HILPERTON
The parish of Hilperton lies in the Oxford and
Kimeridge Clay region of north and mid-west Wiltshire. (fn. 1) Within the parish the ground is undulating but
nowhere reaches a height of more than 200 ft., and the
lowest lands of the parish lie in the Avon valley. (fn. 2) The
parish boundary between Hilperton and Trowbridge
where it crossed Hilperton Marsh was straightened in
1816 when that common was inclosed. (fn. 3) In 1884 by
Order of the Local Government Board detached parts
of Semington and Whaddon and a part of Great
Hinton were added to Hilperton, (fn. 4) and in 1897 part
of Hilperton was transferred to Trowbridge. (fn. 5) The
modern parish is bounded on the north for about ½ a
mile by the Kennet and Avon Canal, and for about a ¼
of a mile by the River Avon. Paxcroft Brook, a tributary of the Biss, flows through the parish just within
the southern boundary. The main road from Devizes
to Trowbridge (A 361) runs through the parish, and
the village of Hilperton lies along this and along a
secondary road turning north off the main road and
leading to Staverton. To the north-west of the parish
is a now disused stone quarry which in 1847 was said
to be producing stone for use locally for building and
road making. (fn. 6)
Many of the houses in the village are built of a
pleasant ashlar. Hilperton House, on the west of the
street, is a good example of an early-18th-century
medium-sized house although retaining the domestic
offices of an earlier building at the back. It comprises
two stories and an attic, and is built of ashlar with a
slated hipped roof. Over the front door is a stone shield
bearing 4 lions passant guardant. The interior is little
altered and retains its contemporary staircase and most
of the rooms their bolection moulded panelling,
chimney pieces, and door furniture.
On the east side of the street and opposite Hilperton
House there is a lock-up built of ashlar probably in the
late 17th century. It is an unequal sided octagon in
plan with a domed roof finished with a ball finial. The
original entrance from the street has been blocked up,
and another formed opening upon the garden of an
adjacent house.
The houses numbered 232–4 in the village street
were probably weavers' cottages. They have been
formed out of a mid-17th-century house of two stories
and an attic. This has been extended at each end without the attic to make three cottages under one roof. The
original house had a five-light window on either side of
the front door, and there is a similar window in the
extension to the right. Built across the left end forming
a T there is an 18th-century red brick addition making
a fourth cottage. Numbers 70 to 80 appear to have
been built as weavers' cottages. They form a row of
four two-story stone rubble cottages with a pantiled
roof and freestone quoins and dressings. They date
from the 18th century and adjoin a court of six other
cottages (Dymotts Square). One ground-floor room
in each cottage has a large three-light window back
and front and there are indications that at one time a
loom was fixed in one of the upper rooms. (fn. 6a)
Hilperton Marsh is a hamlet situated ½ mile northwest of the village of Hilperton. Most of the houses
lie along a minor road which joins the secondary road
from Hilperton to Staverton (B 3105) with the secondary road from Trowbridge to Staverton (B 3106). A
wharf on the Kennet and Avon Canal, opened in 1810
and known as Hilperton Marsh Wharf, served as a port
to Trowbridge. Coal and machinery were brought there
by water to within a mile of the Trowbridge mills. (fn. 7)
By 1663 much pasture and arable in Hilperton had
been inclosed. The capital messuage of the manor of
Hilperton Zouche (see below—Manors) had 76½ acres
of arable and pasture inclosed, 6½ acres of meadow in
common and 48 acres of arable in common. At this
date all free- and copy-holders of both manors held
some inclosed arable and pasture. (fn. 8) In 1783 all the
glebe with the exception of 1¼ acre of arable in Hilperton Field was inclosed. (fn. 9) The inclosure of some of the
waste of Hilperton was carried out in 1816 under an
Act of the previous year which also authorized the
inclosure of waste at Trowbridge and Trowbridge
