Marshfield, Gloucestershire

Coordinates: 51°27′43″N 2°19′00″W / 51.4619°N 2.3168°W / 51.4619; -2.3168

Marshfield
School in village centre
Marshfield  Marshfield shown within Gloucestershire
Population	1,900 (2001 census estimate)
OS grid reference	ST7808373714
Unitary authority	South Gloucestershire
Ceremonial county	Gloucestershire
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Chippenham
Postcode district	SN14
Dialling code	01225
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Avon
Ambulance	Great Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Northavon
List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire

Marshfield is a village in the local government area of South Gloucestershire, England, on the borders of the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset.

Contents 1 Location 2 History 3 The Church 4 Timeline of Church events 5 Layout 6 The Mummers of Marshfield 7 Marshfield Snippets of Information 8 Highwaymen 9 Skeletons 10 The War Memorial 11 Civil War 12 Fire ! 13 Public Houses 14 The Crown 15 The Catherine Wheel 16 Fairs 17 Poachers

Location

Marshfield is at the southern end of the Cotswold Hills, 8 miles (13 km) north of Bath, 15 miles (24 km) east of Bristol and 28 miles (45 km) south of Gloucester. The A420 road bypasses the village on its northern side. Marshfield, which is in the north is the long stretch of flat-looking fields bordered by dry-stone walls. To the south, the view and the country is quite different, for there one is quickly into the wooded valleys and hedge-lined fields of Bath and North East Somerset, not that the north is without its interesting small valleys too. There are numerous footpaths (many signposted), bridle paths, and pleasant walks in all directions. The ridge is of oolitic limestone and fossils often occur. It is also situated near the well known Marshfield ice cream

History

The name derives from the Old English language word March or border, hence Border Field being the literal translation.

The town is rich in history because of its location in the heart of Cotswold wool country, near to Bath and Bristol. Located within an agricultural area, Marshfield gained market status in 1234. The layout conforms to that of a typical market town with long narrow burgage plot gardens extending back from the narrow frontages, and served by two rear access lanes (Back Lane and Weir Lane).

The majority of buildings lining the street are of 18th century origin although several buildings date from the 17th century. The building style is largely Georgian. The facades of the buildings are unified by the consistent use of local stone and other materials, which adds character to the village.

The Church

St Mary's parish church with its tower provides an important focal point that can be observed from numerous points in the village and is a landmark visible from miles around. The church is on the eastern side of the village. A church has stood on that site for more than 1,000 years. The first was dedicated to St Nicholas, and at west Marshfield there was another, of which no traces remain, to St Pancras. It is thought that a field called St Pancras Close marks the site. In Bristol Museum there is an ancient deed of about 1125 confirming to the Abbot of Tewkesbury various tithes and ecclesiastical benefices, among them Marshfield church, at that time very much smaller than the church we see today.

It is recorded in the annals of Tewkesbury Abbey that on June 1 1242, in the reign of Henry III, Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester, in whose diocese Marshfield then stood, came to dedicate a newly-built church at Marshfield. The monks of Tewkesbury Abbey restored and rebuilt the church in the perpendicular style in about 1470. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the right of presentation of the benefice was given to the warden and fellows of New College, Oxford, by Queen Mary, in lieu of property of which they had been robbed by Henry VIII of England. The college's first incumbent came into residence in 1642, only to be disposed during the English Civil War. New College still has the benefice in its gift.

Timeline of Church events

A chalice of 1576 and a paten probably dating from 1695 are in regular use, and Communion plate given by the Long family in 1728, including two large flagons, is used for the Christmas Eve midnight service each year. The church was restored in 1860 and more carefully in 1887 and 1902-3 under the late Canon Trotman. Restoration of the chapel of St Clement in the north aisle was restored to its original design in 1950 as a memorial to the late Major Pope of Ashwicke Hall, a considerable benefactor of Marshfield. A new cemetery to the north of the village was opened in 1932, the churchyard being full.

Non-conformist worshippers in the village are served by Baptist and Congregational chapels, and by Hebron Hall. Conversion of an old barn into the present church hall was done in 1933 at a cost of £650.

The Parish Register dates from 1558, the first years of Elizabeth I's reign. The first two volumes were indexed and fifty copies printed by a London antiquarian in the time of Canon Trotman. For the first 150 years entries were generally written in Latin and initially only baptisms were recorded, burials being first entered in 1567 and marriages five years later. Although many of the earliest names recorded are forgotten today, many more are still familiar in Marshfield. As well as poor Edmund Roach. (See The Highwaymen Link) a few curious entries from the register, translated from Latin are;

" 1580 12th April. A well-known woman named Ellen Pain was buried, who was Murdered in a wood belonging to John Blanchard Snr. "

" 1634 29th January. William the sons of Richard Biggs was buried ( Then in Early Modern English ) who died a little below Ashton's Linch, as he was comminge from Bristowe, by reason of the vehemency of the weather, in extraordinary snowe. "

" 1636 27th December. Eliza Wickham was buried, the daughter of John Wickham ( added in Early Modern English ) who was chocked by eating a bitt of the foot of a bullock's henge. " (I've no idea what a Bitt or henge is).

" 1638 6th August. Catherine Stockman was buried, who, ( then in Early Modern English ) as she was a-stealing apples out of Mr Michael Meredith's orchard, fell downe from the tree, beinge the sabbath day at night and broke her neck."

Layout

High Street is the single main thoroughfare of Marshfield and is approximately 350 m in length and straight.

The eastern part of the village contains the parish church, Manor House and Home Farm, a group of historic buildings noted for their architectural features.

Almost every house along the high street is more than 100 years old, from the Georgian architecture Gothic tollhouse at the western end to the groups of medieval barn, dovecote (The lord of the manor was the only man allowed to keep pigeons-for fresh meat in winter), and early Georgian stable range which go with the manor house and Home Farm. Near the tollhouse stand the fine almshouses of 1612, built for the use of eight elderly villagers by the two sons of Marshfield, Nicholas and Ellis Crispe, who had gone to London and made their fortunes largely through the West Indies trade. They endowed the houses with funds to provide a free residence, garden, and £11 yearly. Many houses date from Tudor era and Stuart times ( a few were originally timber-framed) and have gables and mullioned windows. Several have bow fronts and there are five examples of shell-pattern door arches typical of Queen Anne work. The finest front in the high street is perhaps the Catherine Wheel ( right ) some of whose buildings at the rear are much older than 1700.

The Malting house is a typical example of the village's former prosperity in that trade. Other notable high street buildings include the former Old Meeting, a Presbyterian / Independent, later Unitarian chapel of 1752, the gabled range of the Hospice, the Red House, the former police station (now number 123), numbers 44, 83, 115, and 126.

The Crown, the Lord Nelson, the Old Inn, and several farms still in the heart of the village are also noteworthy: Weir farm in Weir lane, with its gables, was once a malting house, and Pitt farm, at Little end, is 17th century. The former vicarage, now known as Marshfield House" whose front was rebuilt in the 1730s by Mrs Dionysia Long, is particularly handsome with its barn, stable block, and large walled garden fringing the market place. It has four storeys, including a basement and extensive attics. The vicarage did not have electricity until the 1950's, in fact only two of the floors had electricity in the early 1980s. The last vicar to inhabit the old vicarage was Rev John Miskin Prior. Following his departure from the village in 1982, a new vicarage was built on land in Church Lane, and the old vicarage was sold as a private residence.

The Tolzey or Town House was built in 1690 for the people of Marshfield by John and Mary Goslett. As well as being the old town's administrative headquarters (the parish council still meets here) it also housed a Marshfield fire engine and served as a lock-up. ( The fire manual is now in Blaise Castle Museum, Bristol). Fresh information suggests that it now appears to be missing after enquiries by a local business-woman. (1999)

Castle farm is about half a mile to the north of Marshfield. In its 2-acre (8,100 m²) farmyard is an ancient longhouse with the original fireplace and the dividing screen between the human and animal dwellings. On the neighbouring land where lynchets show in some fields, many Bronze Age and Stone Age implements have been picked up and a skeleton in a stone coffin discovered. Castle farm is a thriving real fire business run by the Knight Family. Adjacent to the farm is the brother of Dick Knight (Castle Farm), Bim Knight. He runs a profitable farm with fine prize winning sheep at many local and national shows. Recent events have reported the loss of Robert Knight (Son of Bim Knight) due to an industrial accident (2007). Much loved and missed by many.

Formerly there were two mansions to the south of the village; the Rocks, now a ruin, and Ashwicke Hall. The Rocks, covering 1,188 acres (4.81 km²) belonged to the Taylor family, and was originally Jacobean architecture. It was visited by the late Queen Mary during her stay at Badminton House in the Second World War. Ashwicke, ancient seat of the Webb family, was bought and rebuilt by John Orred in 1857, replacing an older house that stood nearby. After his death it was bought by the Horlocks who later moved to the Manor House. The hall then passed through other hands and the Firth family sold it to its last private owner, Major Pope, in 1909. The two houses employed many people from the parish in the past and the footpath running from the village to Ashwicke is a reminder of those days of service.

On this former estate is the Rocks East woodland training centre which has several guided walks and wooden sculptures. Open most days with energetic walks leading to the old walled gardens. Across the lane leading down to St Catherines valley (Oakford Lane) lived Major Jeremy Taylor who was a Captain in the 23rd Hussars (Tank Regiment) and was decorated in World War II. He grew up on the estate in its heyday. He later worked as an Animal Wrangler in the film "Lawrence of Arabia" and performed the "long" camel riding shots for Peter O'Toole. He boasted wonderful evenings out with David Lean, Audrey Hepburn and Alec Guinness in Cairo. He then assisted in training the Indian Army with their horse regiments finally buying a bar and nightclub in Bath, Somerset before retiring to a wooden chalet beside a man-made lake in the woods within the old Rocks estate. He died peacefully in the RUH Bath a few years ago.

The Mummers of Marshfield

Every Boxing Day at 11:00am increasing numbers of visitors come to the village to see the performance of the celebrated Marshfield Mummers or "The old time paper boys." Seven figures, led by the Town Crier with his handbell, dressed in costumes made from strips of newsprint and coloured paper, perform their play several times along the high street. Beginning in the Market place after the Christmas Hymn's which are led by the vicar the mummers arrive to the sound of the lone bell. The five minute performances follow the same set and continue up to the almshouses. The final performance is outside of one of the local public houses where the landlord delivers a tot of whisky for the "Boys".

