ROWDE
The parish of Rowde lies to the south of Bromham
on the Gault and Greensand strip beneath the western
escarpment of Roundway Down. (fn. 1) The height of the
land varies between 200 and 300 ft. above sea-level,
being higher in the east, near the foot of Roundway
Down. Rowde Ford, a stream which rises near the
Down, flows westward through the parish, forming part
of the boundary of Bromham and Rowde. The railway
line between Melksham and Devizes passes through the
extreme south of the parish. Bromham and Rowde
Halt, in spite of its name, is in the parish of Seend. The
Kennet and Avon Canal runs through Rowde slightly
north of the railway, passing through a series of locks. (fn. 2)
Rowde village lies in the centre of the parish near
Rowde Ford. It is the meeting point of roads south to
Poulshot (B 3101), south-east to Devizes (A 342), and
north to Bromham (A 342).
In the main street, a little to the east of the church,
there are two timber-framed houses built about 1600.
For the years 1698 to 1704 the parish register gives
details of occupations. (fn. 3) It is interesting that less than
half the men who are mentioned during this period
were engaged in agriculture. Among the trades mentioned were those of clothier, weaver, worstedcomber, scribbler, wool-jobber, fellmonger, glover,
cork-maker, and cork-cutter. There is earlier evidence
of the cloth industry at Rowde. In 1622 it was one of
the parishes which petitioned the Quarter Sessions for
assistance against the prevailing slump in that industry. (fn. 4)
Among clothiers associated with Rowde were Amos
Hope (fl. 1597), (fn. 5) Eleazar Webb (d. 1647), (fn. 6) George
Andrews (fl. 1648), (fn. 7) Edgar Webb (1625–74), (fn. 8)
Samuel Webb (1635–1707), (fn. 9) and Samuel Webb, jr.
(1662–1739). (fn. 10) James Parsons (fl. 1712) was a
drugget maker. (fn. 11)
The hardship caused by the rising population and
the decline of the Wiltshire woollen industry in the
second half of the 18th century is shown in Rowde by
a steep rise in the bastardy rate and by charity burials.
Between 1606 and 1745 there had never been more
than 4 illegitmate births in a single year and only 25 in
the whole period. Between 1746 and 1755 there was a
total of 8, and in the following decades the numbers
were successively 13, 10, 13, and 18, rising to 21 in the
ten years ending in 1805.
During the first half of the 17th century there are
numerous entries in the register relating to the 'Flweleen' (Llewelyn) family. Another piece of evidence of
movement of population at this time is an entry concerning Sarah Weeks 'who came out of Ireland'. The
Civil War finds an echo in an entry of 1643 to explain
an increase in the number of deaths: 'fight on Blagdon
Hill'. In 1776 there were 14 deaths at Rowde from
smallpox, and in 1806 another 7.
In the churchyard at Kinson (Dors.) there is an
epitaph to Robert Trotman, a smuggler from Rowde
'barbarously murdered on the shore near Poole' on
24 April 1765. (fn. 12) The epitaph makes it clear that he
had died in a fight with customs' officers:
Put tea in one scale, human blood in t'other
And think what 'tis to slay a harmless brother.
Thomas Jekyll (1646–98), who was Vicar of
Rowde from 1671 to 1676, was later lecturer at
Newlands, Gloucester, and minister of the New Church
in St. Margaret, Westminster. (fn. 13) He was a zealous
opponent of popery.
