The Wiltshire Washbourns of New Zealand
Photo Gallery - Places
Wichenford Court in Worcestershire - owned by early members of the Washbourne family for some 300 years between about 1408 and 1712. These pictures came from a sale brochure produced in 2014 when the Court and its surrounds were put up for sale.
Wichenford Church from the south. This church, located about 7-8 km north-west of the City of Worcester, was the Washbourne's local church for about 350 years.
Wichenford Church, Worcs. - adjoining the west wall is the restored tomb of John Washbourn (1575~1615) and his wife Elizabeth. The Washbourne Arms can be seen on the wall above, beside former bell clappers above Roger and Marie. The baptismal font is in the right foreground. A list of the vicars of Wichenford is hung on the wall to the left. Picture taken in 2013.
In the Lea Church grounds the tomb of the oldest direct ancestor of the Wiltshire Branch of the family can be found. It is the altar tomb in front of Marie Washbourn and an un-named church vestryman. The tomb is of John Washbourn (1706-1750) - Generation 16 in the chart. Although John died in Yatesbury, he was returned to his old parish at Lea for burial.
John Washbourn's tomb at Lea. The inscription is fading but parts of it are still legible. His name is clear, but the supporting verse is difficult to read. The legend is reproduced in Richard Washbourn's 1961 history. Both John and is wife Anne are contained in this tomb; there are inscriptions in the sandstone on both sides of their tomb.
The Cherhill White Horse cut in the chalk, south of the A4, near Calne. It was this horse which led Uncle Pete in 1910 to find Yatesbury where there are Washbourn tombs, and gave Richard Washbourn a starting point when he began his family investigations in the 1950s.
Hankerton Church in northern Wiltshire. Washbourn progenitors moved to this parish from Crudwell in the early 1600s. Robert Washbourn of Cloatley (1612~1670) lived in this parish, followed by his son and grandson, all Roberts, completing a service of close to 100 years. There are no headstones here, but a number of Washbourn entries can be found in the parish records.
These 3 tombs at Yatesbury Church in southern Wiltshire are occupied by Washbourn family members. Nearest the church : Ann Washbourn, sister of John, who married William Caswell. In the middle are Mary Caswell Washbourn and husband John Walter, and in the foreground are John Washbourn (1739~1797) and wife Susannah Walter. [The ivy had to be removed from the frontmost tomb to be able to read the inscriptions.]
In Yatesbury Church: a peal of bells was hung in 1773. The Churchwardens - including John Washbourn (1739-1797) - had their names inscribed on one of the bells, as seen above. (This is the same John who occupies one of the tombs at left.)
Tillingdown Farm in Surrey, near Caterham - from a picture taken in 1928. Richard Washbourn lived here from about 1825 until 1841, then William Everley Washbourn and his family occupied this farm until they emigrated in 1851. [Later photos show some changes to the house, with removal of some of the chimneys and clearance of vegetation.]
Photo supplied by Sally Baber.
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(Cousin Sally Baber (née Washbourn) tells that the entire site of the farmstead was demolished in February 2018. Google Earth aerials show the sad story.)
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HP and Clara Washbourn's house at The Port, Nelson, New Zealand.
Photo undated. Supplied by Sally Baber.
The Wroughton Branch of the Family
The parish church of St John the Baptist and St Helen in Wroughton.
Washbourn tombs under the yew tree in Wroughton Churchyard.
Photo supplied by Caroline Ireland.