262 Great Bedwyn. 



the time, for they have since been destroyed by idle boys. Bronze 

 articles, earthenware vessels of numberless patterns, implements of 

 iron, nails, Roman coins, glass, &c, were also met with, as well as 

 a small gold ring, on which is engraved a cross, and which from its 

 size belonged to a lady. These articles are in the Society's Mu- 

 seum. Another villa, about a mile and a half to the north-west 

 of the station, existed in Tottenham Park, a short distance from 

 the mansion, and its pavement was exposed to view on the occasion- 

 of the Society's Meeting in Marlborough in September, 1859. 



But though undoubtedly an ancient town, and once of consider- 

 able importance, the history of Bedwyn is involved in obscurity. 

 Prior to the Conquest we only find it mentioned once in the Saxon 

 Chronicle, as having been the scene of a sanguinary and undecided 

 conflict in a.d. 674, between Wulphere, King of Mercia, and Es- 

 cuin, King of Wessex. At that period it is supposed to have been 

 the chief post of Cissa, Viceroy of the Counties of Wilts and Berks 

 under Escuin : whose stronghold was the adjoining fortification of 

 Chisbury, to which he gave his name, and probably added very 

 greatly to its strength. The Camp at Chisbury contains an area 

 of fifteen acres, doubly, and in some places, trebly embanked, the 

 acclivities being verj' steep and high. A section of these mounds, 

 made by Sir Richard Hoare, proved that they had been very con- 

 siderably increased in height, as the turf covering of a former em- 

 bankment was exposed, fifteen feet below the present surface. 

 This addition, however, may have been made by the Danes. - 



In Domesday, the tax-book of William the Conqueror, completed 

 in the last year of his reign, we find that the king held Bedvynde, 

 and that it had been previously held by Edward the Confessor ; 

 also, that Bristoardus, a priest, held the Church of Bedvynde, hav- 

 ing succeeded his father, who had held it before the Conquest. 

 The town was obliged to provide one night's entertainment 1 for 



1 On Sunday, the 17th of February, 1442-3, the King's Chamberlain and 

 Secretary supped at Bedwind on pullets, capons, and wine, which were fur- 

 nished by the parish. They also dined there on the 18th. The king- (Homy 

 VI.) was himself at Bedwyn on the 12th of the preceding June; and King John 

 was in the town December 3rd, 1200, on his way from Abingdon to Ludgershall 

 Castle. 