In the past centuries the mummers were probably a band of villagers who toured the large houses to collect money for their own Christmas festivities. During the latter half of the 19th century the play lapsed, presumably for lack of interest. The play was not entirely forgotten however. Then, in 1931, the Reverend Alford, vicar of Marshfield, heard his gardener mumbling the words 'Room, room, a gallant room, I say' and discovered that this line was part of a mummers' play. The vicar's sister Violet Alford, a leading folklorist, encouraged the survivors of the troupe and some new members, including Tom Robinson (whose place was later taken by his brother), to revive the tradition. There was some dispute between Miss Alford and the elderly villagers as to how the play should actually be performed, and the resulting revival was a compromise which differs in several respects from other versions: St George has apparently become King William and Father Christmas appears as an extra character. The costumes, as well as the play's symbolism, are relics of an ancient and obscure original- perhaps the earliest performers were clad in leaves or skins, symbolizing the death and rebirth of nature.

When mumming began in Marshfield is unknown, but there appears to be documentary evidence of mummers' plays since the 12th century. c1141 is believed to be a rough start date. The Marshfield play was discontinued in the 1880s when a number of the players died of influenza. But it was resurrected after the Second World War.

The Paper Boys have performed nearly every Christmas since (there were no performances during World War II). The Paper Boys' play is basically a fertility rite with traces of medieval drama and incorporates the story of St George and the Dragon. It was never written down, and over the centuries, it gradually changed through the addition of ad libs and misunderstandings. The nonsensical corruptions of the text reveal its origins as a story told by illiterate peasant folk, unaware of all its allusions. There have to be seven characters as seven was thought to be a magic number. They include Old Father Christmas (the presenter of the play), King William who slays Little Man John who is resurrected by Dr Finnix (Phoenix, a rebirth theme). There's also Tenpenny Nit, Beelzebub who carries a club and a money pan and Saucy Jack who talks about some of his children dying -- there are many references in mummers' plays about social hardship.

The Paper Boys have to belong to families that have lived in Marshfield for generations and they must have the Marshfield accent. When a role becomes available, precedence is given to the relatives of present members of the troupe. Because it is a fertility rite, women are not allowed to participate. Each costume comprises a garment made of brown cloth covered in sewn-on strips of newspaper -- hence the name 'Paper Boys'. Each mummer maintains his own costume, repairing it as necessary. It is thought that, in the distant past the costumes bore leaves instead of paper strips.

Marshfield is justly proud of its special local tradition revived now for more than 40 years and looks forward each year to the social gathering each Boxing Day. The mummers have been featured on radio and television and at events of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. A few years ago they featured on the Rev. Lionel Fanthorpes "Fortean TV" aired on Channel 4. In 2002 they featured in a program by Johnny Kingdom.

The remainder of this article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (January 2009)

Marshfield Snippets of Information

A Coroners court was once held in the Crown public house following the death of a man in a fist fight. It was sensationally reported as a murder but the court concluded misadventure and no-one was brought to book. ( Research Continues.. )

I have heard of a murder somewhere in the market place where a husband murdered his wife and fled to Australia. (Research Continues..)

In 1936 a skeleton was found on the crossroads to Tormarton when British Gas brought the fuel to the village. Again the imaginative folks of Marshfield presumed foul play but it was found to be William Talbot who hanged himself in the Tolzey Hall on or around August 4, 1817. He had been charged with sheep stealing and was buried at the crossroads underneath the gallows ordinarily reserved for the highwayman of the time. He did not receive a proper burial because suicide was frowned on by the church. Ivor Burnett a resident of the village tells me he saw the local G.P. carry out a preliminary examination when the skeleton was found. It was common to bury suicide victims at crossroads as it was thought to confuse the soul who wouldn't know which way to go to find rest or salvation.

October, 1818- An estimated 10,000 people assembled to witness a prize fight in Marshfield- nature's weapons of bare knuckles- ringed off by ropes and a round was continued until one or the other was knocked down. Two seconds or " bottle holders " were allowed to each fighter. The crowd was kept back by beaters who carried whips and did not hesitate to apply them to the shoulders of any person who pressed too closely upon the ropes. On October 10 two Bristol men, Strong and Newton, fought on West Kington down (Near Marshfield). The fight lasted 14 minutes in which they fought the like number of rounds, Newton eventually giving in. The Gloucester Journal report of 1818 reads " On Tuesday last, two Bristol men, Strong and Newton, fought on Keynton Down, near Marshfield. They are both men and have attained much provincial celebrity, and had each of them beaten their townsmen hall. The fight lasted 14 minutes, in which time they fought the like number of rounds. Strong, whose sporting title is " Cabbage ", had a tremendous knock-down blow under his opponents jaw. Newton came to his time, but had not recovered the effects of this severe hit before he received another in the same place, which obliged him to give in. They both displayed considerable science, and " Cabbage " promises to be at the very head of the lightweights. He is a man of approved bottom ( Yes I know, but that's what it says ), and a very severe and quick hitter. An immense concourse of people were assembled,, among whom were noticed Crib, Jem Belcher, Harry Harmer, and most of the " Fancy " from town. It is supposed that 10,000 spectators were present.

Archives show one felon arrested in Marshfield for stealing a ladies silk handkerchief. He was deported for seven years to Australia.

There are rumours of a headless horseman who is said to haunt Monument Lane, Marshfield.

1580 12 April. A well-known woman named Ellen Pain was buried, she was Murdered in a wood belonging to John Blanchard Snr. ( research continues/info sought )

1634 29 January. William the sons of Richard Biggs was buried ( Then written in Old English ) who died a little below Ashton's Linch as he was comminge from Bristowe, by reason of the vehemency of the weather, in extraordinary snowe. ( Ashton's Lynch could be what is now called Steep Lynch at Cold Ashton )

1636 27 December. Eliza Wickham was buried, the daughter of John Wickham ( added in English ) who was chocked by eating a bitt of the foot of a bullock's henge. (Does anyone know what a "bitt" and "henge" is ?)

1638 6 August. Catherine Stockman was buried, who, ( then in Old English ) as she was a-stealing apples out of Mr Michael Meredith's orchard, fell downe from the tree, beinge the sabbath day at night and broke her neck.

The days have not long gone when only carriers' carts were available to take people to Bristol ( a whole day's journey there and back ) and Bath. Passengers shared the carts with poultry, eggs, and other produce, and everyone walked up hills. There was little protection from the weather. Marshfield folk seldom went to the big towns therefore but bought most of their goods at the local shops. In 1879 there were 39 tradespeople in the town, compared with the half-dozen or more shops.

Until 1833 the streets of Marshfield were unlit at night but that year an annual subscription list was opened so that oil lamps could be installed at £17 a year from October 1 to March 31. The oil lamps were not lit when the moon was at or near full and the job was let out to tender each year a lamplighter going his rounds with ladder and oil can. Gas lighting was substituted for oil in 1934, and in 1970 electric lighting replaced the gas, and the old lamp standards were removed from the pavements. One of the old lamps is now in Blaise Castle Museum, Bristol. Mains water came to the village in 1935, the year after mains gas, and mains electricity followed in 1951.

A Red letter day for Marshfield used to be the annual horse parade and annual flower and vegetable show. The horses, with the great number used on the local farms, were paraded to a high standard. This is now known as the Marshfield Village Day, though this has been struck with poor weather in recent years. It now plays host to a Dog Show and fair attractions to help maintain local interest. The marshfield horticultural society is in charge of organizing the Village day and record the results for the entries that are held in a big competition inside a large marquee, which is the center piece for the Day.

In 1807 the local populous were dissatisfied with their rates which paid for the upkeep of a parish constable. It reads "We the undersigned inhabitants and rate payers of the parish of Marshfield respectfully beg leave to express to you our decided opinion of the utter uselessness of the rural police and we earnestly beg to be relieved from the heavy expenses of the maintenance of a force in which we have no confidence and from which we are convinced we have no protection". There are many signatures and some well known village names still known today.

Mr Dylan Thomas, the great Welsh poet, lived for about three months at the malting-house in 1940, then the home of the writer John Davenport. Another resident of the house at that time was William Glock, who retired in 1972 after some years as the BBC's Controller of Music, and organiser of the Prom concerts at the Albert Hall, London.

Inns in the late 18th Century included the Angel, The Crown, The Star, White hart, Shoulder of Mutton, Duke, Black Swan, & Hunters Hall. There are now only three.

Early this century Mr Darcy Taylor of the Rocks gave a public entertainment- his gramophone playing in the vicarage garden, admission 4d for adults and 2d for children. It was called "a marvellous invention". Mr Taylor was also the first car owner in the district, a steam car being delivered to his home three days before Christmas. The driver was given three days instruction.

One Hundred years ago a sergeant and two police constables were stationed in Marshfield and were constantly busy dealing with the many fights that broke out between feuding groups from the village and Colerne (Wiltshire).

Gina Parsons, who researches with her husband, appears to be the GGGGG Granddaughter of Edmund Roach who was murdered in 1761 near to the Three shire stones. (see Highwayman)

Highwaymen

" The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon the cloudy seas, The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor. And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door "

Alfred Noyes, The Highwayman.

Somewhere near to the Three Shire Stones on the Fosse Way near Marshfield there lies, even to this day, a stone that marks the spot of what the Bath Journal calls "wilful murder against some person or persons unknown". The stone marked E.R. and the date 1761 refers to one Edmund Roach who, aged 38 yrs., was set upon by a [1]highwayman. The 1761 Bath Journal reports, quote, 'We are this instant informed, that one Edmund Roach, of Marshfield, a Chandler (candlemaker) was found dead near Westwood, on the Turnpike road leading from this city to Colerne gate; and from all circumstances that yet appear, was murdered and robbed, marks of violence appearing about his head, his pockets pulled out, and his silver watch and money gone. He is supposed to have had in his pockets four 36 shilling pieces and some guineas. All the marks of the watch that can yet be recollected are, the dial plate pretty much soiled, the black enamel figures on it much worn off and had lately a new spring put in it, a pale narrow old silk string of ribbon, a brass key, and a common brass seal set with glass, and a head engraved on it'. The report indicates a reward for the highwayman if found with information requested by Mrs. Eleanor Roach.

