The Stratford-sub-Castle area has been lived in more or less continuously (with the possible exception of part of the Saxon period) since at least the Bronze Age. Evidence for this earliest activity is seen in the burial mounds (barrows) that have been found near the hilltop in the north of the parish.

One of the most defining periods however occurs in the Iron Age when the spur of land in the east of the parish was transformed into a hill fort. This took place sometime between 600 BC and 300 BC. The main external earthworks were constructed and the fort, at the junction of several ancient trade routes, clearly became an important centre although the limits of the territory under its control remain uncertain.

It appears that the Atrebates, who were the tribe living in the area at the time of the Roman conquest (43 AD), were already somewhat Romanised and were sympathetic to the invading army. No firm evidence has yet been found for a Roman fort and it is known that the Romans rapidly reached Dorchester where a very bloody battle was fought against the anti-Roman Durotriges tribe. The Roman -British built settlements to the East (on Bishopdown) and along the road to Dorchester (near the current Portway). The received wisdom has always been that Sorviodunum (Roman Salisbury) was an oppidum, a small trading town, albeit at the junction of some important roads. Recent research by David James (1) however raises the possibility that Sorviodunum was of significantly greater size and importance. This view may be supported by the fact that Sorviodunum was one of only 10 British cities that enjoyed the advantages of the Latian Laws (2).

After the withdrawal of the Roman army in 410 AD the Romano-Britons continued to live in Sorviodunum until the Saxons arrived in the 6th C. After consolidating their position between Southampton and Downton in the first half of the century they eventually launched an attack on the hill fort in 552. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle states, "In this year Cynric fought against the Britons in the place which is called Searobyrg (or Searoburh) and put the Britons to flight". Unfortunately there is very little archaeological evidence from the sub-Roman and early Saxon period at Old Sarum.

However, in the later Saxon period, when the Vikings were marauding the coastal areas of British Isles, the defences of Old Sarum were refurbished. King Alfred (871 - 899) issued an order to Leofric, Earl of Wiltonscire in 871 to preserve the castle of Sarum and to make another ditch defended by Pallisades. This ditch is the second ring and exhibits classical late Saxon characteristics. Searobyrg had become a place of some importance. King Edgar (943 - 975) held a Council at Searobyrg in 960. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle records for 1003, "Swein led his army into Wilton and they ravaged and burnt the borough, and he betook him then to Sarisberie and from there went back to the sea". It's unlikely that Swein would have come to Old Sarum unless there was something worth pillageing. Soon after this event a number of moneyers from Wilton are found at Old Sarum minting coins during the reign of King Canute (1018 - 1035). This suggests that the area was a borough because, under the laws laid down by King Athelstan, mints were one of the attributes of a borough.

In the years immediately before the Norman Conquest Old Sarum seems to have been one of the two most important mints in the shire and probably one of its most advanced trading centres. It seems to have entirely surrounded by a large estate, of some 9 sq miles, which was in the possession of the Bishop of Ramsbury and Sherborne (3).

With the coming of the Normans, more written records augment the Anglo Saxon Chronicle and our fairly sparse archeaology. William the Conquerer visited Sarisberie at least twice; first in 1070 when he reviewed and paid off the army which had invaded England, and secondly in 1085 when he held a "Great Council" which, it is said, 60,000 people attended. The Domesday Book was presented to King William at this Council, and all the principal landowners, the prelates, nobles, sheriffs and knights, then swore fealty to him becoming his vassals and introducing the feudal system to England.

The Domesday Book, which was partially written at Sarisberie, does not specifically mention Stratford and it is impossible to establish who was living here are that time (c1085). However, the name Stratford first appears in a document in 1091 (4). The name refers to the point where the Roman road crosses the Avon. This has generally been assumed to be at Tadpole Island, implying that the manor of Stratford referred to the Portway area. Recent research by John Chandler (5) throws doubt on this however. He has suggested that the Portway area was probably called Newtown and he believes that the term Stratford refers to a crossing further up the valley at, or near, what is now Stratford Bridge.

Old Sarum flourished under the Normans. A royal castle was built inside the old hill fort and it became the seat of the bishop when, in 1075, the Council of London decreed that sees should be transferred from smaller places (in this case Sherborne) to towns of importance. Bishop Hereman (or Herman) started to build a cathedral in 1078 but died before it could be completed. His successor, Bishop Osmund, consecrated the new cathedral on 5th April 1092. It is said to have been struck by lightning 5 days later but was quickly repaired and remained in use for nearly 100 years. Bishop Osmund set up a chapter of canons and he ensured their livelihood by providing them with income from land. Hoare tells us in his History of Wiltshire (6), "The manors of Stratford and Stratford Dean were apparently the lands which, by the liberality of Osmund, were vested in the Dean and canons. These were lands occupied by tenants of the church who established their dwellings .... especially in the space between the fortress and the river, forming suburbs, possibly more extensive and certainly more commodiously situated than the burgh itself."

