Little Bedwyn
Encyclopedia
Little Bedwyn is a village and civil parish on the River Dun in Wiltshire
, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of the market town
of Hungerford
in neighbouring Berkshire
.
The parish includes the hamlets
of Chisbury
and Timbridge.
The Kennet and Avon Canal
and the Reading to Taunton railway line
follow the Dun and pass through the village. Little Bedwyn is served by Bedwyn railway station
, which is about 1 miles (1.6 km) south-west of the village at Great Bedwyn
.
, passes through the parish.
Most of Little Bedwyn was part of a larger estate called Bedwyn which in the early Middle Ages
was held by the kings of Wessex and of England. Anciently the whole parish was within Savernake Forest
.
The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland of 1868 says of Little Bedwyn:
The Bedwyn Dyke, an early medieval fortification that may be a continuation of the Wansdyke
, passes through the parish.
About 0.62 mile (0.9977908 km) west of Little Bedwyn is Chisbury Camp, an Iron Age
hill fort
consisting of earthwork
s which enclose some 14 acres (5.7 ha). Within the camp is the former St Martin's chapel, a Decorated Gothic building of flint
, now a farm building.
In the mid 19th century there was some uncertainty as to whether the parish included about 150 acres (60.7 ha) of Savernake Forest lying at the parish's western end, but by the 1880s it had been decided that the land was part of the parish. From then until 1987 the total size of the parish was 4343 acres (1,757.6 ha). In 1987, an area of 120 acres (48.6 ha) was transferred to Great Bedwyn.
The population of the parish has fluctuated in recent centuries. Between 1801 and 1871 it rose from 428 to 579, but since then it has fallen gradually and in 2001 stood at 280.
of St. Michael
at Little Bedwyn is at the north end of the village, on the bank of the River Dun. It had been built by 1158 and was originally a dependent chapelry of Great Bedwyn. The nave
is of three bays
. The tower may have been built in the latter part of the 13th century. The chancel
and aisles were rebuilt about 1400 with Perpendicular Gothic windows. In the 15th century the tower was rebuilt, the spire
was added and so was the porch. The north aisle roof dates from about 1500.
In 1841 the nave and chancel were re-roofed. In 1868 the vestry
was added and St. Michael's was restored
under the direction of the Gothic Revival architect
T.H. Wyatt
. The spire was dismantled and rebuilt in 1963 after being struck by lightning.
St. Michael's parish register
s are in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
and cover the years 1722-1857 (baptism
s), 1722-1959 (marriage
s), and 1722-1919 (burials). The church is a Grade I listed building.
, who played Dana Scully
in the X-Files lives at Little Bedwyn.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Hungerford
Hungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
in neighbouring Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
The parish includes the hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Chisbury
Chisbury
Chisbury is a hamlet and prehistoric hill fort in the civil parish of Little Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Chisbury is about west of Hungerford and about south-east of Marlborough.-History:...
and Timbridge.
The Kennet and Avon Canal
Kennet and Avon Canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of , made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is commonly used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section...
and the Reading to Taunton railway line
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....
follow the Dun and pass through the village. Little Bedwyn is served by Bedwyn railway station
Bedwyn railway station
Bedwyn railway station is a railway station in the village of Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, England. It is also, along with , a station for the market town of Marlborough away...
, which is about 1 miles (1.6 km) south-west of the village at Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.-Location:Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about south-west of Hungerford and south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass...
.
History
Bedwyn Dyke, an early medieval fortification that may be part of the WansdykeWansdyke (earthwork)
Wansdyke is a series of early medieval defensive linear earthworks in the West Country of England, consisting of a ditch and a running embankment from the ditch spoil, with the ditching facing north. It runs at least from Maes Knoll in historic Somerset, a hillfort at the east end of Dundry Hill...
, passes through the parish.
Most of Little Bedwyn was part of a larger estate called Bedwyn which in the early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
was held by the kings of Wessex and of England. Anciently the whole parish was within Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest is on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Its area is approximately .It is privately owned by the Trustees of Savernake Estate, the Earl of Cardigan, and his family solicitor. Since 1939 the running of the forest has been...
.
The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland of 1868 says of Little Bedwyn:
The Bedwyn Dyke, an early medieval fortification that may be a continuation of the Wansdyke
Wansdyke (earthwork)
Wansdyke is a series of early medieval defensive linear earthworks in the West Country of England, consisting of a ditch and a running embankment from the ditch spoil, with the ditching facing north. It runs at least from Maes Knoll in historic Somerset, a hillfort at the east end of Dundry Hill...
, passes through the parish.
About 0.62 mile (0.9977908 km) west of Little Bedwyn is Chisbury Camp, an Iron Age
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron-Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ireland, and which had an independent Iron Age culture of...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
consisting of earthwork
Earthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
s which enclose some 14 acres (5.7 ha). Within the camp is the former St Martin's chapel, a Decorated Gothic building of flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
, now a farm building.
In the mid 19th century there was some uncertainty as to whether the parish included about 150 acres (60.7 ha) of Savernake Forest lying at the parish's western end, but by the 1880s it had been decided that the land was part of the parish. From then until 1987 the total size of the parish was 4343 acres (1,757.6 ha). In 1987, an area of 120 acres (48.6 ha) was transferred to Great Bedwyn.
The population of the parish has fluctuated in recent centuries. Between 1801 and 1871 it rose from 428 to 579, but since then it has fallen gradually and in 2001 stood at 280.
Parish church
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of St. Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
at Little Bedwyn is at the north end of the village, on the bank of the River Dun. It had been built by 1158 and was originally a dependent chapelry of Great Bedwyn. 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...
is of three bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. The tower may have been built in the latter part of the 13th century. 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 aisles were rebuilt about 1400 with Perpendicular Gothic windows. In the 15th century the tower was rebuilt, the spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
was added and so was the porch. The north aisle roof dates from about 1500.
In 1841 the nave and chancel were re-roofed. In 1868 the vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
was added and St. Michael's was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
under the direction of the Gothic Revival architect
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
T.H. Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt was an Irish British architect. He had a prolific and distinguished career, being elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1870-73 and awarded their Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 1873...
. The spire was dismantled and rebuilt in 1963 after being struck by lightning.
St. Michael's parish register
Parish register
A parish register is a handwritten volume, normally kept in a parish church or deposited within a county record office or alternative archive repository, in which details of baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded.-History:...
s are in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre is a building in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, which serves as a focal point for heritage services relating to Wiltshire and Swindon. It is funded by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council...
and cover the years 1722-1857 (baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
s), 1722-1959 (marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
s), and 1722-1919 (burials). The church is a Grade I listed building.
Notable people
Gillian AndersonGillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
, who played Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
in the X-Files lives at Little Bedwyn.