Enford Information Board

For where to visit, eat, and stay VALE OF PEWSEY 8 HISTORIC SITES 3 1 in association with 6 pewsey heritage centre ENFORD 7 pewseyheritagecentre.org.uk 2 4 Police Murder and Suicide In 1913 Enford came under the glare of the 5 national media after a sensational murder and suicide. William Crouch, the Sergeant at Netheravon (right), was involved in a disciplinary case against Constable Pike, charged with being in a public house (The Three Horseshoes in Enford) while on duty. Found guilty on 31 March 1913, Pike was told he would be moved to another post: Pike accused Sergeant Crouch of lying. Later that evening, Constable The parish of Enford contains Enford village, and includes the villages and hamlets of Compton, Fifield, East Chisenbury, West 10 Pike left his home to go on his round, taking a shotgun with him. It The Royal School of Artillery is based nearby at Larkhill, and live Chisenbury, Littlecott, New Town, Longstreet and Coombe. Until the 16th century, these were considered separate settlements and is believed that he shot Sergeant Crouch in the head at the bottom firing is conducted on the plain to the west of Enford all year were taxed independently. of Coombe Hill then killed himself on the footbridge (10) between round. Access to Salisbury Plain Training Area is regulated Coombe and Fifield. Pike’s body was found the next day floating in by various range byelaws. Always comply with local A brief history Longstraw thatch being harvested the River Avon. signs and flags. Rights of way in Range Danger There is archaeological evidence showing human activity in this area from the Areas are closed when red flags are flying. late Stone Age more than 4,500 years ago. In the Iron Age (2,000 to 3,000 years ago) there was a settlement at Lidbury Camp (1) to the east of East Chisenbury and it is thought this continued into time of Roman occupation Wildlife in about 43AD. There are numerous tumuli (ancient burial mounds) dotted 9 Because much of the large military around the parish, including Compton Burial mound (2). At about 50m in training area is inaccessible to the public, diameter it is one of the largest round barrows in Wiltshire. Some 470 round Salisbury Plain is a haven for wildlife. barrows are known to have existed on Salisbury Plain, many grouped together Including the largest expanse of unimproved Adonis Blue butterfly as cemeteries, including some 70 barrows of rare types. Such is the quality of chalk downland in north west Europe, over 40% the survival of the archaeological landscape, over 300 of these barrows have of what survives in Britain of this important habitat, been identified as of national importance. the plain supports 13 species of nationally rare and scarce plants, 67 of rare and scarce invertebrates, and is a site of international importance for birds. examples of local domestic building architecture. For example, you can find Historic Airfields Compton burial mound Deer and hare are often seen on the plain and otters have been seen in and walls made from cob (compressed clay and straw), clunch (a soft, workable Two of the Royal Flying Corps’ earliest airfields, among the oldest around the river at Enford. limestone material), and flint, as well as traditional brickwork and stone. continuously used air bases in the world, are within a short distance. The Sometimes a mixture of these materials is used in decorative patterns. You will RFC was the air arm of the British Army during the First World War, which A walk on Salisbury Plain reveals a huge variety of flora and fauna. also see an abundance of buildings with a thatched roof: most use a long straw merged with the Royal Naval Air Service in 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. In summer, rare plants such as the Tuberous Thistle and sourced locally and grown and harvested specially for thatch. Another local orchids are attended by Adonis blue, Dark Green Upavon (8) What became the RAF’s central flying school was established at tradition is the use of thatch for the coping of walls, and there are several fine Fritillary and Brimstone butterflies. The Upavon on 12 May 1912. Second world war flying ace, Douglas Bader went examples of this in Enford. plain is an important refuge for birds to Upavon for a flying test in 1939 to show he could still fly fighter aircraft such as the Stone Curlew, Skylark, after having lost both legs in a flying accident some 8 years before. Wheatear, Lapwing, a great variety of All Saints’ Church Netheravon (9) Netheravon Airfield was established in 1913 and buildings chats and finches, Quail, Short-Eared The existence of a church