Court Farm House - Lower Westbury Road
Court Farm House - Lower Westbury Road


Court Farm House was once part of the Longleat Estate like many of the buildings in Bratton. It is thought that the oldest part of what is now Court Farm House dates from 1580, and was used for agricultural purposes. Looking at the roof line from Court Lane, it looks as though the original sloping thatched barn was chopped off and the roof rafters indicate that there should have been a third bay which was removed when the building was converted into a dwelling in 1620, when the present stone chimney was erected.

The beams were made of high quality elm, similar to the beams in the Court House next door, inscribed 1626. Later in the 1600’s a service wing was built with a lower quality beam. There is also still some evidence of the original rush wattle and daub walls in the oldest part of the house.

Believed to originally have been part of the Edington Monastry lands, it passed to the Seymour family in 1540 and the farm was eventually acquired by Sir Thomas Thynne of Longleat and remained part of the estate until the early 20th century. The Record Office holds a 1565 lease for the land from Queen Elizabeth to William Boucher the Elder. Records show that the house, subsequently known as Butchers, together with pasture, was leased by Lord Weymouth in 1710 to Miles Clift of Westbury, victualler, for the annual rent of 16/6d and one capon, having previously been occupied by widow Fricker. It was first leased to the Whitaker family in 1733, when a new Georgian east front was added facing Court Lane, with enlarged sash windows. The Whitaker family leased the house until 1865.

In 1939 the Longleat Estate sold the property to Harry Emm who was already the tenant. During the war, the house was divided into two with tenants. It was sold to Gilbert and Margaret Rocke in 1964, when the vehicle access from Lower Westbury Road and garage were added, and the front door on the east side was bricked up. Eileen Younghusband, who ran The Duke for many years, bought the house in 1967, adding an extension at the back in 1980. Richard and Phillida Sneyd bought the property in 1984.

Historic England listing

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Bratton History Association.

The Bratton History Association aims to provide all those curious about local history with an opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and discover more about the history of Bratton and Wiltshire. Activities include monthly meetings, talks by professional historians, visits to places of interest to historians, and our own local history project.

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