Ferdinando Warner (1703–68), vicar 1730 to 1732,
was an author whose miscellaneous writings concluded with 'A full and plain account of the Gout...
with some new and important instructions for its relief,
which the author's experience in the Gout above 30
years hath induced him to impart'. Warner died of
gout in the same year. (fn. 14)
Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (1820–77), the distinguished architect and writer on art, was a native of
Rowde. In 1851 he was secretary to the executive
committee of the Great Exhibition and he was later the
first Slade Professor of Fine Art at Cambridge. He
designed many buildings including the Adelphi Theatre
and a Rothschild mausoleum in West Ham cemetery,
but the best-known monument to his skill is Paddington
Station. (fn. 15)
Manors
The manor of ROWDE was held in
1086 by Alfred of Marlborough. (fn. 16) His
subtenants were William, Gilbert, and
Ulviet. In 1187 the manor was in the hands of the
king. From that date onwards it was frequently mentioned in the Pipe Rolls: it was usually classed as an
escheat and the sheriff returned annually from it the
sum of £18. 17s. 5d. (fn. 17) It is not clear when the manor
became royal property. It is probable that Henry II
was holding it before he became king, for he gave
'Leiland which belonged to Rudes' to the Cistercian
abbey founded by him and his mother at Lockswell in
1151. (fn. 18) The abbey moved to Stanley in 1154 so that
the grant must have been made between the two dates.
During the wars of Stephen's reign Henry had seized
the castle of Devizes and he may well have acquired
Rowde in the same way. That there may have been
some doubt as to his title is suggested by a lawsuit of
1212, in which the Abbot of Stanley demanded Leiland
from Ralph Bloet. (fn. 19)
Rowde remained Crown property until the end of
the 16th century, and from the reign of Edward I it
usually formed part of the dower of the queen. It was
always granted along with Devizes. The first express
mention of Rowde manor as an appurtenance of the
bailiwick of the constable of Devizes castle occurs in
October 1217 (fn. 20) when it was assigned inter alia to John
Marshal, who had been appointed constable in the
previous March. (fn. 21) On a number of occasions between
1295 and 1332 it was taxed as a royal demesne 'vill'.
In 1334 and 1336 it was described in the taxation
returns as a borough, but this is probably significant of
nothing more than looseness of terminology. Royal
demesne vills paid taxes on the same scale as cities and
boroughs. (fn. 22)
In 1591 Rowde was sold by the queen to Sir Edward
Hunger ford. (fn. 23) Sir Edward died in 1607. (fn. 24) His relict
Cecily, who later married Francis Manners, 6th Earl
of Rutland, held for life 1,158 acres in the manor. (fn. 25)
The heir was (Sir) Edward, son of Sir Anthony Hungerford of Black Bourton (Oxon.). (fn. 26) Sir Edward (knighted
1625) was one of the leading Parliamentarians in
Wiltshire, and the rival of Sir Edward Baynton of
Bromham. He died in 1648 and Rowde passed to his
half-brother Anthony Hungerford. (fn. 27) Anthony was
succeeded on his death in 1657 by his son Sir Edward
Hungerford, founder of Hungerford Market, which
stood on the site now occupied by Charing Cross
Station. (fn. 28) Before Sir Edward's death Rowde had
passed into the possession of John, son of Sir Francis
Eyles, bt. (fn. 29) Sir John Eyles, who succeeded to his
father's title in 1716 was at one time a sub-governor of
the South Sea Company, M.P. for Chippenham and
later for the City of London. His son Francis was one
of the directors of the South Sea Company in 1721
when the 'bubble' broke, and with his colleagues was
sentenced by the House of Commons to forfeit part of
his personal estate. (fn. 30) Rowde may have been sold as
part of this estate. (fn. 31) The manor belonged in 1760 to
the Duke of Marlborough, who had extensive Wiltshire
properties. The trustees appointed under the will of
the first duke had in 1726 bought property formerly
belonging to Francis Hawes, another director of the
South Sea Company. (fn. 32) Rowde remained the possession
of the dukes of Marlborough until 1808, when it was
sold to Wadham Locke of Ford House in Bromham. (fn. 33)
Wadham (d. 1835) was succeeded by his son F. A. S.
Locke, who died in 1885. (fn. 34) John Locke, who succeeded his brother in 1885, died in 1886. (fn. 35) His
executors sold the manor to C. E. H. Colston, who
in 1916 was created 1st Baron Round way. (fn. 36) Lord
Roundway was succeeded by his son and heir the 2nd
Baron.
