In 1690 Robert SMITH of Frome (1654-1714) bought the Manor of Foxcote, near Bath, and went on to acquire the adjacent manors of Stoney Littleton and Combehay and also Shaw near Melksham, the seat of their cousin Thomas SMITH (1674-1723). The Foxcote SMITHs maintained relations with other prosperous clothiers in Frome and West Wiltshire and intermarried with them.
Both Robert SMITH and his son Robert were connected with Rook Lane Congregational Chapel, and the latter’s wife Margaret nee KINGMAN even more so. In the early 18th century associates of the SMITHs – including Elizabeth SINGER who, as Mrs ROWE, became a noted poet – were married at the tiny church of St James, Foxcote; but as well as spouses whose abode was the Parish of Frome there are a number from Whatley and Mells. Great Elm was another place where many marriages were held away from the home parish of the participants, often by licence: perhaps the ministers were sympathetic to nonconformist beliefs, or perhaps nonconformists preferred to marry in little country churches rather than in the full public view at St John’s. Harding’s Marriage Act of 1754 required marriages to be held in the home parish of one of the spouses unless a licence was obtained.
In 1720 a new church was built at Foxcote. In due course the SMITHs became scions of the Established Church and started appointing members of the family as Rectors.
The following marriages are transcribed from film of the original registers at Bath & North-East Somerset Record Office. There are quite a few more strays after 1715 which I have not included.
David Smart
|
Date |
Names |
|
Description |
|
18 Aug 1706 |
John |
PRUFLOW [?] |
of Whatleigh |
|
|
Sarah |
READ |
of Mells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 May 1708 |
John |
ASHMAN |
of Mells |
|
|
Mary |
LONG |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 May 1709 |
Thomas |
BUDGETT |
of Whatley |
|
|
Priscilla |
BROWN |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 Apr 1710 |
Thomas |
COOPER |
of Whatley |
|
|
Sarah |
ALDAM [ADLAM] |
of Walcot |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 Jun 1710 |
Abraham |
READ |
of Mells |
|
|
Anne |
CAYFORD |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 Jun 1710 |
Thomas |
ROWE |
Mr, of Holborn, London |
|
|
Elizabeth |
SINGER |
Mrs, of Frome Zelwood |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 Sep 1713 |
Saml |
CAYFORD |
of Whatley |
|
|
Anne |
PHELPS |
of Mells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 Feb 1714 |
Samuel |
BALNE [?] |
of Froome |
|
|
Martha |
GIBBINS |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 Jun 1715 |
Willm |
WEST |
of Midsomer Norton |
|
|
Jane |
GAGE |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 Sep 1715 |
Samuel |
BURGES |
Mr, of Mells |
|
|
Anne |
WALDRON |
Mrs, of Mells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 Feb 1715/6 |
Edward |
PHRIP [FRIPP] |
Mr, of Norton St Philip |
|
|
Betty |
BULL |
Mrs, of Norton St Philip |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 Sep 1716 |
John |
CREES |
of Whatley |
|
|
Geartrude |
ROBINS |
of Mells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 May 1720 |
William |
PICKFORD |
of Froome |
|
|
Mary |
THATCHER |
of Whatley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 Jun 1730 |
James |
FUSSEL |
of the psh [of Foxcote] |
|
|
Susan |
HALL |
of Farley Castle |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 Feb 1734/5 |
Benjamin |
OSMAN |
of Woolverton |
|
|
Ann |
SMITH |
of Woolverton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 Aug 1737 |
William |
ACKRE [?] |
of Frome |
|
|
Mary |
SHRAPNEL |
of Woolverton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 Oct 1744 |
Micah |
GIBBS |
Mr |
|
Licence |
Ann |
WHITCHURCH |
Mrs, of Frome Selwood |