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The church was designated as [[Listed building#Categories of listed building|Grade I listed]] in 1962.<ref name="listing" /> Today the parish is part of the benefice of the Lavingtons, Cheverells & Easterton.<ref>{{cite web|title=St Peter's, Great Cheverell|url=https://lavingtonchurch.org/st-peters-church-great-cheverell|website=lavingtonchurch.org|accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref> The [[parish register]]s, now held at the [[Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre]], cover the years 1653-1987 (baptisms), 1654-1994 (marriages), and 1654-1987 (burials).<ref>[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/WIL/GreatCheverell/ Great Cheverell] at Genuki</ref>
The church was designated as [[Listed building#Categories of listed building|Grade I listed]] in 1962.<ref name="listing" /> Today the parish is part of the benefice of the Lavingtons, Cheverells & Easterton.<ref>{{cite web|title=St Peter's, Great Cheverell|url=https://lavingtonchurch.org/st-peters-church-great-cheverell|website=lavingtonchurch.org|accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref> The [[parish register]]s, now held at the [[Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre]], cover the years 1653-1987 (baptisms), 1654-1994 (marriages), and 1654-1987 (burials).<ref>[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/WIL/GreatCheverell/ Great Cheverell] at Genuki</ref>

== Chapels ==
A [[Baptists|Baptist]] chapel was built on the High Street in 1837. Known as Little Zoar, it was used until 1907 when it became the Parish Room, continuing in the same role today as the Village Hall. A new chapel was built in red brick and stone in 1911, a short distance to the east; it was in use in 1973 but is now a private residence.<ref>{{cite web|website=Wiltshire Community History|title=Zoar Baptist Chapel, Great Cheverell|url=https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getchurch.php?id=1466|publisher=Wiltshire Council|accessdate=16 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="vch" />


==Schools==
==Schools==

Revision as of 11:40, 16 December 2016

Great Cheverell
Village centre
Population987 (in 2011)[1]
OS grid referenceST982543
Civil parish
  • Cheverell Magna
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townDevizes
Postcode districtSN10
Dialling code01380
PoliceWiltshire
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
Websitewww.greatcheverell.org
List of places
UK
England
Wiltshire

Great Cheverell is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Devizes. In some sources the Latinized name of Cheverell Magna is used, especially when referring to the ecclesiastical parish.

The parish includes Great Cheverell Hill, a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest consisting of unimproved species-rich chalk grassland on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain.

History

A large settlement of 111 households was recorded at Chevrel in the Domesday Book of 1086.[2] There were 73 taxpayers in 1377.[3] Population of the parish peaked around the time of the 1841 census, which recorded 295; then fell as agricultural employment decreased, reaching 174 at the 1951 census.[1] Subsequent increases reflect housebuilding and employment at HM Prison Erlestoke.[3]

The Manor House, next to the church, dates from c. 1690 with enlargement and alteration in the 18th century.[4] Glebe House, a former farmhouse north of the church, is from the late 17th century and early 18th.[5]

The Stert and Westbury Railway was built through the parish by the Great Western Railway Company in 1900, providing routes from London to Weymouth or Taunton. There was a station called Lavington, just beyond the east boundary of the parish, about one mile by road from Great Cheverell village. The line remains open but the station was closed in 1967 and no local stations remain; the nearest are Pewsey and Westbury.

To the south the parish extends onto higher ground at Cheverell Down, where the southernmost part has been part of the Imber Range military training area since 1933.[3]

Parish church

St Peter's Church

The Church of England parish church of St Peter is faced with limestone ashlar except for the oldest part, the chancel of malmstone and flint, which is probably from the 11th century. The nave and west tower are from the 14th century; in the 15th the south porch was added and the tower was raised, and gained an octagonal stair-tower. Restoration in 1868 by W.H. Woodman of Reading included re-roofing of the chancel, rebuilding of the chancel arch and addition of a north vestry. The octagonal font is 13th century.[6]

The tower carries six bells: one of c. 1500 and three from the 18th century.[7]

The church was designated as Grade I listed in 1962.[6] Today the parish is part of the benefice of the Lavingtons, Cheverells & Easterton.[8] The parish registers, now held at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, cover the years 1653-1987 (baptisms), 1654-1994 (marriages), and 1654-1987 (burials).[9]

Chapels

A Baptist chapel was built on the High Street in 1837. Known as Little Zoar, it was used until 1907 when it became the Parish Room, continuing in the same role today as the Village Hall. A new chapel was built in red brick and stone in 1911, a short distance to the east; it was in use in 1973 but is now a private residence.[10][3]

Schools

Under the Will of J. Townsend, a charity school was established at Great Cheverell in 1725 which provided for six poor children of the parish to be taught reading and the principles of the Church of England, free of charge. By 1834, the school also had about another forty "pay-scholars", for whom a charge was made.[11][12]

A new two-room school for 50-60 pupils was built in 1844 on a High Street plot provided by the rector, R. M. Atkinson, with assistance from the Townsend charity for running costs. This became a National School in 1845, a Board school in 1876 and a Church of England school in 1903. Attendance fell to 35 in 1955 but by 1973 had risen to 51.[13][14]

A larger school, now called Holy Trinity CE Primary Academy, was opened on the south side of the village in 1980 to serve Great Cheverell and nearby parishes including Little Cheverell, Erlestoke and Coulston.[13]

Local government

Great Cheverell (or Cheverell Magna) is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It is in the area of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for most significant local government functions.

Notable residents

References

  1. ^ a b "Wiltshire Community History - Census". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. ^ Great and Little Cheverell in the Domesday Book
  3. ^ a b c d e A. P. Baggs, D. A. Crowley, Ralph B. Pugh, Janet H. Stevenson and Margaret Tomlinson, 'Parishes: Great Cheverell', in A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 10, ed. Elizabeth Crittall (London, 1975), pp. 41-53
  4. ^ Historic England. "Manor House, Church Street (1284714)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  5. ^ Historic England. "Glebe House (1182075)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St Peter (1035786)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Great Cheverell, S Peter". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  8. ^ "St Peter's, Great Cheverell". lavingtonchurch.org. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  9. ^ Great Cheverell at Genuki
  10. ^ "Zoar Baptist Chapel, Great Cheverell". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  11. ^ Public Charities: Analytical digest of the Reports made by the Commissioners of inquiry into charities. Digest of schools and charities for education. W. Clowes and Sons. 1842. p. 297.
  12. ^ "Townsend's Charity School, Great Cheverell". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  13. ^ a b "The Holy Trinity C. of E. V. A. School, Great Cheverell". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  14. ^ Historic England. "Great Cheverell School (1364656)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Athlete Profile". www.olympics.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-08-09.

Further reading