civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

Bourne Bourne may refer to: Places UK * Bourne, Lincolnshire, a town ** Bourne Abbey ** Bourne railway station * Bourne (electoral division), West Sussex * Bourne SSSI, Avon, a Site of Special Scientific Interest near Burrington, North Somerset * Bourne ...

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

Wilbury House Wilbury House or Wilbury Park is an 18th-century Neo-Palladian country house in the parish of Newton Tony, Wiltshire in South West England, about northeast of Salisbury. It is a Grade I listed building, and the surrounding park and garden are Gra ...

Port Way Port Way (also known as the Portway) is an ancient road in southern England, which ran from Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester, in modern-day Hampshire) in a south-westerly direction to Sorbiodunum (Old Sarum, Wiltshire). Often associated with the ...

Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

Tosny Tosny () is a former commune in the Eure department in Normandy in northern France, some ten miles south of Rouen. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Les Trois Lacs.Alice de Toeni (c.1284–c.1325), later Countess of Warwick. The

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...

, no longer standing, was in the north of the village; from the later 17th century it was the home of the Fiennes family. From 1710 it was superseded by

Wilbury House Wilbury House or Wilbury Park is an 18th-century Neo-Palladian country house in the parish of Newton Tony, Wiltshire in South West England, about northeast of Salisbury. It is a Grade I listed building, and the surrounding park and garden are Gra ...

, about north-east of the village. A church had been built by the 12th century; the present church is a complete rebuild of 1844. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built in 1877 and closed in 1981. Until the late 20th century, the name of the village and parish was Newton Toney.

Governance

Most local government functions are carried out by Wiltshire Council, a

unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

. The parish forms part of the

electoral division An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

of Winterslow and Upper Bourne Valley, which elects one councillor. Newton Tony is represented in the House of Commons as part of the constituency of

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

. Since the 2010 general election, Salisbury has been represented in Parliament by the Conservative MP John Glen.

Geography

Newton Tony is approximately north-east of its post town,

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

, about north-west of

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

and about south-east of

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

. Nearby towns and villages include Cholderton, Allington,

Amesbury Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...

and

Grateley Grateley is a village and civil parish in the north west of Hampshire, England. The name is derived from the Old English ''grēat lēah'', meaning 'great wood or clearing'. The village is divided into two distinct settlements, apart: the old vi ...

. Newton Tony lies in the valley of the River Bourne, which cuts through the village.

Religious sites

Newton Tony - St Andrews Church - geograph

The

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

of St Andrew was built in 1844 to a design in 14th-century style by

Thomas Henry Wyatt Thomas Henry Wyatt (9 May 1807 – 5 August 1880) was an Anglo-Irish architect. He had a prolific and distinguished career, being elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1870–73 and being awarded its Royal Gold Medal for A ...

and David Brandon, replacing an older church on the same site. According to one source, it was built at the expense of the Malet family; inside are monuments to several of their members. The Grade II listed building is in flint with limestone dressings, and above the south porch rises a short tower with a shingled spire. The stone font, a plain bowl, is 12th-century. One of the four bells was cast at the Salisbury foundry c.1499. Today the parish is within the area of the Bourne Valley group, alongside five neighbouring rural parishes. The five-bay former rectory, uphill from the church, was built for Reverend John Akins in 1778, in Flemish brick on a stone plinth. A redbrick Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built in the High Street in 1877; it closed in 1981.

Notable buildings

Wilbury House Wilbury House or Wilbury Park is an 18th-century Neo-Palladian country house in the parish of Newton Tony, Wiltshire in South West England, about northeast of Salisbury. It is a Grade I listed building, and the surrounding park and garden are Gra ...

is an 18th-century house designed by William Benson. It has been designated a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. A combined

summer house A summer house or summerhouse has traditionally referred to a building or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. This would often take the form of a small, roofed building on the grounds of a larger one, but could also be built in a garden ...

and ice house in the grounds, from the same date, is designated Grade II*. West Farmhouse, at the north end of the village, is a flint and limestone building from the 17th century which incorporates part of a 15th-century house. At the south end, Manor Farm is from the late 18th century.

Railways

In 1857 the London and South Western Railway company opened a line from

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia * Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Ando ...

to Milford station at Salisbury, which crosses the parish south-east of Newton Tony village, parallel to the Port Way. The railway remains in use as part of the West of England Main Line; the nearest station is

Grateley Grateley is a village and civil parish in the north west of Hampshire, England. The name is derived from the Old English ''grēat lēah'', meaning 'great wood or clearing'. The village is divided into two distinct settlements, apart: the old vi ...

