Manor Farm House - Court Lane
Manor Farm House - Court Lane


The building variously known as “Manor House” and “Manor Farm” stands at the top of Court Lane close to the junction with Westbury Road. The prefix ‘manor’, first recorded in the late-19th century, seems to be something of a misnomer as the house was not associated with a manorial estate. An earlier name, “Bratton Farm”, more accurately describes its status as a farmhouse.

Like many properties in the village, the land known as Bratton Farm was once a possession of Edington Priory. When the Priory was dissolved in the 16th century the farm, comprising over 400 acres of land, was granted to Sir Thomas Seymour, and then in 1550 to William Paulet, Earl of Wiltshire. For most of its known history it was leased to tenant farmers, including William Drewett in 1686 and the Whitaker family in the 18th and early 19th centuries. In the later 19th century, the tenancy was taken over by William Cleverley and his son, and it is from this date that the farmhouse was known as ‘Manor House’ and ‘Manor Farm’.

The first mention of the farmhouse, along with its garden and orchard, appears in 1601, a date which ties in with the earliest architectural evidence. In 1829 the farm, at that time leased to a member of the Whitaker family, was sold at auction in Devizes in several lots. The farmhouse, which had been newly extended, was described as comprising a breakfast room, a dining room, a drawing room, and six bedrooms. Outbuildings, a garden, and an orchard were also mentioned. From this period the farmland was gradually sold off until, in the early 20th century, the farmhouse alone remained.

The house fared badly for a few years after 2005 when it became derelict after the death of a tenant. However, its sale in 2008 brought the property a new lease of life, as well as a new owner, when it underwent substantial renovations.

'Then and Now - The Manor House, Bratton' Wiltshire Times

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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