FITTLETON
Unlike its north and south neighbours, Fittleton
does not lie across the Avon, but occupies the land
east of the river only. (fn. 1) The opposite western side
is the territory of Netheravon parish. Fittleton has,
therefore, only a half share of the valley's alluvial
soils and gravel. (fn. 2) The area of meadow land is
consequently relatively small, although drainage of
the marshy ground beside the river has remedied
that to some extent. The area of chalk downland is,
on the other hand, very large, for from the valley
the parish stretches roughly in the shape of a
pear up on to Salisbury Plain for over 6 km. In its
widest east part it extends for more than 4 km. over
the bare downland country where the light loamy
soil covering the chalk is thickly strewn with flints.
The climb from the valley to the plain is fairly
gentle except in the south-west corner of the parish
where the slope forms an almost sheer cliff of chalk.
In the north-west corner a steep sided coomb, made
by a now dry tributary of the Avon, cuts into the
plain and marks the beginning of the boundary
between Fittleton and the appropriately named
Coombe, a tithing of Enford. On the plain the land
is undulating, reaching 171 m. on Weather hill and
187 m. on the slopes of Sidbury hill, in North
Tidworth, and dipping gently in the shallow valleys
made by the now dry Nine Mile river and its
tributaries.
The parish, which measures 1,300 ha. (3,213 a.),
is divided lengthways almost exactly in halves into
the tithings of Fittleton in the north and Haxton in
the south. The two settlements, which adjoin and
make a single village, lie in a curve of the river where
the terrace of valley gravel widens to provide a site
above flood level. The activity of prehistoric man
on the upland part of the parish is abundantly
attested. Haxton down has a group of bowl-barrows
and a long barrow is situated on the west side of
Weather hill. (fn. 3) Several stretches of bank and ditch,
perhaps connected with near-by Sidbury camp in
North Tidworth, run through the parish and one
makes part of the boundary between Fittleton and
Collingbourne Kingston. (fn. 4) A Romano-British settlement a little south of Beach's Barn was excavated in
1894. (fn. 5)
Fittleton is roughly 20 km. north of Salisbury,
and the same distance south of Marlborough, and
south-east of Devizes. Salisbury and Devizes were
the main market centres in the 19th century. (fn. 6) The
village is bypassed by the present north-south main
road running down the west bank of the Avon. Roads
forking from Haxton bridge, however, give easy
access to it. Until c. 1847 the Avon was crossed at
Haxton by a ford and a footbridge. An iron suspension bridge was then provided which was replaced
in 1907 by the present brick bridge. (fn. 7) The road
along the east side of the river was turnpiked from
Amesbury as far as Fittleton in 1762. (fn. 8) The ancient
Marlborough—Salisbury road, never turnpiked south
of Everleigh, ran through the eastern part of the
parish. Tracks leading towards it from the village
were closed after the Army established its training
areas on the plain. A road running east to Everleigh
was, however, constructed partly by the Army and
remained open for public use in 1976. (fn. 9)
Of the two tithings, Haxton, closer to the crossing
of the Avon, was the larger and more prosperous in
the Middle Ages. Fittleton was closely connected
with Coombe in Enford from the 13 th century to
the 17th. (fn. 10) In 1334 the two were taxed together at
26s. 8d. Haxton, at the time part of the liberty of
Everleigh, was taxed at 90s. (fn. 11) In 1377 Fittleton and
Coombe together had 60 poll-tax payers, and
Haxton 68. (fn. 12) Haxton was sometimes detached from
Fittleton for taxation purposes even when the two
shared a common lordship and after the liberty
of Everleigh had become merged in the hundred of
Elstub. In 1545 it was assessed with the parish of
Ham at £4 18s. Fittleton alone was then rated at
46s. 8d. (fn. 13) In 1576 the two together paid £6 10s. (fn. 14)
Only twice in the 19th century did the Census
enumerators return separate population figures for
the two tithings. (fn. 15) In 1811 the population of Haxton
was 139 and that of Fittleton 110. In 1841 Haxton
had 161 people and Fittleton 175, but the larger
number at Fittleton may be accounted for by the
15 people living in tents, perhaps casual agricultural
workers. In 1871 the population of the parish was
394. It then declined until in 1911 it was 308. After
the establishment of an airfield in 1913, the population rose and was 480 in 1921. It thereafter dropped
and was 265 in 1971. (fn. 16)
The airfield was made in 1913 for No. 3 Squadron
of the recently formed Royal Flying Corps. (fn. 17) It lies
along the boundary between Fittleton and Figheldean with buildings in both parishes. Until the site
was ready service personnel were housed in the
former cavalry school at Netheravon, and perhaps
for that reason the airfield has always been called
Netheravon airfield. For a short while in 1914 it was
used for training as an annexe of the Central Flying
School at Upavon, but for most of the First World
War it was an operational base. After the war it was
again used for training and became No. 1 Flying
Training School. In 1939 it was renamed No. 1
Service Flying Training School and became a centre
for glider training. Between 1950 and 1952 the
station was placed on a care and maintenance basis
and certain specialist sections of the police force,
including that concerned with dog handling, were
trained there. In 1952 it became the depot for the
R.A.F. police wing. In 1963 it was transferred to the
War Department, and in 1976 was the headquarters
of the Army Flying Corps. (fn. 18)
The villages of Haxton and Fittleton lie along a
loop road branching from the Amesbury—Upavon
road and along short extensions towards Haxton
bridge and Figheldean. Within the loop lie the parks
belonging to Fittleton Manor, in 1976 rough fields
with some fine trees, but partly built over with
council housing. The northern end of the loop road,
or village street, may be the road called the 'Weende'
in the 14th century, alongside which the lord of the
manor had a grange with residential quarters. (fn. 19) The
church, rectory-house, and manor-house stand
close together at the northern end of the street.
