Leigh Delamere Explained

Country:England
Coordinates:51.512°N -2.168°W
Label Position:bottom
Official Name:Leigh Delamere
Civil Parish:Grittleton
Unitary England:Wiltshire
Lieutenancy England:Wiltshire
Region:South West England
Constituency Westminster:North Wiltshire
Post Town:Chippenham
Postcode District:SN14
Postcode Area:SN
Dial Code:01249
Static Image:St. Margaret's Church, Leigh Delamere - geograph.org.uk - 123903.jpg
Static Image Caption:St Margaret of Antioch Church

Leigh Delamere is a small village in the civil parish of Grittleton in the English county of Wiltshire, about 4miles northwest of the town of Chippenham. The M4 motorway passes some 250 metres to the south, and the motorway's Leigh Delamere services lie to the east of the village.

The civil parish of Leigh Delamere (which included the hamlet of Sevington, about one mile southwest of the village) was absorbed by Grittleton parish on 1 April 1934.[1] [2] In 1931 the parish had a population of 96.[3]

Buildings

The village comprises a church, a former farm, eight almshouses and eight houses.

The rebuilding of the church (1846) and the construction of the Tudor-style row of almshouses (1848) were at the expense of Joseph Neeld, who bought the Grittleton estate in 1828 after inheriting a large sum. In both cases the architect was James Thomson, who also worked on the rectory (1846, also in Tudor style) and Grittleton House (from 1832).

Manor Farmhouse is from the 17th century, with alterations for Neeld in 1842. A separate large barn is from the 18th or early 19th century.

St Margaret's Church

See main article: St Margaret of Antioch Church, Leigh Delamere. St Margaret's Church was built on the site of a previous 12th-century church in 1846 and dedicated to Margaret the Virgin. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[4]

Bybrook benefice

The benefices of Leigh Delamere and Grittleton were united in 1924. In the 1990s the benefices of Biddestone with Slaughterford, Castle Combe, Grittleton and Leigh Delamere, Nettleton and Burton with Littleton Drew, West Kington and Yatton Keynell were united[5] to form the Bybrook benefice; North Wraxall joined at a later date.[6] The benefice is part of the Chippenham Deanery in the Diocese of Bristol.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: British History Online. Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 4 pp315-361 – Table of population, 1801–1951. Elizabeth. Crittall. University of London. 1959. 22 January 2017.
  2. Web site: Relationships and changes Leigh Delamere CP/AP through time. A Vision of Britain through Time. 6 December 2023.
  3. Web site: Population statistics Leigh Delamere CP/AP through time. A Vision of Britain through Time. 6 December 2023.
  4. Web site: Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire . Churches Conservation Trust . 23 December 2022.
  5. News: 26 December 1994 . Church news . 15 . The Times . 65147.
  6. Web site: Chippenham Deanery . 2022-05-27 . Diocese of Bristol.
  7. Web site: Bybrook Team Ministry. 20 January 2017.