On the 27th of July the Journal continues the story. " Since our last a man has been apprehended on suspicion of the murder and robbery of Mr. Roach last Saturday se'en night in the evening; he says he formerly belonged to the regiment of [2] Y. Buffs, (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) but, having a rupture, was discharged, and that he supported himself by travelling about the country, his account of supporting himself, however was so lame, he is committed to a place of security at Devices for further examination ". I have attempted research here and suggest this could have been the former Roundway Hospital near Devizes, Wiltshire. Nothing further is given and no name or fate was reported about the detained person. Current difficulties with this latest story are that Roundway wasn't opened until 1845 so maybe he was taken to a Village lock-up near there. The above story featured in a local Bath paper in 1936.

From the Trowbridge Public records office (10/3/00) The original story from the Bath Chronicle weekly gazette ( 23 July 1761 ). Reads (in Old English) " Sunday morning last a tallow chandler and a dealer in horses of Marshfield in the county of Glouscestershire was found dead near Westwood on the road leading from this city to Colerne in the county of Wiltshire. He left Bath Saturday evening on horseback and his horse strayed the same night to Colerne. Monday coroners inquest sat on the body and brought in their verdict of wilful murder several marks of violence occurring particularly violent blow on the back part of his head supposed to occasion his death (Which blow it is thought was given by a large knotty stick that was found, bloody, near the place he was murdered and the print of a women's foot was plainly to be distinguished on the lower part of his belly. His pockets were turned inside out and his watch and money (amounting to £10:00) taken from thence- Monday evening , a woman enquiring for lodgeings, at Colerne for herself and husband was asked concerning her place of abode and not giving satisfactory answers caused some suspicion. She was thereupon strictly examined to touching the said murder and robbery. After some hesitation she confessed that her husband and some others had robbed the aforesaid Mr Roach and gave intelligence as to where her husband was to be met with. He was accordingly apprehended the next morning at Kington St. Michael in the said county of Wilts. He appears to be a seafaring man and on his examination confessed the robbery but denied the murder declaring that he found the deceased lying dead on the road having ( as he supposed ) been killed by a fall from his horse, he added, that he thought it no crime to rob a dead man he appears very resolute and yesterday a tinker was apprehended who has confessed his being concerned in the said murder and robbery and has impeached two other accomplices, besides that above mentioned who are likewise sailors. Diligent search is making after them. " (Old English ends).

So, the earlier report seems to provide a more accurate account of the events. The problem now is that it throws up more unanswered questions. Gina Parsons, who researches her family background with her husband, appears to be the GGGGG Granddaughter of Edmund Roach. ( see also )

Where was the Coroners court Held ? Where did the Coroner come from ? There are now five people involved including a woman. Who apprehended them? There was no Police force at this time. Was anyone indicted? The account suggests the husband's story is believed. Mr. Roach was buried at Marshfield with the following epitaph on his headstone,

"BY MURD'ROUS BLOW MY THREAD OF LIFE WAS BROKE. DREADFUL THE HOUR! AND TERRIBLE THE STROKE! BUT HEAVEN PERMITTED! AND I MUST NOT LIVE. REPENT, THOU CURST DESTROYER OF MY LIFE. BEHOLD ME HERE, BEHOLD MY BABES AND WIFE! SEE, FROM THY BLOODY HAND WHAT WOES ARISE. WHILE CALLS FOR VENGEANCE PIERCE THE ANGRY SKIES. THOU TOO MUST SUFFER, THO 'THOU' SCAPE THE LAWS. FOR GOD IS JUST AND WILL AVENGE MY CAUSE. MY CHILDREN DEAR, MY WIFE, MY WIDOWED FRIEND. MAY PEACE AND SAFETY ON YOUR STEPS ATTEND. MAY VIRTUE GUIDE, AND TRUTH YOUR LIVES EMPLOY, THEN SLOW OR SUDDEN DEATH WILL END IN JOY."

Another story says that a rendezvous for [3] Dick Turpin on the London-Bath road was reputed to be Star Farm, formerly a posting-house, half a mile east of Marshfield. This I'm sure could be disputed and would tend to be as a result of local lore of the times. No confirmed evidence of this exists.

On the 7th of July 1763. A highwayman robbed a gentleman's servant of 5/- at Tog Hill turning, amongst other robberies. (In Old English) He is described as being a short young man, much pitted with the small pox ; well mounted on a dark brown horse with a flick tail and blind in one eye. One of the stirrups is new and the other old, and the highwayman had on a brown surtout coat. He later that day fatally injured a pig killer at Wickwar. ( Click for full story of Daniel Neale the highwayman.) (Old English ends).

On January 29, 1798 three highwaymen well-mounted and armed, stopped Mr Stephen Toghill of Marshfield at lynch Hill and with dreadful imprecations, demanded his money, which he hesitating to comply with one of them struck him on the arm with such violence as to deprive him of the use of it. Another with a knife cut his breeches from the waistband through his pocket down to the knee and robbed him of notes amounting to £43. Mr Toghill has offered a reward of £50 for discovering the offenders. (Old English ends). (One for crimestoppers!) This has now been verified. (Bath Journal 29/01/1798). Also in the Gloucester Journal.

Skeletons

Source:- Published paper by R.W. Knight, Charles Browne, & L.V. Grinsell.

West Littleton Down is on the Jurassic Limestone in the south-western part of the Cotswolds, in the parish of Tormarton (South Glous), but extends eastwards into the parish of Nettleton ( Wiltshire ). In July 1968,after a pipe-line for a gas main had been dug across this down, the skeletons of two young men aged about nineteen at the time of death were discovered in the disturbed soil east of Wallsend Lane (ST 76737667). They had apparently been inserted without ceremony in a ditch or pit. A human cranium was found in the trench about three hundred yards to the west ( ST 76487656 ).

Skeleton No: 1 has in the pelvis a hole made by a lozenge-sectioned spearhead which must have been driven into the body by an attacker from the right side when his victim was either falling or had already fallen. The feet of this skeleton were not exhumed, because the trench in which they lay was covered by a spoil heap which could not then be removed. Skeleton No: 2 was about a foot away, and in the same ditch or pit, exhibits features of even greater interest. Two of the lumbar vertebrae are stained blue green by contact with a small Bronze Age spearhead, the blade of which was found, but the end containing the socket had broken off at the point of weakness behind the blade. This spear had pierced the spinal cord and would have caused immediate and permanent paralysis in the legs. The pelvis had been pierced by a similar bronze spearhead, the socket of which had also been broken off. The point of this spearhead remains embedded in the pelvis and surrounded by bronze staining. The skull bears a hole perhaps caused by a blow or wound. The owner of this skeleton was therefore the subject of a brutal attack during which he received wounds in the pelvis, the spinal cord, and possibly the head. It is not easy to reconstruct the attack to the extent of ascertaining the order in which the blows were struck; but it is possible that the owner of skeleton 2 was the first hit on the head, and was probably already falling when his spine and pelvis were pierced from below by bronze spears. the owner of this skeleton has features of Neolithic type and remote ancestors could well have been among those who built the well known chambered long barrows on the Cotswolds for the burial of their dead.

Collagen separated from the tibia of this skeleton has been examined at the British Museum Research Laboratory by radiocarbon techniques and gives a date of approximately 2927 ( + or - 90 yrs ) before present- about 977 B.C.

The bronze spearheads are of a smallish type originally with loops in the sockets (known to archaeologists as 'side looped); the sockets of both spearheads are missing as they broke off at the weak joint between the solid and hollow cast parts of the weapons while they were being withdrawn. Both have 'flame- or rapier- shaped' blades with narrow lozenge-sectioned midrib.

The spearhead found in the lumbar vertebrae would have been perhaps 9 cm. In length, and that embedded in the pelvis would have been a little larger- about 14 cm. in length. Until the Tormarton discovery was made, it was thought that bronze spearheads of this small size were intended primarily for hunting. This find shows that they were also capable of being used effectively as weapons. Their date is believed to be between 1200 and 1000 BC, but could conceivably be a little later.

The spearhead which pierced the lumbar vertebrae has now been analyzed at the British Museum Research Laboratory and found to be composed of 81.7% copper, 15.5% tin, 2.8% corrosion products.

Only one other discovery of this type is known from Britain. In the spring of 1901, on Queenford Farm near Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, a human skeleton was dug up, the pelvis of which had likewise broken while being withdrawn. It was broadly contemporary with those from Tormarton, and is now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. The illustration shown below as a background to the exhibition of the Tormarton skeletons is taken from an Iron Age rock carving in the Camonica valley in Northern Italy. It shows a man being pierced through the body (probably the spinal cord) by a spear wielded by a warrior. Beside the wounded man is drawn a human figure without legs, this being most likely an artist's convention for indicating the wound had caused paralysis in the legs of the victim. Beside the victor are two paddle-shaped objects believed to be the rewards of conquest.

The Tormarton skeletons were discovered by Mr R.W. Knight and his family, of Marshfield, on 5 July 1968. They were excavated by Mr Charles Browne, Mr Knight and others. They were presented, with the associated portions of bronze spearheads, to the City Museum, Bristol, by the landowners His Grace the Duke of Beaufort, after a Coroner's Inquest on them had been held by Mr J.A. Seymour Williams (Coroner for Bristol & South Glous), and a pathological report had been made to him by Dr A.C. Hunt. Charles Browne also noted in the museum at Millau (Aveyron, France ) a similar spinal column with a spearhead embedded in the vertebra.

During the Jubilee weekend of June 2002 a human skeleton was discovered. Initially thought to be an animal it was left in situ in Cloud Wood. (Marshfield Wood, Near the Fosse way). Police were contacted pending an investigation. Because the age of the skull could not be confirmed the whole scene had to be treated as "suspicious". It was downgraded within two days. The skull was male and was reasonably intact. The cranium was full of silt. With it was the lower mandible (jaw) with a full set of teeth but no wisdom teeth (therefore young). After closer inspection a whole skeleton was recovered. The teeth are stained with a greenish tinge thought to be copper but could easily be algae. It resembles the texture and colour of a pickled walnut but is about the size of a grapefruit. There were no signs of trauma injury. After Carbon dating the skeleton was found to be Saxon. The site is near to the Fosse Way and Bury camp which is a multivallate hill fort dating from the middle to late Iron Age. A 1st to 3rd century Roman residence was excavated by Bristol University up the hill north-west from the discovery of the skull. The Anthropologist Jonathan Musgrave from Bristol University states the copper staining of the teeth could be staining from a copper coin that was often placed in the mouth of a deceased person. The County Archeologist Richard Osgood reported however that the green staining could be bacterial growth. There are a few ideas being suggested. One is that he may have been an outcast, a suicide, a criminal or even a sorcerer as it was customary to bury such people on boundaries. The find is near to the old boundary between Wessex and Mercia. This land was once a manor and was owned by [4]Queen Edith who was married to Edward the Confessor. She was the sister of [5]King Harold who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. During this period if you were a serf you were counted along with the livestock and your master had absolute control over you.