Lining the street are several houses and cottages of
17th- or 18th-century date. Some are thatched and
the varied use of brick, flint, and chalk block, often
in combination and in horizontal bands or chequer
patterns, is a feature in the village. Here and there
stand walls with exposed timber frames infilled with
brick. Some of the houses bear dates, among them
no. 341 Haxton which has the dates 1671 and 1691,
and no. 322 Lower Street, Haxton, 1774. The house
almost opposite Fittleton Manor, called in 1976 the
Green Vine, was formerly the Green Dragon inn. (fn. 20)
With its chequered flint work, thatched roof, and
brick and chalk walls it is a typical example of the
building style of the village. Some walls of plastered
cob survive along the street.
Manors and other Estates.
Vitel,
thought to be a well-to-do thegn, held Fittleton in
1066. (fn. 21) Robert son of Gerald held it in 1086 and was
succeeded by his nephew William de Roumare
(created earl of Lincoln c. 1141). (fn. 22) William founded
the cell, later priory, of Neufmarche (Seine Maritime), and it may have been he who endowed it with
an estate in Fittleton. (fn. 23) William's grandson William
de Roumare, earl of Lincoln, died without issue
c. 1198 and FITTLETON was granted by the king
to Hubert de Burgh (created earl of Kent in 1226,
d. 1243), who held it in 1242 as of his honor of
Camel (Som.). (fn. 24) Hubert's son John surrendered the
honor with the lands attached to it to Edward I who
granted the overlordship of Fittleton to his own
son Edmund(d. 1330), created earl of Kent in 1321. (fn. 25)
The overlordship passed with the earldom of Kent
to John, earl of Kent (d. 1352), and was held by
his widow Elizabeth until her death in 1411. (fn. 26)
Thereupon the overlordship was divided between
Joan, sister of John, earl of Kent (d. 1352), and
Thomas Montagu, earl of Salisbury (d. 1428),
husband of Eleanor, a grand-niece of that John. (fn. 27) No
further reference to the divided overlordship has
been found, and thereafter Fittleton was held in
chief.
In 1086 Fittleton was held of Robert son of Gerald
by Rainer. (fn. 28) There were apparently three estates
held of the de Burghs, one by Baldwin de Ver,
another by Simon of Coombe, and the third by the
prior of Neufmarché. (fn. 29) After Hubert de Burgh's
death Baldwin's land was granted by Henry III to
Adam Cok to be held in chief at fee farm. (fn. 30) Adam
granted it c. 1252 to Robert Pipard, husband of his
daughter and heir Agnes. (fn. 31) By 1255 Robert had
died and by 1275 Agnes had married Henry of
Candover. (fn. 32) She died in 1275 without issue and her
land in Fittleton was granted by the king to Henry
of Candover for life. (fn. 33) Henry was dead in 1279
when the king granted the estate to Richard of
Coombe at fee farm for a rent of £12. (fn. 34) The estate
was reckoned to be a third of the manor. The rent
had been reduced to £10 by 1467 and is last
mentioned in 1484. (fn. 35)
Richard of Coombe already held land in Fittleton
in 1275, perhaps that held by Simon of Coombe of
Hubert de Burgh in 1242. (fn. 36) The Richard of Coombe
who died c. 1293, besides the land of Henry of
Candover later sometimes called the manor of
King's Fee, held the estate in Fittleton, reckoned
at two-thirds of the manor, which the prior of
Neufmarche held of the honor of Camel in 1275. (fn. 37)
A fee farm rent of £8 was due to the prior. It was
still due in 1415–16, (fn. 38) but in the following year
was transferred to the priory of Sheen (Surr.),
which was founded in 1414 and endowed with the
temporalities of Neufmarché. (fn. 39)
Richard of Coombe was succeeded in both
estates by his son Simon who died c. 1300 and was
followed by a posthumous son Richard. (fn. 40) Richard
died c. 1329 and the two estates were delivered to
his widow Maud for their son Richard, then a
minor. (fn. 41) In 1352 Richard, then Sir Richard of
Coombe (d. 1361), enfeoffed Robert of Ramsbury,
his mother's second husband, with the estate held
in chief. (fn. 42) Some years later he granted the rest of
the manor to William Holbeach, citizen of London. (fn. 43)
Robert of Ramsbury died in 1362 and his son John
relinquished King's Fee to Holbeach and his wife
Maud. (fn. 44)
Holbeach died in 1367 and the combined estate
passed like the manor of Coombe in Enford to his
widow Maud. (fn. 45) By 1384 Maud had sold it to Robert
Dyneley and his wife Margaret. (fn. 46) Robert died in
1395 having settled Fittleton on Margaret. (fn. 47)
Margaret married secondly Sir Percival Sowdan,
who was probably dead by 1421, (fn. 48) and in 1427 she
and her son Robert Dyneley sold the manor to
William Darell. (fn. 49)
Fittleton then passed like Coombe in Enford in
the Darell family to Sir Edward Darell (d. 1549)
and then to his son William (d. 1589) who sold the
manor in two parts. (fn. 50) He sold the part once known
as King's Fee in 1558 to George Fettiplace. Fettiplace's grandson John, of Coln St. Aldwyn (Glos.),
sold it in 1650 to William Adlam who sold it in 1665
to William Beach. (fn. 51) It passed to Beach's grandson
Thomas Beach (d. 1753).
Darell sold the other part of the manor in 1588 to
William Stubbs. (fn. 52) From Stubbs it passed in 1599
to Thomas Jeay (d. 1623) who was rector of Fittleton. (fn. 53) Thomas was followed by his son, Sir
Thomas. (fn. 54) From Sir Thomas the land passed to
Mary, daughter of his brother Benjamin. (fn. 55) Mary
married Henry Edes (d. 1703), a canon of Chichester. (fn. 56)
They were followed by Henry's sister Mary, wife
of John Briggs, and John and Mary conveyed the
estate in 1721 to George Parker. (fn. 57) By 1734 it had
passed to Thomas Francis and his wife Mary who
in that year conveyed it to Thomas Beach. (fn. 58)
From Thomas Beach Fittleton passed to his son
William (d. 1790) and then like Cormayles manor
in Netheravon to Sir Michael Edward Hicks Beach,
Bt. (later Earl St. Aldwyn, d. 1916). (fn. 59) Sir Michael
sold it to the War Department in 1898. (fn. 60)
The manor-house was repurchased by Michael
Hugh Hicks Beach, son of Sir Michael (d. 1916), in
1901. Hicks Beach, by then Viscount Quenington,
was killed in battle, shortly before the death of his
father, leaving an infant son and heir. The manor-house then had a succession of tenants until 1946
when Lady Victoria (d. 1963) and Lady Susan Hicks
Beach (d. 1965) went to live in it. (fn. 61) After the death
of the last the house was bought by Colonel R. S. D.
