Widham
Widham is a small hamlet now encompassed within the village and parish of Purton, Wiltshire.
Originally, Widham consisted of a few houses along the highway and parts of Witts lane and the toll house at Collins lane, with Widham Common in the centre. In time, Purton engulfed the hamlet, and only one small area remains as Widham. This, in turn, was halved in the mid-19th century by the rail line between Swindon and Gloucester.
The related place name, Widhill, in the parish of Cricklade, can be found approximately 4 miles to the north near the A419 at Blunsdon.
During period of the Enclosure Acts, the common at Widham was awarded to the Earls of Shaftesbury along with 'foot rights' to the cottages around the common to the highway (which had been a private road with tolls collected at the toll house). The highway then became a public road. Tolls, however, continued to be collected into the late 19th century.
Pincocks Orchard, one of the last remaining private orchards in Purton and dating to the 18th century, lies behind the houses to the south of the railway. It was originally Thomas Pincock's orchard, but is now reduced in size to around half an acre. It is planted with greengage and other fruit trees.
Widham is shown in current Ordnance Survey(OS) maps as well as maps dating back to the 18th century, such as Andrews’ and Drury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1773, Andrews’ and Drury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1810 and the 1896 OS map.
Etymology
The name ‘Widham’ derives from two words - Druid and Hamlet.
The word 'Dru- wid' means 'oak-knowledge', while 'Ham' means homestead or peninsula (On the Andrews' & Drury's maps, 1773 & 1810, Widham can be seen lying between two small rivers/streams leading into the river Key which joins the river Thames at Cricklade.)
The English word 'wisdom' traces its origins to the primitive Germanic word 'wid', meaning 'to know'. 'Wid', in turn, is derived from the Sanskrit word 'veda', meaning 'external knowledge'
The suffix 'ham' could be derived from one of two words, 'Ham', the Saxon word meaning 'settlement', or 'hamm', meaning 'water meadow'. A 'ham' can also be a geographical feature roughly corresponding to a peninsula surrounded on three sides, usually by marsh. In the case at hand, such an ancient marsh may have later been drained to become a meadow as in the present day.
Ultimately, the Germanic word 'ham' meaning ‘meadow in the bend of a river’, ‘water meadow’, or ‘flood plain’, seems best suited to have served as the derivation of the second element of the place name 'Widham'.
References
- Enclosure's Acts 1744 – not available on line however the Act for Purton is available from Wiltshire County Council records office.
- Widham appears on maps up to the current OS maps. Need to search under Purton. 1887 Ordnance Survey Map – http://www.old-maps.co.uk/ Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1773 and 1810, 1896 OS map http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom.php?id=186.
- http://www.forestweb.org.uk/timerlandtrailpurton.pdf - Widham is shown, plus info on Collins Lane, Toll House.
- http://www.oodwooc.co.uk/ph_purton_vil.htm - pictures of Purton and the Toll House.
- http://www.media.wiley.com - more info on word ‘Wid’.
- http://www.krysstal.com/wordname.html - ‘Ham - Anglo Saxon word – Homestead/village.
- http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Shoreh10.htm - Meaning of place names – ‘Ham' - probably from the Saxon 'hamm', a geographical feature roughly corresponding to a peninsula surrounded on three sides, usually by marsh. Later the marsh may have been drained to become a meadow. Also a bend in a river or a river meadow?’. Also from the same site ‘ from the MLG word hamme, OE ham, hom, referring to the thigh (joined to the buttock like a peninsula) and the origin of the word ham for the joint of pigmeat.’
- http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getprinted.php?id=1034 - Information on Widhill.
- http://www.1881-census.co.uk - under Purton, Wiltshire, records of who lived at Widham, and number of houses.
- Pincock Orchard – can only be found in records relating to the 1744 Map – Copy of which, with legend, can be found at Purton Parish Council and on the Conveyance of the land. Photos are on line of the Orchard but within a private collection.