Fittleton

Fittleton parish is located roughly 20 kilometres north of Salisbury and 20 kilometres southeast of Devizes. The parish covers 1300 hectares and only occupies land east of the river Avon leaving it a half share of the valley’s soils and gravel. The parish stretches almost 6 km from the valley up to Salisbury Plain, in which a large area of chalk downland can be found. In fact, in the southwest corner of the parish a slope forms an almost sheer chalk cliff face. This cliff face however, is an outlier amongst what is otherwise a steady climb from the valley to the plain. Once on the plain the land undulates, reaching heights of 187 metres and 171 metres at Salisbury Hill and Weather Hill respectively. 

Fittleton parish is divided almost exactly in half lengthways, comprising two tithings, Fittleton in the north and Haxton in the south. As of 1086 Fittleton with Haxton was a part of the hundred of Elstub along with Enford and its tithing as well as Netheravon with West Chisenbury. However, by 1334 Haxton tithing had been removed from the hundred, becoming part of the newly constituted liberty of Everleigh. The amalgamation of the hundred of Elstub and the liberty of Everleigh in 1841, to form Elstub and Everleigh hundred, would appear to formerly reunite the tithings of Fittleton and Haxton.

However, it is unclear to what extent they were ever considered separate parishes. In fact, it was in the church records kept by Stephen Jay, during his time as rector between 1660-1687, that the parish was first referred to as Fittleton-cum-Haxton, over 150 years before the formation of the Elstub and Everleigh hundred. 

As of 1066, Fittleton was held by a thegn called Vitel. It is from Vitel that the name Fittleton derives, with the parish being called ‘Viteltone’ during the reign of King Edward the Confessor, as stated in the Domesday book. Since this time, the parish name has seen various spellings such as Fyttelton, Fydelton, Fytylton before Fittleton became the only name in use. Haxton doesn’t feature in the Domesday book and its origins are subsequently more difficult to trace. However, the tithing, like Fittleton has seen its name spelt numerous ways, including Hacklestone and Haxon, both of which were used synonymously with the parish as late as the 20th century. 

A double ditch and bank running northwest of Sidbury Camp for a mile, on what is now the boundary between Fittleton and Collingbourne parishes, attests to early human activity in the area.

This evidence is supported by further ditches and banks close to Beach’s barn in the village as well as some 15 bowl barrows that can be found in the parish. The construction of the Netheravon aerodrome in 1926 also saw two flat graves excavated, containing skeletons dated around the early to middle Bronze Age. Additionally, the excavation of a settlement site in Fittleton, carried out by W. Cunnington in 1894, found abundant evidence of a Romano-British settlement in the area, including fragments of Samian pottery. It can be concluded from this therefore that the place we now call Fittleton has been occupied by humans for several millennia at least, and it is likely this occupation has been mostly continuous. 

As previously noted, Vitel held Fittleton as of 1066, with it being assessed at 10 hides. However, by 1086 the overlordship of Fittleton had been granted to Robert, son of Gerald, who was succeeded by his nephew William de Roumare. William’s grandson, the Earl of Lincoln, died without issue in 1198 and Fittleton was granted, by King Richard I to Hubert de Burgh. After Hubert’s death in 1243, his son, John, surrendered the lands to the King, Edward I. Fittleton’s overlordship was then granted to Edmund, son of Edward I.

After Edmund was made Lord of Kent in 1321, Fittleton passed down with the Earldom of Kent until 1411, when Elizabeth, the widow of John, Earl of Kent, who had held Fittleton since her husband’s death, died. At this point the overlordship was divided. However, records of this division are sparse and soon after Fittleton was held in chief. 

The history of Fittleton Manor charts quite a different history to that of the overlordship. Rainerus held Fittleton manor for Robert son of Gerald in 1086. By the time Hubert de Burgh held Fittleton, the manor had been split into three estates. One held by Baldwin de Ver, one held by Simon of Coombe and the last one held by the prior of Neufmarche. The priory of Neufmarche had been founded by the aforementioned William de Roumare, it is probable that it was William who endowed the prior with an estate. Upon Hubert de Burgh’s death, King Henry III granted the land held by Baldwin to Adam Cok to be held in chief. This third of the manor became known as the manor of King’s Fee likely because the fee farm rent was to be paid to the king whereas the rent on the remaining 2/3 of the manor was payable to the priory of Neufmarche. Around 1252 Adam Cok granted King’s Fee to Robert Pipard, husband of his daughter, Agnes.

