Swindon in the Past Lane

To the Memory of Jacob Hayward who departed this Life  the 19th Sept. 1801 in the 57th year of his Age I was so long with Pain opprest, That work my Strength away, It made me long for Endless Rest Which never can decay  Also to the Memory of Jane wife of  Jacob Hayward who departed this Life the 29th of Nove. 1828 Aged 71 years Spare a thought for poor Jacob Hayward, whose demise appears to have been a welcome release from a long illness. This magnificent table top memorial is one of several listed monuments in the churchyard at St Mary's and is evidence that Jacob was a wealthy man. His will reveals that he farmed at Chaddington and Bassett Down and that he owned the freehold of Cotmarsh Farm in Broad Hinton.This very matter of fact document bequeaths his property and his money to wife Jane and daughter Mary and was signed just 12 days before Jacob's death. There is no mention of any personal effects and just one reference ...

If you are spending the afternoon in Lydiard Park why not call in at the historic church of St Mary's? Open every weekend afternoon and today there is a Strawberry Tea on offer as well. If you're plotting your own family tree, come and see how Sir John St John did his. The magnificent 17th century St John polyptych will be open today revealing the St John Tudor connections. Come and marvel at the 14th century wall paintings, the medieval glass and the stunning St John Bed Stead memorial. Then join me on a guided churchyard walk where I will tell you about the ordinary country folk who have worshipped in this fascinating church. Meet Jonas Clark who lived with Alice Pinnell for more than 30 years and had seven children before he could marry her. Why was Martha Hale buried in Radnor Street Cemetery, Swindon and not with her husband Charles here at St Mary's. And what is the significance of the butterfly on Vernon, Viscount Bolingbroke's headstone? The church...

On October 20, 1846 Elizabeth Harvey appeared before Ambrose Goddard, Esq at the County Sessions 'having feloniously stolen a piece of Lace'. The records show that she was sentenced 'to be confined in the New Prison at Devizes for Two Cal. Months to hard labour'. She was 18 years old and had been in the employ of Jonas and Alice Clark at Wick Farm who brought about the charge. Jonas and his family farmed at Wick for about 40 years and we will be visiting his grave on the first of our guided churchyard walks at St Mary's churchyard on June 5 between 2 - 4.30 pm. Jonas' rough account books are held at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre and make for some fascinating reading. Particularly interesting is that he refers to his herd of more than 70 short horn cows by name. There is Pretymaid and Darling and Dainty, Squrel, Scarlet and Lovly, affectionate names for all his cattle. Perhaps Jonas had a soft side - unfortunately it didn't extend to young ...

William Dore was the first in an auctioneering family dynasty that spanned nearly 100 years and three generations. Christened at St Mary's Church, Lydiard Tregoze in 1749, the son of Peter and Jone Dore, William married local girl Sarah Hedges and produced a large family. William fulfilled his parish responsibilities as tenant and rate payer, and clocked up an impressive 13 years service as churchwarden with Jacob Matthews of Toothill, retiring in 1812, possibly due to ill health or just general infirmity. A long time tenant of Lord Bolingbroke, William paid rates on Wick Farm and additional land called Prinnels, Blacklands and Greendown between 1806 and his death in 1815. He wrote his will in the month before he died and what I find particularly interesting are the personal bequests William makes to his family. Beds and bedding continue to be an important and valuable item of household furnishing and are handed down to his daughters. I would love to be able to identify the...

I'd love to see a photograph of Walter Ody - I feel I know him so well. Born in 1833 at Hayes Knowle Farm in Purton, Walter was the third youngest of Noah and Sarah's nine surviving children. Noah was an expert at keeping the proverbial farming plates spinning and even when the boys were still quite young he managed to organise several leases. Walter married Elizabeth Russell in the Spring of 1861 and the census of that year sees them living at Lord Bolingbroke's Flaxlands Farm with his widowed mother Sarah, his sister Leticia and Elizabeth's two year old son William James Russell. So what else do I know about Walter Ody? Well I know he served the community in various roles within the parish and in 1894 he was one of the first members to be elected onto the new parish council  He was also a trustee of the St John's Chancel Trust, charged with maintaining the magnificent St John memorials. As a more mature man he proved he was ready to embrace new technolog...