West Lavington

"WEST LAVINGTON, (or Bishop's Lavington), a parish in the hundred of Potterne, county Wilts, 1 mile S.W. of Market Lavington, its post town, and 6 miles S.W. of Devizes. It is situated on the Ridgeway, and contains the tythings of Fiddington and Littleton Pannell. It was anciently the seat of the Danvers, Dauntsey, and Montague families, and was subsequently sold to the late Duke of Marlborough. The village, which is considerable, is situated on the road from Devizes to Salisbury. It suffered greatly from a destructive fire in 1689. A considerable portion of the parish is laid out in market-gardens, for supply of the Bath and Salisbury markets. Limestone is quarried for burning into lime.

At Fiddington, in this parish, is a private lunatic asylum. The appropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £1,325, and the vicarial for £360. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Sarum, value £313, in the patronage of the Bishop of Salisbury. The church, dedicated to All Saints, has a square embattled tower. The interior of the church contains tombs of the Beckets of Littleton, also a brass of one of the Danvers family, bearing date 1530. The charities consist of Dauntsey's school and almshouses for ten aged persons, of which the Mercers' Company are trustees. There is a parochial school with a small endowment, also a girls' school. Lord Churchill is lord of the manor. On the downs are traces of Roman and British camps, tumuli, &c."

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

West Lavington or Bishops Lavington is 5 miles South of Devizes. Grid Ref SU006530. Postcode SN10 4LT. Population 1,322 in 1831, 946 in 1951.