The manor was frequently leased out by its owners.
In 1287 Matthew son of John was granted a life tenancy
by Edward I and Queen Eleanor. (fn. 37) Matthew relinquished this in 1305 in return for the tenancy of the
manor of Wroxhall in the Isle of Wight. (fn. 38) At other
times during the Middle Ages Rowde was granted out
to farm as appurtenant to Devizes.
Sir Edward Baynton (of Bromham) became steward
of the Devizes estate, including Rowde, in or before
1526. (fn. 39) He received an annuity of £10 from land in
Rowde and elsewhere which had formerly belonged to
John Pravander, of whose son and heir Geoffrey he
was guardian. (fn. 40) In 1545 Queen Katherine Parr
granted a lease of the manor to Edith and Robert
Maundrell, for 21 years at the rent of £38 a year. (fn. 41) In
1558 Queen Mary granted to Richard Hale the reversion of the manor after the expiration of the Maundrells' lease. (fn. 42) Hale agreed to pay £15. 7s. 11d. a year
on a 30-year lease. Less than a month later the manor
was granted for 40 years to Henry Goldeney alias
Fernell, of Chippenham. He was to pay £40 a year,
and to receive the rents paid by the Maundrells and
Richard Hale. From the first two leases the Crown had
reserved the rights of court, wards, marriages, woods,
and mills but Goldeney's lease included the court. (fn. 43)
In 1565 William Maundrell, son of Robert, was
farmer of Rowde. (fn. 44) The manor was granted in 1589
by Matthew Morgan to Nicholas Reed, and the grant
was confirmed by the queen. (fn. 45) This was apparently the
last lease in which the Crown was concerned as lord of
the manor.
Richard Norden (d. 1641) had held the manor, presumably as tenant of the Hungerfords. (fn. 46) His father,
William Norden (d. 1637), had apparently held it
before him. Richard's heir was his brother John.
Edward Hope (d. 1706) is described in the parish
register of Rowde as lord of the manor. (fn. 47) He, too, was
evidently a lessee. Late in the 18th century the Delmé
family of Rowdeford House held the manor or property in it. John Delmé of Rowdeford died in 1776. (fn. 48)
In 1249 Juliana de Rudes and Peter de Bulkinton
held 3 virgates in Rowde by serjeanty of 40 days'
service with the king in war-time. (fn. 49) Their service was
valued at 15s. a year. In 1255 it was said that Richard
de Bynnakre and Juliana his sister had held 3 virgates
in Rowde by serjeanty of castle guard at Devizes for
40 days in war-time: Richard had alienated 1½ virgate
of that land which Peter de Bulkinton now held, and
Juliana had alienated her 1½ virgate to Nicholas de
Barbeflet. (fn. 50) From this it seems that Richard's alienation took place before 1249, and that of his sister,
Juliana de Rudes, between 1249 and 1255. Laurence
de Rudes, perhaps a relative of Juliana, received a grant
of land in Rowde in 1276. (fn. 51)
In 1255 Henry le Oyselur was said to have held a
hide of land in Rowde by serjeanty of fowling. His
son and heir Roger was then the ward of the Constable
of Devizes. (fn. 52)
The parish priest of Rowde apparently held the
rectory until 1325–6, when the vicarage was ordained
(see below—Church). There was an individual rector
at least as late as 1354. In 1363 Edward III and Queen
Philippa granted to the abbot and monks of Stanley
the appropriation of the church of Rowde. (fn. 53) The
appropriation was confirmed by the Pope in 1399 (see
below—Church). The abbey held the rectory from
1363 until 1537. In addition to the rectorial glebe and
tithes the RECTORY MANOR included a piece of
land, once appurtenant to the lay manor of Rowde,
which had been given to the abbey by Henry II. This
consisted of a virgate called 'Leiland' which lay 'beside
the bridge of Lacock' and was held in fee at an annual
