Contiguous Parishes our neighbours
Boyton - Chitterne St. Mary - Fisherton Delamere - Sherrington - Stockton - Upton Lovell
Websites of Interest
GenUKI - For information relating to Wiltshire and Codford St. Peter
GenUKI - For information relating to Wiltshire and Codford St. Mary
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre - The Wiltshire County Archives for all historical documents and the place to obtain original copies
Wiltshire Community History - Historical information for parishes within the Wiltshire County jurisdiction.
University of Leicester's - Website has historical Wiltshire directories free to view
Codford Parish Council - Local Authority Website
Please note that this page is divided into four sections Codford which holds information common to the whole parish or where the specific parish is uncertain, Codford St. Mary, Codford St. Peter and Ashton Gifford which holds information unique to those villages.
Parish Churches of St. Mary and St. Peter
Codford is served by two Anglican churches St. Mary and St. Peter which also serves the Ashton Gifford Community. see individual village tabs below for details
Bishop of Salisbury's Memorial Fund 1870 Codford Choir at Choral Festival at Sutton Veny 1871
Parish Registers held at WSHC
See parish tab for resources held at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre
Parish History
The village of Codford is located in the valley of the River Wylye, 7 miles south east of Warminster and 14 miles north west of Salisbury, in the southern shadow of Salisbury Plain. The village was formed by the union of two adjacent parishes - Codford St. Mary and Codford St. Peter in 1928. The hamlet of Ashton Gifford is part of the civil parish of Codford.
The village was formed by the union of two adjacent parishes - Codford St. Mary and Codford St. Peter in 1928, when the union of the two Codfords was approved and six years later the two civil parishes became one. Both churches are still in use, with the Church of St. Mary located at the southern end of the village and the Church of St. Peter at the northern end. Together with the hamlet of Ashton Gifford a settlement was cleared to make way for the principle house of the village in the early 19 th century the area covers some 3,797 acres.
The layout of the village consists of a High Street, running south east to north west, with another road, the Chitterne Road, meeting it at right angles on its northern side. The village is now built around these roads and the New Road, which runs from the western entrance to the village to a point about three quarters of a mile north on the Chitterne Road. There are several small lanes and bridleways about the village. The parish itself is bounded by the Wylye to the south and by ancient drove roads to the west and east. The northern boundary roughly coincides with the Chitterne to Heytesbury Road.
The name Codford is thought to mean the fording place of Codda who was, perhaps, an Anglo-Saxon who owned the land on which the ford was situated. The oldest known recording of the name is in an Anglo-Saxon charter of land granted in the Wylye valley in the late ninth century; here the name is recorded as Coddan Ford.
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1845 Kiss-Wicket 1893-1895
Civil Registration
1837 - Present Warminster Registration District
Population
Population figures are separate for Codford St. Mary & Codford St. Peter until 1951 when the 2 parishes were united in regards to census information.
Codford St. Mary's population was at it's lowest in 1801 with a total of 187 & at it's highest in 1861 with a total of 404. Codford St. Peter was at it's lowest in 1901 with a total of 242 while it's highest was in 1851 with 401. The decrease in population from 1861 to 1871 for both parishes could be attributed to the closing of a large Woolstapling business. In Codford St. Mary the position was made worse by the closing of certain training stables.
Population Figures 1801-2011
Publications Relating to Codford
Books by John Chandler
Codford: Wool and War in Wiltshire
Books by Romy Wyeth
| Book Of Codford: From the Bronze Age to the Bypass | Men of St. Mary's & The Anzac War Graves | Sterner Days: Codford During the Second World War |
| Swords and Ploughshares: Codford During the 20th Century | Warriors for the Working Day: Codford During Two World Wars |
Buildings and Land
Ancient Monuments
Codford Circle
Codford Circle is a neolithic earthwork hilltop enclosure, or possible hillfort, located on the crest of Codford Hill, a chalk promontory of Salisbury Plain, near to the village of Codford. The elevated oval area is approximately 3.6 hectares and is surrounded by a bank 6.5 metres wide and up to 1.6 metres high from the outside. This is surrounded by a ditch 5 metres wide & up to 0.5 metres deep except for a section around the south eastern edge where it has been reduced by ploughing. Aerial shots show entrances on the east and west sides. The entrances on the southeast and northwest sides are later in origin. There is no archaeological evidence for occupation and the slight nature of the earthworks have been interpreted as being defensively weak. Also known as Wilsbury Ring, Oldbury Camp or Ogbury. It may have been formed by the Druids for religious rites.
