216 A Sketch of the History of the 
granted the manor of Broad Chalke, formerly in the possession of 
the Abbess of Wilton, to Sir William Herbert, and Anne, his wife ; 
and two years later he included in his grant the manor and abbey 
of Wilton, together with the hundred of Chalke, and other lands. 
The principal farm of Broad Chalke, called the Manor Farm, was 
granted on lease, in the reign of Edward VI., to George 
Penruddocke, Esq., and the Penruddockes continued lessees for a 
considerable time. The farm afterwards came to the family of 
Aubrey, in the person of Richard Aubrey Esq., the father of John 
Aubrey, the celebrated antiquary and historian of Wilts. John 
Aubrey lived for some years at the Manor Farm, and during part 
of that time he acted as churchwarden, his fellow-warden being Sir 
George Penruddocke. In his Natural History of Wilts Aubrey 
says “At Broad Chalke is one of the tunablest rings of bells in 
Wiltshire, which hang advantageously ; the river running near the 
churchyard, which meliorates the sound. Here were but four bells 
till Anno 16]6 was added a fifth; and in Anno 1659 Sir George 
Penruddocke and I made ourselves churchwardens, or else the fair 
Church had fallen, from the niggardliness of the churchwardens of 
mean condition, and then we added the sixth bell.” John Aubrey 
died a bachelor in the year 1700, aged 75, and was buried at Oxford. 
We see then, that this secluded country parish has had more to 
do with the outer world than one might have supposed: it claims 
amongst its worthies the foundress of a celebrated monastery in 
Leicesterhire, the foundress of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and the 
father of Wilts Archeology, John Aubrey; it is connected with the 
first Earl of Shrewsbury, with the Furnivals, from one of whom 
Furnival’s Inn took its name; and at least traditionally, with King 
Arthur’s Sir Gawain. 
Broad Chalke, Bower Chalke, and Alvediston were originally 
included in the rectory of Chalke. The rector, or prebendary— 
since he held one of four prebendal stalls attached to the Abbey 
of Wilton—was appointed by the abbess. The prebend ceased at 
the dissolution of the abbey. 
The list of prebendaries and vicars from the year 1298, as recorded 
in the Registry at Salisbury, is given below on page 219. 
