Bitesize Bratton

They say that, in the 1960s, Lord and Lady Seymour allowed adults and teenagers to slip into the gates at Bratton House, skip around to the side, and play on the tennis courts two or three evenings each week. They had to bring their own tennis racket though.

They say that on a Sunday afternoon in April 1961 2,000 people came to watch two motorcycle scrambling races on a mile and half circuit around tranquil Luccombe Bottom. Imagine those swirling echoing roars. A sudden severe storm added extra growling excitement to the second race.

They say that, at the start of the 20th century, Bratton was a very popular Summer holiday location, with many hundreds drawn to experience the White Horse, the fine views, the clean air, the church steps, the two tea gardens, the whale bones, and the simple charm of the village.

They say that when Howard Couldrake joined the Navy in 1907 he was 6 months underage. He became a Royal Marine Lance-Corporal, travelled the world, earned 4 medals in the thick of WW1, and kept a snake as a pet, before returning home to Luccombe Terrace to run a haulage business.

They say that Carpenters Lane got its name when Ralph Robins was allowed to build his house and carpenter's workshop along there in 1657, many, many years before R & J Reeves Ironworks set up shop alongside the lane in 1830.

They say that, due to emigration in the great cloth trade depression, the population of Bratton halved from 1,295 to 610 in the century after the 1821 census. Despite the large 20th century housing projects, the population has still not fully returned, standing at 1,171 in 2021.

The Wiltshire Times, Saturday, June 12th 1937.

They say that it wasn't until 1931 that the first lady bell ringers were introduced into the tower at St James Church. They proved to be such a success that within just a few years a complete band of lady ringers could often be heard chiming out over Bratton.

They say that in one week in 1940 residents of a council house, Yew Trees, 2 houses on Luccombe Terrace, The Duke and The Manse were fined for showing lights from their homes during blackout. Box Cottage was also fined 5 shillings for allowing a bonfire to flame during blackout.

They say that Matilda Brinkworth, of Yew Trees, had celebrated her 100th birthday with 24 telegrams, 61 letters, a visit from children of the village school, and a trip to the Polling Station. When she died in 1939, aged 104, she was the oldest woman in the West Country.

They say that in 1843 James Withey and Simon Watts were committed to the new Devizes County House of Corrections for three weeks each, having been found guilty of stealing a quantity of water-cresses from the garden of Thomas Mead in Bratton.

They say that baptisms in the Stradbrook were held at 8 o'clock on Sunday mornings. The night before, sluice gates were closed, the water bed cleaned out for a clean square tile, and fresh water let in. Large crowds would travel for miles to watch the baptisms and to be baptised.

They say Bratton's Brass Band have been part of many village celebrations. In 1867 they marched before Reeves Ironworks labourers parading through the village, returning from Westbury Leigh with 500 loaves for villagers, costing 7 pence, a whole penny less than the Bratton price.

They say that County Librarian Frederick Hallworth doubled memberships in the '50s, introduced 5 mobile libraries in the '60s (bringing pleasure and knowledge to rural 'literary deserts') and introduced the junior section for children as young as 3. In 1977 he was awarded an OBE.

They say that in the 63 years Bratton & Edington station was open the most unusual passengers the staff ever saw arrive were the 112 Cheviot sheep transported by train from Lockerbie in the mid '50s by farmer William Gale, who then directly marched them up the road onto the Down.

They say that at one time 3 roads in the village were given the old Wiltshire name for a steep hill, ‘Bash’. Edington Bash and Bratton Bash, twinned beside the Stradbrook, and where Bury Lane once led up to Brown’s Farm the road was considered steep enough to be Brown’s Bash.

They say that Anthony White, of Lower Road, and Joan Miller, of Greater Lane Farm, met as members of the Bratton Silver Band. When they were married at Edington Priory in October 1957 their fellow band members formed a guard of honour using their instruments.

They say that over 700 people attended the 1936 flower show at Bratton School. Many more listened to John Betjeman broadcasting from the show for his 'Crowded Moments', describing Bratton as one of the prettiest villages he knew and his preference for its flower show over Chelsea.

They say that in post war years Bratton School was visited by Education Officers from around the globe, including Rhodesia, Palestine, Kenya, China, South Africa, Fiji and Tanganyika. Students had never seen people of different races before and asked them for their autographs.

They say that Frank Twiss joined the Navy in 1924, was a prisoner of war for 3 years, retired as Second Sea Lord in 1970. and served as Black Rod until moving to East Marsh Farm in 1978. In 1994 the Queen attended his Thanksgiving service and the National Gallery has 2 portraits.

They say that in February 1861, to the alarm of villagers, a furious gale raged from the South, blowing the tall foundry chimney over into the roof of the engine room and blacksmith workshops. Had it happened in day time hours workers lives would have been put in great jeopardy.

They say that in 1905 Mary Holloway fulfilled her life long cherished wish of writing to the Queen. Days later police visited Mary to hand deliver a brass travelling clock in a leather case with an inscription from Alexandra, who was known to have 400 clocks at Windsor Castle.

They say that Mr Cleverley entertained the idea of a rifle club for many years. In the Summer of 1909 more than 50 members of the Old Volunteer Force and Territorials met in the Jubilee Hall to finally form the village club, with ‘hearty approval’ from Rev Gofton and Mr Reeves.

They say that gardener Fred Parker served on the Bratton Parish Council for 28 years and campaigned for planning permission to get affordable housing at Manor Fields, allowing young families to continue living in the village. He was presented with the freedom of Bratton.

They say that in 1538 Henry VIII removed the rules of celibacy for Priests, allowing Thomas Seven to marry Katherine Tutford in the Church of St James the Great in 1549. Four years later the rule was reinstated, making their marriage illegal. There is no further record of them.

They say that in his memoirs, ‘A Child Alone’, celebrated naturalist and artist Denys James Watkins-Pitchford recalled spending a long hot summer in Bratton as a young boy, seeing Meadow Pipits, Reed Warblers, Stone Curlews, Red-backed Shrikes, Gold Finches and Green Finches.

They say that in WWII US troops were based at Westbury. Mr Webb met an African American soldier walking on the Westbury Road and invited him home to The Butts where he was entertained with tea on the lawn. He was likely the first black person to have ever entered the village.

They say that at midnight New Years Eve 1907 crowds gathered and lit a huge beacon at the White Horse celebrating the arrival of ‘Pension Day’. The weekly 5 shillings would mean that helpless old souls would no more be haunted by the grim spectre of starvation or the work house.

They say that the annual 11k 'Hilly Run' was set up by Roger Broberg in 1996 to help raise money for Bratton Primary School. Roger passed away in 2009 so did not see his son Sam beat the course record by almost one minute in 2016. Some claim the hills get a bit steeper each year.