National Gazetteer (1868) - Kington St Michael

"KINGTON ST. MICHAEL, a parish in the N. division of the hundred of Damerham, county Wilts, 3½ miles N.W. of Chippenham, its post town, and 36 from Salisbury. The parish, which is considerable, contains the tythings of Easton Piercy, Kington St. Michael, and Kington Langley. It formerly belonged to the Saxon kings, who gave it to Glastonbury Abbey, which had a Benedictine nunnery cell, founded prior to the reign of Henry II. Some traces of it are still to be seen at a farm. Its revenue at the Dissolution was £38 3s. 10d. It was once a market town, but is now an inconsiderable village. The surface is flat, and the soil clay alternating with sand and stone brash. Building stone is quarried. The living is a vicarage* with the curacy of St. Peter's annexed, in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, value £450. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient Norman structure with a modern tower containing six bells. In the interior are some stained-glass windows, several monuments, and brasses of Lady Englefield, Snell, &c. The body of the church was built by Abbot Michael in the reign of Henry III. The parochial charities produce about £45 per annum, of which £5 goes to Bowerman's school, and £33 to Lyte's almshouses. A fair is held on the 6th October for horses."

"EASTON PIERCY, a tything in the parish of Kington St. Michael, N. division of the hundred of Damerham, county Wilts, 2½ miles N.W. of Chippenham."

"KINGTON LANGLEY, a tything in the parish of Kington St. Michael, N. division of the hundred of Damerham, county Wilts, half a mile N.W. of Kington St. Michael, and 2½ miles from Chippenham, its post town. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The living is a curacy annexed to the vicarage of St. Michael, in the diocese of Gloucester. The church was erected in 1855, by voluntary contributions. It is a stone structure with a porch, and is dedicated to St. Peter. There is a National school for both sexes. Walter Coleman, Esq., is lord of the manor."

"LANGLEY, a tything in the parish of Kington St. Michael, N. division of the hundred of Damerham, county Wilts, 2 miles N. of Chippenham. The village, which is considerable, is situated near the Great Western railway."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]