Farmington Village History

Farmington Village History

In collaboration with museums of Cirencester and Cheltenham

The name Farmington is thought to have evolved from the compound name Thormerton: this is a mixture of Saxon and Celtic, roughly meaning the hill (thor), surrounded by water (mere), with a fort (dun) atop. Dun was also Saxon for a hill pasture. Don was a Celtic term meaning hill (see Domesday entry below).
A John de Thormerton was vicar of Ottery St. Mary, Devon in1310; a Richard de Thormerton was a prebendary in the Exeter diocese in 1361

Testimony to the Neolithic occupation of the area is a flint axe dating from c.4000 BC, now in Cheltenham museum, found near the Fosse Way (foss or fossa was a Roman word meaning a ditch, depression or dyke) .

The Long Barrow, to the south-west of the parish territory, is some 4000 years old. There exist also two Round Barrows dating from about 3000 years ago. Of the two, Bauble Barrow, is featured on 18^th century local maps.

Dating from the Middle Bronze Age, contemporary with the Long Barrow, is a cremation urn that was revealed when gravel was being dug in the Farmington parish.

Norbury Hill Fort, to the west end of the village, probably dates from this age, and its former ramparts constituted part of the parish boundary at a later time (see Map)

Site of Norbury Hill Fort.

The Romans' presence in Farmington, n the first century AD, is evidenced by subtle elevations in the ground in some seven areas within the village curtilage.

Evidence of the nature of the Farmington community is sparse until the Domesday book (1086) that records ownership of the manor by Doge FitzPoyntz - son of William of Poyntz – who also had holdings in Gloucestershire., Herefordshire., Wiltshire and Worcestershire, as well as 73 holdings in Devon, as under-tenant of Bishop of Coutances.

The above extract from the Domesday Book states of Farmington "there are 2 ploughs in demesne (land retained in control of feudal lord) at Tormerrtone and 25 villagers with 12 ploughs and 4 serfs"
The villagers farmed their 'borrowed' plots of land, in exchange for working the land of their Lord of the Manor.

It was in the 12th century that the first elements of the church in Farmington were constructed.

The population of Farmington in the 14^th century was about 40 people. The porch and tower of St Peter ’s church were build around this time..

In mid-16^th century 60 communicants are recorded in the parish documents; the church windows were 'without glasinge'.

The first entry in the Farmington parish register is that of the baptisms of Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas and Anne Fifield, and of Joane, daughter of William and Elizabeth Hall, in 1613. At this time, the village population comprised some 27 households, including a weaver, a tailor and a cheese maker.

In the early 18^th century the Enclosure Acts resulted in free-holders' building their cottages and farm houses. A few of the dwelling names from that time still exist, such as Bunkers Hill, which is thought to commemorate Rollin Dutton's participation in the battle of Bunker Hill during the American War for Independence. He is also mentioned in the historical records of Farmington , Connecticut.

In 1720, Thomas Cox’s Magna Britannia, contained the following entry:
” Farmington , anciently called Thormarton, a Parish of Seven Miles in Compass, consisting most of Arable. A small Brook rises here, and runs into the Windrush. This Manor did anciently belong to the Priory of Eddington in Wiltshire, given to it by the Founder, William de Eddington, Bishop of Worcester. At the Dissolution of this Priory, it was granted to Sir Michael Ashfield, whose Posterity sold it to Sir Rice James, whose Descendant, Sir Henry, leaving only one Daughter, married to the Earl of Scarborough, that Lord is in her Right, Owner of this Manor. The Church is a Rectory worth £120 per Annum, and the Earl of Scarborough is Patron. The Building is small, but hath a little Tower at the West End: There are two inscriptions in the Chancel for Thomas Cox, Barrister of Lincolns-Inn, and Humphrey Smith, who was Rector forty-six Years. In this Parish is an exceeding large Roman Camp, called Norbury, 850 Paces long, and 473 Paces broad, now a Corn-Field; and not far from it Westward is a Barrow.”

Toward the end of the 18^th century, the population of Farmington was similar to that of today.

Farmington Church 1900

In the 19^th century, additional cottages and farm houses were constructed and the population grew to exceed 200 souls, most of whom derived a living from the manorial estate. There were 63 houses, 4 shops, a cobbler, and even an ale house!

In 1935, the citizens of Farmington, Connecticut, donated to the village a refurbishment of, and new roof to, the Pump House on the village green - perhaps the village's signature feature. In return, a bird-bath, made of Farmington stone, was presented to the benefactors.

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