, some east of Newton Tony village. The Amesbury and Military Camp Light Railway, opened in 1902, connected with the main line to the east of the village. It carried largely military goods and passengers to

Amesbury Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...

, extending later to Bulford, Larkhill and

Rollestone Rollestone is a small village and former civil parish on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. It is near the River Till. Its nearest town is Amesbury, about away to the east. For local government purposes, Rollestone was added to Shrewton ...

. There was a station with two platforms, a goods siding and cattle yard west of Newton Tony, to the south of the Allington road. The line closed to passengers in 1952 and to goods in 1963, after which the track was dismantled.

Amenities

Newton Tony C of E Primary School serves the village and neighbouring communities. It was opened in the 1950s on the same site as a national school built in 1857, which was destroyed by fire. Land for the school had been given by Sir Alexander Malet. The village has a recreation ground and a village hall. The village

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

, the ''Malet Arms'', is in a building from the early 18th century.

RSPB nature reserve

The

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

bought Manor farm in 2005 and manage it as RSPB Winterbourne Downs for the benefit of farmland wildlife, especially the

stone curlew The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...

. Some fields continue to be grazed by livestock, while over have been returned to chalk grassland. The nature reserve abuts

Porton Down Porton Down is a science park in Wiltshire, England, just northeast of the village of Porton, near Salisbury. It is home to two British government facilities: a site of the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl ...

, where there is further protected grassland and a

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

.

Notable people

Thomas West, 1st Baron West inherited the manor from his father in 1386. Nathaniel Fiennes, MP, officer in the Parliamentarian army and

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

's Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, was lord of the manor in later life and died at Newton Tony in 1669. His daughter Celia (1662–1741), brought up there, became well known for a series of books recording her travels around Britain. Sir William Benson bought the house and manor sometime after 1691, and his son, also

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, built

Wilbury House Wilbury House or Wilbury Park is an 18th-century Neo-Palladian country house in the parish of Newton Tony, Wiltshire in South West England, about northeast of Salisbury. It is a Grade I listed building, and the surrounding park and garden are Gra ...

around 1710. Later owners included Fulke Greville (1717–1806),

Sheriff of Wiltshire This is a list of the Sheriffs and (after 1 April 1974) High Sheriffs of Wiltshire. Until the 14th century, the shrievalty was held '' ex officio'' by the castellans of Old Sarum Castle. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Go ...

for 1744, and later MP for

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

and a minor diplomat. Between 1803 and 1925, Wilbury was the home of the Malet baronets, beginning with Sir Charles (1752–1815) who had been created a baronet in 1791 for his diplomatic services in India, while an official of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

; his son and grandson were also diplomats. The house, park and two farms were bought in 1939 by

Edward Grenfell, 1st Baron St Just Edward Charles Grenfell, 1st Baron St Just (29 May 1870 – 26 November 1941), was a British banker and politician. His father, Henry Riversdale Grenfell, was Governor of the Bank of England between 1881 and 1883. William Grenfell, 1st Baron ...

, a partner in the merchant bank Morgan, Grenfell & Co., MP for the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...

and a director of the Bank of England. His son Peter (1922–1984) inherited in 1941, and his second wife

Maria Britneva Maria Britneva, Baroness St Just, (2 July 1921 – 15 February 1994) was a Russian-British actress who was a close friend of Tennessee Williams. As co-trustee of the trust which he set up for his sister, she became his literary executor. Earl ...

continued to live there until 1994. Wilbury was owned and restored from 1996 by Miranda Guinness, widow of

Benjamin Guinness Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, 1st Baronet (1 November 1798 – 19 May 1868) was an Irish brewer and philanthropist. Brewer Born in Dublin, he was the third son of the second Arthur Guinness (1768–1855), and his wife Anne Lee, and a grandson of ...

of the Dublin brewing family, and inherited by her son Rory in 2010. George Whitaker had been the first provost at

Trinity College, Toronto Trinity College (occasionally referred to as The University of Trinity College) is a college federated with the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Strachan originally intended Trinity as a university of strong Angli ...

and Archdeacon of York, Toronto. After he retired from his posts in Canada in 1881 he was appointed as rector of Newton Tony, but died the next year.

References

External links

Newton Toney Parish Council
{{authority control Civil parishes in Wiltshire Villages in Wiltshire

History

Governance

Geography

Religious sites

Notable buildings

Railways

Amenities

RSPB nature reserve

Notable people

References

External links