The following brief outline of Stratford-sub-Castle is not intended to be in any way a detailed or complete history of the parish. It only sets out to describe something of the life of the parish, not to provide a complete or chronological account, and takes its main starting point from the time when surviving parish documents are available - the 16th century. (It is hoped to produce a more complete record at a later date.) This outline was prepared to coincide with the 650th anniversary of the consecration of the existing Church of St. Lawrence.
In one of the first references to Stratford, Bishop Osmund in his foundation charter of 1091, gave his canons 6½ hides (about 780 acres) of land there, In 1120 Bishop Roger gave them the fines imposed on their tenants in Stratford who offended against the prevailing prices decreed on the sale of bread and ale. The Bishop seems to have kept some land for himself, and the village which grew up was, by 1443, called Bishop Stratford, The Dean too had rights over some of the land, which became known as the manor or farm of Stratford dean, and was rented for a long time to a variety of people, In 1650 this manor or farm was sold by the Parliamentary Commissioners for £369. In 1697 the lease was transferred to Thomas Pitt, and passed in 1724 to Pitt's son Robert. In 1804, together with other estates, it passed out of the direct Pitt line and in 1851 was sold to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The farm house was called Upper Farm in 1793, and the Manor House since 1867. The east end of the house dates from the late 16th or early 17th century, It has been much altered, and the west end rebuilt about 1900.
The Prebend of Stratford - that is, the part of land from which the stipend is granted to a Canon or Member of the Chapter of a Cathedral - existed in 1217. By 1405 it was endowed with the tithe from the land known as Kingsfield, with gifts from Stratford Church, and also had glebe of 60 acres of land, 6 acres of meadow, and pasture for 495 sheep. from the early 15th century it seems that the Prebend was let by successive Prebendaries, Finally, the leasehold was sold to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1851. The house now known as Prebendal House has little left of any early building. The northern part has an early 18th century bay, which goes through two stories, with a Venetian Window to each floor; this bay may once have been the centre part of a longer frontage. The southem part of the building is lower, and added mid 19th century. In 1849 the house was in use as two cottages. In 1947, it began to be used as a vicarage, and so continued until 1976.
In 1228, Bishop Richard Poore granted the church of St, Martin`s together with the chapel at Stratford for life to one Master Harvey. This seems to be the first mention of the existence of a chapel, as distinct from the present church. Stratford appears to have become a seperate parish, and the church regarded as a parish church by the end of the 14th century, The rectorial tithe remained with the Cathedral Chapter, and it was the Chapter`s custom to let out their tithes to farm. In the 14th century such a tithe would be allotted to a residentary canon, but at a later date, to a layman. In 1545 the Chapter leased the "Parsonage or Farm" at Stratford to a layman; in 1549 to another, Sir William Herbert, for 99 years, In the 17th century
The property was known as the rectory manor, and included two water mills for fulling and grain. The house, or Home Farm (see Parsonage Farm) in the description of 1426, had a hall, chamber and kitchen, plus barn, stable and byre. It was to suffer later from fire, and to be changed by repair and alteration. Now the front is faced with yellow brick and has Georgian sash windows of about 1800. Much of the roof work is original, and the house contains some work of the 16th and 17th century.
The present Church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is built of flint and stone, and some of the stone may have come from Old Sarum. The Church was consecrated in 1326, but as has been stated, a chapel was already there. Alterations and repairs are known to have been made in the 15 century. In 1426 the shingled roof beams and walls needed repair, at an estimated cost of £8/6/8p. (it would need complicated calculations to estimate this cost in terms of 1976!) In 1461, £2/19/10 was spent on the walls, and the following year more was spent on tiles for the roof and flint for the walls. The East window, and the wagon roof, were probably put in during the 15 century. (the nave may have been rebuilt in the 16th century.) The corbels are varied, including gilded angels, a Mermaid, a crowned head with a two minute heads instead of ears, and people carrying coats of arms. The West Gallery dates from about 1800 - the Dormer window lighting it is seen in Buckler's drawing of 1805.
For many years the Church seems to have been well looked after by succeeding generations, and frequent references exist to such matters as retiling and pointing. This tradition of steady maintenance continues to this day. In 1711 Thomas Pitt rebuild the Tower: (the inscription on it "Tho. Pitt Esq. Benefactor" was recut in 1939, through the gift of Lt. Col. Bailey of Lake). The screen is probably 15 or early 16th century, decorated with angels and flowers, which were perhaps added in the early 18th century. The pulpit and sounding board may date to the early 17th century; it is mentioned in 1619 when it was under repair. The pews date to the early 18th century; at one time they were box pews, and the doors are now in Orchard House, used as panelling.