However, Robert died shortly after and Agnes married Henry of Candover, who was granted the estate for life upon Agnes’ death in 1275. Henry only lived for another four years after his wife’s death, dying himself in 1279, at which point King’s Fee was granted, by Edward I, to Richard of Coombe who already held the estate valued at 2/3 of the manor. Therefore, Fittleton Manor was reunified under Richard of Coombe and upon his death in 1293 the manor in its entirety passed to his son, Simon, and later Simon’s son, another Richard. Upon Richard’s death in 1329, his son, also Richard, was an infant therefore the manor was passed to his widow Maud to hold until Richard came of age. The manor was divided one again in 1352 when Richard, who had since become Sir Richard of Coombe, gave the King’s Fee estate to his mother’s 2nd husband, Robert of Ramsbury. Prior to his death in 1361 Sir Richard gave the remaining 2/3 of the manor to William Holbeach, a citizen of London. In 1362 Holbeach and his wife, also called Maud, acquired King’s Fee after Robert of Ramsbury’s death that same year, reunifying the manor once again. 

Fittleton Manor passed solely to Maud Holbeach after William’s death in 1367, who sold it to Robert and Margaret Dyneley in 1384.

Similarly, to the Holbeach’s the manor passed solely to Margaret after Robert’s death in 1395. Margaret later sold the manor to William Darell in 1427. Fittleton was then passed down through the Darell family until another William Darell sold the manor in two parts, once again splitting the estate. Darell sold King’s Fee to George Fettiplace in 1558 and some 30 years later in 1588 sold the remaining part of the manor to William Stubbs. King’s Fee remained in the Fettiplace lineage until 1650 when it was sold to William Adlam who soon sold it himself in 1665 to William Beach.  

The other estate, valued at 2/3 of the manor, was passed from William Stubbs to Thomas Jeay in 1599. Thomas Jeay was also rector of Fittleton, a title several in his family would achieve. The Fittleton estate remained in the Jeay family eventually passing to Thomas’ great niece, Mary, who married Henry Edes. Henry Edes’ sister, also called Mary and her husband John Briggs, later took control of the estate after Henry’s death in 1703, before conveying it to George Parker in 1721. Parker passed the estate to Thomas Francis who then conveyed it to Thomas Beach in 1753. Thomas Beach also held the King’s Fee estate having inherited it from his grandfather, the aforementioned William Beach.

Therefore, Fittleton manor was reunified for the last time under the beach Family where it would remain until it was sold to the War Department in 1898. The Beach family became the Hicks Beach family in 1790 when Henrietta Maria, the only survivor of William Beach’s great grandson’s seven children, inherited the manor. She was married to Michael Hicks, who assumed the name Hicks Beach upon receiving control of Fittleton Manor. Their descendant, Sir Michael Edward Hicks Beach, who later became the 1st Earl of St Aldwyn, was the lord of the manor upon its sale to the War Department. Prior to this sale Sir Michael had established himself as a prominent figure in Parliament, serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer twice from 1885-1886 and 1895-1902. His first spell as Chancellor also saw him serve as Leader of the House of Commons. He represented the East Gloucestershire constituency until it was abolished in 1885, after which he served as the MP for Bristol West until he left parliament in 1902. 

After the sale of the estate to the War Department, the manor house was repurchased by Michael Hugh Hicks Beach, Sir Michael’s son, in 1901.

Michael Hugh Hicks Beach, known as Viscount Quenington at this point, was killed in action on April 23rd, 1916, aged 39. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 1st Earl of St Aldwyn, died just seven days after his son on April 30th 1916. Viscount Quenington’s wife, the Lady Quenington had died just two months prior to this. Their infant son and heir, Michael John Hicks Beach, inherited his grandfather’s earldom. Despite this devastation on the family the manor house at Fittleton remained in the ownership of the Hicks Beach family until it was eventually sold in 1977. 

Haxton’s overlordship was separate to that of Fittleton’s. Haxton passed down with the Earldom of Lancaster from 1267. The earldom later became a dukedom, with Haxton becoming attached to the Crown on the ascension of Henry IV as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. Haxton also had two estates on its land one of which was held by Amaury de St Amand who merged it with his Netheravon lands in the 13th century. The other estate was in the hands of the de la Beche family in the early 14th Century.

The aforementioned Hicks Beach family are descendants of the de la Beche family. However, by the end of the century, Haxton had been acquired by Robert Dyneley, the current lord of Fittleton. Haxton then followed Fittleton manor’s lordship to William Darell who sold Haxton to the Reeve family in 1549. Robert Reeve was succeeded by his 8-year-old grandson, James Clark. By 1712 Haxton had passed to James’ cousin Mary Gladman, whose grandson sold the estate to John Perkins in 1803. After this Michael Hicks Beach bought Haxton from the Perkins family, unifying it with the Fittleton estates, where it remained until it was sold, with Fittleton to the War Department in 1898. 

