb
Tenor: A Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
foundry c1400 11cwt 2qr 11 lb
Tenor in Gsharp.
The tenor bell has an unusual border. Ornamental borders of foliage or arabesques between the words or on other parts of the bell are hardly ever found on mediaeval bells. The only other instances in an English Church are believed to be on the tenor at Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
(about 1450), and a bell at Bintry, Norfolk (about 1530).
In the Churchyard
There are 24 listed monuments in the Churchyard. These are chest tombs with a Grade II listing. Also in the Churchyard is the war graveWar grave
A war grave is a burial place for soldiers or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. The term does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to be war graves, as are military aircraft that crash into water...
of Private Edwin Kent. The Wiltshire Times
Wiltshire Times
The Wiltshire Times is a weekly newspaper published in Trowbridge, Wiltshire in South West England. The paper serves the west Wiltshire towns of Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge, Corsham, Chippenham, Warminster, Westbury and Melksham as well as many of the small villages in the west Wiltshire...
of 30 October 1915 published the following report concerning the death and funeral of Edwin Kent:
- Died of Wounds
- Great sympathy is felt in the village for Mrs E Kent and her child in the loss of their husband and father. Pte E Kent, 3rd Wilts who died of wounds received in the recent advance in FlandersFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
Pte Edwin Kent was 32 years old when he died of wounds (shot through the spine) in hospital in NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. He was a native of Yatton KeynellYatton KeynellYatton Keynell is a village in Wiltshire, England. It is located about five miles west of Chippenham, and about five miles to the east of the border with South Gloucestershire, on the B4039 road via Castle Combe...
but had lived at The Gib until he enlisted in January 1915. Before joining the Army, he had been employed by a Mr Higg, a coal merchant in Burton. Pte Kent was married and had a daughter.
- Pte Edwin Kent aged 32 of the 2nd Wiltshire who was wounded whilst at the front, being shot through the spine, died in hospital in Norwich on Friday last week. He was a native of Yatton Keynell but prior to enlisting in January last, was residing at The Gibb being employed by Mr Higg, coal merchant of Burton. He leaves a widow and one little girl.
- As Kent had died in hospital in England, Mrs Kent asked for the body to be buried in her local church. The local recruiting office, with the help of Lt Col Sir Audley Neeld, the Colonel steward of the DevizesDevizesDevizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
depot, arranged for a military funeral.
- The funeral took place on Wednesday 27th October with Rev Stafford James officiated The funeral procession from The Gibb to Burton was headed by the band of the 2nd Wilts under Bandmaster Easton. A firing party under Sgt Bridle and Cpl Ings followed the band with their rifles reversed. At the graveside, the firing party fired three volleys and Bugler Ford sounded the "Last PostLast PostThe "Last Post" can be either a B♭ bugle call within British Infantry regiments or an E♭ cavalry trumpet call in British Cavalry and Royal Regiment of Artillery used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have been killed in war.The two regimental traditions have...
".
- The mourners at the church included:
- The widow and deceased daughter, Mrs Humphries (Mother), Mr H Kent ASC (in khaki) and Cpl W Kent (10th Royal Hussars) brothers, Miss E Kent (sister), Mr and Mrs J Taylor (brother in law and sister) Mr J Kent and deceased sister and her son. Others who followed included Mr and Mrs Fry and Mr Brown (Gibb), Mr and Mrs H Booy, Mr and Mrs A Booy (Castle Combe), Mr and Mrs AR Dolman (Castle Combe) Mr Higgs and Mr Hill (former employers of the late Pte Kent).
- Pte Kent’s daughter was a pupil at Castle Combe school. Her fellow pupils sent 2 wreaths to the funeral.
In the churchyard here are also the graves of Captain John Russell Compton Domvile (1856–1893) and Eva Kathleen Domvile (1868–1897), children of Reverend Charles Compton Domvile (1816–1898) who was Rector of St Mary's. This branch of the Domvile family is descended from Charles Pocklington Esquire M.P. who succeeded his Uncle Sir Compton, and took the Name and Arms of Domville.
Listed Buildings
St Mary's Church is the only Grade 1 listed building in the parish.Burton Farmhouse, now known as The Old Farmhouse, is situated at the bottom of Church Hill, and is a Grade 2 listed building. It is late 17th or early 18th Century. The Plume of Feathers, now known as The Old Plume, is also Grade 2 listed. It is late 17th or early 18th Century.
Other Old Buildings
Another old building is Chestnut Cottage, which used to be the old forge. Also, part of the Old Rectory, now a private house, dates from 1605, although in common with the other old buildings, it has been substantially extended and altered over the generations.The Causeway
An evaluation excavation in 2005 confirmed the presence of a causewayCauseway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
next to the top (East-West) section of Church Hill, comprising several phases of stone surfacing approximately 2.6m wide, built on to a 4m wide bank of redeposited natural clay. Although limited dating evidence was recovered, the causeway appears to have been in use by the 17th century, and may well be Medieval in origin. The causeway seems likely to have been used until the construction of a dry-stone wall along its centre line in the 19th or 20th century. A possible early road surface extending beneath the modern lane was also identified and, although poorly dated, its construction and use appear to have been broadly contemporary with the causeway.
Road
The village is on the B4039 road, less than 15 minutes from the M4 motorwayM4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
Junction 17, for travel eastward towards Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and about 5 minutes from M4 Junction 18 for travel towards Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, connecting at Junction 20 north of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
with the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
for the South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Rail
Trains from Chippenham station serve SwindonSwindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, Didcot
Didcot
Didcot is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire about south of Oxford. Until 1974 it was in Berkshire, but was transferred to Oxfordshire in that year, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire...
, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to the East; Bath and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and onwards to the South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
; and also South via Westbury
Westbury, Wiltshire
Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.-Name:The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same...
to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.
Trains from Bristol Parkway railway station
Bristol Parkway railway station
Bristol Parkway railway station is situated in Stoke Gifford in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail, and is managed by First Great Western....
(17 miles) serve South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and the North of England.