Pertwood
Encyclopedia
Pertwood is a very small village
, former civil parish, and manor
, near Warminster
in the county of Wiltshire
in the west of England
. Its land and houses now lie in the parishes of East Knoyle
and Sutton Veny
and have fewer than twenty inhabitants.
The only settlement is at Upper Pertwood, also called Higher Pertwood, but not far away is Lower Pertwood, with only one house, and 'Pertwood' is the collective name for the two together. Lower Pertwood is now run as Pertwood Organic. Higher Pertwood is run as Pertwood Manor Farm by different people.
, the manor
of Pertwood was held by a man named Wlward. At the Domesday
survey of 1086, it was held by Geoffrey de Mowbray
, Bishop of Coutances, and contained two hides
, of which one and a half were in demesne
and the rest was held of the manor by tenants. Two villeins, three bordars, one plough
, twenty acre
s of pasture
and four of woodland
were recorded. Pertwood later became a manor of the Earls of Gloucester
, which it remained until the early 15th century.
Pertwood Down, on high ground to the west of Pertwood, has several barrows
and traces of Celtic field system
s, but all such remains lie outside the area of the former parish.
Just to the north of Lower Pertwood Farm, the Romans, in building a straight road, unusually diverted their road around an ancient tumulus
instead of going through it. In 1829, the Roman road near Pertwood was described as "still remarkably perfect".
In 1808, a topographer wrote of Pertwood that it was "...a decayed parish in the hundred of Warminster
... containing 2 houses and 15 inhabitants".
The Rev. John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
(1870-1872) said of Pertwood:
In 1885 the parish of Pertwood was extinguished, with its southern part being added to East Knoyle
, its northern part to Sutton Veny
.
A detailed parish history was published in 1965 by the Wiltshire Victoria County History
in its volume 8.
In April 1993, the Tribal Gathering
music festival
took place at Pertwood, and in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000 it was the site of the Big Green Gathering
.
parish church
, which stands at Upper or Higher Pertwood, is called St Peter's. It was originally a small 12th-century stone building entered by a round-headed door on its south side, but in about 1812 it was "restored
" by the then lord of the manor
, Richard Ricward, so that by 1822 there was nothing ancient to be seen, except one stoop
. In the restored church a round-headed arch lay between the chancel
and the nave
. In 1872 the church was rebuilt in flint
, dressed with stone, with a single church bell in a small structure over the roof at the western end. This small building contains a nave, a chancel, and a north aisle
. In 1908 the bowl of a 14th-century font
was found buried nearby and was returned to the church.
The Victorian church is still standing, but is now disused.
in the southern half of the former parish, is approached by a drive from the A350 road and consists of the original manor house
, known as Manor Farm, five farm cottages, and other buildings. This is the only settlement at Pertwood. On the other side of the A350 is Lower Pertwood, with only one house.
Lower Pertwood form part of a large organic farm
of 1100 acres (4.5 km²) usually called Lower Pertwood Farm, being based there, or Pertwood Organic Farm. The organic farming was introduced by two owners called Houghton Brown, largely to conserve the thin soil, and was continued by them until 2005 and thereafter by new owners, Wilfred and Tamara Mole.
functions are carried out by the Wiltshire Council
unitary authority
. Pertwood is represented in parliament by Andrew Murrison
.
.
Lancelot Morehouse, a 17th century Rector of Pertwood, has been described as John Aubrey
's "most familiar learned acquaintance".
Percy Scawen Wyndham
(1835-1911), a younger son of the first Lord Leconfield
, owned Pertwood from 1877 until his death. He was a soldier, Conservative
politician, antiquarian and intellectual, one of the founding members of The Souls
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, former civil parish, and manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
, near Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
in the county of Wiltshire
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...
in the west of 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...
. Its land and houses now lie in the parishes of East Knoyle
East Knoyle
East Knoyle is a small village and former civil parish in Wiltshire, in the south west of England. The parish lies on the A350 road about nine miles south of Warminster, fifteen miles west of Salisbury, and two miles south west of Hindon, at grid reference ST880305...
and Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny is a small village situated in the Wylye Valley, about 2 miles south east of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England. 'Sutton' means south farmstead in relation to Norton Bavant, one mile to the north...
and have fewer than twenty inhabitants.