The results of the Carbon14 test dated it around 1050AD. A full pathology report was conducted. The skeleton was confirmed as male and aged between 18 to 25 yrs. He had Gracile features (ie lean) and suffered from shin splints, a condition brought on by repeated pressure or impacts on the shin area which causes fracturing of the shin bones. This condition is often suffered by runners. This could have been occupational. He also suffered from Malnutrition and there is evidence that he squatted down a great deal. He was 5'5 tall.

The War Memorial

According to inscriptions on the village's War Memorial 27 villagers died in action during the two Wars, 20 men during World War I 1914 - 1918 and 7 men during World War II 1939 - 1945.

Details:- ( From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission )

Name / Rank / Date died / Regiment / Where laid to rest. (inc location of grave)

ALBERT PERRIMAN, Gunner, Saturday, 20 November 1915 29 "C" Bty. 59th Bde., Royal Field Artillery 10397 Son of Jonah and Rhoda Perriman, of High St., Marshfield, Chippenham. Helles Memorial, Turkey. Died during the Gallipoli Campaign.

EDWARD JAMES BALL, Private, Saturday the 16th September 1916 21 42nd Canadian. He was the son of William and Harriett Ball of Ringswell. Contay British Cemetery, Somme, France.

THOMAS COOK, Private. Nothing further is known.

WILLIAM EDWARDS WOODHAM, Private, Wednesday, 29 March 1916. 23 1st/4th Bn., Somerset Light Infantry 2515 Son of John and Mary Jane Woodham, of East End, Marshfield, Avon. Kirkee 1914-1918 Memorial, India (Face C)

THOMAS BURGESS, Private, Saturday, 1 July 1916. 25 1st Bn., Somerset Light Infantry. 8610 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France Pier and Face 2 A

EDWARD JAMES BALL. Private, Saturday, 16 September 1916. 21 42nd Bn., Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment) 418724 Son of William and Harriett Ball, of Ringswell, Marshfield, nr. Chippenham, England. Contay British Cemetery, Somme, France Grave Panel Number: II. B. 25.

CHARLES JONES, Private, Wednesday, 22 November 1916. 33 1st/6th Bn., Gloucestershire Regiment. 5427 He was the son of Mr C Jones of 2 Springfield Cottages. Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 A and 5 B

P FULLER Military Medal, Gunner. Saturday, 21 July 1917. 20 36th Bty. 33rd Bde., Royal Field Artillery 1729 Son of Arthur and Clara Fuller, of Marshfield, Chippenham, Wilts. Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium I. H. 27.

JOSEPH MORGAN, Private.

LEONARD COLES, Gunner, Thursday, 13 September 1917 21 306th Siege Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery. 39039 Son of James and Georgina Coles, of Little End, Marshfield, Glos. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel Number: XVIII. E. 20.

JOSEPH MORGAN, Private, Tuesday 31 July 1917 31 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Hoohe Crater Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

ARTHUR BRITTON, Driver, 1917 22 Royal Engineers.

ARTHUR PULLIN, Private, Wednesday, 26 September 1917 27 4th, Australian Army Medical Corps 1787 Son of Harry and Ellen Pullen, of Nailey Farm St. Catherines, Bath, England. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Grave. Panel 31.

EDWARDS ELMS BOWN, Second Lieutenant, Friday, 2 November 1917. 34 1st/4th Bn., Northamptonshire Regiment Son of John James and Hester Rachel Bown. Born at Marshfield, Glos. Gaza War Cemetery Panel XV.C.5.

ARTHUR EDWIN BRYAN, Corporal, Gold Medal (Serbia). Monday, 19 November 1917. 24 16th Sqdn. Machine Gun Corps (Cav). 110828 Son of Edwin and Jane Bryan, of Brook House, Doynton, Bristol. Native of Marshfield, Glos. Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt D. 221.

GEORGE CHAS EDWARDS WOODHAM, Driver, 25/4/1918 27 57th Field Company of the Royal Engineers 162899 Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

EDWARD SALMON, Lance Corporal, Thursday, 28 March 1918. 21 8th Bn., Gloucestershire Regiment 37334 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

ALBERT GEORGE PULLIN, Private, Wednesday, 24 April 1918 18 2nd/5th Bn., Gloucestershire Regiment 44456 Son of Austin and Mary Louisa Pullin, of Turnpike House, West End, Marshfield, Chippenham, Glos. Battle of Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France Panel 60 to 64.

CHARLES WALTER BODMAN, Second Lieutenant, Enlisted in Oct., 1914. Saturday, 24 August 1918. 28 15th Bn., Durham Light Infantry Son of Walter and Sarah Bodman, of High St., Marshfield, Chippenham, Wilts. Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France Panel 9.

S A HARDING, Private, Saturday, 19 October 1918. 27 1st Bn., Gloucestershire Regiment 52048 Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau, Nord, France Panel Number: VIII. D. 4.

JOHN JAMES BURGESS, Gunner, Monday, 21 October 1918. 30 Royal Field Artillery 239614 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Burgess. Marshfield (St. Mary) churchyard (Glos), Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.

HAROLD SIDNEY HINTON, Gunner, Monday, 28 October 1918. 21 Royal Field Artillery 17337 Son of Sidney J. and Alice Hinton, of West End, Marshfield. St Mary churchyard (Glos), Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.

ARTHUR JOHN LEWIS, Driver, Friday, 31 May 1940 21 Royal Army Service Corps T/122710 De Panne Communal Cemetery, De Panne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Plot 3. Row B. Grave 2.

WILLIAM THOMAS BRITON DEACON, Able Seaman, Wednesday, 10 December 1941 26 HMS Repulse (1916), Royal Navy D/JX 227709 Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon, Son of George James Deacon and Louisa Priscilla Deacon, of Marshfield, Panel 46, Column 3.

ERNEST WILLIAM JAMES BILLETT, Lance Corporal, Tuesday, 30 March 1943. 29 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, Royal Armoured Corps 317398 Son of James and Annie Billett; husband of Joan Billett, of Marshfield. Medjez-El-Bab Memorial, Tunisia Face 2.

CHARLES ANDREW HARDING, Corporal, Thursday, 30 December 1943. 36 Royal Army Service Corps S/1117731 Son of Henry and Emma Harding, of Marshfield. Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel Panel Number: 3. L. 19.

WILLIAM CHARLES BOND, Private, Saturday, 5 August 1944. 29 6th Bn., South Wales Borderers formerly, Wiltshire Regiment 5577054 Son of Walter George and Sarah Bond, of Marshfield. TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar. (Formerly Burma) Panel Number: 6. G. 1.

WILFRED JAMES BOOY, Private, Monday, 19 March 1945. 43 Pioneer Corps 14288870 Son of John and Louisa Booy, of Marshfield. Marshfield, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom Sec. K. Grave 11.

ARTHUR MAURICE LEWIS, Gunner, Monday, 9 July 1945. 20 186 Field Regt, Royal Artillery 14386476 Son of Ernest George and Emily Lewis, of Marshfield. Marshfield, Gloucestershire. Sec. K. Grave 15.

Civil War

Marshfield was a casualty of the Battle of Lansdown (July 1643) during the Civil War. A Royalist army under Price Maurice and Sir Bevil Grenville were hoping to link up with Charles I at Oxford and avoid a confrontation with the Parliamentary Forces gathered at Bath under Sir William Waller. Marshfield, which had about 300 houses at that time, on 4 July was used as an overnight billet and provision store for the King's army of 6000. Next day the royalists were tempted into an abortive Battle at Lansdown, each side withdrawing with heavy losses. Sir Bevil Grenville (whose monument now stands on the site of the battle) died in Cold Ashton rectory and as the Royalists fell back on Marshfield for repairs almost every house had wounded men on its hands. When the depleted army moved on the reinforced Cromwellian army soon followed. There was little time to stow away the church's simple treasures before the invading despoilers were at work. As a piece of local doggerel composed 200 years later had it "The empty niche above the door, where Mary's image stood, And ravaged reredos testify to their revengeful mood."

It is not known just what damage may have been done as a result of the Civil War. Canon Trotman, a prominent authority in Marshfield's more recent past, speculated publicly about the likely missing treasures. He noticed the large stones on either side of the east window, with rough infilling under them. The large stones evidently formed canopies for figures now missing and which have been the marble figures found in 1866 during alterations at the Angel Inn (now 42 high Street) and later removed from the parish. Two or three other figures probably completed the statuary. Canon Trotman further presumed that the figure of the Virgin may have been taken from its niche in the porch by the Parliamentary troops, but adds forcefully, "Even they could scarcely have done more havoc with the church than the hand of the so-called restorer in 1860 who, while substituting the pitch pine seats...for the old carefully locked pews and capacious gallery, effaced at the same time much that should have been interesting to us today." Canon Trotman was speaking in 1906.

With Cromwell's victory in the Civil War, the period of the commonwealth ( from 1649 until the restoration of Charles II in 1660 ) ensued during which time marriage was treated as a secular rather than religious ceremony. John Goslett as a magistrate therefore married 92 couples during that period from the parish and around, in may cases the banns having been called on three successive market days in the market Place at Marshfield ( as an alternative banns could still be read in church ). there was clearly no long-term disadvantage in all this for Mr Goslett for a tablet to his memory was nevertheless placed in the church, beside the east window of the north aisle.

David Long, from Pennsylvania, reports that on the flat open land between his village and the lane you can often find musket balls. Battle Of Lansdown. Looking towards the battle site from the field it would appear to be a logical distance away particularly as they would have been firing uphill at about 45 degrees thus landing some distance from the battle site.

Fire !

It was an exciting time at Marshfield, and a busy time for the Fire Brigade when mysterious stack fires occurred regularly every evening. These fires took place over a large area, sometimes in Marshfield Parish, and then in such widely separated parts as Shire Hill and Colerne. When the alarm was given, out would come the Fire Engine and fire men Canon Trotman in his shirt sleeves and all the inhabitants of Marshfield following. The burning of stacks got so serious, that Canon Trotman preached about it in church. Farmers watched their stacks all night armed with a gun but still the fires continued. On one occasion there were four stack fires in one evening, in such widely separated places that no one man could possibly have done it. It was then whispered that some unscrupulous people with stacks heavily insured, were taking the opportunity of destroying them in order to get the insurance.