Ancient Monuments List Artefacts from Ashton Valley Codford Circle Sketch 1810
Crop Circles
A crop circle was reported to have appeared on 3rd June, 2010 between the villages of Codford St. Peter and Codford St. Mary, within sight of the earthwork hilltop enclosure of Codford Circle. The design consisted of a complex formation consisting of a central circle surrounded by a stellated dodecagon with a perimeter of twelve interlocking circles. It measured around 240 feet in diameter & was formed in 12 inch barley. This area of Wiltshire is not commonly associated with the appearance of crop circles and it is close to the military training area of Salisbury Plain - one of the largest Ministry of Defence training areas in the UK.
Fires
Fires 1804-1865 Thatched Cottages Fire 2014
Highways
Postal Telegraphs 1872 Proposed Main Road Between Chitterne & Codford 1886
Listed Buildings
Grade I - Buildings of outstanding architectural or historic interest.
There are no buildings in either village within this category
Grade II* - Buildings are particularly important and of more than special interest.
Both village churches are listed under this category see tabs below for details
Grade II - Buildings are nationally important and of special interest.
There are a total of 31 buildings listed for this category within the Codford Boundary 24 of which are situated in Codford St. Peter and the remaining seven in Codford St. Mary
Miscellaneous Items
Description of Villages on the "Wily" 1848 Oxen at Plough 1904 Gardens Open to the Public 1937-1939
Property for Auction, Let or Sale
Sale of Farm Stock at Fisherton Delamere 1872 Anzac Farm for Sale 1936 Old Rectory 2014 Old School House 2014
Public Houses
Beer House Licenses 1890
Railway Station
Codford Railway Station was an intermediate station on the Salisbury to Warminster branch line of the Great Western Railway. The Station was built in Ashton Gifford, on the lane to Boyton, at the far south-west corner of the parish and opened on 30th June, 1856, with a Stationmaster's Lodge nearby. Heytesbury was the next station heading towards Warminster and Wylye was the next station heading towards Salisbury. The original single platform was built on the north side of the line next to a level crossing. A passing loop was installed in 1897 which necessitated a second platform to be built towards Westbury. The line was doubled from Heytesbury in 1899 and on to Wylye in 1900. The Station was an important feature in both world wars, serving the army camp at Codford. A branch line was built in 1914 to connect the Army Camp to Codford Station. This branch was taken over at the end of the First World War by the Great Western Railway but closed in 1922. Codford Railway Station was closed to passenger services on 19th September, 1955 and its goods yard was closed on 10th June, 1963. The signal box remained in use until June, 1982. Trains still run between Warminster and Salisbury but no longer stop anywhere in between. Codford Railway Station Gallery
Land for Railway 1844 & 1847 Railway Branch to Open 1856
Weather Phenomena
Great Flood 1841 Summer Hailstorm of 1785 & Damage Caused 1853 Gale 1928
Crime and Legal Matters
| Wilts Quarter Sessions 1610-1614 | Committed to Unspecified Prison 1775-1883 | Smuggled Tobacco 1788 |
| Committed to Fisherton Gaol 1807-1848 | Inmates of Gloucester Gaol 1815-1879 | Committed to Devizes House of Corrections 1826-1872 |
| Offenders Fined in Lieu of Prison 1826-1888 | Codford & The Swing Riots 1830 | St. Peter & St. Mary v Thomas Topp 1824 |
| Bendall, Jnr. v. Goodfellow 1847 | Doughty v. Pearce 1848 | Dorset County Gaol & House Of Corrections Admission Registers 1849 & 1877 |
| 3 Runaway Boys 1859 | Gypsies Under Suspicion 1861 | Ann Sparey - Arson & Assault 1865-1866 |