The only settlement is at Upper Pertwood, also called Higher Pertwood, but not far away is Lower Pertwood, with only one house, and 'Pertwood' is the collective name for the two together. Lower Pertwood is now run as Pertwood Organic. Higher Pertwood is run as Pertwood Manor Farm by different people.
History
Before the Norman ConquestNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Pertwood was held by a man named Wlward. At the Domesday
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
survey of 1086, it was held by Geoffrey de Mowbray
Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , a right-hand man of William the Conqueror, was a type of the great feudal prelate, warrior and administrator at need....
, Bishop of Coutances, and contained two hides
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
, of which one and a half were in demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
and the rest was held of the manor by tenants. Two villeins, three bordars, one plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
, twenty acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s of pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
and four of woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
were recorded. Pertwood later became a manor of the Earls of Gloucester
Earl of Gloucester
The title of Earl of Gloucester was created several times in the Peerage of England. A fictional earl is also a character in William Shakespeare's play King Lear. See also Duke of Gloucester.-Earls of Gloucester, 1st Creation :...
, which it remained until the early 15th century.
Pertwood Down, on high ground to the west of Pertwood, has several barrows
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
and traces of Celtic field system
Field system
The study of field systems in landscape history is concerned with the size, shape and orientation of a number of fields. These are often adjacent, but may be separated by a later feature.-Types of field system:...
s, but all such remains lie outside the area of the former parish.
Just to the north of Lower Pertwood Farm, the Romans, in building a straight road, unusually diverted their road around an ancient tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
instead of going through it. In 1829, the Roman road near Pertwood was described as "still remarkably perfect".
In 1808, a topographer wrote of Pertwood that it was "...a decayed parish in the hundred of Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
... containing 2 houses and 15 inhabitants".
The Rev. John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales is a substantial topographical dictionary first published between 1870 and 1872, edited by the Reverend John Marius Wilson. It contains a detailed description of England and Wales...
(1870-1872) said of Pertwood:
In 1885 the parish of Pertwood was extinguished, with its southern part being added to East Knoyle
East Knoyle
East Knoyle is a small village and former civil parish in Wiltshire, in the south west of England. The parish lies on the A350 road about nine miles south of Warminster, fifteen miles west of Salisbury, and two miles south west of Hindon, at grid reference ST880305...
, its northern part to Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny is a small village situated in the Wylye Valley, about 2 miles south east of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England. 'Sutton' means south farmstead in relation to Norton Bavant, one mile to the north...
.
A detailed parish history was published in 1965 by the Wiltshire Victoria County History
Wiltshire Victoria County History
The Wiltshire Victoria County History is an encyclopaedic history of the county of Wiltshire in England. It forms part of the overall Victoria County History of England founded in 1899 in honour of Queen Victoria...
in its volume 8.
In April 1993, the Tribal Gathering
Tribal Gathering
Tribal Gathering was a dance music festival that catered for different types of dance music cultures such as drum and bass, techno, rave and house. -History:...
music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
took place at Pertwood, and in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000 it was the site of the Big Green Gathering
Big Green Gathering
The Big Green Gathering was a festival with an environmental focus which happened during most summers between 1994 and 2007. It was held at various locations in Somerset and Wiltshire in England...
.
Church
The former Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, which stands at Upper or Higher Pertwood, is called St Peter's. It was originally a small 12th-century stone building entered by a round-headed door on its south side, but in about 1812 it was "restored
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
" by the then lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
, Richard Ricward, so that by 1822 there was nothing ancient to be seen, except one stoop
Stoop
Stoop may refer to:* Adrian Stoop , English-naturalised rugby union player* Georgie Stoop , English professional tennis player* Urban stoop, a small staircase or porch* a mild form of kyphosis...
. In the restored church a round-headed arch lay between 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 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...
. In 1872 the church was rebuilt in 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...
, dressed with stone, with a single church bell in a small structure over the roof at the western end. This small building contains a nave, a chancel, and a north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
. In 1908 the bowl of a 14th-century font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
was found buried nearby and was returned to the church.
The Victorian church is still standing, but is now disused.
