Winterbourne Rectories

The only information we currently have comes from CHB Eliot (1936):

There is no information as to the residence of the very early rectors. The first known rectory stood on the right-hand side near the entrance to the churchyard. Mr. Goodrick speaks of a large stone, in front of the house, on which the rector mounted his horse, and which had been lowered into the footpath. The date of its ceasing to be the rectory is not known. It was occupied in 1769 by Isaac Payne, Attorney-at-Law, who died in 1773, and at a later time by Mr. Jones, who became curate in 1813, and had a school for boys there for some years. The house was taken down in 1828, when the present houses were built on the site.

The date of the next rectory is not known, but Austen-Leigh says that it must have been of considerable age when it was taken down in 1834. It stood within the grounds of the present rectory; Donne's map of 1769 places it in the angle between Winterbourne Street and Church Lane, but the Survey map of 1827 represents it as being further north. It was approached from the street, which was then bordered by a strip of common, afterwards included in the grounds. The large barn was built by Mr. Warneford, rector from 1777-95.

and Ludwell

There appears to be no real evidence as to where the very early Rectory stood. It is known however that one early Rectory stood on the site of one or perhaps two of the present Church Cottages which were built in 1828. The next Rectory according to the Rev Austen-Leigh was a very old house near the junction of Church Lane and the High Street. This Rectory however was demolished in 1834 in which year the Rev Whitfield built the present Rectory. Unfortunately he died soon after its completion. Additions were made by the Rev Austen-Leigh but in 1954/5 it was found necessary to demolish part of the Rectory house mainly on account of its size and ever-increasing cost of maintenance. Included in the Rectory Property is the large 18th Century Tythe Barn once used for some of the Church Services (Under Licence). It was known as St Mary-at-the- Barn, having been converted for church use in 1954/5, and dedicated to St Mary on Palm Sunday 1962.

The Present Rectory

The present rectory, was built by Mr. Whitfield, rector, who borrowed the money for the purpose from Queen Anne's Bounty, and was completed in 1834, the year of his death. The main approach to it was from Church Lane. Mr. Austen-Leigh made some additions to the house. When Mr.Burrough became rector in 1914, the road from Church Lane was disused, a new one from Winterbourne Street being made. (Eliot 1936)

(Queen Anne's Bounty was a fund established in 1704 to augment the incomes of the poorer clergy of the Church of England. The bounty was funded by the tax (annates) on the incomes of all Church of England clergy, which was paid to the Pope until the Reformation, and thereafter to the Crown. In 1890, the total amount distributed was £176,896.)

Living here at the time of the 1881 census were:

Arthur H. AUSTIN LEIGH M 45 M Speen, Berkshire Head Rector Of Winterbourne Mary V. AUSTIN LEIGH M 22 F Swaffham, Norfolk Wife Mary D. AUSTIN LEIGH 3 F Winterbourn, Gloucester Daur Voilet W. AUSTIN LEIGH 1 F Winterbourn, Gloucester Daur Caroline AUSTIN LEIGH 1m F Winterbourn, Gloucester Daur Ellen H. HALLSAY M 44 F Haigh, Lancashire Mother In Law Gentlemans Wife

The following servants were listed as living at the Rectory in the 1881 census:

Mary Ann PORTSMOUTH M 45 F East Meon, Hampshire Sevt Cook (Dom) Margarett JAMES U 21 F Maidstone,Kent,England Servant Nurse (Dom) Emily M. GRAVEST OR GRAVETT U 25 F Epsom, Surrey Servant Parlour Maid Louisa F. LANG U 20 F Bradford Abbass, Dorset Servant House Maid Mary E. TUGWOOD U 14 F Boveney, Buckingham Servant Nursery Maid William PORTSMOUTH M 40 M Salford, Surrey Servant Coachman (D) Hannah HORSMAN M 55 F Thornbury, Gloucester Servant Monthly Nurse

Was this the living quarters for some of the servants?

The Stables

In 1882 a water surveyor wrote 'Some years ago it was proposed to supply a portion of Bristol with water from the Frampton Cotterell iron mines, which are in the Pennant, and the analysis made of the water showed it to be of good quality'. Subsequently a Frampton Cotterell iron mine was acquired by the West Gloucestershire Water Company. Bristol Waterworks laid a ten-inch water main in Winterbourne High Street in 1890, although main drainage was not laid in the High Street until 1954 and in Green Lane/Swan Lane in 1964.

So until the 1890s this pump was the source of fresh water for the Rectory!

"When Mr.Burrough became rector in 1914, the road from Church Lane was disused, a new one from Winterbourne Street being made."
This view shows the Rectory from the new one.