Fittleton manor house lies east of the church. Most of the present manor house was built in the 18th century with flint and red brick. However, the older part of the house at the back, can be dated to when William Beach acquired the manor in 1665. Similarly, an oak staircase in the manor is of Jacobean design potentially placing it around the early 17th Century.

However, no documentation of any rebuilding is available other than the addition of two rooms in 1902 to enlarge the manor for Viscount Quenington’s use. 

Fittleton Rectory, now known as Fittleton House, lies north of the Church. It was largely built in the 18th century by Robert Merchant, the first fellow of Magdalen College to be rector of Fittleton. The service wing at the back incorporates part of an earlier house with 17th century outer walls made from brick and flint. The house was extended further southwards by Thomas Phillips, rector from 1842-1854 and another fellow of Magdalen. 

Opposite the manor house stands a building of flint and chalk. Formerly a popular pub called the Green Dragon, it was believed to originally be a yeoman’s cottage built around 400 years ago. It is now once more a cottage called the Green Vine, due to a vine growing on the south wall and stands as a typical example of the building style in the village. 

The majority of houses in Fittleton are likely to be 250-300 years old and were constructed by Wiltshire craftsmen with the materials available to them.

Namely brick, flint and chalk as well as the necessary straw for the thatched roofs. House number 341 in Haxton bears the date 1691 and 1671 in its side wall and 322 Lower Street in Haxton bears S.W. 1774 on one of the chalk blocks on the front wall, likely indications to the dates the houses were built or renovated. The most curious of all Fittleton’s houses is probably ‘The Wedge’. One of the more modern homes built around 1920, ‘The Wedge’ is a small brick cottage wedged between two thatched houses. It’s small size and shape making it distinct from the larger houses it is situated between. 

Fittleton’s Church is first mentioned in 1291 and is constructed primarily with flint and rubble. The chancel arch and part of the nave are of the late Norman period (13th Century) with the tower arch following in the early 14th century. Construction of the remainder of the tower, particularly the spire and turret were believed to have been completed by the end of the 14th century. The church, is situated in a valley close to the river Avon and like many in the Avon valley is dedicated to All Saints.

Haxton supported its own chapel with a priest between 1323 and 1547. 

Fittleton manor was worth £12 in 1086 and the demesne land attached to the manor was measured to be five hides and one virgate (just over 600 acres). Of this land three acres were meadow, very small for an estate the size of Fittleton and the area of pasture was measured in 1086 as being one league by ½ a league. As of 1279 areas of common pasture on two downs were also available in the parish. At this time the estate was treated as two separate units and it remained this way until Fittleton with Haxton passed to the Dyneleys in 1384 at which point the distinction disappeared and the land of the two estates were leased together.  

In 1328, when the estates were leased separately, King’s fee was judged to have approximately 161 acres of arable land, a meadow, and pasture for 300 sheep, with the estate being valued at £10. The estate owned by the Prior of Neufmarche was judged to have 322 acres of arable land, two acres of meadow and pasture for 600 sheep and the estate was valued at £23. Given the large proportion of downland in the parish and on the estates, sheep farming was the predominant industry in Fittleton.

Agriculture, specifically sheep farming remained the primary occupation in the village for most of its history. The reliance was such that deaths amongst the sheep flocks around 1340 caused considerable difficulty and financial hardship in the village resulting in the inability to pay tax. Despite the vast arable land, it appears a scarcity of home-grown crops was apparent in the village as in 1387, oats were bought to provide gruel to the farm servants.  

By 1777 Fittleton had been arranged into two farms, Home Farm was located in the village and had 726 acres and Down Farm, later called Beach’s Barn Farm, named after the Hicks Beach family, had 702 acres. The two farms were farmed by tenant farmers under the Hicks Beach family. By 1839 there was 832 acres of arable land and 552 acres of downland in Fittleton tithing. This was a considerable change and hints at a reduction in the reliance on sheep farming and an increase in the farming of crops, with much of the downland being converted to arable in the 18th century. Records in 1821 show that there were 79 families in Fittleton, 63 of which were supported by agriculture and 13 supported by trade. Therefore, whilst sheep farming wasn’t as heavily relied upon, agriculture was still the central industry and source of jobs in Fittleton.

The chief crops grown on the increased arable land were wheat, barley and oats. 

Little is known of Haxton’s agriculture prior to it coming under the same lordship as Fittleton in 1384. After this Haxton farm was still leased separately to Fittleton at £11. Despite the limited knowledge of Haxton’s economic history it was the bigger and more prosperous of the two tithings during the Middle Ages primarily due to Haxton being situated closer to the crossing of the Avon.  

A tailor cum grocer could also be found in the parish, most likely in the 19th-20th century. The tailor shop was run by a man called Howell and the grocers was kept by his two daughters. A sweet shop was also present in the building now called Manor Cottage and was ran by a Diana Taplin who also brewed botanical beer. 

