Pewsey Timeline

Artefacts have been found in the parish dating from this period

There has been occupation of the parish since this time as evidenced by Martinsell hillfort and finds at Black Patch

Excavations at Black Patch have revealed over 100 graves dating from this time

Pewsey is a royal estate owned by King Alfred

Edmund, grandson of King Alfred, grants the royal estate to St. Peter's Abbey, Winchester (later known as Hyde Abbey); a Saxon church has been built by this time

Domesday Book records a church, arable land for 24 plough teams, 7 mills and a population of approx. 370-400

There are only 4 mills in existence: the Town Mill in High Street, Buckleaze Mil, Sharcott Mill at West Sharcott and Jones Mill

The chancel of the Church of St. John the Baptist collapses and is replaced and the chancel arch is added

Ball Cottage built

Tower built on Church of St. John the Baptist

Court House built

The Church of St. John the Baptist has 3 bells

The Bear Inn is in existence

School held in the parish church

The clock has been installed in the Church of St. John the Baptist by this time

Buckleaze Farm built

Humphrey Tarrant is a thatcher, a family business in Pewsey that continues for nearly 300 years

The Church of St. John the Baptist has 6 bells by this time

Bricks are made in the parish from this time

Phoenix Inn opened

The Old Rectory, home of the Bouverie family, built

Nonconformist meeting house certified

John Wesley preaches at Pewsey church

By this time New Inn (now the Royal Oak) in existence; there are 3 malthouses

Workhouse opened

A typhus epidemic kills 50 people

A white horse is cut on Pewsey Hill; the house of William Yeats is certified as an Independent Meeting House

High Street is so named by this time; Joseph Townsend, rector of the parish for 52 years, organises the building of the red brick 3-arch bridge over the River Avon connecting High Street with River Street and replacing the ford

Post Office opened in Market Place

There is a fire engine in the village by this time

New Strict Baptist Chapel built near the Town Mill

Kennet and Avon Canal built across the parish and a wharf built north west of Pewsey

Workhouse now closed

Independent Chapel established in Easterton Lane

There are 3 day schools in the parish

Phoenix Row built

A market is granted and Market Place is opened; National School opened

Strict Baptist chapel built in High Street

Methodist chapel built off High Street

Pewsey Union Workhouse built in Wilcot Road

A new National School built in River Street

A police station is in existence from this time; the Post Office is in High Street

The King's Arms in High Street (now Moonrakers) opened

New Inn in North Street (now The Greyhound) opened

Weekly corn market held on Tuesdays at the Phoenix Inn

Church of St. John the Baptist restored to designs by Thomas Cundy

A school held in the Union Workhouse is in existence by this time

There is a bank in Pewsey from this time

Hill fair at Martinsell ceases

Chancel rebuilt and south chapel added to Church of St. John the Baptist to designs by G.E. Street

Berks. & Hants. Extension Railway from Reading to Devizes opened across the parish

Cemetery opened in Woodborough Road; Pewsey railway station built at World's End

A new National School opened at King's Corner: the school in River Street becomes an infants' school

Gasworks opened; London House built

The Plumber's Arms in High Street (now Alfred's) and The Crown at World's End opened

The Infants' school in River Street is rebuilt

George Whatley starts up a business as an agricultural engineer, iron and brass founder in the Avonside foundry near the Town Mill

Pewsey Rural District Council formed; King's Corner school enlarged

New Methodist chapel built in North Street

Church of England Mission Room built at King's Corner

Gas street lighting provided by this time

Coffee house founded by Rev. Bertrand Pleydell Bouverie

The Ancient Order of Foresters build the Foresters' Hall in High Street; the Independent Chapel used by the General Baptists from this time; Primitive Methodist chapel opened at King's Corner by this time

From this time Pewsey Feast is revived as an annual celebration

Church of St. John the Baptist restored to designs by C.E. Ponting

New Primitive Methodist chapel opened in Brunkard's Lane

Pewsey carnival (the oldest carnival in Wiltshire) first held to raise funds for Savernake Hospital

Malthouse in River Street converted to a village hall and named the Bouverie Hall after the rector Bertrand Pleydell-Bouverie