The most interesting monument is perhaps that to Josiah Nesbit who died in 1781. Josiah married Frances Woolward, whose mother was a Miss Herbert of the Pembroke family, daughter of the Judge of the Ilse of Nevis in the west Indies whom he met when he was attending her father. They had a son Josiah. Josiah senior died of a brain disease and Frances raised a tablet in his memory which is located in the chancel of St. Lawrence church. Frances and her son returned to Nevis to look after her uncle who was Govenor of the island and there met and married Horatio Nelson in 1787.
The clock was made by George Hewett of Marlborough about 1767; it has one hand to the dial, and in the corners of the dial are the gilded signs of the Zodiac. Above the Chancel arch, traces of medieval colour wash remain. Evidence of present day interest in and care for the Church is provided by the recent completed canvas work kneelers designed by Mrs Lucy Judd, each one embodying in the design some facet of the Church.
Probably the family best-known in national history to live in Stratford was the Pitt family, who for some years lived at Mawarden Court. Thomas Pitt, (1653 - 1726), known as "Diamond Pitt", was born at Blandford, the son of the Rector of Blandford St. Mary. He went to sea as an Interloper - that is, taking part in the East India trade, in opposition to the East India Trading Company, which at the height of its success was making a hundred per cent profit for its shareholders. He traded amongst other things, in horses and sugar, and obtained permission from the local Nawab to build a trading factory on Hooghly river. However, on one visits to England, The East India company caught up with him, and he was fined for illegal trading. For a time he lived in Dorset, then like many merchants, he entered Parliament, sitting in 1689 for Old Sarum and 1690 for New Sarum. In 1691 he bought the Manor of Stratford and Old Sarum for £1,000 from the trustees of James Cecil, 4th Earl of Salisbury, and thus obtained control of a parliamentary seat. Ins 1693 he made his last journey as an Interloper - after that, the company admitted into membership. In 1695 he appeared in Parliament again as representative for the pocket borough of Old Sarum. Two years later he became governor of the Company of Fort St. George, sending back to England chintzes and new kinds of neckclothes. In those days, when that neither paper money nor checks existed, when every he could bought large diamonds, to be used for sending money to the company. In 1701 he bought a diamond, originally smuggled out of the Porteal mines in a wound in a workers leg, for which, after passing through several owners, he paid £20,400. This diamond weighed 410 carats: the dust and bits removed from it when cut were valued at £7,000, and reduced it to 136¾ carats. The stone was sold to the Regent of France, (the Duke of Orleans) and it became known as the Regent's diamond. In 1791, valued at £480,000 it was placed in the French crown, and is now in the Louvre.
Meanwhile, although the profits of the company rose under his rule, he had disputes with various members, and in 1709 he was dismissed as Governor. He had been adding to his lands in England, and in 1710 he resumed his seat for Old Sarum, being re-elected in 1714 and 1715 with his son as the other member. Pitt then or in 1716 accepted the Governorship of Jamaica, but resigned the office before he went to Jamaica, perhaps because he found it unacceptable. In 1717 he was returned as the member for Thirsk, but again in 1722 he was member for Old Sarum, he died at Swallowfield in Berkshire, and was buried at Blandford St. Mary, where he had helped to restore the Church, as he had at Stratford. In 1713 he gave several valuable gift to Stratford Church: a new velvet pulpit cloth and cushion; a large silver flagon and chalice; a communion cloth, a large Bible and prayer book, the Royal Arms carved in high relief, and "likewise be beautfied the Church, all at his own charge." as he was evidently a prudent man in financial matters, and when his son went up to Oxford he advised him "Let it ever be your rule never to lend any money but where you have unquestioned security, for generally by asking its you lose your friend and that too."
Thomas Pitt's second son, another Thomas, (created first Lord Londonderry) after representing Wilton from 1713-1727 then sat for Old Sarum, but resigned to become Governor of the Leeward Islands just before he died in 1729.
The eldest son, Robert, the father of the future William, first Earl of Chatham (1708 to 1778) first sat for Old Sarum in 1705, and then in most parliament's up to 1722. In 1705 there was the rare event of a contested election for Old Sarum, with Robert Pitt and Charles Monpesson as victors, Viscount Grandison the loser. In 1710 Robert Pitt is recorded is giving £500 to the new workhouse.