| William Batt - Stolen Silver Watch Chain by Policeman 1883 | William Henry Line - Gardener Charged with Destroying Plants 1886 | James Haynes - Extraordinary Charge of False Pretences 1886 |
| Driver Fined 1926 | Extraordinary Behaviour of a Lunatic 1883 |
Transportation
| George Benbawl - 7 years for Larceny - 1821 | William Henrys - Death Commuted to 14 years for Burglary - 1825 | Benjamin Woods - 7 years for Larceny - 1841 |
| Praxell Alwood Hinwood - 10 years for Sending Threatening Letter - 1845 |
Directories
| Post Office 1849 | Post Office 1855 | Post Office 1859 | Harrods 1865 | Kellys 1867 | Post Office 1875 |
| Kellys 1880 | Kellys 1889 | Kellys 1895 | Kellys 1898 | Kellys 1903 | Kellys 1907 |
| Kellys 1911 | Kellys 1915 | Kellys 1920 | Kellys 1927 | Kellys 1939 | Post Office Telephone 1940 |
Education
Annual Fete for School Children 1854-1858
Emigration and Migration
Emigration to Australia
Free Passage to Australia Advertisements 1838 & 1848
Letters Home
Letter from Australia 1847
News Sought Back Home
Advertisement to Find John Fry & Josiah Hinwood 1857
Emigrration to Canada
Emigration to Canada Advertisements 1861 & 1874
Emigration to the United States of America
Anna Clancy - U.S. Passport Application 1923
Imigration into Britain
Naturalization Certificates 1935-1966
Employment and Business
Apprentices
UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices 1710-1811 Wiltshire Society Apprentices 1844-1910 Wiltshire Society Apprentice - Arthur Hinton 1877
Agriculture & Land
| Game List 1824-1848 | Game Licenses 1834 | Servant's Awards at Agricultural Shows 1840-1849 |
| Agriculture Report 1847 | Strike of Farm Labourers 1853 | Wiltshire Labourers 1871 |
| South Wilts Chamber of Agriculture Attendees 1883 & 1888 |
South Wilts Chamber of Agriculture 1890 |
Communications
British Postal Service Appointments 1737-1969
Comunity Services
Police Sergeant Reakes Retires 1932
Markets, Exhibitions & Shows
Warminster Industrial Exhibition 1869 Ram Sale Purchases 1869-1871
Railway
Railway Labourers' Strike Turns Violent 1854 Warminster & Salisbury Railway Workmen 1854 Railway Employees 1856-1915 Great Western Railway Employees Accidents 1914
Miscellaneous Documents
Complaints about High Prices of Necessaries 1847 Turkish Bath 1861
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
See Codford St. Mary for more information
People and Parish Notables
Accidents
John Rose 1855 Mother and Infants Drowned 1922
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Harmonic Society Inaugural Meeting 1835
Agricultural
Address to S. G. Osbourne 1866 Melksham Agricultural Society 1871
Friendly Societies
Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1827-1871 Codford Friendly Society 1848 Wiltshire Friendly Society 1848- & 1851
Bankruptcy
Bankrupts 1805-1869
Elections and Polls
Poll Book 1818 House of Commons Petitions 1833 MP Nominations 2015
Entertainment
Codford Annual Balls 1838-1866
Family Notices
1700-1849 1850-1899 1900-1949
Inquest Reports
| Eliza Ann Goodfellow 1843 | Charles Hann 1915 | Injury to Isaac James 1909 | George Lye 1915 |
| Henry Manning 1888 | William Miles 1888 | Ambrose Moody 1900 | Jane Mould 1858 |
| William Potticary 1855 | Sarah Topp 1866 | Austin Vincent 1915 | Herbert Wells 1915 |
| Frank Winter 1915 |
Number of Inquests Held Over Last 4 years in Parishes near Wilton 1840
Parish Notables
William Creed - 17th Century Rector of Codford St Mary
Robert Dampier 1799-1874 - Artist & Clergyman. Born and raised at Codford St Peter where his father was Rector
James Ingram 1774-1850 - An Oxford don & President of Trinity College, Oxford
Sir William Mahon, 7th Baronet born 1940 - a retired soldier, lives at Codford