Maunsell, the owner in 1977.
The western side of the manor-house, in 1977
largely incorporated in the service wing, is an
L-shaped building which may date from the early
17th century. A new block was built on the east side
later in the same century, and the court formed
between the two blocks was built over in 1902 after
the house was acquired by M. H. Hicks Beach. The
later-17th-century block has a principal elevation of
five bays in banded and panelled brick with
mullioned and transomed windows and a coved
cornice. The interior is notable for the quality of
the fittings, which include a late-17th-century oak
staircase with twisted balusters, and for several
panelled rooms of various dates.
In 1294 Robert Mackrell granted the remainder
of a small estate in Fittleton and Coombe, then held
by Thomas Mackrell and his wife, to Nicholas of
Warwick and his wife Joan. (fn. 62) Soon afterwards Peter
the Chamberlain enlarged the holding of Nicholas
and Joan in Fittleton with a grant of more land. (fn. 63)
In 1324 William, son of Nicholas, conveyed an estate,
probably the same, to John of Hastings, Lord
Hastings (d. 1325). (fn. 64) John's son Laurence (d. 1348)
was created earl of Pembroke in 1339. (fn. 65) He granted
the land to Richard Field for life. (fn. 66) On Richard's
death in 1361 it reverted to Laurence's widow Agnes
(d. 1368), and from her it passed to her son John
Hastings, earl of Pembroke (d. 1375). (fn. 67) On the death
in 1389 of John's son John, earl of Pembroke, his
lands and earldom were taken into the king's hands. (fn. 68)
The Fittleton estate was at the time held of Robert
Dyneley, lord of the manor of Fittleton. Edward
Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp (later duke of
Somerset, d. 1552), held a small estate, perhaps the
same one, in Fittleton in 1536. (fn. 69) How he acquired
it is not known. The estate amounted to fewer than
50 a., but seems to have had some special significance, for payments were made by Seymour for the
upkeep of a house and farm there. (fn. 70) In 1536 it was
leased to William Devenish, his wife Isabel, and
Thomas their son for their lives. (fn. 71) A quit-rent was
paid for the estate to Sir Edward Darell, lord of
Fittleton manor. (fn. 72) Seymour's son, the earl of
Hertford (d. 1621), was a free tenant of the manor
at the end of the 16th century and was receiving
a rent from his land there at his death. (fn. 73) The later
descent of the estate has not been traced.
Besides the estates which became united under
the Coombes, later called the manor of Fittleton, an
estate was held in 1330 by Peter of Fosbury of the
same overlord, Edmund, earl of Kent. (fn. 74) Peter was
dead in 1373 (fn. 75) and it has not been possible to trace
his successors in the land. It was last mentioned in
1411 when the overlordship of Fittleton was divided
between the heirs of John, earl of Kent (d. 1352), and
that of Peter's land was allotted to Thomas, earl of
Salisbury (d. 1428), and his wife Eleanor. (fn. 76)
Haxton is not mentioned in Domesday Book, but
like Everleigh it was in 1172–3 in the hands of
Robert, earl of Leicester (d. 1190). (fn. 77) With the
rest of the Beaumont family's lands HAXTON
formed part of the honor of Leicester in the 12th
century, (fn. 78) and with the honor passed to Edmund,
fourth son of Henry III, created earl of Lancaster
in 1267. (fn. 79) It descended with the earldom, later
dukedom, of Lancaster, and with the duchy of Lancaster was attached to the Crown on the accession
of Henry IV. (fn. 80) The duchy's overlordship of Haxton
is last heard of in 1461. (fn. 81)
In 1297 there were two estates in Haxton held of
the honor of Leicester. (fn. 82) One was held by Amaury
de St. Amand (d. 1285) and was merged with his
land in Netheravon. (fn. 83) The other was held by John
Fleming who granted it in 1303 to Stephen of
Brigmerston. (fn. 84) Stephen acquired more land in
Haxton from John le Lymbernere in 1310. (fn. 85) George
Brigmerston, Stephen's son and heir, granted two-thirds of the manor in 1317 to Philip de la Beche
for life with the reversion of the other third after
the death of Stephen's widow. (fn. 86) Soon afterwards
Philip's lands were forfeited to the Crown. (fn. 87) The
Brigmerstons' interest in the manor then seems to
have been lost, although in 1400 it was thought
necessary for John Herriard, great-grandson of
Stephen, to renounce all right to two-thirds of it. (fn. 88)
By 1331 the lands had been restored to Philip de la
Beche, who in that year settled them on himself for
life with successive remainders to his heirs and to
those of his brother John. (fn. 89) By 1338 Philip had been
succeeded by his son Nicholas. (fn. 90) Nicholas died
without issue in 1345, (fn. 91) and Haxton passed like the
manor of Beaumys in Swallowfield (Berks.) to his
brother Edmund de la Beche (d. 1364), archdeacon
of Berkshire, for life, with reversion to Nicholas's
heirs. (fn. 92) In 1364 the heirs were Andrew Sackville and
Edmund Danvers, sons respectively of Joan and
Alice who were daughters of John (d. 1328) the elder
brother of Nicholas and Edmund, and John Duyn,
grandson of Isabel FitzEllis who was a daughter
of the elder John de la Beche. (fn. 93)
The descent of Haxton for about the following
30 years is obscure, but it seems that the thirds
which passed to Andrew Sackville and Edmund
Danvers were amalgamated, (fn. 94) and by 1394 had been
acquired by Robert Dyneley and Margaret his wife,
already lords of Fittleton. (fn. 95) The third which passed
to John Duyn has not been traced, but it may have
gone to Sir William Hankeford (d. 1423), lord of
the manor of Netheravon with Haxton. (fn. 96) Margaret,
after the death of Robert in 1395, married Sir
Percival Sowdan and after his death she and her
son Robert Dyneley exchanged Haxton in 1429
with William Darell and his wife Elizabeth for land
elsewhere. (fn. 97)
Haxton then passed like Fittleton in the Darell
family and in 1548 was held by Sir Edward Darell
(d. 1549). (fn. 98) It was sold by William Darell (d. 1589)
to Robert Reeve (d. 1609) who in 1585 settled it on
his son Robert, then about to marry Alice Kettleby. (fn. 99)
Robert died in 1626 and under the terms of a
settlement was succeeded at Haxton by James
Clark, then aged eight, son of his daughter Kettleby
and her husband Thomas Clark. (fn. 100) James was
followed by his brother Henry who died holding
Haxton in 1712. (fn. 101) During the ownership of the two
Clarks Haxton farm was much enlarged by various
grants, including one in 1689 of Hart's living,
described as a third of Haxton farm. (fn. 102) It may be
that Hart's living represents the third which passed
to John Duyn in 1364 and has not been certainly
traced thereafter.