rent of 20s. (fn. 54) From this description it was evidently
situated locally in the parish of Lacock. In 1535 the
rectory was valued at £5. 13s. 4d. and the assize rents
appurtenant to it at 30s. (fn. 55)
The rectory manor was granted in 1537 to Sir
Edward Baynton. (fn. 56) In 1587 it was among the lands left
by Edward Morgan to his son Matthew. It had previously been the property of Edward Morgan's wife
Frances, who had died in 1568. (fn. 57) Matthew Morgan's
title was confirmed by the queen in 1588. (fn. 58) In the
following year Morgan conveyed the rectory along with
the manor to Nicholas Reade. (fn. 59) In 1597 William Anstee
and Anne his wife conveyed the rectory to Thomas
Grove, with warranty against the heirs of Anne. (fn. 60)
Thomas Grove and his wife Anne transferred it in
1602 to William Maundrell. (fn. 61) In 1624 the 'manor of
the rectory of Rowde' was conveyed by William
Norden to Benjamin Norden. (fn. 62) This was probably for
the purpose of a settlement, for in 1641 Richard, son of
William Norden, died possessed of 'the manor and
rectory of Rowde, lying in Rowde'. (fn. 63)
During the first half of the 18th century the rectory
was the subject of frequent conveyances; there were
also many separate conveyances of tithe which had
been commuted in 1663 (see below—Church). (fn. 64) In
1701 Humphrey Buckler and others conveyed the
rectory to Thomas and William Buckler. (fn. 65) Nicholas
Chiffens and his wife released it to Richard Hope in
1704. (fn. 66) Thomas Griffon (? Chiffens) and others conveyed it in 1716 to Edward Seale and Britania his
wife, who had been among the grantors in 1701. (fn. 67) In
1722 Walter, Jane, and Alice Webb conveyed it to
Robert Crooke. (fn. 68) In 1736 John Knight and Anne his
wife conveyed the rectory to Joseph Ashton. (fn. 69)
In 1760 the Duke of Marlborough was in possession
of the rectory, and it apparently descended from this
time along with the lay manor of Rowde. (fn. 70) Wadham
Locke (d. 1835) is described in his memorial in the
parish church as Rector of Rowde. (fn. 71)
Church
There was a priest at Rowde in 1086. (fn. 72)
The next reference to the church is in
1216, when Warner de Samford was given
letters of presentation by the king. (fn. 73) The vicarage of
Rowde was ordained in 1326. John de Mereton the
vicar was to have a messuage with curtilage next to the
church, all offerings and altar dues, all small tithes, and
all tithes of the glebe, including 4 crofts at 'la Clyve'
which had formerly been gardens but were now returned to agriculture. He and his successors undertook
to pay the annual rents due from the church, amounting
to 3s. 2d. and to provide processional candles for the
church. The rector, William de Hereford, was to pay
for the upkeep of the chancel, for the church ornaments
and books, and the archdeacon's procurations. (fn. 74) Up to
this time the advowson of the rectory had apparently
followed the same descent as the manor. (fn. 75) William de
Hereford, as rector, had presented to the vicarage in
1325—a year before it had been officially ordained. (fn. 76)
In 1329, 1335, 1337, and 1342 presentations to the
vicarage were made by the queens who held the manor
of Rowde. (fn. 77) In 1349 and 1354 John de Northwode,
as rector, presented to the vicarage. (fn. 78)
When the appropriation of the rectory was granted
to the abbot and monks of Stanley in 1363 the church
of Rowde was described as 'of their advowson'. The
abbot had not presented to the vicarage before this time
and it is probable that the advowson had been granted
only a short time before the rectory (see above—Manors). The abbot presented from 1377 until
1517. (fn. 79)
In 1399 the Pope granted to the abbot and monks
of Stanley the 'appropriation anew of the church of