William Pitt (later Earl of Chatham) suffered from gout when he was still young, left Oxford without a degree, and was advised to travel to improve his health. In spite of the disability of his poor health, he chose the army as his career. However, in 1735 he succeeded his brother Thomas as member for Old Sarum, and in Parliament his satirical congratulations to the King on the marriage of the Prince of Wales (perhaps an early example of his future powers of oratory) is said to have caused Walpole to comment "we must muzzle this terrible young cornet of horse." In 1741 he was again returned for Old Sarum, a troubled time in the country's foreign affairs, which ranged from defeats in America, the loss of Minorca, of Calcutta, and the horrors of the Black Hole. Eventually Pitt became leader of the House of Commons, and in 1756 Secretary of State. He was dismissed from office for "thwarting the Hanoverian partialities of the King", promptly received the freedom of the city of Salisbury, with a letter of thanks from the citizens for his conduct during his time in office. Pitt wanted to become a member for Bath, and this he achieved in 1757, and soon afterwards, back in Parliament, he told the Duke of Devonshire "I am sure I can save this country, and nobody else can." Two years later Sir Horace Walpole said "We are forced to ask every morning what victory there has been for fear of missing one."
Chatham's second son, Pitt the younger (1759-1806) matriculated at Cambridge at 14, became Chancellor of the Exchequer at 23, and even then was interested in parliamentary reform, of checking bribery at elections and suppressing rotten and pocket boroughs. He was Prime Minister at 24, and for most of his time in Parliament was member for Cambridge University.
The borough of Old Sarum returned two members to Parliament from the reign of Edward the first until it was abolished, as a pocket borough, in 1832. The great grandson of Thomas Pitt, the second Lord Camelford, made history when in 1801 he tried to use one of the seeds to put John Horne Tooke, a clergyman, into the Commons. A protest was made against admitting one in holy orders and the same year an Act was passed to exclude clergy. The borough was temporarily handed over to the Prince of Wales in payment of a debt owed to which Chathams brother Thomas in 1749, and again farmed out, this time to the Treasury, in 1761.
A map, about 1700, shows the election acre where the borough elections were held. (In 1625 the nominal the electorate was 10 or 11, in 1831 it was three). In the last years of the borough, a tent was put up for the returning officer under the Parliament Tree on the Portway, this tree was cut down in 1905, and now a bronze plaque on a Sarcen stone commemorates the site.
The house with which the Pitt family is associated is Mawarden Court. This may take its name from a Knight of the Shire and 1403, Richard Mawarden, who perhaps came from Marden in Herefordshire. He was Sheriff of four counties in turn, and died in 1418, having owned land in Sratford worth £6.
It is possible through the evidence of a carved stone shield that the Earl of Pembroke who died in 1650 may have lived there for a time. It was leased to Thomas Pitt in 1686, and during his absence in India his wife lived there. He transferred the house to a second son Robert in 1724. Neither Thomas or Robert called it Mawarden Court - it was probably called Stratford House. By 1790, the Pitts had not lived there for some time, but they remained lessees until the property was conveyed to Lord Caledon in 1805; the lease was sold to James Alexander, MP for Old Sarum in 1812. In 1839 the perpetual curate occupied the house, and in 1849 it became known as the Vicarage. For that time an inventory exists of the furnishings which passed to the curate. They include Kidderminster rugs and carpets, window curtains with poles and rings, a tin blower and large fender in the kitchen; and in the garden and a stone roller with an iron frame, 8 seakale pots, two irons scrapers to the front door, to total value of £24.8s.
In 1851 it was sold to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, in 1947 it was sold again, and Prebendal House became the new Vicarage (until 1976).
The present house dates back roughly to the Pembroke coat of arms, and originally to the north probably had a wing in line with the main house, which had an archway to the stable yard. The inscription from Horace "Parva sed apta domino" - which may be translated as "small but suitable for the owner" - was perhaps put over the door at the time of the date inscribed - 1673. The panelled rooms at the back were probably added in the early eighteenth-century and much alteration, according to the Tithe Award Plan, was made in the early 19th century, making the house square in plan. In the mid-19th century, five paintings found behind panelling were sold, perhaps to pay for repairs to the house in 1859. And in 1701 the garden had a double line of firs from the house down to the river to make a walk, and there were also crossed walks, with fish ponds by the intersections.
The documents of a church and parish can reveal much - they can reflect national events, social history of the particular times, how active of the parish officers were in various areas of life and work, and something of the lives of individuals. Stratford is fortunate in that it does possess some documents which date back to the sixteenth-century, and others which whilst not providing complete runs of documents do at least exist in sufficient variety us to have from them an idea of life on the parish from the 16th century to the present day.
