240 A Sketch of the Mfotory of Hill Deverill. 



Among the books are a Missal, a Breviary, an Antiplionary, a 

 Manual, a Psaltery, a Hymnary (the last three said to be 

 "sufficient"); but no Gradual; and "a chest bequeathed by a 

 woman of the name of Emiline." 



The Church is dedicated to the Assumption, the festival of which 

 is August 15th (Lady-Day in harvest), and tradition says that the 

 village revel was held on that day. 



It is stated by Daniell (Hist, of Warminster, p. 44), that one 

 Robert le Bore, who was lord of Hill Deverill, founded a Chantry 

 there, and endowed it with two messuages, thirty acres of arable 

 land, one of mead, and £20 a year to maintain it. It is called the 

 Chapel of the Holy Trinity, and John le Bore is mentioned as 

 Chaplain. The date of this foundation is in or after 1324 : the en- 

 dowment is lavish. The only other date at which this Chantry 

 appears is 1408, when William Felde is said to be Chantry Chaplain. 

 There seems no record of this Chantry being founded in connection 

 witli the Parish Church. Perhaps it was at Baycliff . All chantries 

 were suppressed in 1547, owing to the abuses to which they led 

 (Social England , vol. iii., pp. 35, 36). Eighteen grammar schools 

 were founded out of the amount realised by their suppression. . ... 



To return to the Parish Church. In 1403 John de Growayne and 

 others gave to the Priory of Maiden Bradley lands in Hill Deverill 

 to maintain a certain lamp in the Church. A visitation was held 

 by Dean Chandler, in 1408, when the name of a priest is given. In 

 1533 William Ludlow, in his will proved this year, directs that a 

 picture of himself and his heirs should be placed in the Church. 

 The altar- tomb in the Church is that of his father, John Ludlow, 

 whose will was proved in November, 1519 : the brass inscription 

 has been removed. In 1553 a visitation was held by the King's 

 Commissioners ; they left a chalice of 7oz., and three bells ; 2Joz. of 

 silver went to the King. We get no other notice of the Church 

 till 1648, when the registers begin. It is not possible to make out 

 a complete list of Incumbents, because the Church was a prebend in 

 Heytesbury ; and the prebendal register of Heytesbury is not only 

 fragmentary, but, where it gives the name of a clergyman connected 

 with Hill Deverill, the name may be merely that of the holder of 