Dauntsey (q.v.). The allotments made in Hilperton
totalled 51 a. 1r. 18p. Thirteen public footways and
3 private carriage ways were appointed. (fn. 10)
Almost nothing is known of the history of Hilperton
before the 19th century. In 1645 Hilperton and
Whaddon together were assessed towards the upkeep
of the Parliamentary garrison at Great Chalfield at
£100—an assessment, which, surprisingly enough, was
higher than that for either Melksham or Bradford. In
fact, Hilperton's actual contribution comprised 103 lb. of
butter, 3 head of cattle, 195 lb. of cheese, 21 bushels of
malt, the services of 41 sawyers, and £23.1 11s. in cash. (fn. 11)
Hilperton lies less than 2 miles from Trowbridge,
and the course of its later history at any rate has largely
been determined by this proximity. Before the localization of the cloth industry in the towns, Hilperton
must have played a part in the domestically organized
industry of the region. (fn. 12) Even after the introduction
of machinery into the Trowbridge cloth mills, weaving continued for some time to be done in Hilperton
and other neighbouring villages. (fn. 13) In 1801, out of a
working population of 688 only 20 persons were
employed in agriculture, the rest in trade, manufactures, or handicrafts. (fn. 14) In 1840 from a survey made
of the occupations and living conditions of 36 Hilperton
families it appears that 90 adults and children were
employed upon weaving in their homes, 1 adult worked
in a mill in Trowbridge, and 24 persons followed other
occupations. The average weekly earnings of the
families engaged in weaving was 10s. 11d. By this date
the decline in handloom weaving had caused great distress in Hilperton. (fn. 15) In 1826 the parish was one of
the places where the poor-rates had to be remitted. (fn. 16)
In December 1838 a chartist meeting attended by
about 500 persons took place in the village. (fn. 17) Tradition gives the name 'tie-downs' to the inhabitants of
Hilperton: (fn. 18) this may possibly be a reference to some
process in cloth manufacture carried out there.
Manors
In 1086 there were two tenants at HILPERTON
holding of the king in
chief. Ansger the cook held 4 hides, 1 virgate, and 6 acres; William Corniole 5 hides, 1 virgate;
Godwin 'Clec' 1 virgate, and Eldild 1 hide, 6 acres
formerly held by her husband. (fn. 19)
In 1242 there were two overlords of the manor: the
Earl of Salisbury who held 1/5 of a fee as part of the
honour of Trowbridge (q.v.), and Ralph Mortimer
who held 1 fee. (fn. 20) The overlordship of the Salisbury fee
descended with the honour of Trowbridge which
became annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster. The
overlordship of the Mortimers' fee descended in that
family to the Mortimers, Earls of March, and was
merged in the Crown on the accession of Edward IV. (fn. 21)
Under the two overlords of 1242 both parts of the
manor were held by the same terre-tenant. Humphrey
de Scoville held the Salisbury portion directly of the
earl, and the Mortimer portion of Alan de la Zouche,
who held it of Ralph de Mortimer. (fn. 22) It is likely that
Humphrey's father, Ralph de Scoville, had also held
both parts, for in 1205 Humphrey paid ½ a mark for the
enrolment of the grant made to him by his father of the
manor of Hilperton. (fn. 23)
In 1282 Baldwin de Scoville, Humphrey's son, conveyed the portion of the manor held of the honour of
Trowbridge to John de Taney and Gwenllian his
wife. (fn. 24) In the following year John and Gwenllian
conveyed it to Walter de Bareville and his brother
William for their lives in exchange for property elsewhere. (fn. 25) By 1303 Hilperton had reverted to John de
Taney, who that year conveyed it to Walter de Paveley,
Joan his wife, and their son Walter. (fn. 26)
In 1274 the Mortimers' moiety was held by Baldwin
de Scoville under Roger de la Zouche who held it of
Roger Mortimer. (fn. 27) The sub-tenancy of the Scovilles
seems to have ceased soon after this, for in 1304 Alan
de la Zouche was holding of Edmund Mortimer, and
there is no mention of any other sub-tenant. (fn. 28) In 1323
it was conveyed to Walter de Paveley by Richard de
Pevensey and Ella his wife. (fn. 29) The two portions were
thus united under Walter de Paveley.
