This Manor belonged to Malmesbury Abbey. Now it belongs to the Earl of Berkshire. [2]
The Church was dedicated to St. Michael. In a North window "... Grytenham ye Wyfys ...
et Johanne Feld ..." (now destroyed).
In the upper end of that aisle on the wall is thus, vis.
"The Right Honble SIR HENRY DANVERS, Knight, Lord Danvers, Baron of Dauntesey, and Lord
Lieutenant of the King's Majestie's Province of Mounster in Ireland Anno Domini 1612." [3]
The Arms (Pl. xvii. No. 299). Supporters, Dexter, a Wyvern O. Sinister, a Mountain Cat
proper. Crest, a Wyverne O.
Between the Church and Chancell is a hold on the right hand, as in most of the churches of these parts,
which I suppose was for Confession.
In Grettwood grow naturally sorbe apples or service trees. "
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] Bremelham, alias Cowage (formerly Colkidge,) near Malmesbury. Britton (Beauties of
Wilts. III. 132.) is wrong in saying that this small parish belonged to the Lords Molines and
that from them it passed to the family of Hungerford. He appears to have confounded this name
with another somewhat similar, viz., Bremelshaw, near Salisbury, which was a Hunderford
estate. Bremelham belonged in A.D. 1200, to the Daunteseys of Dauntesey: by whose heiress
Joan (1420) it passed to Sir John Stradling: was held for life, 1439, by John Dewale third
husband of the said heiress, and also, 1465 for life, by William Lygon husband of another Lady
Stradling. By Anne the heiress of the Stradlings it came to Sir John Danvers with the
Dauntesey property. In 1654 part of the Danvers estates had vested by descent in Sir Henry Lee of
Ditchley, one of whose two coheirs, Anne, married Thomas fifth Baron Wharton. Bremelham
was part of her share. In 1760 the Rushout family were owners, and the church is still in their
gift. The Manor now belongs to Mr. Holford of Weston Birt. The Parish Registers before 1813 are
lost.
[2] The Danvers family of the adjoining parish of Dauntesey had not much interest in Brinkworth.
A tenement called "Jones's" with seventy acres was held under them, as of their manor of Lea and
Cleverton. The Hungerfords, who held this on lease n 1641, had also a freehold of their
own called "Weekhurst" in 1659. The principal Manor was given to Malmesbury Abbey by
one Leofsi a Saxon nobleman: [New Mon. Malm No. ix]. After the Dissolution, there was a
grant from the Crown (19 Eliz.) to Robert Houlton Esq.: but probably in some way for Sir
H. Knevett of Charlton, from whom it was descended to the Earl of Suffolk. The Rectory
(according to Hatcher, History of Salisbury p. 721) was given, by the name of "Brykelsworth," to
the church of Old Sarum, temp. Hen. I: by the name of "Wrynchemurth," temp. Stephen, for
the use of the Master of a school there (ditto p. 724): and in the Charter of Confirmation
by Hen. II. (ditto p.726) it is called "Bryghteles-word." But in 1248 it belonged to
Malmesbury Abbey, and so continued till the Reformation. From that time to c. 1732 it was in
the gift of the Ayliffes of Grittenham: then in the family of Fox, Lord Holland to c. 1802: now
of Pembroke College, Oxon.
[3] Brinkworth Church is late Perpendicular, with battlement: large windows: very high nave
arches and slender columns. The monuments are chiefly of the Stratton family. One to John
Weeks 1745, founder of two charities: and Elizabeth Morgan (of Fairford) his wife. Arms
ermine 3 battle axes, impaling quarterly 1 and 4 Or, a griffin rampant sable, 2 and 3, Gules, a fess
vair between 3 unicorn's heads Or. On a small wooden hatchment are the arms of Ayliffe and
St. John: for Sir George Ayliffe of Grittenham and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir John St. John
of Lydiard Tregoze, by his wife Lucy Hungerford of Farley Castle. The Font is provided with a
brass tap, like a beer barrel. "
The original drawing is approximately 7 cms wide, so the quality of this image
may appear distorted, depending on the size of the screen you are viewing it on.
These images are from the book Wiltshire Collections.
Each page has some text and some notes - in order to read it more
easily, the pages have been cut and pasted to keep the text separate
from the notes. However, this does mean they appear rather
untidy in places. The shaded areas at the side of some pages
are where the pages were not flat against the scanner - pressing the
book flat may have damaged the book.
The book Wiltshire Collections
by John Aubrey and John Jackson was published by the Wiltshire
Archaeological and Natural History Society in 1862. The book is
no longer covered by copyright regulations and 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 these 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.