The duties of the Church wardens were many and varied - it was no sinecure as a job - and the overseer of the poor too had much work and many human problems with which to deal; these officials really bore the brunt of looking after the finances of the church and parish, and indeed supervising individuals. One churchwarden is known to have been appointed as early as 1572 (the office itself dates back to 1127), and after 1573, except for 1671, there were always two. By 1617, overseers of the poor were regularly presenting their accounts - again, the office existed earlier. The documents for which they were responsible for placing a parish chest - and we find in 1582 eight shillings and and four pence was paid for a chest for the poor, seven shillings for three locks for the chimbolls of the chest (presumably so that the vicar and churchwardens all had to be present with their keys whenever the chest was opened).
One problem, ever with the Church, was ways and means of raising money and an early example dates back to 1581, when a profit was made on brewing "Church ale". The main revenue came from Church rates and meadows called "hams" which regularly let from 1573. A constant outlay, again a modern problem, was repairs to the Church. In 1582 the cost of 300 tiles to "heale the church" was five shillings; in 1583/4 £6.10.7d. was spent in fact for "decent making" paving and levelling "the communion place" and fitting seats in the chancel. In the years to come there are constant references and bills for nails, sand, wood and yet more tiles also at times the church furniture required attention. In 1613 and an hour class was bought for 8p with which to measure the length of sermon and in 1653 a "frame to hold the our class by the pulpit." These hour glasses seem to have been fragile, for there are several references to what are presumably replacements. The parsons robes are not forgotten; in 1606 "washing the surplice" cost three pence and in 1713 the parish bought a new surplice, tablecloth and napkin. 10 ells of holland for the surplice cost Two pounds 15 shillings and making up 10 shillings. There are regular outgoings for communion wine and bread. For instance, in 1655 "three pints of muskadyne two shillings, plus a penny loaf. In 1608 a table for the King's Arms, and for painting them, cost six shillings and 8p. The first time royal arms were displayed in church was in the reign of Henry the 8th, but after the Elizabethan Injunction of 1559, by which the government broke away from papal power, such arms became more common, as a token of loyalty to the Elizabethan Church Settlement and to the Crown. During the Civil War, some churches removed the royal arms to replace them at the Restoration of Charles the Second.
Times of national rejoicing, sometimes to celebrate relief from danger, were heralded by ringing the bells, and new bell ropes were often a item of expenditure. In 1553 there were three bells, but one was sold in 1584. One of the bells, the fourth in the ring of six installed in 1998, has the inscription: "Prayse God by I W 1594; Regularly the bells rang for Elizabeth, presumably on the anniversary of her accession, and the ringers were paid one shilling. In 1588 they rang upon the " overthrow of the Spanish fleet", and they annually rang for some years for the "powder treason day" better-known as Guy Fawkes Day of 1605 . Rejoicing in a different manner is noted in 1685 by the purchase for one shilling of a book of Thanksgiving for the taking of Monmouth. (he was captured, hiding in a ditch after the battle of Segmoor and sentenced be hung, drawn and quartered).
In 1585 there is an item "paid the cutler for scouring the armour and weapons for the soldiers 4/2d." this, presumably, may apply to the stock of weapons which the parish was supposed to keep and whose care was in the hands of the parish constable, or it may merely have referred to unfortunate troops in the parish whose arms were evidendetly in bad shape. In 1642, 3d. was paid to poor soldiers who were sent to the Churchwardens for relief. Certainly from Tudor times and well into the nineteenth century, it was customary for dogs to attend Church with their owners, sometimes with turbulent results - so much so that some churches had an official called the Dog Whipper, equipped with long wooden tongs to eject miscreants who behaved badly. At Stratford there are several references to "whipping out of the dogs" - and also keeping out of pigeons (cheaper by shilling.")
Particular in a village, keeping some control over vermin was always important and this too was one of the Churchwardens many duties. The payments made for the destruction of such vermin gives some insight into what species were evidently present in some numbers. In 1590 two shillings was paid for killing otters. Later, frequently 2/6d.is paid for sparrows heads, for weasels and stoats, "three polecats for one shilling" in 1769,"Morris's boy for a hedgehog 4d." So perhaps it is a relief to find that at times - probably at the annual presentation of accounts - the churchwardens had themselves and light relief; In 1608 "paid for our drinking, 5d." and the men doing Church repairs were not forgotten: "beer for workmen at Church two shillings" in 1769.
Collections as we now know them are comparatively late innovation - except of course for the offerings in the Communion service. But briefs - royal mandates for a good cause, which may be likened to a special appeal today after some disaster - appear in the 17th and 18th centuries, after the brief had been read from the pulpit, the parish clerk at the end of the service stood by the door to collect, saying "be pleased to remember the brief". Examples of those at Stratford includes several "for a loss by fire" - eg the town of Weymouth in 1666, which raised 9/10d.; and Fordingbridge in 1672 which raised £1/3/8d.; also to repair the pier in thetown of Hartlepool in County Durham 6/6d. Another type of example is for the redemption of slaves in Algiers (five shillings) and towards the relief of French Protestants and 1681(17 /2d.). There is also a list of 29 names of people giving from a penny to a pound - £1/13/7d. in all - in 1678, for St. Pauls - presumably for repairs.