Haxton passed from Henry Clark to his cousin
Mary Gladman who married Abraham Gapper.
The Gappers were followed by their younger son
Robert and he by his son William (d. 1811) who in
1803 sold it to John Perkins. By his will dated 1819
Perkins devised Haxton to his son John. The younger
John died in 1846, unmarried and intestate, and the
farm was bought from his four sisters by Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, Bt. (d. 1854). (fn. 103) It was sold
with Fittleton by Sir Michael's son in 1898 to the
War Department. (fn. 104)
The main range of Haxton Manor was probably
built in the later 17th century. It has a principal
east front of five bays with walls of red brick with
bands and panels of black brick. The north gable is
decorated with a chequer of chalk block and flint.
To the south there is an 18th-century addition of
two bays and there are later additions on the south
and west. A porch was added in the early 19th
century and the interior was extensively refitted at
various dates in that century, perhaps after the
farm was acquired by the Hicks Beach family in
1846.
The endowments of the free chapel of Haxton,
consisting largely of tithes from certain lands of
Haxton farm, passed to the Crown at the Dissolution. (fn. 105) In 1606 that estate, sometimes called the
PORTIONARY, was granted to Thomas Emmerson. (fn. 106) From Emmerson it was bought by Thomas
Jeay (d. 1623), lord of Fittleton manor. (fn. 107) By his will
Thomas devised the Portionary to one of his younger
sons, Benjamin, from whom it passed, like Fittleton
manor, to his daughter Mary. (fn. 108) The Portionary then
followed the same descent as that manor. The
tithes were commuted for a rent-charge of £64 16s.
in 1840. (fn. 109)
Economic History.
Fittleton, rated at 10
hides, had land for 12 ploughs in 1086. The demesne
measured 5 hides and 1 virgate, and on it were 3
ploughs and 6 serfs. Apart from the demesne there
were 6 villeins and 12 bordars with 3 ploughs. The
area of meadow, 3 a., was small for an estate of 10
hides. The pasture measured 1 league by ½ league.
In 1066 and 1086 the estate was worth £12. (fn. 110)
Areas of common pasture on two downs are
mentioned in 1278. (fn. 111) From 1279 until c. 1360 the
two estates in Fittleton were treated as separate
units. (fn. 112) In 1329 that known as King's Fee was
estimated to have 161 a. of arable, a meadow, and
pasture on Bull down for 300 sheep. There were four
customary tenants who held 2½ virgates for a money
rent and performed no labour service. There were
also three cottars paying rent. The estate was valued
at c. £10. The estate held of the prior of Neufmarché
had at the same date 322 a. of arable, 2 a. of meadow,
and pasture on 'Lyntedown' for 600 sheep. There
were free tenants and four customary tenants paying
rent and performing no labour service. There were
also eight rent-paying cottars. On that estate, but
apparently not then on the other, there was a capital
messuage with a garden and a dovecot. At £23 it
was the more highly valued of the two estates. (fn. 113)
Later extents credit the King's Fee estate with 300 a.
of arable, 2 a. of meadow, and 600 a. of pasture. A
house is also mentioned. (fn. 114)
When Fittleton, with Haxton, and Coombe in
Enford, passed to the Dyneleys in the late 14th
century the distinction between the two estates in
Fittleton disappeared and they were leased together
as a single demesne farm. (fn. 115) Sheep farming predominated, as is to be expected in a parish with such
a large proportion of downland. In 1307 a theft of
200 sheep from a single farm occurred. (fn. 116) In 1329
there was pasture on the two estates for a demesne
flock of at least 900 sheep. (fn. 117) Deaths among the flock
c. 1340 were said to have caused much hardship and
the inability to pay tithe ortax. (fn. 118) In 1386–7 agistment
was paid to the lord of the manor for 780 sheep in
the fold of 'Northendeworth', and for 164 in the
fold of Fittleton. The demesne flock numbered over
670 sheep. In the same year oats were bought to
provide gruel for the farm servants, possibly a
purchase made necessary by a dearth of homegrown crops. (fn. 119)
In 1550 there were three freeholders and eleven
customary tenants of Fittleton manor. (fn. 120) The small
freehold estate of Edward Seymour, later the
Protector Somerset, (fn. 121) included 34 a. of arable,
distributed in small parcels among nine fields, and
pasture in common for 70 sheep. There was also
pasture for six beasts. (fn. 122) The estate was administered
with Seymour's other Wiltshire estates by his
steward, and a bailiff was employed at Fittleton.