Rowde,... formerly appropriated to them by the
authority of the ordinary (and) then as now of their
patronage, and to which secular priests have been
appointed as secular vicars: with appropriation in consideration of their diminished resources of the vicarage
itself. On the resignation or death of the vicar the
abbey was empowered to serve the vicarage with its
own monks or with secular priests appointed and removed at will. (fn. 80)
In or about 1436 the Vicar of Rowde, Reynold
Neubury, complained that the income of the vicarage
was insufficient, and an inquiry was accordingly made
into income. (fn. 81) In 1291 the church of Rowde had been
valued at £8. (fn. 82) The return to the inquiry of c. 1436
gave the value of the vicarage as about £4. (fn. 83) In addition to oblations and small tithes the vicar was receiving
all the tithes of the 4 crofts at 'la Cleve' and of 1 virgate
of glebe belonging to the rectory. In 1535 the rectory
was valued at £5. 13s. 4d. and the assize rents appurtenant to it at 30s. (fn. 84) The vicarage was said to be worth
£7, 1s. 4d. (fn. 85)
In 1537 the advowson was granted to Sir Edward
Baynton. (fn. 86) In the same year presentation to the vicarage was made by John Ernie, apparently by virtue of a
previous concession by the Abbot of Stanley. (fn. 87) After
that date the rights of patronage were exercised by the
heirs of Sir Edward Baynton and followed the same
descent as the manor of Bromham (q.v.) until 1864,
when Gabriel Goldney acted as patron. (fn. 88) Goldney
presented again in 1871. (fn. 89) In 1898 the patron was the
Revd. E. Shipley Harris (formerly the vicar). The
Revd. A. T. Clark (former vicar) presented in 1904. (fn. 90)
In 1915 Clark (who had again become vicar) mortgaged the rights of patronage to the Capital and
Counties Bank. (fn. 91) In 1943 his executors transferred
the rights to the Diocesan Board of Patronage.
In 1705 it was stated that the churchyard belonged
to the vicarage and that the boundaries of the churchyard were maintained at the expense of those whose
lands abutted upon it except on the south side, where
the boundaries were maintained at the expense of the
parishioners in general. At the same inquiry it was
stated that all small tithes belonged to the vicarage and
had since 1663 been commuted at the rate of 6d. an
acre every half year. The total value of these tithes in
1705 was £4. 5s. There also belonged to the vicarage
all the great tithes from 33 acres of land in Road Hill,
then in the possession of John Stevens but formerly
owned by John Wicks of Chippenham who had given
the tithe to the vicarage. (fn. 92)
The Church of ST. MATTHEW consists of a
chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north porch and
chapel, and west tower, and is built of ashlar. It is
known until 1833 as the Church of St. Mary. In that
year it was rebuilt and rededicated. (fn. 93) Only the lofty
15th-century tower with battlemented parapets survives from the earlier building. The aisles were added
about 1860, and in 1901 the chancel walls were raised
and a new roof was provided.
The organ, housed in the north chapel, was installed in 1871, the lectern (in memory of General
Gordon) in 1887, and the pulpit (in memory of the
Revd. A. B. Starkey) in 1872. The font, designed by
Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt, was installed in 1850 and
the oak screen to the tower in 1887. The oak altartable is of the late 17th century and there are two stools
of the same period. A large iron-bound chest, fitted
with three original locks, is inscribed M. 1694. There
are several memorials from the previous church, including one to Eleazar Webbe, clothier (d. 1647)
with his woolstapler's mark, and Edgar Webbe (d.
1674).
