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Charles Saville and his wife Rachel Thurgood © The son of John Savall and his wife Elizabeth, it is believed Charles was born 6th October, 17736. He was baptized three weeks later in St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, Little Sampford, Essex, on the 24th October1. Several records indicate the Saville family may have been in Essex since the mid 1600's, but it is yet to be proved which line Charles’ family belonged to. Little Sampford is a Parish and village about 12.8km east-south-east of Saffron Walden. Archaeological finds indicate settlements as early as Neolithic and Bronze Age, and the Domesday Survey records two manors held by Wihtgar and Eadgifu the Fair. One was named as ‘Sanfort‘, the other ‘Sanforda’, both probably representing a French-speaking clerk’s attempt to render in Latin the Old English sandy ford. Nothing is known of Charles' early life, but records show that he married Rachael Thurgood in Wicken Bonhurst, Essex, on the 4th June, 17993. Married by Banns, both Charles and Rachael were from the Parish. The Minister was a W. Cowling and the witnesses were Jacob Powell and James Hollane. Charles and Rachael both made their mark. Wicken Bonhurst is a small village 8km south-west of Saffron Walden. The Domesday Book refers to the separate manors of Wica and Banhunta. It records that Saxi, a free man, held Wicken before 1066 as a manor of 13 acres with 9 villagers, 8 smallholders and its value given as ‘always £7’. The two names have been used together in various forms as far as records go. Subsidy Rolls of 1238 refer to ‘Wykes Bonhunte’ and the Feudal Aids of 1412 give the name as ‘Bonant in Wykn’. Wicken is probably derived from the old English ‘Wic’ (plural Wicum), meaning dairy farm and Bonhurst from Bana’s huntsmen, or the old English ‘bann-huntan’, which means huntsmen liable to be summoned. The two names were joined together for tax purposes in Elizabethan times. In the 1970s, a large Middle-Saxon settlement was discovered in the fields by Bonhurst Farm. Around 30 structures showed building activity spanning 150-200 years and artefacts suggest this may have been a royal manor. Two stone coffins and a Saxon graveyard were also excavated, and the human remains showed that many had died from severe battle wounds. Wicken Bonhurst has retained much of its rural charm, with agriculture still a mainstay of village life. Census records4 and the burial record of Rachael5 indicate she was born approximately 1772, in or around Farnham, Essex, and she may possibly have been the daughter of William Thurgood and his wife Elizabeth, but to-date no baptismal record has been located. Farnham is about 15km south-south-west of Wicken Bonhurst. A number of records indicate Charles and Rachael had at least eight children; Rachel 1800; Lydia 1805; Stephen 1806, he married Jane Archer 1860; Charles 1808; Ebenezer 1810-1886; John 1812; William 1815; and Peter 1817, all these children were baptized at the Independent Chapel, Newport, Essex. The 1841 Census4 shows Charles, age 65, occupation Agricultural Labourer, along with his wife Rachel and sons Stephen and William living at Ringers in Widdington. Just next door are James Saville 25 and Mary Saville 20, but it is not known if this pair were a married couple, or what the relationship to Charles was. This record indicates all were born in Essex. Ringers Farm has been in existence since the early 13th Century and local records suggest Thurgoods were tenant farmers there for many generations. The farm is approximately 1km east of Newport and roughly 1.5km north of the village of Widdington. In 18514, Charles and Rachel along with son Stephen are still at Ringers Farm in Widdington. Charles is now recorded as a 77year old Farm Labourer, birthplace Samford. Rachel is 78 and her birthplace is recorded as Farnham, Essex. Charles died in Newport on the 14th February, 1858, cause of death is given as Decay of Nature, and the Informant was a Rachel Patmore5. Charles was buried on the 19th February in the Congregational Churchyard, Wenden7. Rachel died on the 10th March, 1860, also in Newport, the cause of her death was also given as Decay of Nature5. The Informant was a Mary Saville, but relationship is not indicated. Like her husband, Rachel was buried in the Congregational Churchyard in Newport, on the 16th March, 18607. It is not known if there is, or was, a Headstone or marker for Charles’ & Rachael’s final resting places, and to date documentation of their burials has not been seen.
References:
2. Parish Baptism Record via Essex Archives Online 7. Email Essex Record Office
Other Sources:
Beryl Baker UK
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