At last Job Bence, a threshing-machine hand was found in very suspicious circumstances by a farmer, and handed over to the police. He was taken to Chipping Sodbury and put in a cell with another man whom he thought was a prisoner like himself, but who was really a policeman in disguise. This supposed fellow prisoner got him to talk confidentially and extracted from him the information that he had fired the stacks in revenge for being dismissed, and therefore unemployed. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, which he served at Portland. The fires ceased.

The village fire engine was purchased in 1826 for £50:00 and was still in use in 1931. It had to be operated by a gang of men on either side of it using a hand pump.

In 1896 the Fire Brigade had its capabilities tested to the utmost. Two houses with thatched roofs, in the main streets, caught fire at Mid-day, when all hands were engaged in the fields, but the Brigade mustered quickly in sufficient force to prevent fire spreading to other houses. The two houses concerned were occupied by Mr George Woodward and Mr Bateman, and were at the west end of the High Street. During the fiercest part of the fire Woodward was seen trying to enter his house by the window, and when he was prevented from doing so rash an act, he got into the cellar, and was seen coming out with a small box under his arm, and some parcel, probably money, under his shirt. He was taken for safety to the Police Station and afterwards lived in a stable behind his farm buildings, in company with two rather vicious spaniels. He was ultimately removed to a mental institution. Only a few days before, Mrs Bateman, a helpless old lady had been removed from the scene of the disaster, otherwise she would have been overtaken by the flames before help could have arrived. It was a misfortune, apart from the financial loss, that so picturesque and historical a building should have been destroyed.

The firemen at the time were Mr Camery ( Captain ), George England ( Foreman ) A. Bricknell, J. Blake, J. Tiley, A. Blake, R. Tiley, J. England, W. Tiley, H. Seviour, D. Beazer, W. Barnes, S. Hancock, & W. Hall. Mr George Englands laborious efforts in extinguishing the fire above mentioned, resulted in a breakdown in health from which he never really recovered. He resigned as foreman of the brigade in November 1899, and died in February 1901. There was also at this time, a serious fire at the King's Arms, in the Market Place where unfortunately some horses and pigs were destroyed.

Public Houses

The Public Houses of Marshfield.

From Mr Bob Veitch. "©Feb 2002"

As Marshfield was a major supplier of malt to Bath and Bristol, it is no surprise that there were many establishments that used the local produce to brew ale. To sell alcohol needed an alehouse licence, and in 1755 there were 14 such licences issued. By 1841 there were still eleven pubs still open for business in the main village, and three more within the parish boundaries. Quite often the pub was run by the licensees wife as the man of the house used his skills to earn a crust elsewhere. In Gloucester Records Office there are a number of leases mentioning inns. The earliest of these is 1575,The Swan. This may be The Swan at Pennsylvania (closed 2001) which is in the parish of Marshfield.

Premises which were issued an alehouse licence and there is no other record found to date to definitely identify them are:- The Bull, Royal Oak, Crown & Anchor, New Inn, Swan, Taylors Arms, Hare & Hounds, Duke William, Black Horse, Adam & Eve, Black Bear, White Bear, and Three Horseshoes.

Old documents, in private hands, (more likely in solicitors offices) may provide the answers. One such case concerned The Bell. This pub was purpose built as an Inn in 1632, it was still trading as such 100 years later, but in 1791 the deeds describe it as formerly The Bell, suggesting it had ceased to function as a pub (it was not in the 1755 list of licences issued). The building is still in use (19 & 20 Hay st), The buildings at the back, now known as Bell Square, suggest that it was a coaching inn. David Rutherford, who supplied the deeds recollects stories of a fire which could account for its demise as licenced premises.

There is no supporting evidence for the Kings Arms/Codrington Arms In Market Square but there is a house called The Old Inn. The earliest part of the building is on the corner of Church Lane. In 1755 this corner was known as The White Lyon. Previous names were The Red Lyon, and The White Swan. Next door was built a much grander building, The Kings Arms, owned by the Lord of The Manor, Sir Christopher Codrington. In the early 1800s The White Lyon was bought by Sir Christopher, incorporated with The Kings Arms, and the whole of it re-named The Codrington Arms.

The Post Office and the Inland Revenue (now the Customs office) were based here until about 1856. Both offices moved to The Catherine Wheel at about this time and the Codrington arms reverted to its original name The Kings Arms. It remained as The Kings Arms until it closed in 1931. This one building had five names when it was licenced premises.

The Crown

Written By Mr Bob Veitch. When the Crown was built in the 1600’s, Marshfield was one of the most important towns in Gloucestershire. Renowned for malting, and to a lesser extent wool. At its peak, The Crown only boasted three stables, indicating that coaches were not a large part of its business. Marshfield would have been one of the first places that the stagecoaches from Bristol changed horses, so their stop would have been a short one. The Crown is the only surviving pub in the village that was probably an inn right from the start. The first person recorded as leasing it was Mary Bertram. Although no date is given, someone of that name lived in the village in the middle to late 1600s. The Bush family had owned The Crown possibly since it was built. They were principally yeomen. A yeoman farmed land that he owned, and would have been part of the wealthy middle class of that time. On the 21st April 1757 Samuel Bush of Dyrham, gave The Crown, and 7 acres (28,000 m²) of land, to his son William and his bride to be, Anna Frankcom, of Little Badminton.

When William and Anna took over, The Crown looked very different, consisting of two buildings, the main bar and the kitchen, as they have become today. These were set back from the street, as the present day street frontage which eventually joined them had not been built. The kitchen building was being used as a saddlers shop. This part of The Crown frequently housed a separate business right up until after the First World War. An entry in the parish clerks book for 14 December 1769, records that William Burn, of Sutton Boddington, Notts, was on view in The Crown. He was 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 m) tall. Other entertainments common in such establishments were cock fighting, bare knuckle fighting and gambling, but there is no specific record relating to Marshfield. William and Anna had The Crown enlarged by building the street frontage we see today (if you look from Bond’s Garage the original roof line is plainly visible). This was before 1786, but by that date Anna had died.

On the 23rd March 1786 William married Elizabeth Walker, of Marshfield. Besides the enlarged Crown, the land holding had increased to 10 acres (40,000 m²). Some of this land was quite a distance away. Part of the original 7 acres (28,000 m²) was a mile down Tormarton Road (then called Sodbury Road), where Newhouse Farm now stands. A son was born to William and Elizabeth on the 15th October 1789. He was also called William, but we shall refer to him as Billy to avoid any confusion. In 1792 The Crown is described in The British Universal Directory as being one of the two principal inns in Marshfield. The other was The Catherine Wheel. The directory also says that there was no regular coach to or from Marshfield. 1792 also marked the beginning of a new, and turbulent chapter of The Crown's history. William and Elizabeth borrowed £219 from brewers Edward Isaacs and his son Nicholas. The Crown and its land were put up as security for the loan. As the Napoleonic Wars started, the government needed to raise money. As a temporary measure, income tax was introduced in 1798. Lotteries were also used to raise cash in these circumstances. One with a £10,000 prize gripped the citizens of Marshfield. All sorts of people clubbed together to buy a ticket, which could have been about £10 each, quite a sum in those days. The town clerk, Robert Cox, left a poem on the subject, The Marshfield Adventurers (reproduced at the end of this history). It refers to the landlord of The Crown admitting that he is irresponsible with money. His wife Betty (Elizabeth) is the opposite. Events were to prove that at least as far as Elizabeth was concerned, this was true. If they did win the lottery they never used it to pay the loan, or any of steadily accruing interest. William died in March 1803, but no payment of any kind had been made. The Isaac's did not press for payment, but allowed The Crown to be passed to Elizabeth, in trust for Billy, until he reached 21 years of age.

It was not until August 1812 that action was taken on the loan. Including interest the amount outstanding was now £647. The Isaac’s hatched a clever scheme, which, if it worked,would pay off the debt without costing the Bush’s a penny. With an eye to possibly lining his own pockets, Roger Potts came onto the scene. He was a Gentleman of Sergeants Inn, Fleet Street, London, and an acquaintance of another of Edward Isaac's sons, who was a stockbroker on The London Stock Exchange. Mr Potts agreed to take responsibility for the loan, in return for the tenancy of The Crown and its land (now 23 acres). His aim would have been to sub-let his tenancy and pocket any profit. How successful he was is not recorded, but he too neglected to pay the Isaac’s. Not feeling so patient with Mr. Potts they sued him, but failed to win their case. Billy and his mother were still in debt, their clever ploy had failed. Billy Bush joined The Coldstream Guards, and went off to war. He was posted overseas, and there he died.

On the 10th March 1814, Elizabeth, the sole beneficiary of Billy's will, became owner of The Crown, and responsible for paying back the Isaac’s. Why Edward Isaac was reluctant to put pressure on Elizabeth is not known. She never made any attempt to pay and it was only Edwards death in March 1817, that brought matters to a head. The loan and interest now stood at £901-15s. The executors of Edward’s will, wanting to settle the whole affair, agreed to pay Elizabeth £198-10s-10d for the freehold of the whole of the mortgaged estate. In addition they gave her an annuity of £20 for life. This must have been a great relief to her. Now free of debt, £20 would have kept her in reasonable comfort. Nicholas Isaac, the other original lender, negotiated with the executors of Edward’s will, paid them £470-17s-6d, and took full possession of The Crown - the first time it was owned by a brewer. The land which had been associated with The Crown was incorporated in the Isaac’s estate, and is not included in any further sale of The Crown. The Isaac's were a wealthy family. They had other property in Marshfield and Stapleton. In 1821 The Crown was part of the estate put up as security for a loan. Nicholas and his son Nicholas Jnr. borrowed £1000 from Nathaniel Bennett, a farmer of North Wraxall. Despite the repayments being in default, Nathaniel advanced a further £850, and increased his charge on the property. Nicholas Snr.,through his brewing business, incurred debts all over the place. Joseph Baldwin, a farmer of West Kington, was owed the most, £2000, and he commenced proceedings which led to Nicholas Snr being declared bankrupt on June 30 1827. All of Nicholas Snr's property in Marshfield and Stapleton was seized, pending a sale. The Crown continued trading throughout all this wheeling and dealing. At the time of the sale the inn was tenanted by Thomas Camery and the kitchen was a shop tenanted by a tailor, Stephen Winbow. Once again the two parts were being operated separately. The Crown was put up for auction at The Catherine Wheel, but failed to reach its reserve price.

