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John Aubrey's Visit to Berwick Bassett


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This information is from the book   Wiltshire Collections   by John Aubrey and John Jackson, published by the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society* in 1862.

Text     by John Aubrey (1660s)
Notes   - [*] - by John Jackson (1860s)
Plates   (sketches) by Edw. Kite, after Notes.


Page 30
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Text

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BERWICK BASSET.   1


In the nave of this Church, in brasse, on a marble, thus:   Willelmus hic jacet Bayly sic dno. placet; legabit ecclie solidos centum semper manere.   Obit V* idus Novemb. Anno. Dni. M,CCCC,XXVII.   (“William Bayly lieth here, so it pleaseth the Lord.   He left 100 shillings to the church for ever.   He died 8. Nov. 1427.”)   His effigies is with short hair, but not shaved;   his habit a long robe with a girdle.

In the Chancell:   “Here lieth the body of Frances, the wife of Thomas Crippes, who dyed on her knees the twentieth day of ... 1664.”


[*  it is difficult to read this letter, ‘V’ is only a guess.   If you know what it should be please contact us.]


Notes

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John Aubrey died before was able to research and publish the notes he made during his journey around Wiltshire.   Some two hundred years later John Jackson undertook this task, and below is his corrections and updated information.

1.   Berwick is a generic name.   In Domesday Book, a berewick (Berg-wick, manerii vicus is a hamlet severed from the body of a manor.   (Thus, a charter of the Confessor’s speaks of “Kingston, with its berewics Raffley and Byri.”)   Basset is a family name.   This Berewick was part of the estate of Adam de Port, forfeited on his being accused of the death of K. Hen. II. (Dugdale).   King John gave it to Alan Basset.   K. Hen. III. added the lands of one John de Cambon a Norman.   The Manor was held of the Crown by the annual render of a mew-hawk.   The heiress of the Bassets, widow of Roger Bigod, Earl Marshal, brought it in second marriage, to Hugh Despencer by whom temp. Edw. II. it was forfeited.   Patrick de Chaworth is also mentioned as an owner (Edw. I.) of lands appurtenant to his Barony of Kempsford.   The Abbot of Stanley near Chippenham also had an estate.   In 1. Edw. III. he complains to Parliament that Hugh Despencer had taken it, as well as the Rectory, from him by force.   This included Richardston and Langedene:   out of which the Abbot paid a pension to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital at Bristol.   John Stratton was Bailiff under the Abbey.   In 1400, Sir John Roche of Bromham was a proprietor.   In 1559, Thomas Goddard.   In modern times John Nalder:   and in 1859, Lord Holland and Mr. Stratton.   The Marquis of Lansdowne is Lay impropriator.

Berwick Basset is seven miles S.W. of Swindon.   It is a chapelry of Calne, the Vicar of Calne, patron.   The old church, (St. Nicholas), of the Eleventh century, had on the S. side a tower framework cased with weather boarding.   It has recently been restored by subscription and was re-opened Oct. 28 1857.   A stained glass window was erected in memory of Mrs Hawkins of Avebury who left £200 towards the restoration, and £200 to the Poor.   There is a curious old house near the Church.   Round an old gravestone is also this;   “IT HATH PLEASED GOD TO TAKE TO HIS MERCYE HENRYE HOLMAN AND WAS BURYED THE XX DAY OF OCTOBER, AN. DO. 1599.”



* This book is no longer covered by copyright regulations.   The Society is happy for information from the book to be copied, although ask that an acknowledgement to the Society is placed with the reproduction.   (The copyright of any images from the book is owned by Mandy Ball so they are covered by copyright regulations - see our   copyright conditions   of use.)   The Society can be contacted at:   The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Long Street, Devizes, Wiltshire.   Telephone:   +44 (0)1380 727369.

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