Wingfield, Wiltshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wingfield |
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 Cottages on the A366 |
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 Wingfield
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| Population | 321 (in 2011) |
| OS grid reference | ST823567 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Trowbridge |
| Postcode district | BA14 |
| Dialling code | 01225 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Wingfield is a small village and a local area with its own council, called a civil parish. It is located in the county of Wiltshire, England. You can find it about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) south of Bradford-on-Avon and 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles) west of Trowbridge.
The village is next to the town of Trowbridge on its east side. To the west, it borders the county of Somerset. The River Frome forms most of this western border. A main road, the A366, runs through Wingfield from Trowbridge to Farleigh Hungerford. Another road from Bradford-on-Avon to Rode crosses it near the middle of the village. Most of the homes in Wingfield are found close to this crossroads.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Wingfield's History
Wingfield is a very old village. It was first mentioned in a historical document from the year 954. Later, in 1086, a famous survey called the Domesday Book recorded a settlement here named Winefel. At that time, it had 12 homes and a mill, and the land was owned by a bishop named Geoffrey.
For hundreds of years, starting in the early 1200s, the land in Wingfield belonged to Keynsham Abbey. This continued until King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries during a time known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries. After that, the land was given to a person named Thomas Bayley. His family owned it until 1647.
In the 1800s, Wingfield was sometimes called "Winkfield" or "Winkfield with Rowley." In 1934, the civil parish of Wingfield grew bigger. It gained land from a nearby area called Bradford Without and also from Trowbridge.
Lost Villages: Wittenham and Rowley
There was once another old area called Wittenham in the western part of what is now Wingfield parish. It was mentioned in the year 1001 and also in the Domesday Book. Rowley might have been another name for Wittenham, or it could have been a separate small village nearby.
Wittenham had a church dedicated to St Nicholas, but it was last mentioned in 1535. By 1428, not many people lived there. So, a powerful lord named Walter, Lord Hungerford, who lived at Farleigh Castle, got permission to combine Wittenham's church area with that of Farleigh Hungerford. Today, no one knows exactly where Wittenham village was located. Since 1777, its land has been part of the Iford estate.
Important Buildings in Wingfield
Wingfield has several interesting old buildings.
- Stowford Manor is a farmhouse built in the late 1400s. It has a unique front with three gables (the triangular parts of a wall under a sloping roof). This building is considered very important historically and is a Grade II* listed building.
- Church Farmhouse, located just north of the church, has parts that date back to the 1500s. The Baily family lived in this farmhouse for a very long time, starting in the 1600s. The farm also has a cowshed from the 1600s.
- Midway Manor is a house in the northern part of the parish, closer to Bradford-on-Avon. In the late 1700s, it was the home of Henry Shrapnel. He was famous for inventing the Shrapnel shell, a type of artillery shell that explodes in the air to scatter many small pieces.
- Wingfield House is a large building about half a mile north of the village crossroads. It was started in the early 1700s. The original house has two floors plus an attic. Its west side, which faces the garden, has five sections with windows and curved alcoves.
In 1861, a judge named Camille Caillard bought Wingfield House. He and his family added many parts to the house in a style called Tudor. These additions included a two-story entrance and several wings at the back. A music room built in 1899 is a good example of the Arts and Crafts movement style, which was popular for its focus on handmade quality and traditional craftsmanship. Camille's son, Vincent, was an army officer involved in international business. Around 1895, he bought most of the land in the Wingfield parish.
Wingfield House was used as a hospital during the First World War. In 1935, it was given to the Waifs and Strays Society, a charity that helped children. During the Second World War, the army used it. After the war, the large house was divided into four separate homes. In 2023, the original part of the house was for sale.
The Parish Church of St Mary
The Church of England parish church of St Mary is on the eastern edge of the village. It is mostly built from carefully cut limestone. The church has a tower from the 1400s with a small staircase inside. The main part of the church (the nave) was rebuilt in the 1600s and 1700s, and the area around the altar (the chancel) was rebuilt in 1861. This church was also given a Grade II* listed status in 1962, showing its historical importance.
Records from the church, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1654. You can find them at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham. Today, St Mary's church is part of a group of churches that includes Bradford on Avon Holy Trinity, Westwood, and Wingfield.
Village Life and Services
Wingfield has a few important services for its residents.
A school called a National School was built in the village in 1852. It taught children of all ages until 1926. It later became a Church of England school. Since 2009, it has been connected to The Mead Community Primary School in Hilperton.
The village also has a local place to eat and drink, called a pub, known as the Poplars Inn.
Famous People Connected to Wingfield
Two notable people were educated at a private school in Wingfield, which was run by the local church leader (rector):
- Edward William Grinfield (1785–1864) was a scholar who studied the Bible.
- Thomas De Quincey (1785–1859) was a famous writer.