On the 27th May 1828 The Crown was auctioned again, this time in The Crown. It was bought for £650 by local brewers, Isaac Woodward and John Golding. They traded as Woodward & Golding, brewers and maltsters, from their brewery in Weir Lane. By 1839 the inn had diversified as hunting and training stables, another sign that coach travellers did not form a large part of the trade. The innkeeper was William French. Stephen Winbow still occupied the shop. On one occasion, around the middle to late 1800’s, at Woodward and Golding’s brewery, their strongest beer was nearing the end of fermentation. The fermentation vessel burst, and the beer flowed into a ditch, and down the hillside coming to rest in a huge puddle in the farmyard at the bottom of the hill. It did not take long for the farm animals to discover that this sweet, aromatic liquid, was rather palatable. Undisturbed, the pigs and geese quaffed away merrily until they had had their fill. The pigs crept into the shade and went to sleep. The geese, unable to waddle, collapsed in a heap in the middle of the yard. The farmers wife, wondering why the animals were silent, glanced out of the kitchen door. On seeing the pile of geese next to a strange coloured puddle, she went to investigate, and the geese were pronounced dead. On hearing about the reason for all the beer in the yard, the farmer’s wife thought it safe to prepare them for the oven. She had just finished plucking the last one, when a forlorn, naked goose, waddled unsteadily to its feet. Within a short time they had all revived, you can imagine what a sorry sight they were. Taking pity on the creatures, the farmers wife got out her knitting needles, and knitted them a woolly vest each, until their feathers grew back.

On the 10th December 1849 Isaac Woodward died. Over the ensuing years various members of both families continued the business, but failed to form a legal partnership. This would lead to complications later. On the night of the 1851 census there were six guests, all from the continent. One of them, Edward Detas, a French surgeon, was to be of great interest to the innkeeper 140 years later. This is the only census that records guests in any Marshfield inn.

A family from Olveston, Glos. were tenants in 1851. Richard Russell, his wife Mary, three daughters Fanny, Rhoda and Emma, and a son, Robert. Emma and Rhoda gradually took over from their father, but by 1885 only Emma was left. It was very common for a woman to hold the licence of an inn, and for it to pass through the family like this. It was in 1885 that John Pritchard Pullen became mine host. He was also a threshing machine proprietor. He is the first innkeeper that we know had another income. Henry John Woodward, knowing that he did not have long to live, wished to sort out the legal ownership of Woodward and Golding. The absence of any legal partnership resulted in a family dispute over who owned the various assets of the business. He went to court and secured ownership of The Crown and The White Hart, which was in Sheepfair Lane.

The brewery continued until about 1888 as H.J. Woodward & Co (there were several H.J.Woodward’s). Henry Woodward died and on 19 October 1886. The Crown Inn was once again host to its own sale. It was sold to Andrew Drewett Hatch for £1010. Mr Hatch was acting on behalf of The Bradford Brewery Co. of Bradford on Avon. In turn they became part of Ushers Brewery of Trowbridge, who remained owners until 1992. From the plan drawn at the time of the sale (right) you can see how different the use of the building was then. The large fireplace which warms the bar today was the kitchen fire, and is likely to have housed a cooking range. The actual bar area is very small, and even taking into account the various parlours, not many people could have been catered for in any comfort. The rent in 1891 was £25 pa. The rates £20pa.

In 1897 a poem or song (reproduced at the end), mentioning The Crown, was composed by Marshfield man, John Green, it was printed, and sold for a penny a copy. It tells the true story of a County Council steam roller falling through the road surface into a cellar in Weir Lane. It remained there for nearly a year defying all the Council's attempts to move it. A group of Marshfield men determined to show that it could be moved , used Mr Miles's traction engine to drag it out. They then got it in steam and drove it triumphantly to The Crown.

In 1903 the rental had reduced to £18 p.a. and the rateable value reduced to £14 -10 - 0 (£14-50). The tenancy changed hands at about five year intervals until 1910, when Frank Peters took over. By now none of the inns still trading would provide a living wage. For a secondary income Frank Peters ran a butchers shop in what is now the carvery. If you look carefully on the outside you can see where the shop doorway is bricked up. Frank Peters stayed until 1927. During the first world war licensing hours regulations were not always enforced. At least one pub opened until midnight (Kings Arms), not the 10pm closing required by law. It is probable that the Crown did too. The next long term tenancy began in 1932 when Frank Moules took over. He had been tenant of The Kings Arms, which the brewery had just closed. He was an insurance agent and his wife did the day to day running of the pub, also doing bed and breakfast. It was not very busy, fewer than six customers all night being usual, although Saturday nights were quite lively. After closing time it was a regular occurrence for the two village policemen to come to the back door for a late drink and a game of darts with Frank and his son in law. The football club had a changing room near to where the toilet block is now. Every Saturday they required two bathfuls' of hot water. This water had to be drawn from the well and taken by bucket to the coal fired boiler, when hot, the water was taken by bucket from the boiler to the bath in the changing room. The toilet was a urinal only, a corrugated iron structure with no roof. The only time it was flushed out was when it rained. It discharged into the gully you can see in the centre of the courtyard, and into a drain in the street. Every New Years Eve, Mrs Moules would lay on Christmas pudding and mince pies in the butchers shop (it is unclear when it stopped being used as a butchers shop). At midnight, customers would make their way to the church to listen to the old year being rung out and the new year rung in. On fair days, held twice a year, it would be very busy as the fairfield backed onto The Crown.

Farmers took over the lounge and spent all day drinking and playing cards. Sometimes they carried on all night as well. During the war the club room (above the bar room) was used for billeting airmen from Colerne. During the blitz on Bristol many Bristolians came up to sleep, and every room was taken. At the height of the bombing even the floors were occupied. Unfortunately beer was severely restricted and enough supplies could only be obtained for three days per week. This was kept for local trade and not for the guests. On one occasion an American convoy was passing through, accompanied by a General. He had been living in somewhat primitive conditions for a few days and was in desperate need of a bath. The best bath was on the landing, above the boiler house, and although this meant carrying buckets of hot water up a flight of stairs, the General had his bath. At the end of the war a tub was filled with beer for people to help themselves. The stables were still used, the last horse to be stabled there was a racehorse. Its jockey, a chap called Bob, stayed to look after it. Frank died, but his wife and daughter, continued until 1952. They left to start a transport cafe in Hay Street.

John Kitley and his wife took charge in 1953. An ex-cavalry officer, he continued his interest in horses by breaking them in for riding. They were both prominent members of the community. He became parish clerk. Mrs Kitley, once a member of the B.B.C. chorus ran a singing group. At Christmas, after closing time (10pm), the group toured the village singing carols until 1am, accompanied by an organ mounted on a trolley. They "retired" when John was nearly 70 to take over The Cross Guns at Avoncliff, near Bradford- on - Avon. To mark his departure he was presented with a Victorian silver tankard. Dr Zeta Eastes, a fellow parish councillor, composed a tribute chronicling his contribution to the village (reproduced at the end). Times were changing. The population was getting more mobile. Money needed to be spent to meet the new, higher, standards demanded by customers. The brewery, Ushers, neglected to modernise the Crown, and a succession of tenants oversaw its gradual decline.

By 1973 The Crown was regarded as a white elephant by Ushers. They were on the brink of closing it permanently, but things were happening in Bristol that were to revive its fortunes. Roger Stevens, a motor trader, and his wife Ann, were convinced that the future of the licenced trade lay in providing value for money cooked meals. The Crown was just the sort of place they were looking for. Pub food was at that time only in its infancy, very few offered more that a packet of crisps and a pickled egg. When they took over, in 1974, trade was very low. The only bar in daily use was the small area that is now the carvery. The present main bar was only opened for darts matches and bank holidays. The fireplace was boarded up, and a two bar electric fire stood in the hearth. The brewery refused to spend any money, except to replace the urinal, which was still the corrugated iron structure without any plumbing. The council had put a closing order on the whole place if work was not started within six weeks of Roger moving in. The brewery did give permission for Roger to do any alterations at his own expense, and allowed free use of their architect’s department. The cellar now in use was flooded, reputedly by a spring. It was pumped out and no spring was found. All of the plumbing except the toilets, had been directed into the cellar. As it had an earthen floor, the cellar had acted as a soakaway for years. Also uncovered in the cellar were stone seats around the wall, underneath the pavement. These seats had iron hooks embedded in them. The claim, on the menu, that this was the old town gaol was invented by Roger, as this was the only use he could think of. There is no other corroborating evidence except that the stocks used to be sited on the opposite side of the road. Once the plumbing had been corrected, and the cellar lined and floored with concrete, the health authorities passed it as fit.

The Victuals Bar, which was two rooms, was knocked into one, and a stone bar built. The lounge was opened up, the room only extending to where the bar starts today. You can see the beam which marks the position of the original wall. The new toilets were just beyond this wall. Food in the form of simple scampi and chicken meals were laid on and trade picked up considerably. The ghost referred to on the menu, is of a lady with a shawl covering her head. She was seen on different occasions by at least two villagers, Freda Phillips and Flo Mitchell and by Ann’s mother. In 1975 Roger won an Innkeeper Of The Year award, which generated much publicity. He was also highly placed in the Babycham Innkeeper Of The Year competition for several years. The stables area, which by now was derelict, was renovated into a small bar. It was quite successful, and live music was introduced to encourage more use of it. The main bar, being always busy, did not need any further promotion. Having turned The Crown from the brink of extinction into, arguably, the most successful pub in the whole area, Roger was offered a ten year lease, with the brewery paying for all the alterations that made The Crown as it is today. The newly extended part of the bar, still called the Stables Bar, was opened in 1979. As it nearly doubled the area, some publicity was needed. Pat Dalimore, a Radio Bristol personality, was persuaded by Roger to do the opening ceremony. To make the occasion really noteworthy, Pat and her husband Jim, were transported from their home in Knowle, to the almshouses, by Rolls Royce. From the almshouses they were taken by horse and carriage, to The Crown, where they stayed all day and had "a very enjoyable time". The carriage was one of a collection housed at Dodington House.