Walter de Paveley was followed by his son Walter
who died in 1375. (fn. 30) The property passed to Edward
son of Walter the younger who also died in 1375 only
a few months after his father, and was succeeded by his
brother Walter. (fn. 31) This Walter appears to have died
childless, for Hilperton passed to the heirs of Walter de
Paveley, grandfather of Edward and Walter, by his
second wife Alice. (fn. 32) One of these heirs, Joan, wife of
Sir Ralph Cheyney, received the moiety held of the
Earl of March, (fn. 33) while the moiety held of the honour
of Trowbridge was divided between Eleanor wife of
Richard Seymour and Joan wife of John Chidiock. (fn. 34)
Joan Chidiock's share of the manor of Hilperton
passed to her grandson John. John died in 1540 leaving
two daughters as coheiresses. (fn. 35) Hilperton went to the
younger of these, Margaret wife of William Stourton,
and passed to Margaret's grandson William, Lord
Stourton. (fn. 36) In 1543 Lord Stourton sold Hilperton
along with other property to Thomas Long, clothier, of
Trowbridge. (fn. 37)
This part of the manor now became known as
HILPERTON STOURTON and passed in the Long
family until 1640. In that year Edmund Long and
Dorothy his wife sold it to Sir John Danvers. (fn. 38) Sir John
was attainted as a regicide in 1661 and Hilperton
Stourton with other property was granted to Henry
Hyde, Lord Cornbury, and others, who were to act as
trustees to pay off Sir John's debts. (fn. 39) Before the beginning of the 18th century Hilperton Stourton passed to
John Eyles. (fn. 40)
Eleanor Seymour's share in Hilperton passed after
her husband's death to Nicholas de Seymour for life
with reversion to Eleanor's grand-daughter Alice, wife
of Sir William la Zouche. (fn. 41) Alice was followed by her
son William, Lord Zouche, who died in 1468 and was
succeeded by his son John, aged 8. (fn. 42) In 1539 John's
son, another John, conveyed it to his youngest son
George. (fn. 43) George Zouche sold it in 1543 to Thomas
Long who had bought Hilperton Stourton. (fn. 44) From this
date these two parts of Hilperton follow the same descent.
Joan Cheyney's moiety of the manor of Hilperton
passed to her daughter Cecily, who died in 1430. (fn. 45)
It then passed to Cecily's youngest son John, of Pinhoe
in Devonshire. (fn. 46) In 1461 John conveyed it to feoffees
for the performance of his will. (fn. 47) He was followed by
his son whose daughter Mabel married Edward Walgrave. (fn. 48) Mabel died in 1505 and Edward one year
later. (fn. 49) Hilperton then passed to their son John, who
was succeeded in 1514 by his son, another Edward. (fn. 50)
In 1551 Edward and his wife Frances sold their property in Hilperton to John Slade. (fn. 51) It then passed in
the Slade family until 1659 when John Slade the elder
and John Slade the younger sold it to John Eyles who
later acquired the other two parts of the manor. (fn. 52)
The manor descended in the Eyles family until 1792
when it passed under the will of Edmund Eyles to his
nephew Josiah Eyles Heathcote, son of Maria Eyles,
wife of George Heathcote. (fn. 53) Josiah died unmarried
in 1811 and Hilperton passed to his mother's heirs,
Colonel Montagu and Mrs. Egerton. (fn. 54) In 1815
Richard Godolphin Long, John Long, and Daniel
Long were lords. (fn. 55) In 1939 the principal land-owners
were Messrs. Amor Pike, Benjamin Charles Hill, and
Horace Walter Greenhill. (fn. 56)
Church
The advowson of the rectory of Hilperton has followed the same descent as
the manor. It was divided at the end of
the 14th century in the same way between the three
heiresses of Sir Walter de Paveley. The heirs of Joan
wife of Sir Ralph Cheyney, who held a moiety of the
manor, presented every second turn; the heirs of Joan
wife of Sir John Chidiock and of Eleanor wife of Sir
Richard Seymour, who each held a quarter of the
manor, presented once in every four turns. (fn. 57) On two
occasions presentations were made by persons other
than the lord of the manor. In 1420 the Prior of
Farleigh presented. (fn. 58) In 1503 William Clevelode of
Stowford presented by grant of Sir John Zouche. (fn. 59)
The present patron is the Viscount Long of Wraxall.
In 1492 a Papal verdict was sought in a dispute
between the rectors of Hilperton and Whaddon concerning the tithes of a field called Whaddon Marsh
alias Whaddon Field alias West Field. This, with the
exception of certain acres of glebe belonging to the
Rector of Whaddon, lay in Hilperton parish and judgement was given in favour of the Rector of Hilperton. (fn. 60)
In 1672 the Rector of Hilperton still received tithes
from land belonging to Whaddon manor in fields called
Whaddon Marsh, Horse Field, and Eastfield. (fn. 61) In
1783 the glebe belonging to Hilperton rectory comprised approximately 10 acres of pasture lying in three
parcels called Heepcroft, Chestling, and Coming Hill,
and approximately 17½ acres of arable lying in parcels
called South Field, Little Black Lane, and Moonlight,
and in Hilperton Field and between the roads leading
to Trowbridge. (fn. 62)
In 1291 the church at Hilperton was valued at £5; (fn. 63) in
1341 at £3. 6s. 8d.; (fn. 64) and in 1535 at £16. (fn. 65) The churches
of Hilperton and Whaddon were united in 1854. (fn. 66)
The church is dedicated to ST. MICHAEL AND
ALL ANGELS, (fn. 67) and consists of a chancel, nave, west
tower, south porch, and combined vestry and organ
chamber. With the exception of the tower, it was rebuilt in 1848 in 14th-century style. E. Doran Smith
of Salisbury was the architect for the new chancel. (fn. 68)
Ashlar with Welsh slates were used for the rebuilding.