Among the farm servants in 1536 were two carters,
a shepherd, a smith, and a housekeeper. (fn. 123)
Early in the 18th century downland was being
converted to arable, thereby reducing the number of
sheep stints. (fn. 124) Field names occurring in the 17th and
18th centuries include Summer, Mileball, Warborough, Greenway, and Blissmore fields. (fn. 125) Detailed
regulations for the husbandry of the common fields,
and for rights of way to the downs and fields from
the village, were made in the manor courts of the
17th and 18th centuries. (fn. 126) In 1735 the lord of the
manor, Thomas Beach (d. 1753), was presented for
driving his sheep along the wrong route. (fn. 127) By 1777
Fittleton, then all in the hands of William Beach
(d. 1790), had been organized as two farms. Home
farm, based in the village, had 726 a. Down farm,
with buildings later known as Beach's Barn, had
702 a. (fn. 128) The total area of the manor, including 47 a.
of glebe, was 1,477 a. (fn. 129) Fittleton was inclosed in
1796 when two allotments, totalling 678 a., were
made to the lord of the manor, and one of 32 a. was
made to the rector. (fn. 130)
In 1839 of the land within Fittleton tithing
832 a. were arable and 552 a. downland. There were
10 a. of wood and only 51 a. of meadow. (fn. 131) In 1846
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bt. (d. 1854), added
Haxton farm, measuring some 970 a., to his estate
and the three farms were thenceforth farmed under
the Hicks Beach family by tenant farmers. Home
farm and Beach's Barn farm were held by the same
tenant. Many improvements were undertaken, including the building of new barns in the village and
on the downs. Part of the down towards Sidbury hill
was ploughed. Large flocks of Hampshire Downs
were kept. An allotment system was introduced for
the benefit of the poor. (fn. 132) After it was sold to the
War Department in 1898 (fn. 133) the land of the parish
was farmed subject to certain restrictions.
Nothing is known of agriculture in Haxton until
1384 when for the first time it shared a common
lordship with Fittleton. (fn. 134) Under Robert Dyneley
(d. 1395) the demesne farm was leased, to a different
tenant from that of Fittleton, for c. £11. (fn. 135) Certain
land of Haxton farm lying in the common fields was
subject to special tithe arrangements. (fn. 136) In the early
18th century there were some 57 a. of such land,
lying in fairly large blocks bounded by linches. The
rest of the arable land of the farm lay dispersed in
smaller strips in the furlongs into which the fields
were divided. (fn. 137) About 1800 the farm measured
908 a., including 492 a. on Great down and 64 a.
on Little down. The tenantry down lay along the
southern parish boundary. Besides the farmhouse, five houses or cottages and a blacksmith's
shop went with the estate. (fn. 138) Haxton was inclosed in
1839 when John Perkins (d. 1846), lord of the
manor, received an allotment of 224 a. (fn. 139) In that
year 645 a. were arable, 992 a. downland, and
36 a. meadow. (fn. 140) Like Fittleton Haxton had but
little meadow land.
In 1976 the land of the former Home farm in
Fittleton was farmed by Mr. R. L. Spencer with his
farm in Figheldean. Most of the Fittleton land was
licensed only for grazing because of the requirements
of the Army. (fn. 141) In the north-east part of the parish
the land of the former Down farm or Beach's Barn
farm was worked by Mr. W. E. Cave, of Lower
House farm in Everleigh. Its use was likewise
restricted. Haxton farm, farmed by Mr. J. Lamont,
had some land across the river in Netheravon. Some
of the lower ground could be used freely for pasture,
but the higher land was farmed subject to military
needs.
There was a mill paying 22s. 6d. in Fittleton in
1086. (fn. 142) A mill on the estate held of the prior of
Neufmarché is mentioned in 1329. (fn. 143) In 1386, after
the two estates in Fittleton had been merged, there
was a mill on each. One was leased for £4, the other
for 15s. (fn. 144) The two mills continue to be mentioned
until 1417. (fn. 145)
By 1352 there was a fishery in the mill-pond of
the King's Fee estate. (fn. 146) It occurs in records concerning that estate throughout the 14th century. (fn. 147)
In 1416–17 it was leased. (fn. 148) Fish for sport were bred
in tanks in the river at Haxton in 1976. (fn. 149)
Local Government.
In 1275 the earl of
Lancaster claimed gallows and the assize of bread
and of ale in Haxton as part of the honor of
Leicester. (fn. 150) No record of a separate court for
Haxton has been found and, when it shared a
common lordship with Fittleton, Haxton's affairs
were presumably dealt with in the courts of Fittleton.
In the 16th century the court was sometimes called
the court for Fittleton and Haxton. (fn. 151)
Henry of Candover (d. by 1279), to whom the
king granted the estate in Fittleton later called King's
Fee, held a court for his free tenants and exercised
certain franchisal jurisdiction. (fn. 152) Margaret, relict of
Robert Dyneley (d. 1395), and her husband Sir
Percival Sowdan held combined views of frankpledge
and manor courts for Fittleton and for Coombe in
Enford. (fn. 153) After Fittleton had passed to the Darells
in the earlier 15th century, the prior of St. Swithun's,
Winchester, lord of Elstub hundred, accused
W'illiam Darell of usurping his right to hold the
view for Fittleton and Coombe. (fn. 154) The lords of the
manor continued, however, to hold the view. (fn. 155)
From the mid 16th century to the mid 18th there
is a substantial collection of court records. (fn. 156) Sometimes the courts are described as courts leet and
baron, but more often as merely courts baron. (fn. 157)
Business was confined to agrarian regulation, in
which sphere the courts were very active in the
earlier 18th century. (fn. 158) Under the Beaches the court
was called a private court baron. (fn. 159)
Among the parish records are some overseers'
accounts and notes for the period 1691–1835. (fn. 160)
Fittleton became part of Pewsey poor-law union
in 1835. (fn. 161)
Church.