Brickmaking has now ceased in the parish;

Waterworks built in Wilcot Road

Over 200 houses built in Hollybush Lane and Goddard Road

A horse-drawn steam-powered fire engine is purchased and a new building erected in North Street to house it; the infants' school in River Street is renamed Council Mixed and Infants' school

First motor car accident in Pewsey

Church of England Mission Room has closed by this time; the Post Office is now in North Street

Avondale Garage founded by Howard Lampard with the first hand operated petrol pumps in Pewsey

Statue of King Alfred unveiled in Market Place to commemorate the coronation of King George V

Workhouse used by Wiltshire County Council to house mental defectives

Oil depot in Wilcot Road adjoining the railway station

A monthly livestock market is held from this time; Buckleaze Mill converted from a flour and grist mill to generate electricity; first piped water supply provided

Pewsey Electric Light Company converts the Town Mill to generate electricity for the village; Strict Baptist Chapel sold; Primitive Methodist chapel closed by this time

The streetlighting is powered by electricity from this time

National Town Criers Contest held in Market Place and filmed by the BBC

36 council houses built in The Crescent

Schoolroom for the Sunday School added to the Methodist chapel

A Roman Catholic chapel of ease opened

Methodist chapel becomes the Methodist church

The Police Station is in High Street by this time

A new white horse is cut on Pewsey Hill to commemorate the coronation of King George VI

Sewage works built; Rex cinema built in High Street

Telephone exchange built; St. Francis's school opened as a nursery school at Pewsey Vicarage

British Legion Club opened

Over 100 council houses built

Workhouse renamed Pewsey Mental Hospital; North Street car park, the first official car parking spaces in Pewsey, built

Independent Chapel in Easterton Lane closed

The land between the Rectory and Easterton Lane used as the village playing field from this time

Scout hall opened in the Crescent

St. Francis's school is in High Street and has been transferred to a charitable trust

Pewsey Vale Secondary Modern school opened in Wilcot Road; primary school in King's Corner renamed Pewsey Junior school

New police station and 2 police houses built; branch of the County Library opened in a shop in High Street

New private housing development in Astley Close

Rex cinema closed

Copydex Ltd use the former Rex cinema for their glue packing business

Internal restoration of the Methodist chapel

New fire station built in North Street

New Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family built at Broadfields

Last working blacksmith's closed

70 houses built in Swan Meadow; restoration of the Kennet and Avon canal begins

Swimming pool built alongside Pewsey Vale school

A general market is revived

Pewsey Infants' school transferred from River Street to a site adjoining Pewsey Vale school; Pewsey Hospital (Special) School renamed Wyvern school

Kennet District Council replaces Pewsey Rural District Council

Pewsey Vale Secondary Modern School becomes a comprehensive school and is renamed Pewsey Vale School

Sports hall built next to Pewsey Vale School; Wiltshire County Council purchases the old rectory to use as offices

Branch library moves to a mobile building west of North Street

Fordbrook Industrial Estate built east of Marlborough Road

Jone's Mill Nature Reserve given to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

The clock on the Church of St. John the Baptist restored

Wyvern school closed

St. Francis's School moves to Haybrook House

Church Street, High Street, Market Place, River Street designated part of a conservation area; Pewsey Junior School in King's Corner closed

A new primary school for pupils aged 5-11 opened on the site of the infants' school in Wilcot Road

Bouverie Hall demolished and flats built on the site; a new Bouverie Hall opened west of North Street

Travancore House is acquired by St. Francis's School for pupils aged 8 years and over

Salisbury Road Business Park opened

Heritage Centre opened in a former foundry in High Street

Wiltshire County Council closes its offices in the old rectory

Pewsey Mental Hospital closed

Pioneer Supermarket opened

St. Francis's school is now an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 2 to 13 years

Phoenix Hotel closed and converted to flats

Pewsey Community Area Plan published

Pewsey resident Shelley Rudman wins a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin in the women's skeleton bob event

Pewsey Music Festival first held

Shelley Rudman wins a bronze medal in the women's skeleton bob event at the World Cup in Kognissee, Germany