The Overseers of the poor are frequently seen to be giving money in the mid-17th century to people distressed by the rebels in Ireland. From other items, prices of commodities can be noted and the kind of welfare work attempted for the poor. For example, in 1769, three lines give us something of the life of one widow "allowed the widow Smith to bury her child nine and sixpence. Gave the widow Smith to get her a husband two pounds two shillings. Spend at her wedding 2/7½d."
There are lists of payments made regularly to poor people each month, sometimes to provide food - 1lb. of sugar 5d. Or clothing - 1 pair of shoes for a child at four and sixpence, three shirts for Morris's family 8/10d. A pair of stockings 11p. A pair of leathern breeches four shillings, or implements with which work could be carried on - 1/3d. for a shuttle for the loom, nails, sixpence; load of faggots bought in market £1/2/-. There are numerous payments too for shrouds, coffins, laying out of the dead, and caring for those with smallpox. "to William Furnell for looking after Cole, two Wicks, in smallpox. Physics from Dr., 13 shillings". And 1790,"Mr French's bill for inoculation etc.," came to £22/19/7d. Perhaps not surprisingly, a fairly regular item was a subscription of about £1/1/- to the Infirmary.
Money was also given evidendently to help families over particularly hard times - whife ill, one shilling; daughter dead - cash 4/6d.; for a wife, husband having absconded, three and sixpence. Most of these items referred to the latter part of the eighteenth century. One bill for the 1820's, however, is for thatching a house, five shillings.
The parish registers show that at the beginning of the 19th. century, hardly surprisingly, they are many in the parish unable to write: thus in the marriage entries, in many cases, bride, groom and witnesses all signed with their mark. (the first school in Stratford was started in 1890). The Bastismal entries are interesting in showing the occupations followed. At the start of the nineteenth century most men were agricultural labourers, a few are designated yeoman, servant, or miller. Some are shepherds or carters. By the beginning of the 20th century, further entries showed blacksmith, groom, dairy man, ostler - as well as esquire and gentleman.
The census returns for 1821 state that 100 males, 110 females live in the parish then, many bearing names well known in the village today. There were 76 inhabited houses, 82 families, and of these 66 families were employed in agriculture.
In 1911 the Salisbury District Joint Isolation Hospital was erected, where the Sarum Centre now stands. It closed in 1951. In the burial register in February 1915 is recorded the first deaths from that hospital and during that year, in March, the death of the first soldier from there is recorded - the first of a number during the year. Most of these men were from Australia and New Zealand and most of the burials took place in a particularly wet season "when the springs were up" thus, as the entry in the register tells us, they were buried in the north-west corner of the churchyard, which was rather higher than the rest of the ground.
Stratford seems at one time to have had two inns, one, mention as a being from 1859-1889, at the south end to the village, on the East side of the road. The "Old Castle" stands on the site of a building called Old Castle Houss, and a house of that name was in existence about 1668, when 19/6d. was spent on its repair by the overseers of the poor - thus at that time it was probably a poor house. According to Wansey's map in 1820 this land is shown as being given by Robert Pitt to former servants on which to build a house in the early 18th century. In 1776, the occupiers of this house seemed to have supplied punch, wine, and tea to callers - presumably this functioning as an inn - and the Tythe Award shows it as an inn about 1840.
Old Forge Cottage and its adjoining cottage probably date from the 16th. century. At one time there was a smithy to the north of these cottages. The parish Reading Room was built about 1887. The present Church of England school was built in 1840 with the help of a government grant, and is therefore an early example of the growth of primary schools begun as a result of the Education Act of 1834. The government paid an annual grant from 1862 and about 1913 the school had evidently grown in numbers so reconstruction was needed. In 1929, the older children were transferred to secondary schools in Salisbury and in 1944, under the Education Act, it became a controlled school. In the early entries in the school log book, there are many entry stating that children are unable to attend because of the inclement weather. In 1866 it was stated that the children should write less on slates and more on paper to improve their writing, and one girl in 1892 was rewarded for "efficiency in needlework" with a gift of a silver thimble. The school continued to flourish and the excellence of the work carried out over more than a century is reflected in the large part taken by the school and the celebration in 1976 of the 650th. anniversary of the consecration of the Church.