Notable Inhabitants of Codford 1939
Sport
Boxing Match Between Lacock & Goodfellow 1825 Stag Hunt 1853
Taxes
UK Death Duty Registers 1796-1811
Uncategorised People Items
Donations for Flood at Shrewton 1841 Community Spirit Wins Top Award 2005
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
Codford came under the jurisdiction of Warminster Poor Law Union. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, usually one representing a constituent parish. Overseers of the Poor was another term used, their roles were similar in that they administered poor relief such as money, food and clothing as part of the Poor Law system. Usually Church wardens or Landowners were selected for these roles.
Probate
UK Extracted Probate Records 1536-1698 Probate Index 1538-1876 WSHC
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
War, Conflict and Military Matters
Codford was the demobilisation centre for Polish troops at the end of WWI and many settled in the area. During World War II, British, American & Polish soldiers were deployed in the Codford area. Among the troops stationed in Codford were 6th Guards Armoured Brigade consisting of 4th Grenadiers, 4th Coldstream & 3rd Scots Guards as well as 2nd Battalion of Welsh Guards. between 1941 & 1943. They were followed by the American 3rd Armoured Division September 1943 - June 1944.
| Why the Poppy | Records of Armed Forces - Army 1802-1837 | Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services 1810-1893 |
| Gabriel Sparey, Deserter of 5th Bn Wilts Local Militia 1811 | Rifle Corps 1860 | Wilts Rifle Volunteers Subscriptions 1868 |
| Autumn Manoeuvres 1872 | Obituary of Major-General Yeatman-Biggs 1898 | Register of Merchant Seamen 1913-1972 |
| Remembered in England 1920 | Visit to Soldiers' Graves 1920 | Australian Graves Abroad 1921 |
| Army Hutments for Sale 1922 | Gambling and Camp Life in General Remembered 1923 | Death of Mrs Walker, AIF Canteen Volunteer 1927 |
| R.A.F. Crash 1936 | Return to Codford 1936 | Sterner Days, Codford During WWII |
| Remembering Codford Camp 1983 | Search & Recovery of WWII Spitfire 2004-2005 | Recalling American Soldiers 2005 |
| Recalling Italian Prisoners of War 2005 | Prisoner of War Camps 2012 | Codford Remembers Great War Impact 2014 |
| Private Headstones Not Permitted for Australian Imperial Forces |
World War I
| Australian WWI Recruitment Posters | Photographs of Temporary Memorials of AIF Servicemen Sent to Next-of-Kin WWI | Soldiers Who Died in WWI Who Enlisted at Codford |
| Codford WWI Casualties Summary Table | Fund Raising for Recruit Recreation 1914 | Concerts at Codford 1915 |
| Entertainment for the Soldiers 1915 | Spies in Kitchener's Army 1915 | Concert in New Zealand Concert for Codford Camp 1916 |
| Inquest Report on Albert Hudson 1916 | Inquest Report on Joseph Lingard Kirk 1916 | Lieutenant and Quartermaster Charged 1916 |
| Message from Codford 1916 | Postcards Home from Pte. Michael J. Barritt 1916 | Anzacs Marrying English Women 1917 |
| Military Medal Awarded to Pte. E. Henderson 1917 | Services for the Catholics 1917 | Anzac Day Pilgrimage 1918 |
| Central Queenslander Contacts 1918 | Letters Home from Pte. Robert J. D. R. Phelan 1918 | Musketry Instructor, L/Cpl. J. Boyns Killed in Action 1918 |
| Western Australians in Camp 1918 | Australian Soldier Charged with Murder 1919 | Australian Troops Going Home 1919 |
| Deserter - Rex Thomas 1919 | Letters Home from L/Cpl. John R.Hawke 1919 | Lieutenant Lloyd Dowe Heading Home 1919 |
Casualties of WWI
| Edward Kent | Arthur John Johnson 1915 | Harry Cummins 1916 |
| William Walter Smith 1916 | Harold Henry Kitley 1917 | Hector James Down 1918 |
| Percy Pike 1918 |
Codford Camp
