Highway, Wiltshire
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country= England
|static_image_name=St Peter's church, Highway - geograph.org.uk - 334170.jpg
|static_image_caption=Former Church of St Peter, Highway
|official_name= Highway
|coordinates = {{coord|51.469|-1.940|type:city(30)_region:GB-WIL|display=title}}
|population=
|population_ref=
|region= South West England
|civil_parish= Hilmarton
|unitary_england= Wiltshire
|lieutenancy_england= Wiltshire
|dial_code= 01249
|postcode_district= SN11
|postcode_area= SN
|post_town= Calne
|constituency_westminster = Chippenham
|os_grid_reference= SU043745
}}
Highway is a hamlet and former civil parish, now in the parish of Hilmarton, in Wiltshire, England. The hamlet lies about {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km}} southeast of Hilmarton village and {{convert|3+1/2|mi|km|0}} northeast of the town of Calne.
History
A settlement of 15 households was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and at this time most of the land was held by Malmesbury Abbey.{{OpenDomesday|SU0474|highway|Highway}} In 1219 the manor (together with Bremhill and Foxham) was transferred to the Bishop of Salisbury, and by this time Highway was probably a chapelry of Bremhill, northwest of Calne.{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 7 pp197-198 – Parishes: Highway|editor-first1=R.B.|editor-last1=Pugh|editor-first2=Elizabeth|editor-last2=Crittall|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol7/pp197-198|date=1953|publisher=University of London|access-date=1 April 2017}} In 1881 the civil parish had a population of 88.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10404939/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Highway CP/Ch through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=6 December 2023}}
The manor passed through various hands, including (from 1628) Sir John Glanville of Broad Hinton, a member of parliament who served as Speaker and as King's Serjeant. In 1936 the estate was inherited by Raymond Anthony Addington, 6th Viscount Sidmouth, and continues today as the family seat.
Highway was a large village, with a population of 148 recorded at the 1831 census.{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 4 pp315-361 – Table of population, 1801-1951|editor-first=Elizabeth|editor-last=Crittall|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol4/pp315-361|publisher=University of London|date=1959|access-date=23 February 2017}} The village declined as Calne grew,{{cite book |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |authorlink1=Nikolaus Pevsner |last2=Cherry |first2=Bridget (revision) |year=1975 |origyear=1963 |title=Wiltshire |series=The Buildings of England |edition=2nd |place=Harmondsworth |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=0-14-0710-26-4 |page=268}} with most inhabitants having left by the early 20th century. Today Highway is a hamlet consisting of the manor house, a farm, the former church and a small number of houses.{{cite web|website=Wiltshire Community History|title=Hilmarton|url=https://apps.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityhistory/Community/Index/117|publisher=Wiltshire Council|access-date=2 April 2017}}
The only listed building is Stratton Cottage, formerly two cottages and now a house, which dates from the 17th century.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1183523|desc=Stratton Cottage|access-date=2 April 2017}}
Church
Highway was a chapelry of St Martin's, Bremhill. St Peter's church was a 12th-century building but was too small for the 19th-century population, and was almost entirely rebuilt in 1866–67 to designs of William Butterfield at the expense of Archdeacon Harris, vicar of Bremhill. The new building had a simple rectangular plan with a south porch and was constructed in stone with a roof of stone slates; the western bell-turret was in timber and roofed in shingles.{{cite web|website=Wiltshire Community History|title=Church of St. Peter, Highway|url=https://apps.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityhistory/Church/Details/1355|publisher=Wiltshire Council|access-date=2 April 2017}}
Highway was transferred to Hilmarton parish in 1952, the name of the benefice becoming 'Hilmarton and Highway'.{{London Gazette |issue=39604 |date=22 July 1952 |pages=3946–3947 }} The church was confirmed as redundant in 1971{{London Gazette |issue=45507 |date=28 October 1971 |page=11650 }} and became a private dwelling, described by Pevsner in 1975 as "recently converted".
Local government
The parish of Highway was a detached part of Potterne and Cannings hundred, surrounded by Kingsbridge hundred. On 26 March 1890 the parish was abolished and merged with Hilmarton.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10404939|title=Relationships and changes Highway CP/Ch through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=6 December 2023}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Commons category}}