In 1891 a vestry and organ chamber were added to the
north side of the chancel. All that remains of the earlier
church is a number of 18th-century memorial slabs,
a pointed oak counterboarded door, probably of the late
15th century, and a hatchment of the Royal Arms of
George III dated 1771. In 1893 a 12th-century font
bowl found in Whaddon churchyard was set up on a
new stone base and circular shaft. It replaced a 19thcentury font which was moved to the chapel of ease
at Hilperton Marsh (see below). The 13th-century
tower is of rubble with worked stone dressings and is
crowned by a low octagonal broach spire. The clock
was installed by Fairer of London in 1863. The pulpit
and seating are contemporary with the rebuilding.
There are six bells; (i) and (ii) were cast in London
in 1909; (iii), (iv), and (vi) are inscribed 'Richard Slade
John Selfe Churchwardens' and dated 1664; (v) is
inscribed 'Nathaniel Bolter Made Mee 1633'. Numbers
(iii), (iv), (v), and (vi) were recast in 1853. (fn. 69) Electric
lighting was installed in 1931. The registers date from
1694 and are complete. (fn. 70) The commissioners of
Edward VI left for the church a chalice (11 oz.) and
took 17 oz. of silver for the king. There is now an
Elizabethan cup hall-marked 1576, a paten hall-marked
1690, given by the Revd. E. F. Boyle in 1852 and so
inscribed, a flagon, a paten hall-marked 1893, a chalice
hall-marked with the same date and given by the Revd.
Thomas Wood in 1894, and a paten hall-marked 1894
and given by 'H.C. and A.S.' in 1895. (fn. 71)
In 1672 Hilperton rectory house was described as
a 'fair new built dwelling house' of 4 bays. (fn. 72) In 1783
its measurements were given as 56 ft. by 27 ft. and it
was said to be built of stone with a stone tiled roof. It
then stood in about 1 acre of ground. (fn. 73)
ST. MARYS-IN-THE-MARSH, a chapel of ease
at Hilperton Marsh, was built in 1889. The chancel
is of flint and the nave of corrugated iron. (fn. 74)
Nonconformity
According to Bishop Compton's census (1676) there were that year 35 Protestant dissenters in Hilperton. (fn. 75) In 1707 the house of Edward
Stevens and in 1709 the house of John Boles, both of
Hilperton, were licensed as Protestant meeting-places. (fn. 76)
In 1769 Hilperton House, then occupied by Sarah
Webb, was licensed as a meeting-place for Independents. The petition for the licence was signed by Sarah
and Mary Webb, Stephen and Sarah Slade, William
Ferris, and John Cogswell. (fn. 77) Between 1765 and 1771
certain members of Back Street Particular Baptist
chapel, Trowbridge (q.v.) occasionally preached in the
open air at Hilperton. (fn. 78) Converts thus made joined
Back Street chapel until 1806, when a church was
formed at Hilperton. (fn. 79) The chapel, built that year, is
of rubble with an ashlar front. It has a plain plastered
interior with contemporary low box pews and a gallery at the west end. It seats 150. The vestry was
enlarged in 1821 and a Sunday-school room built
above. (fn. 80) The burial-ground was enlarged in 1832
and iron gates and railings were erected. (fn. 81) In 1835
James Miles, a deacon of the chapel, resigned, and
with some followers began another cause at Hilperton Marsh. A cottage was fitted up as a place of
worship, but no service was held there after 1850. (fn. 82)
In 1829 the congregation of the Hilperton Particular
Baptist chapel numbered 59 (fn. 83) and in 1890, 30. (fn. 84) In
1877 William Perkins Clark and Henry Clark gave
£700 to be invested for the benefit of the minister of
the Baptist chapel at Hilperton. In 1896 the sum had
risen to £953. 19s. 10d. In 1903 the income from this
investment was £37. 8s. and was still applied to its
original purpose. (fn. 85) A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was
built in 1819 and ten years later there were said to be
34 Methodists in Hilperton. (fn. 86) The chapel was rebuilt
in 1891 with seating for 300. (fn. 87) Both Baptist and
Methodist chapels benefited under the will of Isaac
Beavan (see below—Charities).
