One of the volunteers working on the Lacock Abbey archives asked me to help with reading two unusual documents (2664bx61/60). They were two orders issued in June 1631 by Star Chamber, a much feared court which vigorously protected royal rights and privileges and became synonymous with misuse and abuse of power by the King and his circle.  The documents offer indemnity from arrest for any violence used in assisting the sheriff and trained band to apprehend several persons who were believed ‘in the night season’ to have destroyed the fences and enclosures in Braydon Forest, near Cricklade, and to have threatened similar action in Blackmore or Melksham forest. These royal forests had been recently disafforested, Braydon the previous year and Blackmore 19 years ago. This was a process which removed them from the jurisdiction of forest law and gave it the status of ordinary land. In effect it allowed the land to be divided into enclosed fields and coppices held by individual farmers, who paid rents to the royal agents who in turn paid the crown for the franchise. This was a controversial move, motivated to raise revenue for the crown, which ended common rights in the forest. The disaffected in Blackmore Forest were believed to have met the ‘Ryotters and Mutiners’ of Braydon Forest and thus posed a threat which prompted this pre-emptive action. The royal farmer had built ‘several faire houses’ for the tenants, and also a church for the inhabitants ‘to repaire to to heare devyne service’. Allowances had been given to the ‘pretended commoners’ and the tenants who by their great labours, charges industry have brought the ground into good tillage and pasture land. It was claimed that the would-be rioters were believed to come from Lacock. Of the seven named, four were among the fifty-five listed in the Braydon forest document, and were presumably the 17^th century equivalent of ‘flying pickets’.

Where was this church? I could find no reference to the licensing or serving of this church in the diocesan archives, or any indication of how long it lasted. This appears to be the only evidence of it that has come to light. Evidence of its probable location is provided by a deed of division of what remained of the forest, which appears to be the eastern part, in 1818 between Thomas Bruges and Edward Philips in another collection in Wiltshire and Swindon Archives (1985/1/1).


The map associated with the deed of dvision, 1818
Ref:1985/1/1

 The associated map describes Chapel Ground and Chapel Mead on the site of what became the grounds of Sandridge Park. By 1838, and the tithe apportionment, Chapel Ground has become The Park, although Chapel Mead retained its original name.


Section of the map showing Chapel Ground and Chapel Mead

 This little piece of research illustrates extremely well the importance of having different archives brought together in the History Centre. We do not know whether the church was built of wood or stone, and what evidence of its foundations may be discernable to archaeological investigation, although house platforms have been identified on the site. The documentary evidence suggests that this might be the hamlet established in the 1620’s for the forest land tenants, and this will be added to the Historic Environment Record maintained by the Archaeology Service also based in the History Centre. If you have enjoyed this article, the following entries may also be of interest:

The King of Limbs

A Hunting Lodge for King John?

New technology helps us appreciate Wiltshire's past

Comment (0)

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre has recently been officially recognised as providing one of the best archive services in the country. It was awarded a maximum four stars overall in an assessment by The National Archives, which acts as the government watchdog for archives. We are listed as seventh out of a total of 124 services in England and Wales.

See: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/self-assessment-results.htm for more details.

Comment (0) Read More...