The official rates for renting were very high, but a discrete brown envelope in the drivers back pocket ensured that this occasion never went through the books. In 1988 the lease expired. The new lease was to be a twenty year one, and went out to tender. Roger was outbid by Mr Alan Bramley. Roger protested to the brewery that the rent offered was more than the business could stand, but the brewery accepted Mr Bramley's offer and Roger left early in 1989. As soon as Mr Bramley moved in, he changed the way things were run. The Sunday lunchtime menu was reduced to Sunday lunch only. Television monitors were placed in various positions, which you had to watch to see when your meal was ready. This you had to fetch yourself, as the waitress service had been dispensed with. In a short time customers were very thin on the ground, and it was plain that the new system was at fault. Mr. Bramley put the lease up for sale, but could not find a buyer. He was made bankrupt by Customs & Excise and the lease reverted to Ushers Brewery in 1990. The brewery, realising their mistake, asked Roger to return and get The Crown back on its feet.

Since leaving in 1989, Roger had built up a successful small hotel in Devon. He and Ann had also got divorced. After a few weeks Roger, contacted Chico and Pat Ceccarelli, long time friends of his who had spent all their married life in the catering trade. It was agreed that the three of them would work together to revive The Crown. The brewery had given a period of about six months at a rent of £1 per month in order to bring The Crown back to a position where a 20 year lease would be a feasible proposition. Once the kitchen and bar equipment had been cleaned and repaired, a limited menu was introduced and the waitress service re-instated. The customers came back. Very soon a full menu was introduced, but it took two years to bring trade back to its former level. Soon unrealistic rent demands put a damper on things. The leaseholder was responsible for all repairs and maintenance of the building, plus business rates, insurance etc. The outgoings were well over £1000 per week. Steep increases in rent were demanded by Intrepeneur, the holding company that had owned the building since the Government had forced breweries to sell off their tied houses. Eventually Intrepeneur was persuaded that these increases were unreasonable and scaled back to be more in line with what the business could stand.

In February 1992 the lease was transferred to Chico, Roger then left to become catering manager at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club. Ivo Umberto Antonio Ceccarelli and Mrs Patricia Ann Ceccarelli, to give their full names, had felt an immediate affinity to the place. Pat, especially, had felt a sense of "deja vue". Something that was to manifest its self in a couple of strange incidents and coincidences later. Chico came to England in 1962. He worked as a waiter in an hotel in Falmouth. It was here that he met Pat, and in due course they got married. Operating as a team, they worked their way up into hotel management, eventually working for various members of the famous Berni family. Part of the strategy of making The Crown talked about, was the invention of "Mad Chico". Chico would don one of his collection of funny hats, arm himself with a large meat cleaver, and go round the tables inviting "any complaints". This different approach paid off, and people were soon asking for the mad chef, and wouldn't leave until he put in an appearance. The strange coincidences, and Pat's affinity for the place began when the 1851 census was shown to them. One of the guests was a French surgeon, Edward Detas. Pat's maiden name is Detain. Struck by the similarity, Chico did some research and discovered that there could be a connection. Mr Detas might have been one of Pat's ancestors. A disturbing incident happened one Monday morning. It was Pat's routine to empty the fruit machines in the club room upstairs, every Monday. She was doing this when a voice called her name, from the bottom of the old stairs. "I wont be a minute Margret." she replied, thinking it was the cleaner calling. After a few minutes her name was called again. "Margaret, I'll be there in a minute" Pat replied, a trace of annoyance in her voice. For the third time the voice came clearly up the stairs "Pat" and feeling irritated at being called again, Pat went down the stairs. Chico came out of the kitchen to find his wife trembling with fright. The back and front entrances were still both locked. Only Pat and Chico were on the premises. Colin Trask and Brian Howarth were the only two customers late one night. Pat and Chico joined them in the bar, the four of them were the only people in the building. They all heard footsteps going up the old staircase to the clubroom, and across the clubroom floor. Nobody was there. It was with mixed feelings that the lease was put on the market, but Chico and Pat both felt that they had taken The Crown as far as they could, and the heavy overheads took all the pleasure out of the job. The lease was not on the market for very long, someone else had seen some extra potential.

Brian Jones lived in Surrey and came from a background of managing clubs, rather than pubs, and in the past few years made his living as an organiser of large special events, mainly for charities. Wanford Hawkins was a manager for Ansells Brewery in Wales. They had known each other for many years, and were both seeking a new challenge in their lives. They formed a business partnership and looked for a large pub to take on. The Crown was not their first choice, but they were impressed with the “atmosphere” that the building possessed. The signs of neglect were obvious to them. No money had been spent since the major alterations of 20 years ago and things were looking worn out. They made several visits as ordinary customers before making an offer for the lease. In October 1995 they took over. It was a shock to find that on closer inspection the fabric of the building had deteriorated to a greater extent than was budgeted for. As a result the worn out appearance of the decor had to be tolerated as funds had to be used for more urgent repairs in the kitchen and cellar. Wanford took charge of the kitchen, and succeeded in improving the overall quality of the menu. Brian was aware from his earlier visits that The Crown had not a good reputation for beer. He replaced all the cask beers with better quality ones, and a large increase in sales was the result. Things were looking promising. Trade had increased in the short time since they had taken over, overheads had been cut, and they were getting a fair return for all the effort and risk invested. Early in the summer of 1996, Wanford collapsed in the kitchen. He had suffered a heart attack, and although he survived, it marked the end of his partnership with Brian. The clubroom had traditionally been used by the younger residents of Marshfield as somewhere to go. In the main they were well behaved, but Brian had become concerned that one or two of them were abusing his hospitality. They did not heed his requests to observe simple rules and as a result the clubroom was closed, and has remained so. Since the days The Crown was owned by Intrepreneur, it has changed owners fairly regularly. None have invested any money improving it. If The Crown at Marshfield is to keep up with the competition then somewhere in the not too distant future, a substantial investment will have to be made so that its full potential can be realised. The Crown is full of promise, so the coming millennium seems set to see as many changes in its fortunes as the previous 350 years.

The Catherine Wheel

1 November 1770 William England and his younger brother John, inherited various properties (including an inn called The Star with malthouse and brewhouse behind) from their father John England,d. 1740 grazier. They wished to pay off existing mortgages, and raise cash for "other purposes". They arranged a mortgage on all the property with William Bridges Champion of Bristol for £2500. After the mortgage had been signed, but before the money had been advanced, Mr. Champion died. Edward Forward, gent, of Bristol, agreed to come to the rescue. The mortgage was transferred to him, and increased to £3200.

20 February 1778 Edward Forward was now pressing for payment. The interest had been paid up to date but only £200 of the principal paid, leaving £3000 still outstanding. Thomas Rigge, a doctor of physick [sic] from Bristol, agreed to take over the mortgage and he repaid Edward Forward his £3000, at the same time increasing the mortgage to £3150. In addition, John and William England, with their brother Joseph, borrowed £400 from Edward Forward on the strength of a bond.

8 July 1780 This confidence in the England family was misplaced. They now admitted that they could not pay any of their debts. As a prelude to selling off their assets, the whole of their estate was placed in the hands of Trustees, namely Thomas Gunning of Marshfield, gent, and John King of Bristol, cheesefactor. 10 August 1781 No attempt had yet been made even to advertise the proposed sale, so Thomas Rigge started a legal action to have the Englands ejected. Recognising that their estate would not raise enough to pay all the debts, the Englands instructed the Trustees to go ahead with the sale, and the legal action was withdrawn. At the sale (date unspecified), held at The Crown, Edward Forward paid £616 for The Star, malthouse and brewhouse behind, and other property not detailed. The rest of the estate raised £2548, after sale expenses, so Thomas Rigge recouped most of his money.

19 & 20 November 1783 Edward Forward sold the inn and associated buildings only (presumably still The Star) to John Yeeles of Marshfield, innholder, for £315.

3 July 1792 John Yeeles died, and his will was executed. The inn, now called The Catherine Wheel, malthouse and stables, was left to his wife Betty for her lifetime, then to his son Stephen. By 1792 the Catherine Wheel is listed as being one of the two principal inns, the other being The Crown. The British Universal Directory for 1792 states that there was no regular coach or carrier to or from Marshfield. (William Roach is listed as being an innholder and postmaster so it is possible there may be some connection. The post came in and went out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. From studying other directories, the Post Office is more likely to have been The Codrington/Kings Arms)

3 - 30 June 1821 Stephen made his will on the 3rd, died on the 4th. It was proved on the 30th. He directed that the whole of his estate including The Catherine Wheel, lands at Clerkenwell and Harcombe Path (both off what is now Rushmead lane), be sold and the proceeds distributed in accordance with his wishes.

20 & 21 August 1821 At the auction, held in The Catherine wheel, Edmund Jones, acting for his sister, Elizabeth (of Walcot, Bath), was the highest bidder at £850. The property is now described as The Catherine Wheel with malthouse, brewhouse, gardens, stables & coach-house. Payment was made by an arrangement involving Thomas Shapland, banker of Marshfield and the heirs of the aforementioned John Yeels (George Yeeles formerly of Marshfield now Bath, Mary Miller of Bath, William Osborne, butcher, of Bath and Sara his wife, William Abraham Hooper upholsterer of Bath and Betty his wife, Robert Yeeles of Midford). Elizabeth died on the 5th October, and her will, made on the day of her death, was proved on the 30th October. She left the property to Edmund, but in trust for any children he may have. The residue of the estate went to her mother, also Elizabeth Jones of Walcot. Edmund had borrowed £547 - 4s - 0p. from his sister, this was now due to his mother.

On the 19th December 1821 he borrowed a further £250, mortgaging The Catherine Wheel to his mother for a total of £547 - 4s - 0p. This was repayable with 5% interest at the Crown in Walcot between 10am and noon on the 19th December 1822. The Catherine Wheel carried fire insurance for £800 with the Norwich Union and Edmund undertook to renew this for at least £500 as long as the mortgage remained outstanding.

1821 18 December Edmund, now described as a maltster of Marshfield, leased The Catherine Wheel to his mother, now living in Walcot, for one year at a peppercorn rental. This is probably tied up with the rather complicated mortgage arrangements previous.

1822 23 September Elizabeth Jones (mother) died and left all her property at Marshfield and Bath to be held in trust for the benefit of Edmund, with the provision that if he became bankrupt or insolvent, or when he died, the property should pass to his children at age 21 (or married if girls). The terms of this will leave one with the distinct impression that Edmund could not be trusted with money. Edmund died at an unspecified date and Mary, his only child, took full possession. She remained owner until some date between 1859 - 67.

1830 The Catherine Wheel is described as being a good posting and commercial inn. An inn sold wine, ale and beer and provided food and accommodation, a posting inn hired out horses and post chaises to enable the traveller to complete his journey, much as a taxi serves airports and train stations today. Run by Worthy Bedford (possibly father and son with the same name) who is also listed as being a maltster. Carriers to and from London and Bristol passed through daily.