Present day
Upper Pertwood, on high downlandDownland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
in the southern half of the former parish, is approached by a drive from the A350 road and consists of the original manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, known as Manor Farm, five farm cottages, and other buildings. This is the only settlement at Pertwood. On the other side of the A350 is Lower Pertwood, with only one house.
Lower Pertwood form part of a large organic farm
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
of 1100 acres (4.5 km²) usually called Lower Pertwood Farm, being based there, or Pertwood Organic Farm. The organic farming was introduced by two owners called Houghton Brown, largely to conserve the thin soil, and was continued by them until 2005 and thereafter by new owners, Wilfred and Tamara Mole.
Governance
Almost all local governmentLocal government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
functions are carried out by the Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. Pertwood is represented in parliament by Andrew Murrison
Andrew Murrison
Dr Andrew William Murrison is a doctor and Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. After serving as the Member of Parliament for Westbury from 2001 to 2010, at the 2010 general election he was elected for the new seat of South West Wiltshire.-Early life:The son of William Gordon...
.
Notable people
In 1560, Sir John Mervyn of Pertwood was High Sheriff of WiltshireHigh Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
.
Lancelot Morehouse, a 17th century Rector of Pertwood, has been described 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...
's "most familiar learned acquaintance".
Percy Scawen Wyndham
Percy Wyndham (politician)
The Honourable Percy Scawen Wyndham DL, JP , was a British soldier, Conservative politician, collector and intellectual...
(1835-1911), a younger son of the first Lord Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield , was a British soldier and peer.A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he was the eldest natural son of George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and Elizabeth Ilive. He entered the British Army and achieved the rank of Colonel. His parents were married...
, owned Pertwood from 1877 until his death. He was a soldier, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician, antiquarian and intellectual, one of the founding members of The Souls
The Souls
The Souls were a small, loosely-knit but distinctive social group in England, from 1885 to about 1920. Their members included many of the most distinguished English politicians and intellectuals....
.
Owners
- 1400–1419: John Britte, of Hindon
- 1433: William Elys
- 1450: John Elys
- Late 15th & early 16th centuries: William Fletcher
- Agnes Maton and Margaret Ingram, daughters of William Fletcher
- 1539: John Mervyn, son of Margaret Ingram, a moietyMoiety titleMoiety title is legal term describing a portion other than a whole of ownership of property. The word derives from Old French moitié meaning "half" , from Latin medietas "middle", from medius....
- Robert Temmys, probably Agnes Maton's son-in-law, a moiety (which later passed to George Ludlow, who in 1553 sold it to John Mervyn)
- 1539: John Mervyn, son of Margaret Ingram, a moiety
- 1553: John Mervyn
- c. 1570–1601: John Mervyn (son of above)
- 1601: Thomas Mervyn (son of above)
- George Mervyn (brother of above)
- to 1692: John Mervyn, grandson of George Mervyn
- 1692–1736: Sir James Howe (purchase)
- 1736–1804: Henry Lee, commonly called Lee Warner (nephew of above)
- 1804–1805: James Woodward (nephew of above), who assumed the name of Lee Warner
- 1805–1810: John Benett of PythousePythousePythouse, sometimes spelt Pyt House and pronounced pit-house, is a country house near Tisbury in Wiltshire, in the west of England....
(purchase) - 1810: Richard Ricward of Longbridge Deverill (purchase)
- 1838: Henry Seymour
- Alfred Seymour (son of above)
- 1877–1911: Percy Scawen WyndhamPercy Wyndham (politician)The Honourable Percy Scawen Wyndham DL, JP , was a British soldier, Conservative politician, collector and intellectual...
(purchase) - 1911–1913: George WyndhamGeorge WyndhamGeorge Wyndham PC was a British Conservative politician, man of letters, noted for his elegance, and one of The Souls.-Background and education:...
, son of Percy Scawen Wyndham - 1913–1919: Guy Richard Charles Wyndham, grandson of Percy Scawen Wyndham
- 1919–1939: Arthur Mitchell (purchase)
- 1939–1945: Paul Weldon (purchase)
- 1945: Colonel Scrope Egerton (purchase)
- 1963: Colonel Jack Houghton Brown
- Mark Houghton-Brown
- 2005: Wilfred Mole (purchase), and his daughter Tamara Mole, later Webster
External links
- North from the A350 near Higher Pertwood - photograph online at geograph.org.uk