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In this section we look
into the way our village evolved, the way our past residents
of the community played their part in making Lyneham what
it is today. Obviously, the pattern and lifestyle of our
ancestors have changed over generations and we hope to bring
a representation of what life was like in the village and
how times have and are changing. The hardest part of the
research, inhabitants of Lyneham never used
to document the way they lived, what they did from year to
year, achievements. So hopefully, we can only
rely on the good folk passing on their memories, bygones,
etc. A lot of the memories
have been captured here, include rare
photographs, people
talking about the memorable milestones and these are
indeed rare. We hope that you can share your memories here
too. Today and all the yesterday's are tomorrow's history.
Lyneham was made up of 4 scattered
hamlets and early evidence suggests that in 1086 the main
area of settlement was in the present Bradenstoke village.
It was known, then as ‘Stoche’ meaning
settlement, with a well-wooded land coverage and probably
lain within Braydon Forest, since the settlement was called
Bradenstoche by the 12th Century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, and certainly earlier 16th Century,
the name Bradenstoke certainly applied Lyneham was mentioned
for the first time in 1224, and was probably included in the
Domesday holding of 'Stoche'.
West Tockenham, which lies a mile north-east of Lyneham
village, was known in 1198 simply as 'Tockenham', but by
1293 the area, which contained several small estates, was
also known as West Tockenham to distinguish it from East
Tockenham.
Preston, marked only by two farms, a few cottages, and a
Methodist chapel in 1968, lies 1¼ mile south-east of
Lyneham village. This hamlet formed part of the manor of Lyneham
in 1557 and remained such until the 20th century.
In 1334 Lyneham paid the second highest contribution in the
Kingsbridge Hundred, which was the ancient district poll tax
in the county. The parish had 227 poll-tax payers in 1377,
a number which constituted the highest in the hundred. West
Tockenham was assessed separately at this date and had twenty-four
contributors. In 1523 fifty-four people from Lyneham and Clack
made contributions to the royal loan. The prior's household
at Bradenstoke, assessed separately, provided twenty contributors.
In 1545 a ‘benevolence’ [tax] was raised to help
King Henry VIII fight yet another war against France. It was
calculated on the ability to pay and five people from Lyneham
contributed which was the most heavily taxed village in the
Kingsbridge Hundred, suggesting a considerable degree of prosperity.
In 1576 twenty-one people in Lyneham, Clack, and Preston
contributed to the subsidy of that year, a number second only
to Wootton Bassett.
On 1 July 1576 a similar benevolence was raised, for Queen
Elizabeth were twenty-one people in Lyneham, Clack, and Preston
contributed to the subsidy of that year, a number second only
to Wootton Bassett. Other places paid less than Lyneham, and
John Hopkins was only third on the list. The income from his
land was nevertheless a healthy £7 a year, on which
he paid a standard penny in the shilling, or 11s 8d.
Thereafter little is known of the population of the parish
until 1801 when there were 833 people in Lyneham and its hamlets.
From then on, the population rose gradually until in 1841
there were, 1,317 people in the parish, a number which included
179 labourers employed in laying the G.W.R. line in the neighbouring
parish.
After this date the population declined again until in 1921
there were only 836 inhabitants in the parish. The establishment
of R.A.F. Lyneham in 1940 resulted
in a sharp increase in population. In 1951 there were 2,430
inhabitants, and by 1961 this number had increased to 3,688
Parish boundary changes, influx or removal of military personnel
may account for larger variations in census counts. 1940
was the biggest increase when the RAF airbase opened.
Lyneham Census records
Census records are valuable: not only do they allow researchers to see where
our ancestors lived but they allow us to see who lived in certain properties,
how old they were at the time of the census documentation and the associated
people who were residing in the dwelling at the time. They are extremely
useful to assist us compiling a family tree and also help us to understand
or appreciate what Lyneham village was like at the time. We have extracted
as much information from the Census records starting in 1841, so you can
see who lived where and what professions many of the villagers undertook.
If you would like to know more click here...