1839 Still described as a commercial and posting inn, now in the name of Frederick Scotchford. Under a separate entry POSTING HOUSE is The Catherine Wheel. Frederick Scotchford was also the fire and life assurance agent for Alliance.

1841 Tenant Frederick Scotchford. Described in tithe award 1842 as Wheel Inn, offices and garden. Area 1 rood 8 perches.

1 September 1842 Mary Jones, the owner, became engaged to marry Job William Mears, a chemist late of Marshfield. She placed The Catherine Wheel in trust for herself & heirs, presumably to keep the property independent of her proposed husband. The Catherine Wheel is no longer described as a posting inn. Tenant George Pryor until 1847. Mr Scotchford may have died or left the village as he was still in residence in 1841 but there is no mention of him in the 1842 Pigots Directory. Mary Jones is listed as the landlord until 1859 (Check this, Mary Mears nee Jones sold it in 1847, or why was an abstract of title prepared then )

The 1851 census shows that the occupants on census night were Samuel Adams (54) Born Batheaston, wife Mary (44) born Bristol, sons John (13) and Samuel (12), daughter Fanny (8), all born Marshfield and servant Martha Clark (19) born West Kington. There were no guests on census night as opposed to six at the Crown. Could this mean that The Catherine Wheel was in decline?

1858\59 Slaters Directory names Mary Adams as licensee and she continued until 1885.

From 1858 - 1885 the Catherine Wheel was also the Inland Revenue office. Jacob Coran was the excise officer in Slaters Directory 1858/9, but the Post Office directory for the same year gives John Deighton as the Inland Revenue Officer, with no mention of Coran until 1860 (Corin). In 1860 Charles Isaac was also a tax collector and an organist. According to Pigot's Directory 1842 the Excise Office (was this the same as Inland Revenue) was in the Codrington Arms (later called The Kings Arms). In 1862/3 Corin and Isaac were joined by Robert Gribble, Inland Revenue Officer. In 1864/5 Corin and Gribble were replaced by Edward Tilbrook. 1868/9 Peter Phillips is the Inland Revenue Officer and Isaac has retired. 1871 W.H.H. Bown (?) was I.R.O., in 1872/5 Thomas Earley, 1877/9 B. M. Johnson, 1880 C. J. Hedges, 1884/5 James Cronin. The Inland Revenue is listed for many years after this, but this is the last time The Catherine Wheel is shown as being their office. There appears to be a document missing, covering the change of ownership to Meshach Carey.

30 September 1867 Meshach Carey of Beaufort Place, Bath, effectively gave the premises to George Carey, a victualler of Green Street, Bath. In return a £20 annuity was payable quarterly for Meshach's lifetime (he died 4 May 1875).

1871 The occupants on census night are listed as follows: Adams Mary widow age 61 Innkeeper b. Bristol " Samuel son(unmr) 32 painter Marshfield " Fanny dhtr(unmr) 27 " Morrell Elizabeth(") 16 servant Chippenham Winter Josiah (") 18 " Wellington 1881 census Adams Mary widow 71 Innkeeper b. Bristol " Samuel son 42 Painter Marshfield " Fanny dtr 38 " Farmer Maud serv 60 Servant " Gibbins serv 62 Ostler Monmouth.

1885 - 1895 Thomas Gunning is licensee, and in 1891 the owner was Harriet Carey and it was a free house. In 1891 the gross estimated rental (g.e.r.)was £42 - 0 - 0 and the rateable value (r.v.)was £33 - 10s - 0 on a seven year lease. By 1903 this had reduced to g.e.r. £34 -0 - 0 and a r.v. £27 - 5s - 0 on an annual tenancy. Did this reflect a serious and long term decline in trade 1891 census Gunning Thomas H. head age 67 Innkeeper b. Giddea Hall(d.6\96) " Elizabeth wife " 68 " Doddington Ash " Robert S. son " 30 Asst.Ikpr " Colerne " Alice dtr-in-law " 26 " Biddeston (d.10\01) " Ruben S. g\son " 5 " Marshfield " Annie L. g\dtr " 11m " " " Arthur F. g\son " 2 " " 1895 The Post Office Directory for Bath lists Mrs Elizabeth Gunning as the licensee. She is listed until 1903 but this date overlaps Robert Gunning's, so she may have been running it but was not the licensee.

29 September 1899 The Catherine Wheel passed through the Carey family until 1898, when Louisa Carey, with the agreement of the rest of the family, became the sole owner. Louisa sold out to John Arnold & Sons, brewers of Wickwar, for £1200. This is the first time a brewery took possession. Probably the last free house in Marshfield.

1900 - 1905 Robert Gunning, presumably the son, is now in charge. In 1903 the owners were John Arnold & Sons, brewers, and tied to them. 1906 Frederick Wootton. An F. Wootton is previously listed in P.O.D. as a carpenter. ? same person. The coaches from Bath entered The Catherine Wheel from the rear entrance in Weir Lane.

1908\9 T.J. Hulbert (P.O.D.)

1910 - 1914 William John Hall. In an interview with Tom Robinson (on 10\7\91) who was then aged over 90 he remembered a lot of singing on Saturday nights. The skittle alley was there prior to his earliest memory. Five pints of Wadworth Mild and a packet of Gold Flake cost one shilling one penny ( just over 5p) but farm labourers wages were only 7 shillings and 6 pence, plus keep, for seven days per week, dawn to dusk.

1915 - 1917 No mention of the pub in P.O.D. Did it close?

1917 6th Oct. Edwin Geo. Bolwell. At the commencement of his tenancy the rent was £18 p.a.

30 & 31 December 1917 Georges Brewery of Bristol bought the whole of John Arnold & sons. They paid £35000 for 36 pubs (source Courage archives) The rent was immediately increased to £24 p.a. The property is described as having an extensive yard, stabling, coach house and garden. It had an alehouse (as opposed to beerhouse) license and a rateable value of £21. In Courage Archives the following figures are given but no-one I talked to knew their significance: Barrelage for 12 months 81 (4) Bottles (doz 1/2 pints) 98 Spirits (gallons) 22 (3/6) Compensation levy £4 By this time, according to interviews with older residents, none of the village pubs could provide a main living. The day to day running of the pub was left to the wife, whilst the man of the house went to work, Mr Bolwell was a banker mason (a type of stonemason). Rents however were low compared to the standard of accommodation provided. As mentioned before this decline had probably been going on for a long time, it was not until after the war that things started to improve. Records in Courage Ltd archive, P.O.Box 85, Counterslip, Bristol BS99 7BT.

1944 3 November. William Hand. Rent on commencement £24 p.a.

198? William Hand left. Died at Trimnells Elderly persons home.

199? Royston Elms.

Sept 2001. Chris Allison, David Round & David Field form the Better ARF company and buy the premises. 2004 Dave Round & Chris Allison become sole owners. As of Dec 2008 still in their hands.

Fairs

Until October 25 1962, two fairs were held annually in Marshfield, one on March 24 and the other on October 24. The fairs were first held in 1266 when the Abbot of Keynsham purchased the right and this privilege was confirmed in 1462. The rights of the fair must have passed to the Lord of the Manor at some time because in more recent times they were let to a manager at a yearly rental. In about 1885 the fair was rented by Mark Fishlock from Squire Orred of Ashwicke Hall.

Cattle, sheep, and pigs which were brought in for sale were penned in hurdles in front of the houses on one side of the High Street and White hart lane, causing much confusion, and clearing up afterwards. The streets at that time was unpaved. The farmers paid 1d per head for sheep and 2d per head for cattle sold at the fair, but no charge was made for animals not sold. until more recent times the dealers and afrmers bartered among themselves. Toll had to be paid for all sheep sold at the rate of 4d a score, this being manorial right of the fair. In may 1901 the fair was taken out of the street to a field adjoining Back Lane. It was a large fair at that time and about four or five thousand sheep and 300 cattle were brought on foot from miles around to be sold. the Market Place was generally filled with sideshows of all sorts.

There were often accidents and during the October 1905, one Thomas White, aged 45, was killed on the roundabouts. Gradually the weekly markets at Bath, Chippenham, and Bridgeyate took the business away from Marshfield fairs: they no longer paid their way therefore and so were ended.

Poachers

The shooting of a pheasant in the Marshfield District on November 14 1936 was dealt with at some length at Chipping Sodbury Petty sessions when a Marshfield smallholder named John Hicks was summoned for trespassing in pursuit of game. He was defended by Mr J.W. Denning of Bath, and pleaded not guilty. Evidence for the prosecution was given by three game-keepers, and by PC Munden (Marshfield). One of the keepers deposed to hearing two shots at about 5:15 pm, when it was fast getting dark. He proceeded in the direction of the sound , and in a field over which his employer (Major Pope) had the shooting rights, saw a man shoot into a small tree in the fence. A Pheasant fell, and rolled into the footpath. The man was Hicks, who picked up the pheasant and put it in his pocket. When questioned Hicks handed over the pheasant and also his gun. One of the keepers alleged that Hicks said " For Gods Sake don't say anything about it."

P.C. Munden told the court that the defendant called at the Police Station at Marshfield and said " I admit I killed the bird; I did it on the spur of the moment. Can I have my gun." Hicks, in his evidence, said he started out with the intention of shutting his fowls houses, which were some three quarters of a mile from his house. He carried his gun with him, as he often did. He was not in the field in question but was standing in the lane by his gate when the peasant flew straight over his field. He shot at it, and was immediately sorry for it.

" Why did you do it ? " Asked Mr. Denning. " Well why do we ?" replied Hicks amid laughter. he added, " I'm sorry I did it there are plenty of pheasants on my land." Replying to further questions, Hicks said he was not spoken to by the keeper until he was returning from his fowls-house, something like half an hour after he had shot the bird. Asking for the dismissal , Mr Denning contended that Hicks had not been trespassing at all; he was on his own land. The Bench comprising Mr A.W. Boulton ( in the chair ), Mr Isaac Nicholls, Mr W.G. Forrest, Mr A.C. Brooks & Colonel P.L.E. Walker held that the case had been proved but in view of the defendant's good record they imposed a fine of 10 shillings only and 10 shillings costs. Mr C. J. Neat of the county Taxation dept. prosecuted the case against Hicks for killing without a licence. Hicks pleaded guilty and was fined £2:00.

( Unknown newspaper cutting 1936 )

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