Although it was the smallest cathedral in England, Osmund appears to have attracted a considerable number of learned men to Sarisberie (7) and the output of manuscripts far exceeded that appropriate to the size of the cathedral. One of Osmund's major contributions was the new order of service which became known as the "Use of Sarum". This integrated the English and Norman forms of worship and became the model for the Prayer Book in use today. Osmund died in 1099 and was canonised in 1457.

Osmund's successor, Bishop Roger, managed to gain control of the castle (by being appointed sheriff) as well as the church and set about extending and enhancing both. He built the wall around the castle and started to enlarge the cathedral. Unfortunately he then threw in his lot with Stephen in his war with Maud (Matilda) but the ungrateful king had him arrested and thrown into Devizes castle where he died soon after. Maud eventually seized Old Sarum and appointed Jocelin as Bishop. On Stephen's death, Maud's son became Henry II and Jocelin later supported him in his dispute with Thomas Beckett, being twice excommunicated for his action.

John Chandler (5) believes that it was Bishop Roger who built Newtown to the south and west of Old Sarum roughly where the Portway runs today. This would suggest that Stratford already existed as a small village near today's Stratford Bridge. We know, from excavations carried out by Carenza Lewis (of Channel 4's Time Team) in 19xx that there was a substantial medieval village between Stratford Bridge and St Lawrence Church. Evidence has also been found of medieval dwellings along Philips Lane. This would explain why the church is situated right on the edge of today's village. We do not know why this village disappeared however. Many medieval villages were abandoned during the great plagues of the 14th century and perhaps this was the fate of Stratford. Newtown seems to have continued however as there is evidence of it in 1453, well after the plague-driven abandonments of the 14th century. And, even though the church had moved away and the castle had been abandoned, Old Sarum continued to send represenatives to parliament, eventually becoming the "rottenest of rotten boroughs". If the area had been abandoned, as has to date been the assumption, it is inconceivable that parliamentary representation would have continued in this way.

The next references to Stratford come in the mid 17th century in a survey of church lands. John Chandler (5) describes the tithe appportionment to the Prebendary of Stratford as "a series of rectangular blocks bordering the Portway and extending northwards towards the hillfort's east gate". A map from a deed of 1804 shows this area in some detail and a number of houses/cottages can be seen. Interestingly the Portway extends south west beyond the end of Castle Keep in this map and it seems clear that the main street of the village/hamlet was the Portway with the roads to New Sarum and Stratford running off from it. Click here to see this map superimposed upon today's village.

The late 17th century sees the arrival of Thomas "Diamond" Pitt. He bought the manor of Stratford and lived in the house now known as Mawarden Court. At this stage it is unclear how many dwellings there were in this part of the village although it is clear that several cottages and some larger houses had been built between Mawarden Court and the Portway. Ownership of Stratford manor included control of the two parliamentary seats and Thomas, followed by several members of his family, sat in parliament for the borough. Thomas' grandson William Pitt (the elder) sat for Old Sarum but his precocious son (Pitt the younger) did not, preferring his university seat in Cambridge. The Pitt family did not live in Stratford for very long. Thomas preferred Swallowfield, his estate in Berkshire, but they retained the lease on Mawarden Court throughout the 18th century.

The 19th century brings us to the Reform Act and the removal of Old Sarum's right to send two members to parliament. By 1831 there were 3 electors in Old Sarum and the Act swept away 60 such boroughs (between them sending 119 members to parliament) and reduced the members of 46 other boroughs from two to one. The village expanded significantly during this century. In 1861 there were 263 people living in the parish, a quarter of whom were agricultural labourers, presumably working for one of the two farmers living in the parish. There were 85 children, of whom 56 were classified as scholars. As there was only one schoolmistress it would seem that she had her work cut out! Most of the rest were local craftsmen/women (blacksmiths, carpenter, thatcher, sawyer, millers, dressmakers, laundresses) or servants (26) with only a very small number earning their living in other ways (police constable, bank manager and bank clerk). There was a steam engine driver but it is unclear whether this was an agricultural engine or not. It was clearly a very rural and self-contained community.

The evolution from this rural community to today's status as a suburb of Salisbury remains to be explored. Analysis of the census returns for 1871 - 1901 should give some clues and much data will be found in Salisbury Museum and the County Record Office.

David Balston, August 2005

1: WANHM, 95 (2002), pp1-26
2. Richard of Cirericesler, p. 31, 68, 113
3: Victoria County History, Wilts. ii, pp 16-18 (check this)
4: Reg. St. Osmund, i, 198 (what is this)
5. Sarum Chronicle, Issue 4, 2004, pp22-30
6. Hoare, History of Wiltshire, 18xx, p31
7. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: volume 4, 1991, pp. 21-39

This section has been prepared by David Balston with information gleaned from Wiltshire Archaeology Service, many books borrowed from Salisbury Museum and papers by John Chandler and David James.

Any errors are the author's and he would be pleased to receive corrections or alternative interpretations.

It is hoped that neighbours will be enthused by the rich history and wish to explore some of the times further. There is much still to understand.

Wiltshire County Archaeology

Salisbury Museum