Fittleton church was mentioned in
1291. (fn. 162) In 1953 the rectory was united with Netheravon vicarage. In 1973 Enford was added, and the
benefice of Netheravon with Fittleton and Enford
was created. (fn. 163)
The advowson of Fittleton followed closely, but
not exactly, the descent of the manor. The first
patron named was Simon of Coombe (d. c. 1300)
who presented in 1297. (fn. 164) Richard of Casterton, the
husband of Simon's relict Alice, presented James of
Coombe in 1303, and in the same year Agnes of
Coombe, possibly the relict of Richard of Coombe
(d. c. 1293) and Simon's mother, and her husband,
Adam of Poulshot, presented John of Coombe.
John, however, was not instituted. (fn. 165) In 1307 Richard
of Abingdon, guardian of Simon's son Richard
(d. c. 1329), presented John Hambledon. Hambledon may likewise not have been instituted for 2 years
later, still during the minority of Richard, the dean
of Arches presented him again. (fn. 166) In 1315 Agnes of
Coombe, Richard's grandmother, presented James
of Coombe but once more no institution followed. (fn. 167)
Richard himself presented in 1322. (fn. 168) The king
exercised the patronage during the minority of
Richard's son Richard (d. 1361). (fn. 169) The advowson
thenceforth followed the descent of the manor until
1721 except on the following occasions. In 1383
four citizens of London, feoffees for the settlement
of the manor on Maud Holbeach, presented. (fn. 170) In
1401 William Hornby, feoffee for a settlement on
Margaret Dyneley, presented. (fn. 171) In 1540 the king
exercised the patronage during the minority of Sir
Edward Darell (d. 1549). (fn. 172) Mary (d. 1598), second
wife of that Sir Edward, presented in 1554 when
she was the wife of Philip Maunsell. (fn. 173) Sir Henry
Fortescue, then Mary's husband, presented in 1569;
and, although the manor and advowson were sold
in 1588, Mary retained her right to the patronage
which in 1594 she conceded to Robert Jackson,
clerk. (fn. 174) William Stubbs, purchaser of manor and
advowson in 1588, conveyed both c. 1599 to Thomas
Jeay (d. 1623) who was then the incumbent. (fn. 175) By
his will Thomas devised the next turn to his son
William, who apparently presented himself. (fn. 176) In
1637 Sir Thomas Jeay, William's eldest brother,
conveyed the manor and the advowson to Benjamin
(d. by c. 1654), a younger brother. (fn. 177) No presentation
was made by Benjamin, but a John Jeay, perhaps
his brother, presented in 1662. (fn. 178) From the Jeays the
advowson passed like the manor to John Briggs who
sold it in 1721 to Magdalen College, Oxford. (fn. 179) The
college transferred the patronage to the bishop of
Salisbury in 1947. (fn. 180) In 1973 the bishop, also patron
of Netheravon, was allotted the second and third of
three turns to present to the united benefice. (fn. 181)
The church was valued at £10 in 1291. (fn. 182) In 1535
it was reckoned to be worth nearly £23 net. (fn. 183) During
the Interregnum a value of £180 was given. (fn. 184) The
average net income for the three years ending 1831
was £444. (fn. 185) The rector had all tithes in Fittleton
and Haxton except those which had been appropriated to endow the free chapel of Haxton. (fn. 186) When
the tithes were commuted in 1840 the rector was
awarded a rent-charge of £461. (fn. 187) A virgate of glebe
belonged to the church in 1291. (fn. 188) In 1629 the glebe
measured c. 45 a. and the rector had common of
pasture for 80 sheep, 5 rother beasts, and 4 horses. (fn. 189)
At inclosure the rector was allotted 32 a. (fn. 190) In 1898
the greater part of the glebe was sold to the War
Department and permission was given for the
demolition of the tithe barn. (fn. 191) The rectory-house
was largely rebuilt in 1742 by Robert Merchant
(d. 1773), the first Fellow of Magdalen College to be
rector. (fn. 192) His initials and those of his wife appear
above the main doorway. The service wing at the
back incorporates part of an earlier house with 17th-century outer walls of brick and flint. The new
block, to the east, has a central staircase hall with
one room to each side. The walls are of brick with
a stone plinth and the east elevation has rusticated
stone quions and stone pilasters defining the central
bays. The house was extended southwards by two
bays by Thomas Philips, another Fellow of Magdalen, rector from 1842 to 1854. (fn. 193) At about the same
time there was some refitting within the rest of the
house. After the benefice was united with that of
Netheravon in 1953 the house became a private
residence; it has been renamed Fittleton House.
The prior of Neufmarché had a portion of 13s. 4d.
from the church. (fn. 194) Upon the suppression of the
alien priories in the 15th century, that portion and
a fee farm rent from an estate in Fittleton (fn. 195) were
granted to Sheen Priory (Surr.) founded in 1414. (fn. 196)
The portion is last heard of in 1535, 4 years before
the dissolution of Sheen. (fn. 197) There is mention in 1291
of a pension, not then being paid, to Walter, clerk
(clericus) of one of the lords de Montfort. (fn. 198)
A free chapel in Haxton was endowed with the
tithes of all corn and of two-thirds of the wool and
lambs from lands of Haxton farm called the portionary lands, and with a barn and ½ a. (fn. 199) It was served by
chaplains who were presented. (fn. 200) The advowson in
the main followed the descent of Haxton manor. In
1323 and 1324 the king presented because of the
forfeiture by Philip de la Beche. (fn. 201) In 1324 a
presentation was also made by Richard of Coombe,
lord of Fittleton manor. (fn. 202) Afterwards the advowson
was restored to the Beches and in 1339 Nicholas de
la Beche (d. 1345) was given licence to grant it to
Sandleford Priory (Berks.) in exchange for land in
that county. (fn. 203) There is no record of presentation by
Sandleford, but the priory probably retained the
advowson until 1378. (fn. 204) On the other hand, when
Haxton manor was divided c. 1364 among the three
heirs of Nicholas de la Beche (d. 1345) the advowson
was apparently likewise divided. (fn. 205) By 1411 twothirds of it had been attached to the two-thirds of
the manor which had passed to the Dyneleys, (fn. 206) and
in 1411 and 1413 Sir Percival Sowdan, then the
husband of Margaret Dyneley, presented. (fn. 207) Shortly
afterwards Sir William Hankeford (d. 1423), lord of
the manor of Netheravon with Haxton, claimed a
right to present. His claim suggests that he had
acquired the third of Haxton manor which cannot
be traced after the division of c. 1364, and that a
third of the advowson passed with it. Sir William
was successful in extinguishing any right that the
prior of Sandleford might still have had, (fn. 208) and his
dispute with the Dyneleys was settled by an agreed
stipulation that he should have every third turn. (fn. 209)
Two-thirds of the advowson passed with Haxton
manor to the Darells and Sir William Darell presented in 1434. (fn. 210) In 1487 Sir John Sapcotes (d. 1501)
and his wife Elizabeth, relict of Fulk Bourchier,
Lord FitzWarin (d. 1479), lord of Netheravon with
Haxton, presented. (fn. 211) The next and last presentation
was in 1497 by Sir Edward Darell (d. 1530), lord of
Fittleton and Haxton manors. (fn. 212) The chapel appears
to have fallen out of use at a very early date and no
record of it serving any religious function survives.