The parish registers are complete from 1606. The
parish chest also contains churchwardens' account
books 1676 to 1755 and 1825 to 1923, and a number
of other records. (fn. 94)
In 1553 the parish of Rowde kept its old chalice,
weighing 14 oz., and 1½ oz. of plate was taken for the
king. (fn. 95) The older of the existing chalices, with a paten
cover, is hall-marked 1576 and inscribed with the date
1577. The second chalice, with two patens, and a
tankard-shaped flagon all date from 1864. (fn. 96) A third
chalice with paten was presented in 1864 by the
Revd. C. Suckling. A small flagon was added in
c. 1870; a paten in c. 1900; a pyx in 1906, and a wafer
box in 1946. (fn. 97) The six church bells were cast in 1870
from the old ring of five. In 1553 there were four
bells. Of those recast in 1870 two dated from 1639,
and the others from 1654, 1709, and 1754. The bell
of 1654 which bears the arms of Sir Edward Hungerford (d. 1648) is said to have been given by his
relict. (fn. 98)
Nonconformity
According to Bishop Compton's census (1676) there were
20 nonconformists in Rowde
that year. (fn. 99) In 1677 there was a Quaker meeting described as that of Bromham and Rowde. (fn. 100) It was included in the Charlcutt Monthly Meeting and the
Wiltshire Quarterly Meeting. Very soon, however, the
meeting became known as that of Bromham only,
though no doubt it continued to be attended by some
members from Rowde. (fn. 101) In 1718 the dwelling-house
of Richard Watts in Rowde was licensed as a Dissenters' meeting-place. (fn. 102)
A Methodist society existed at Rowde in 1829, and
was assessed at £1. 1s. 3d. a quarter towards the expenses of the Devizes Circuit. In 1832 there were
6 members. (fn. 103) A chapel was built in 1838 (fn. 104) and in 1852
there were 20 members. (fn. 105) There were 17 members in
1886. (fn. 106) In 1950 there were 7. (fn. 107)
Agriculture
In 1086 there were 4 serfs, 4
villeins, 8 bordars, and a priest on
the manor of Rowde. The manor
was valued at £8 having been worth £6 T.R.E. (fn. 108) In
1236–7 receipts of the manor were £60. 7s. 9½d. and
expenses £10. 11s. 7½d. (fn. 109) The following year receipts
had fallen to £47. 6s. 11d. and expenses to £9. 7s. 1d. (fn. 110)
In 1255 the jurors in the hundred court valued the
'vill' of Rowde at £42 a year, and reported that the
woods were well cared for. (fn. 111) A series of annual
accounts for the years 1255–61 exists for the demesnes
and other appurtenances belonging to Devizes Castle,
of which Rowde was one. The receipts for Rowde for
these years are as follows: 1255–6, £24. 4s. 8d.;
1256–7, £37. 19s. 8½d; 1257–8, £36. 16s. 0½d.
1258–9, £34. 19s. 6½d 1259–60, £35. 8s. 6½d
1260–1, £38. 18s. 3½d. (fn. 112)
From the accounts it appears that crops were more
important than stock at Rowde in the 13 th century.
In 1237–8 50 qr. 3 bush. of corn, 16 qr. 7 bush. of rye,
23 qr. 8 bush. of barley, and 48 qr. 7 bush. of wheat
were sold, while 3 qr. of rye were bought for seed. (fn. 113)
Sales of corn between 1256 and 1261 were as follows:
1256–7, £23. 0s. 4d.; 1257–8, £22; 1258–9,
£19. 6s. 8d.; 1259–60, £20. 9s.; 1260–1, £25. (fn. 114)
Grange accounts for 1259–60 show that 143½ qr.
