The Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire, 1907
illustrates the following commercial traders and inhabitants
within
the
village. The description provided: Lyneham is a village and
parish, on the road from Wootton Bassett to Calne 3¾ miles
southwest from Wootton Bassett station and 2 miles south-east
of Dauntsey Junction station on the Swindon and Bath section
of the Great Western railway, and 6 miles north from Calne
in the Northern division of the county, Cricklade and Wootton
Bassett union and petty sessional division. Kingsbridge hundred,
Calne county court district, rural deanery of Avebury (Avebury
portion), archdeaconry of Wiltshire and diocese of Salisbury.
The Wilts and Berks canal passes within half a mile north
of the parish. The church of St. Michael is an ancient stone
edifice, in the Perpendicular style, consisting of nave,
south aisle, south porch and a low embattled western tower
containing 5 bells; there is a monument to the Walker Heneage
family. The church was restored in 1863 at a cost of nearly £3,000
and has 250 sittings. The register dates from the year 1653.
The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £116 with
residence, in the gift of Major Godfrey C. Walker-Heneage
M.V.0. and held since 1888 by the Rev. Maitland Edward Snepp,
Association of King's College, London. Charities amounting
to about £54 yearly. Arising from land at Brinkworth
and Coates are distributed to the poor in kind on the 21st
December.
Major Godfrey C. Walker-Heneage M.V.O. of Compton House,
Compton Bassett who is lord of the manor, the Earl of Radnor,
Sir John Poynder - Dickson-Poynder Bart. M.A. of Hartham
Park, the trustees of Mr. Edward Henly and Alfred E. Tanner
esq. of Christian Malford, are the chief landowners. The
soil is corn brash; sub-soil, sand. The chief crops are grass
and wheat. The area is 3,431 acres of land of which about
one third is arable and the other pasture, and 9 of water;
rateable value, £4,811. The population in 1901
was 909, including part of Bradenstoke-cum-Clack. The population
of the ecclesiastical parish in 1901 was 566.
Littlecott is 1 mile south-east; Barrowend, 1 east; Preston,
1 south-east and West Tockenham, 2 west. are tithings. The
Post Office was run by sub-postmistress Mrs Martha Lovelock.
Letters were distributed through Chippenham delivered at
8.15am and 3.20pm. They were dispatched at 8.45am and 6.40pm
by foot messenger to Sutton Benger. There was no delivery
or dispatch on sundays. Bradenstoke Post Office provided
the nearest facilities for money orders and telegraph office.
A wall letter box near the church was cleared at 5.20pm week
days only.
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