Hilmarton
Encyclopedia
Hilmarton is a small village in North Wiltshire
, in the West of England
.
The village is situated on the A3102 between the towns of Calne
and Wootton Bassett
, and 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Lyneham
. The Anglican village church of St. Laurence dates from the 12th century and has Grade 1 listed building status. The church contains what is believed to be an original edition of the King James Bible from 1611, a rare document of which less than two hundred are known to still exist. Hilmarton also contains a small Baptist
Chapel and a Victorian inn called The Duke.
Although the village has a history dating back many hundreds of years it was greatly transformed in the 19th century by the Poynder family who owned Hartham Park
at Corsham
, the family included John Poynder Dickson, 1st Baron Islington
. The Poynders built a number of estate houses and almshouses and also built a substantial school that is now a thriving and well-regarded primary school in the area. Some of the older buildings remain, including five thatched cottages dating back to at least the 17th century. There are also a number of buildings to the north of the A3102 two of which have, in the past, served as vicarages but are now private houses. There is also an old post office situated in front of the school.
There are two groups of dwellings to the East of the village that were built during the 20th century. An extensive history of the village and the rest of the parish may be found in The Victoria History of the Counties of England published in 1970.
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, in the West of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The village is situated on the A3102 between the towns of Calne
Calne
Calne is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty....
and Wootton Bassett
Wootton Bassett
Royal Wootton Bassett , informally known as Wootton Bassett, is a small market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 11,043 in 2001...
, and 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Lyneham
Lyneham
-Village:* Lyneham, Wiltshire is a village located in Wiltshire* RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force based in Wiltshire, England-Suburb:* Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory is a suburb of Canberra, Australia...
. The Anglican village church of St. Laurence dates from the 12th century and has Grade 1 listed building status. The church contains what is believed to be an original edition of the King James Bible from 1611, a rare document of which less than two hundred are known to still exist. Hilmarton also contains a small Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Chapel and a Victorian inn called The Duke.
Although the village has a history dating back many hundreds of years it was greatly transformed in the 19th century by the Poynder family who owned Hartham Park
Hartham Park
Hartham Park is a Georgian manor house, located in Hartham near Corsham, Wiltshire. Originally designed by James Wyatt, set today in it contains one of three remaining stické tennis courts in the world...
at Corsham
Corsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
, the family included John Poynder Dickson, 1st Baron Islington
John Poynder Dickson, 1st Baron Islington
John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington GCMG, GBE, DSO, PC , born John Poynder Dickson and known as Sir John Poynder Dickson from 1884 to 1910, was a British politician...
. The Poynders built a number of estate houses and almshouses and also built a substantial school that is now a thriving and well-regarded primary school in the area. Some of the older buildings remain, including five thatched cottages dating back to at least the 17th century. There are also a number of buildings to the north of the A3102 two of which have, in the past, served as vicarages but are now private houses. There is also an old post office situated in front of the school.
There are two groups of dwellings to the East of the village that were built during the 20th century. An extensive history of the village and the rest of the parish may be found in The Victoria History of the Counties of England published in 1970.