3 bush, of oats (of which 12 qr. had been bought) were
in hand that year. Of this 133 qr. 1 bush. were for
seed, 4 qr. 5 bush. had been used when the bailiff and
his stewards held courts at Devizes and Rowde, and
1 qr. had been used for the preparation of a drink for
the farm servants. (fn. 115)
The only stock accounted for were oxen. In 1236–75 oxen were bought for ploughing. The following
year there were 26 oxen on the manor and 5 more were
bought that year. (fn. 116) In 1255–6 there were 33 oxen to
which 4 were added by purchase. (fn. 117) Two oxen were
sold in 1259–60 for 19s. and the hides of 2 oxen which
had died of murrain were sold for 3s. 6d. (fn. 118)
In 1236–7 and 1237–8 6 carters, a reeve, a smith,
an oxherd, and 5 cottars were rewarded for their
services by quittance of rent throughout the year. In
the latter year one narrower was paid a wage of 9d. and
£1. 8s. 2½d. had to be paid for threshing and winnowing. (fn. 119) In 1255–6 a reeve, 8 ploughmen, a smith, a
woodward, and 6 harrowers were allowed quittance
of rent, and 2s. 10d. was paid for cutting corn and
mowing. (fn. 120)
From 1526 to 1529 Robert Maundrell, farmer of
Rowde rendered account for £38 each year for the farm
of the manor. Reliefs in 1526 were 2s. 4d. and in 1529
6d. Fines of land were 3s. 4d. in 1526, £1 in 1527, 12s.
in 1528, and 10s. in 1529. Perquisites and other
unspecified items were 13s. 10d. in 1526; 15s. 2d.
in 1527; £1. 8s. 4d. in 1528; and £1. 12s. 6d. in
1529. (fn. 121)
Inclosure took place early in the 17th century, and
the details are interesting. In 1619 Sir Anthony
Hungerford, father of the heir to the manor, wrote to
Robert Flower and John Lewes, freeholders of the
parish, urging them to keep their part of an agreement
to inclose the common field. If they refused, he said,
'1 presume you will be enforced to make good your
former agreement, with your charge and trouble'. (fn. 122)
In 1801 the acreage of crops under cultivation in the
parish was as follows: wheat 195, barley 24¼, oats 40,
potatoes 14½, peas 41, beans 61, turnips and rape 16½. (fn. 123)
Mills
There were 2 mills at Rowde in 1086, held
with 20 acres of meadow by William, and
worth 9s. 8d. (fn. 124) The manor of Rowde included a water-mill in 1655. (fn. 125) In 1691 a water-mill
was conveyed to Robert Nicholas by James Filkes and
Jane his wife. (fn. 126)
Schools
There was a 'classical school' at Rowde
in 1819, but few details about it were
given. (fn. 127) In 1833 there were two day
schools in the parish. One of these, which had probably
been opened in 1833, was attended by about 50 boys
and supported partly by fees and partly by public subscription. (fn. 128) The other was a National school, apparently
built in 1821. (fn. 129) In 1830 it had been conveyed to
trustees by J. Ayliffe and in 1831 the National Society
had made a grant of £100. (fn. 130) In 1833 the school was
said to be supported by a lady residing in the parish. (fn. 131)
Of the two schools mentioned in that year only the
National school survived. A second site on the other
side of the road was conveyed in trust by R. Sutton in
1841. (fn. 132) It was intended 'for a day and Sunday school
for teaching the poor to read and to habituate them to
attend regularly on every Sunday divine Service at the
parish church'. The conveyance was subject to a provision for reverter if the charity came to an end. (fn. 133) The
school was in union with the Diocesan Board and with
the National Society, from which it received an annual
grant of £10. (fn. 134) In 1851 the accommodation consisted
of a 'fair room' in which 30–40 boys were taught and
a room on the other side of the street for 20–30 girls.