Schools
In 1819 there was a day school in
Hilperton attended by 36 children. (fn. 88) In
1833 25 children were attending a school
opened the year before and there was also a Baptist day
school. (fn. 87) It is not known whether either of these schools
derived from the school of 1819. It was certainly for
the school opened in 1832 that land was acquired in
trust in 1846. (fn. 90) By the terms of the trust the school was
in union with the National Society (fn. 91) from which it
received a building grant of £40. (fn. 92) In the same year
the trustees received a building grant of £70 from the
State, (fn. 93) and £54 was authorized some years later. (fn. 94)
The sum of £157 was raised locally. (fn. 95) It was reported
that there were 100 children in school in 1846, (fn. 96) while
about 50 children were attending in 1858. (fn. 97) They
were taught by an uncertificated mistress and pupil
teacher. A new building with a house for the master
was erected in 1875, (fn. 98) and it was reported in 1893 that
there was accommodation for 165 children. The
average attendance was, however, 122. (fn. 99) The accommodation was unchanged in 1910 although it is shown
as 110 for the senior department and 55 for the infants. (fn. 100)
In 1931 the school was reorganized and became a
junior mixed and infant school. The accommodation
was then computed at 85 and 47. The school was
controlled in 1948. The average attendance in July
1950 was 75. The school was then in charge of a head
teacher and 2 assistants. (fn. 101)
Charities
It was stated in 1786 that in 1555
John le Zouche, Lord le Zouche, a
Seymour, William Stourton, knight,
and Lord Stourton gave in trust to the church and
parish of Hilperton lands worth £4 annually. Nothing
further is known of this gift and in 1903 it was reported
as a lost charity. (fn. 102)
Isaac Beavan by his will dated 6 December 1877
directed that a sum should be invested which would
produce the annual interest of £5. This was then to be
used for the purchase of coal and blankets for the poor
of the parish irrespective of their religious profession.
He also directed that £10 a year should be paid to the
treasurers of the Baptist and Wesleyan Sunday schools,
and £1. 10s. a year into the funds of the Baptist chapel.
A sum of £150 invested in stock representing the bequest for coal and blankets was transferred to the
Official Trustees of Charitable Funds in 1879. By
an Order of the Charity Commissioners of 1880 the
churchwardens of the parish church were appointed
trustees for the administration of this charity. In 1903
there were 42 recipients each of whom received 3 cwt.
of coal in January. (fn. 103) The sum of £333. 6s. 8d. invested
by the two Sunday schools was also transferred to the
Official Trustees of Charitable Funds in 1879. The
annual dividends of £8. 6s. 8d. were then divided
equally between the two schools. (fn. 104) At the same date
a sum of £50 was transferred to the same trustees and
the dividend of £1. 5s. was applied by the treasurer and
deacons of the Baptist chapel towards the stipend of the
minister of the chapel. (fn. 105)
By indenture dated 8 March 1887 William Perkins
Clark gave £1,776 to be applied for the benefit of the
poor of the parish of whatever religious creed. This
fund was to be administered by the rector and churchwardens and the minister and deacons of the Baptist
chapel. In 1903 the capital sum had increased to
£2,979. 7s. 8d. of which £1,200 was invested in stock,
£1,580 was advanced on mortgages, and £199.7s. 8d.
remained in the bank. The annual income from these
investments was £90. 6s. 8d., out of which allowances
of 5s. a week were paid to 3 poor persons selected by the
rector and churchwardens and 3 poor persons selected
by the minister and deacons. The recipients had to
have resided for at least 10 years in the parish and to be
60 years of age or more. (fn. 106)
Sir William Roger Brown by his will dated 1901
bequeathed to the parish council £250 to invest and
apply for the purchase of coal for the deserving poor
of the parish at Christmas time. This legacy was
invested and the annual dividends amounted to £6. 11s.
In 1902 there were 31 beneficiaries each receiving
2 cwt. of coal. (fn. 107)