A house (domus) to which tithes valued at 40s. were
attached, which was held by Robert de la Beche in
1341, may be a reference to all that then remained. (fn. 213)
The so-called free chapel, then no more than a
portion, was suppressed in 1548. Robert Eve, who
may then have held Haxton farm, was lessee of the
portion for which he paid £3 5s., to the lord of the
manor although John Blyth, presented in 1497, was
still said to be the incumbent. (fn. 214) Early in the 18th
century the chapel's site was said to be in the Bury,
a field south of the churchyard. (fn. 215)
Several patrons of Fittleton presented members
of their own families to the living. There were at
least two Coombes, two Dyneleys, and three Jeays. (fn. 216)
The first incumbent to be named was in 1294 given
royal protection to travel for a year. He was then
also serving the church of Warlingham(Surr.). (fn. 217) In
1302 the rector was given leave to study in Oxford
for two years on condition that he provided a substitute and made a payment of alms. (fn. 218) Leave of
absence was given to John Hambledon in 1310 and
1311. He overstayed that leave, however, and in
1316 the rector of Everleigh was placed in charge
of Fittleton. Hambledon, charged with immoral
conduct, resigned. (fn. 219) William Bird, rector in 1511,
and vicar of Bradford on Avon in 1535, was
attainted in 1540 with Walter, Lord Hungerford
(d. 1540), his friend and patron, on charges of
treason. He was replaced in both places by Thomas
Morley, suffragan bishop of Marlborough. (fn. 220) William
Jeay, who followed his father as rector in 1623, was
accused of royalist activities and scandalous conduct
and was removed from the living in 1648. For a time
the rectory was held by Matthew Hind and Jeay
was imprisoned. When Jeay died, however, in 1659
the family's connexion with the church was restored
when William's brother Stephen was presented. (fn. 221)
After 1721 several Fellows of Magdalen College
were rectors. In 1783 Stephen Jenner, vicepresident of the college and the brother of the
discoverer of vaccination, held the benefice but
employed a curate. (fn. 222) Another Fellow, John Parkinson, also held the benefices of Brocklesby and East
Ravendale (both Lines.) and in 1837 was licensed to
be absent from Fittleton. (fn. 223)
Two sermons were endowed. 'The Revd. Mr.
Jay', by will of c. 1693, directed that part of
a bequest of £80 should pay for an annual sermon. (fn. 224)
In 1803 the preacher received 6s. 8d. (fn. 225) In 1962
he was paid half that amount. (fn. 226) From the rentcharge imposed on Haxton farm by Henry Clark
(d. 1712), 10s. was allotted for an annual sermon
on the anniversary of Clark's baptism (8 December). The beneficiaries of Clark's other charities
were required to attend. (fn. 227) The payment continued
after Haxton farm was bought by the War Department in 1898. (fn. 228)
In 1783 two Sunday services were held, and there
were about 20 or 30 communicants in the parish. (fn. 229)
On Census Sunday in 1851 41 attended morning
service and 86 that in the afternoon. (fn. 230) No significant
change had taken place by 1864 when the congregation was said to remain constant. (fn. 231) One service
was held every Sunday in 1976 when the rector had
two other churches to serve. (fn. 232)
The church of ALL SAINTS is built of flint
and rubble, mostly rendered, with dressings of
ashlar, and has a chancel, aisled nave with south
porch, and west tower. The 12th-century bowl of
the font (fn. 233) is not notably older than the earliest
identifiable part of the structure, which is the 13th-century chancel arch. The early-14th-century
tower arch may indicate the original length of the
nave, and the slightly later arcades, which extend
further west, may be part of a never completed
enlargement. Also in the 14th century the chancel
was refenestrated and probably enlarged. New
windows were inserted in the aisles in the 15th
century and the nave roof was renewed in the 16th
century. Some repairs were undertaken in 1841 and
a new three-light window was inserted in the north
aisle. No architect was employed and the work was
done by a Devizes builder. (fn. 234) A grant towards the
expense was made by Magdalen College. In 1857
two windows from the college chapel were given to
the rector, Thomas Pearse, (fn. 235) and inserted in the
west wall of the tower. Pearse, a Fellow of Magdalen,
paid for the restoration of the nave in 1878. In 1903,
with grants from the college and Pearse's widow,
the chancel and the tower were restored by C. E.
Ponting. (fn. 236) A memorial on the south wall of the
chancel to Anne Jeay (d. 1612), wife of Thomas and
mother of eleven children, begins 'The joy of Jeaye
is gone from world's woe To heavenly Joy and
happie rest'.
Edward VI's commissioners took 15 oz. of silver
for the king and left a chalice of 9 oz. for the parish.
