272 Great Bedwyn. 



4234 acres, taken out of Great Bedwyn, was erected into a distinct 

 vicarage, and endowed with a portion of the tythes of the prebend. 

 The patronage is in the Marquis of Ailesbury, and the present in- 

 cumbent is the Rev. Francis Henchman Buckerfield, M.A., who 

 was instituted in a.d. 1843. 5. The remains of the fifth Chapel, 

 recently discovered at Marten, will be described presently. 



Besides the town of Great Bedwyn, there #re, within its ecclesi- 

 astical charge, the hamlets of Crofton, Stock, Bedwyn- common, 

 Brail, and Harden. In East Grafton District, there are East and 

 West Grafton, Wilton, Marten, Wexcombe, Kinwardstone, Sudden, 

 Freewarren, and Wolfhall, with the Laundry. In the parish of 

 Little Bedwyn, are the village of Little Bedwyn, and the hamlets 

 of Chisbury, Knowl, Puthall, Littleworth, and Timbridge. 



Several of these are mentioned in Domesday-book, and almost 

 all in the early records of the country. Stoche was held in the 

 Confessor's time by Stremius, a name probably identical with Stur- 

 mid, Sturmy, and Esturmy, which flourished in this parish for 

 many centuries. Richard Sturmid held Haredone, and a hide in 

 Graftone, in the Conqueror's reign ; Martone was held by Odolina, 

 Tubertus, and Radulphus ; Graftone was the lordship of Wilelmus 

 de Ow, and under him was Hubert. Robert, son of Radulphus, 

 held lands there; so did Radulphus de Halville, who also held 

 Ulfela (Wolfhall). 



After this period, the Sturmys continued in their possessions 

 here down to the death of Sir William Esturmy, in a.d. 1426, 

 when they passed to the Seymours, as before stated. Many other 

 families of distinction were proprietors of manors and estates in 

 the parish. The De Hardenes had the manor of Hardene^ till it 

 went by an heiress to Sir Robert de Bilkemore. Matthew de Co- 

 lumbariis died in a.d. 1269 possessed of Chisbury. Thomas de 

 Seymour died seised of Chisbury in a.d. 1358, and it was soon 

 after possessed by the Cobhams. On the death, in a.d. 1407, of 

 John de Cobham, second Baron Cobham, his grand-daughter and 

 sole heir, Joane de la Pole, succeeded to his estates. She was then 

 the wife of Sir Nicholas Hawberke, having previously been married, 

 first to Sir Robert Hemengbale, and, secondly, to Sir Reginald 



