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John Aubrey's visit to Corston
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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)
Page 266
CORSTON.
In the Church nothing to be found; [1] the modern zeal has been reforming here-about.
Surely this tract of land, Gloucestershire and Somerset, encline people to
zeal. Heretofore nothing but Religious Houses, now nothing
but Quakers and Fanatiques. It is a sour woodsere [2] country, and inclines
people to contemplation. So, that, and the Bible, and ease, for it is now all upon
dairy-grassing and clotheing, sett their witts a-running and reforming.
One Mr. Baily [3] gave £3 towards the repayre of the Chancell, where he lies buried, and the
Parish Churchwardens built the wall of the Church yard, which is now downe. [3]
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] The Perpendicular Bell-turrett is remarkable. It rises upon a
transverse block, upon the West gable, the block springing from a corbel above the
West window, and is considered to be an elegant specimen of its class: but 'difficult
to describe and not very easily drawn'. See both description and drawing in
Archaeol. Journal, vol I. p. 39.
[2] In his chapter on "Local influences" (Natural History of Wilts, p. 11)
Aubrey uses this expression again, speaking of North Wilts. "It is a woodsere country
abounding much with sour and austere plants, as sorrel, &c.: which makes their
humours sour:" and "Mem. North Wiltshire is a very worm-woodish, and more
litigious than South Wilts."
[3] Of a family which for several generations held lands here by Copy of Court
Roll in the reign of Queen Eliz., &c. (Hungerford Rent Roll.)
[4] Corston was one of the Malmesbury Abbey estates. Soon after the
Dissolution it came into the possession of the Hungerfords of Farley Castle co. Som:
and was sold, with Stanton St. Quinton, (as the Editor believes, by Lord Lexington who
married the heiress of Sir Giles Hungerford of Coulston), to the Bouverie family. It
is now the property of the Earl of Radnor. It is in the parish, and is a Chapelry,
of St. Paul's Malmesbury. Mr Britton (Beauties of Wilts III. 131) in naming the
Cobham family, &c. as former owners, appears to have confounded this place with Corton in
the parish of Hilmerton. West Park, near Corston, belonged to the Abbot of
Malmesbury.
* 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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This page was last updated on 10th July 2007 .