at Enford is indirectly mentioned in 1086 in the from this period still survive on the site. The first Royal Flying Corp fatal air Owl, and significant populations Domesday Book where it refers to a priest, implying that Enford had some crash in the first world war occurred at Netheravon Airfield on 12th August of Hen Harrier in winter and 1914 within 2 weeks of the start of the war. The fourth aircraft of four to Montagu’s Harrier and Hobby form of church. The Swan: hospitality through the generations leave the airfield for France on that day banked too sharply and crashed, in summer. The world’s heaviest Two of the most important prehistoric sites in the world are located not far The current church (4) was built in the 13th century but there are sections killing Second Lieut. Robin B. Skene and Air-Mechanic R.K. Barlow. flying bird, the Great Bustard has from Enford. Stonehenge is about 10km to the south and Avebury about visible, such as some walls and the remnants of an arch, which have been The Swan, Enford been reintroduced onto Salisbury 20km to the north. It is known that the huge sarsen stones at Stonehenge dated to a much earlier time, possibly Saxon. The bells of the church date Plain in recent years and it is not The Swan in Longstreet (5) is in a thatched building that dates back to the Hobby came from the Marlborough Downs close to Avebury. Some archaeologists from the 16th century. In 1913, all five were recast and a 6th was also added Salisbury Plain Training Area unusual to spot one nearby. by a Mr John Taylor of Loughborough. 17th century. It is one of the few public houses in the UK to retain a sign believe that these stones were dragged through Enford (or floated down the The army first conducted exercises on the plain in 1898. Over the next 40 years River Avon) about 4,500 years ago. hung across the width of the road. The building is owned by a small group of In 1817, the spire was struck by lightning and fell, damaging the south porch villagers who each hold individual shares. the Ministry of Defence continued to purchase large areas of land up until the At Chisenbury Warren (3) to the north-east of East Chisenbury is one of the and doorway. The spire was not replaced, but the sundial which was also Second World War. The MoD now owns 150 square miles (390 km2) of land, best preserved examples of a ‘native’ Romano-British village, which was partially damaged was replaced by a clock. The original clock had no face and villagers roughly half the total area of the plain, making it the largest military training excavated in 1993. Evidence of Saxon settlements was also found here. probably told the time by the chiming of the clock bell every hour. A face and The Red Lion, East Chisenbury ground in the United Kingdom. hands were added when it was repaired in 1846. The earliest written mention of Enford was in the Saxon Charter of 934, The Red Lion (6) public house, with 19th century origins, was originally a when it was known as ‘Enedford’ which means ‘ford of the ducks’. At this beer house. Following a fire it was re-roofed with thatch. This too is a free time there would have been about 300 people living in the area covered by house, now noted for its restaurant. the modern parish. The population of Enford grew steadily over the years, peaking at 961 in the 1831 census. Since then there has been a gradual decline starting in the 1860s, probably because young men left the area in River Avon order to find work elsewhere. In 2001, the census showed 511 people lived in Our River Avon (7) is sometimes known as the ‘Christchurch’ or ‘Hampshire’ the parish of Enford. Avon to avoid confusion with the river that passes from the north of Wiltshire into the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth. The Avon that flows through Enford rises in Pewsey Vale and reaches the English Channel at Christchurch Architecture Harbour in Dorset. The water meadows that border the river often flood in The many listed buildings in the parish include Chisenbury Priory, The winter, absorbing the excess rainfall and protecting Amesbury and Salisbury Church of All Saints at Enford, The Swan Inn and several houses and cottages downriver from flooding. The bridge over the river was replaced in 2012: in East Chisenbury, Fifield and Enford. Some are mentioned below, but if you believed to be the third at this location, the first was completed in 1844 and Montagu’s Harrier inset: Great Bustard have the chance take a walk through the village and you will see delightful All Saints’ Church and wall with thatched coping made of cast iron.

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