The Salisbury Plain area in Wiltshire had been used by the British Army for manoeuvres for at least 40 years before the start of World War I. As with many other villages located within and around the Salisbury Plain during World War I, Codford was chosen by the military as a training and transfer camp for troops on their way to the Western Front. Codford was chosen for its easy road access to Warminster and Salisbury; its rail line was extended from Codford Station to a branch line known as the Codford Camp Railway which was used to bring supplies and troops to and from the main line. At first the military camps at Codford consisted of tents; with the wet weather in the winter of 1914-15, the wet conditions made the area a muddy; unlikeable place, with roads becoming almost impassable. The tents were replaced with wooden army huts. The village, which had consisted of about 500 people, soon became full of temporary shops, cafes; barbers to cater for the troops in the area; its shifting population grew with anywhere between 2,000 and 4,000 troops and other service personnel. Codford had 15 camps located within its two parishes, which mainly comprised of British, Australian & New Zealand soldiers. In July, 1916, Codford was chosen as the site of the No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital. This was set up to serve the needs of New Zealand soldiers convalescing before either being returned back to the War or sent home.
Conditions at Codford Camp
Chalk Badges
Rising Sun Chalk Badge Gallery
In 1916, an Australian Commonwealth Military Force Badge - "The Rising Sun" was cut into a steep slope at the top of Lamb Down, near Codford, Wiltshire. It is less detailed in its design than a similar chalk emblem located at Fovant, Wiltshire.
"The Brigade Commander of the nearby garrison wanted to leave a visible Australian mark on the English countryside. Gazing out from the reading room of his headquarters at Stockton House, he came up with the idea of carving out a Rising Sun badge in the chalk hillside opposite, known as Lamb Down. The initial work on the badge was started by the 13th Training Battalion, Australian Imperial Force AIF. The badge was then embedded with green, brown and clear beer bottles to make it shine bronze like the badge worn on the Australian uniform. Maintaining the badge became the focus of punishment parades and as a result the spur on which it was carved was affectionately known as "Misery Hill" by Australian troops. The badge remained untouched until WW2 when it was covered over to prevent aircraft using it as a navigation aid. After the war it was uncovered, however, most of the glass had either washed away or sunk into the chalk below. The outline of the badge remains to this day.
Proudly worn in two World Wars, the Rising Sun, officially known as the General Service Badge of the Australian Imperial Forces, became one of the best recognised and honoured insignia of the allied armies and an integral part of the Digger tradition. Its distinctive shape, worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat is readily identified with the spirit of ANZAC." From Anzacs in Codford - Information board
| Anzacs (Map of Australia) 1928 | Restoration of the Rising Sun Chalk Emblem on Lamb Down 2010 | Chalk Badge Shines Bright Again 2013 |
| Chalk Badge Gets a Clean Up 2014 |
War Art & Poetry
War Art is produced to illustrate and record many aspects of war, whether allied or enemy, service or civilian, military or political, social or cultural. The work of the artist is to embrace the causes, course and consequences of conflict and has an essentially educational purpose. War Art records military activities in ways that cameras and the written word cannot.
War Art Army Poetry & Songs