Charity played a crucial role in the development of education in Fittleton. Fittleton school itself was established in 1722 as a result of Henry Clark leaving £5 annually to the education of 10 poor boys in 1712 as well as the interest from a £50 investment from Elizabeth Buckenham being used towards the education of the poor children of the village.

However, it wasn’t just schooling which was supported by charitable contributions. Via his will Henry Clark also charged his Haxton Farm with £12 annual rent, to be used for charitable purposes. £2 was to be spent on the poor and £4 to be spent apprenticing a boy to a trade. This apprenticeship fund was allowed to accumulate and in 1829 and 1830 four boys were apprenticed with premiums of approximately £20 each, premiums for such apprenticeships were considered a rarity at this time. Thomas Pearse, a rector of Fittleton, also bequeathed, via his will in 1886, money in trust for helping boys begin work. By 1934 Pearse and Clark’s apprenticing charities had combined and allowed to accumulate so a £30 grant towards apprentices in Fittleton was available in 1958.  

Another of Fittleton’s rectors, Stephen Jeay, left £80 in his will, dated 1693, to the poor of the parish. However, this money lay idle until it was paid to Michael Hicks Beach in 1803 and henceforth the Hicks Beach family paid £4 annually to the poor of the parish.  

Fittleton’s population climbed steadily for most of the 19th century rising from 249 in 1811 to 394 in 1871.

Fittleton and Haxton tithings almost always recorded similar population numbers. The only time after 1811 they were of some significant difference was in the 1841 census when Fittleton’s population was at 175 whilst Haxton’s was at 161. However, this is likely due to 15 people living in tents in Fittleton at this time, most likely casual agricultural workers temporarily living in the parish for work. With the total population of the parish totalling 336 in 1831 (including 15 temporary residents) this presented only a small increase of five people from the 1831 census which recorded the population at 331. Once those living in tents moved on, Fittleton’s population would have actually decreased during the 1830s. This appears somewhat unusual given the progressive growth in residents Fittleton experienced both before and after this decade. However, around 35 people in the parish emigrated to Canada for a better livelihood in 1836, likely the cause of the reduced population in the parish. 

After 1871 the population began to decline again falling from 394 in 1871 to 273 in 1901 but by the turn of the century Fittleton was growing once again.

Much of Fittleton’s lands were bought by the War Department and an influx of military personnel and their families saw the population climb, which was exacerbated further by the construction of the Netheravon flying school in 1913 which saw Fittleton’s population peak at 480 in 1921 before steadily declining after this.  

The construction of the Netheravon aerodrome in 1913 brought significant change for Fittleton in the early 20th century. The airfield itself lay along the boundary between Fittleton and Figheldean with buildings in both parishes. As stated, a significant influx in population followed the building of the airfield which was an operational base for much of the First World War before becoming a training school named No. 1 Flying Training School after the war. It became a centre for glider training by 1939 and was used for training specialist sections of the police in the early 1950s.  

It then became a depot for the RAF police wing until it was transferred to the War Office in 1963 and became HQ for the Army Air Corps.

It remained under AAC control until 2012. 

The War Department, or War Office, also played a significant role in 20th century life in Fittleton. As well as the Hicks Beach estate, the War Department acquired much of the land in surrounding parishes on Salisbury plain, which they increasingly used for military purposes after the turn of the century. Significant demographic change in the area was brought about as a consequence. The British Army Cavalry School moved from Canterbury to Netheravon and along with it many of the soldiers and their families. By 1914 many of the children at Fittleton School had been born in Canterbury or other garrison towns.  

Besides the demographic change, the War Department’s presence in Fittleton also changed the agricultural practices during the 20th century. Most of the land in Fittleton was licensed only for grazing due to the Army’s requirements. Some of the lower land on Haxton Farm could be used freely for pasture, however, the higher land had to farmed subject to military needs. Additionally, many tracks and paths on Salisbury plain were closed to the public, although the Army did construct a new road between Everleigh and Fittleton which was open to public use.

This was one of many roads which the army laid on Salisbury plain. 

The 20th century also brought many changes to Fittleton that were unrelated to the Army’s influence in the area. A new grocery store was built in 1907 on the site where the village shoemaker used to work and live. Haxton bridge was demolished in 1909 after a tractor engine drove over it too fast and damaged it. The bridge was rebuilt in 1910 and lasted over a century until a new bridge was constructed in 2011. A village hall was erected in 1921 and a Post Office was opened in 1938 after a petition by the Fittleton Women’s institute. Electricity was also available in Fittleton by 1939, having likely arrived sometime between 1935-1939.