Children too young for the National school were being
taught by a dame in her cottage. (fn. 135) In 1872 there were
52 boys and girls, in separate departments, on one side
of the street, and 56 infants on the other side. (fn. 136) When
the school managers appealed to the National Society
in 1878 for a further grant it was discovered that the
trust deed contained no union clause. This was rectified
by a deed later in the same year, and a grant of £10 was
again made. (fn. 137) The earlier of the two schoolrooms was
condemned in 1905. (fn. 138) It was then closed and the parish
room was used as a schoolroom while a new building
was being erected. (fn. 139) In 1908 land was conveyed by the
Revd. T. H. Jervis and five others. (fn. 140) In the same year
the new building was completed and approved. It
was an extension of the 1841 building and had cost
£1,229. 18s. 8d. of which £25 was contributed by the
National Society, £50 by the Diocesan Board, and £100
by the bishop's special fund. (fn. 141) The new block could
accommodate 128 children and the old schoolroom
was thenceforth available for 63 infants. (fn. 142) These
figures still stood in 1950. The average attendances in
July of that year were 54 in the mixed department and
29 in the infants'. (fn. 143) In 1948 the Misses Butler and
others conveyed to the County Council I acre of land
which is used as the school playground. (fn. 144) In 1950
there were 6 teachers of whom 2 are in the infants'
department. (fn. 145)
Charities
By his will dated 1715 Richard
Webb devised a close of meadow in
Rowde called Stovey Croft, together
with houses, garden, and orchard adjoining, the income
to be applied to the relief of all those not in receipt of
parish poor relief. After the death of the trustees appointed by Webb the charity was to be administered
by the overseers of the poor. In 1901 the income was
£26 a year. It was then stated that for many years the
charity had been distributed indiscriminately to all
the poor of the parish. The Charity Commissioners
had for some time been urging a more satisfactory
method of distribution. (fn. 146)
Wicks's charity. By his will dated 1687 John Wicks
of Chippenham left in trust to the vicar and churchwardens of Rowde a tenement with appurtenances and
a paddock in Rowde together with the tithes of the
premises. In 1901 the property consisted of six cottages. Two of these, under one roof, had been rebuilt
about 1865 and were in good condition. The other
four, under one roof, were older and in a ruinous condition. The Charity Commissioners had been urging
the trustees to sell the property or to let it on building
leases. In 1900 the income of the charity was about
£20, which had been distributed to 33 persons. (fn. 147)
Church land. By indenture dated 1704 John Tice
of Rowde, joiner, conveyed in trust a little plot of
ground behind the Church House, the income to be
applied to the use of the church. In 1834 the land was
said to produce no income. By 1901 the charity had
been lost. It was then said that the land had been sold
by the guardians along with the Church House 'which
appears to have been a kind of poor house for the
parish'. The site was in the possession of Mr. Bartlett
of the White Hart Inn, Devizes. (fn. 148)
Elyott's charity. The table of benefactions in the
church of Rowde states that Francis Elyott of Rowde
gave £10 a year interest for the benefit of the poor of
the parish. Nothing was known about this charity in
1834 or 1901. (fn. 149)
Hawkins's charity. The same table of benefactions
states that there was a charity consisting of 12s. a year
issuing out of a field called Hawkins's Grove. It was
stated in 1834 that this field was in South wick Farm in
Rowde. The field had been sold in 1805 by the Duke
of Marlborough and bought in 1808 by the father of
the Revd. George Bythesea. George Bythesea had
inherited it on his father's death in 1814 and held it in
1834.. The sitting tenant in 1834 was Samuel Self.
No payments had been made from the field since
1808 and George Bythesea had stated that his title
deeds contained no mention of the charity payment.
Nothing further was reported about this charity in
1901. (fn. 150)
Rowde Reading Room and Coffee Tavern. By a
deed enrolled in Chancery, 12 November 1887, Frances
Starkey, relict of John Baynton Starkey, conveyed upon
trust to the vicar and churchwardens of Rowde a piece
of land in the parish upon which had been built a
reading-room, coffee tavern, and a cottage. The deed
stated that the land had formerly belonged to Andrew
B. Starkey, sometime Vicar of Rowde, who had devised it to the vicarage of Rowde. This legacy was
void and the land descended to John Baynton Starkey,
who left it to his relict. Frances Starkey had permitted
Charlotte Starkey, widow, to build the reading-room,
&c, for parish use. The conveyance of 1887 made it a
condition of the charity that no political meetings
should be held in the premises. In 1901 it was stated
that the buildings had been enlarged by Mr. Lowe at
his own expense. They were known as the Lecture
Hall or the Institute and maintained by voluntary
contributions of about £20 a year. A caretaker occupied
the cottage rent free. (fn. 151)