Local Governors
In 1513-14 the Prior of Bradenstoke granted land called 'Harvies'
for the building of a house, later known as the church
house
of Lyneham, for meetings of the parishioners. The site proved
to be too far from the church and an alternative site
called
'Weekemeade' was granted in 1530 for the erection of 'a very
good and meet house', which, when built, cost c. £100.
William Button, lord of the manor of Lyneham, subsequently
claimed the house as parcel of the manor there. The claim
was allowed in 1611, provided that the yearly rent
from the
premises was paid to the church wardens of Lyneham, but
it is not known whether the parishioners of Lyneham continued
to meet there.
Before the dissolution of Bradenstoke Priory manorial courts
for the manors of Lyneham and West Tockenham were held in
Lyneham at Lyneham Court . After the Dissolution the courts
of both manors continued to be held by the king's officials
either at Lyneham Court or in the church house at Lyneham.
There is a court roll for Lyneham Manor for 1567 and a
record of view of frank pledge for 1647, at which a constable
and
a tithing man were elected. After 1560, when William Button
purchased the reversion of West Tockenham manor,
courts for West Tockenham were apparently held separately
there.
Lyneham Manor and Estate
If you would like to know a lot more about the manor of
Lyneham, Lyneham Court, Tockenham Court, Freegrove and the
main estate, how they tied together with the local hamlets,
who owned
what
and how
those titles and estates
have changed click
here.
Court Rolls
Court rolls survive for West Tockenham manor
for 1560, 1561, 1562, 1563, 1567, in which year two courts
were
held, and
for 1584. At these courts manorial officials were appointed
and copyholders admitted; in 1562 various presentments
concerning
the necessity of repairing the lane between West and East
Tockenham, and between Tockenham Marsh and Marrow Ash,
were
recorded. Very little can be said of the government of
the parish after this date. Apart from the parish registers
the
only surviving parish records are a vestry book for 1863-81,
which deals with the levying and administration of poor
rates,
and a vestry minute book for 1888-1923
Earliest Recorded Inhabitants
Lyneham Village Online have done quite an extensive search
for the earliest recorded inhabitants to Lyneham. The tithe
maps of 1821 and the apportionments documented
to supplement the maps, show who owned which property
and associated land. We
have searched the National Archive Records and found quite
a comprehensive list of the earliest known residents to
Lyneham.
If you would like to know more click
here
Lyneham Estate Sale 1905
The Lyneham Estate was put up for sale by auction on Thursday
5th October 1905. Messrs. Walton and Lee from Grosvenor
Square London held the auction at Lansdowne Arms Hotel
in Calne at 2pm and we have managed to obtain a copy of
the particulars, plan and conditions of sales. The document,
including a very detailed map, has been placed on the Lyneham
Village Online website, as it brings a lot of fascinating
facts about the estate and who rented the various lots,
their acreage and rent at time of sale.
Described as an 'Extremely
Valuable Freehold Agricultural and Sporting Property The
Lyneham Estate'. The estate which embraces an area of about
2,016 acres lies in a ring fence and is divided up into
nine dairy and pastoral holdings, all holding extremely
convenient positions in and around our village and neighbouring
Tockenham and Preston.
To find out more  click
here..
Reminiscences 1937 onwards:
We recall the experiences of the transformation of the village
in the words of Mrs E Hillers, who wrote a very enjoyable
pamphlet "Reminiscences of Lyneham 1900 - 1940"
about the lifestyle within the community before and after
the station's arrival. If you would like to read more click
here...
Lyneham Schools
In 1716 Ralph Broome bequeathed £450 to the parish
to provide for a school master, who was to be appointed
by the trustees of the charity. Thirty poor children of
Lyneham were to be taught reading, writing, arithmetic
and the Christian religion according to the Church of England.
The old school building, located on the corner of Calne
Road and Preston Lane, still standing, was widely used
by children in Lyneham and local hamlets. Later
a new school was built in the 1960's, owing to pupil numbers,
we trace the history of the schools at Lyneham and the
associated charities which supported them.
If you would like to know more click
here
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