The plate in 1976 included a silver gilt chalice with
paten, hall-marked 1610, and a silver paten and
flagon given in 1720 by Roger Kay (d. 1731), a parish
benefactor and rector. (fn. 237) In 1553 there were three
bells. In 1903 there were five. In that year a treble
was added and (ii) and (iii) were recast. Bell (iii) was
originally cast in 1679 by William Tosier of Salisbury, (iv) is dated 1603, (v) 1628, and (vi) 1660. (fn. 238)
The registers begin in 1582 and are complete. (fn. 239)
Roman Catholicism.
A brick building in
Figheldean, part of Netheravon Flying School, was
converted into a Roman Catholic church c. 1934
and dedicated to St. Thomas More and St. John
Fisher. In 1976 it was no longer connected with the
service establishment, but was used by the civilian
population of the surrounding area, and was served
by a priest living in Amesbury. (fn. 240)
Protestant Nonconformity.
There
was no nonconformist in the parish in 1783. (fn. 241)
In 1826 a room in the house of Roger Hitchcock
in Haxton was registered for use by Particular
Baptists. (fn. 242) There were said to be about 30 dissenters
in the parish in 1864, (fn. 243) chiefly Baptists, but no
nonconformist chapel has been built.
Education.
Three bequests for education in
Fittleton were made in the earlier 18th century.
Henry Clark (d. 1712) directed that from the annual
rent of £12 charged by his will upon his farm at
Haxton, £5 should be spent on teaching ten poor
children to read and write. He also allotted 10s. of
it to buy books. (fn. 244) Soon afterwards Elizabeth
Buckenham, widow of the rector John Buckenham
(d. 1689), bequeathed £50 to be invested and the
interest used to teach a few children to read.
Elizabeth's executors gave the money to 'Mr. Beach'
in 1718, and annual payments were thenceforth made
by the Beach family for teaching four or five girls. (fn. 245)
In 1722 the rector, Roger Kay, built a school in
the village on land called Piper's Orchard. The
building was to provide a house for a schoolmaster
and a schoolroom for ten poor boys of the parish.
The boys were to be members of the Church of
England and were to stay at school until they were
fourteen. They were to be chosen by Kay, and after
his death by the two largest landowners in the parish
and their heirs. The rector and churchwardens were
to be governors. By his will, proved in 1731, Kay
bequeathed £40 for the maintenance of the building.
The main front of the school has five bays and is of
brick with decorative panels and bands of knapped
flint. It originally consisted of one large schoolroom,
a parlour, back room, and three or four bedrooms. (fn. 246)
In 1819 there were fourteen children in the school
which was said to have funds of about £80. The
teacher was paid £7 a year. The poor of the parish
were reputed to want more education for their
children, provided that it did not interfere with
their labour. (fn. 247) In 1833 the ten free places in the
school were usually given to boys aged five or six
who stayed at school for 3 or 4 years. The £5 10s.
from the rent-charge on Haxton farm was paid
regularly to the schoolmaster by the tenant of that
farm. (fn. 248) In 1835 eighteen boys and eight girls had
free places, and there were some fee paying children.
The salaries of a master and mistress were raised by
subscription. (fn. 249)
In 1843 a small schoolroom was added to the side
of the original building at the expense of Sir Michael
Hicks Beach, Bt. (d. 1854). (fn. 250) In 1859 there were
about 50 pupils, some of whom were boarders. (fn. 251)
The school was united with the National Society in
1870. (fn. 252) Two years later another schoolroom was
added. (fn. 253)
In 1897 Sir Michael Hicks Beach (later Earl St.
Aldwyn, d. 1916), representing his family who until
then had held and administered the bequests of
Elizabeth Buckenham and Roger Kay for the repair
of the school, paid £50 and £40 respectively to the
Charity Commissioners for investment. The interest
on the two investments produced about £2 in 1901
and was used for the general expenses of the school. (fn. 254)
The interest was the same in 1962. (fn. 255) The annual
rent-charge of £5 was likewise used for the school's
general expenses. (fn. 256) In 1906 the school had accommodation for 76 children and an average attendance
of 43. (fn. 257)
In 1926 the school was reorganized as a junior
school. Another classroom was added in 1934. (fn. 258)
In 1964 Fittleton and Netheravon schools were
amalgamated so that the older children of both
villages attended Fittleton school, and the infants
went to Netheravon. (fn. 259) In 1976 there were 80 children
at Fittleton and a mobile classroom was in use. (fn. 260)
Charities for the Poor.
Besides endowing
a sermon 'the Revd. Mr. Jeay', possibly Stephen
Jeay, (fn. 261) is reputed to have given by his will dated
1693 about £80 for the poor of the parish. (fn. 262) The
money was not invested and remained idle until
1803 when it was paid to Michael Hicks Beach (d.
1830). It was not invested then, but thenceforth the
Hicks Beaches gave £4 annually to the poor. In 1897
Sir Michael Hicks Beach (later Earl St. Aldwyn, d.
1916) paid £80 to the Official Trustees for investment. In 1901 small sums of money were given to
a number of poor persons. In 1962 Jeay's charity
yielded about £1 15s. for distribution to the poor. (fn. 263)
Henry Clark (d. 1712) by his will charged his
farm of Haxton with an annual rent of £12 for
charitable purposes. Besides sums for education and
a sermon (fn. 264) £2 was to be spent on the poor, and £4
put towards apprenticing a boy to a trade. (fn. 265) In 1833
and 1901 the £2 for the poor was distributed with
the income from Jeay's bequest. The apprenticing
fund was allowed to accumulate, and in 1829 and
1830 four boys were apprenticed with premiums of
about £20 each. Premiums for apprenticeships were
rare c. 1901, but when paid were usually for blacksmithing or bricklaying. By his will, proved in 1886,
the rector, Thomas Pearse, bequeathed money in
trust to help with the expenses of boys beginning
work. By a Scheme of 1934 Pearse's and Clark's
apprenticing charities were combined, and the
interest allowed to accumulate so that in 1958 a
grant of £30 was possible. In 1962 the two charities
yielded roughly £4 each. (fn. 266)