Messrs Andrews and Dury produced a reasonably accurate survey of Wiltshire back in 1773. In 1952 the Records Branch of the Wiltshire Archaeological Society published a copy of the map in book form. Market Lavington Museum has just acquired a copy of this book – a book which sold for 25 shillings in 1952 which made it an expensive purchase at the time. Our copy has an original, if rather careworn dust jacket.
Andrews’ and Dury’ Map of Wiltshire – 1773
How splendid to see the bustard in use as an emblem of Wiltshire over 60 years ago – long after the native population ended and long before the species was reintroduced.
But of course it is the maps, covering all of Wiltshire which are of real interest, and particularly, for us, the area around Market Lavington
The Lavington area
The first thing to note is that there was no Market Lavington. Andrews and Dury have clearly called it East Lavington.
One of the features of the map is that the gentry get named so we can see that Henry Chiver Vince had Cleeve Hall – now Clyffe Hall. Fiddington was clearly not considered the home of gentry since no name is given. Fiddington was written as Feddenton. Broad Well, of course, we still know but the Lime kiln has long gone although the last vestiges of Lime Kiln Farm hung on into the 1960s.
We get some information on Salisbury Plain.
Easterton Ponds, later, became the site of Pond Farm and the East Lavington Pond was about where New Farm was built. We find the direction post where the road from Market Lavington met the one from Easterton fascinating. Getting lost on Salisbury Plain was a hazard. People who got lost often starved, unable to find their way. A direction post would have been very useful.
Returning to the north of the parish and area we can see that Dr Batters had Fiddington Common and Seymour Wroughton had a property in Eastcott and also Maggots Castle.
Only one small part of one page is truly relevant to our patch but we think this book is a great addition to our collection.
Market Lavington Museum 