West Grimstead

"not to be confused with West Grinstead"

West Grimstead, Wiltshire (grid reference of SU212267) is a village 5 miles SE of Salisbury in Wiltshire.

West Grimstead [http://www.westgrimsteadfamilyhistory.co.uk] is peaceful, quiet, close to Salisbury, Southampton and the South Coast and also within commuting distance of London.

The village has a 12th century church and a Methodist Chapel which was built in the mid 19th century. The village shop has long gone, as has the alehouse and following the dwindling number of school age children and lack of permanent buildings in West Grimstead, the old school closed in 1993, a new school having been built in Alderbury for the children of both Alderbury and West Grimstead.

Until the early 20th century West Grimstead was, on the whole, owned by wealthy noblemen and part of larger Manors or Estates. There are early references to the De Grimstede family, the village passing from them through the male line first to the Perots, then to the Berkeleys; next through the female line to the Breretons; again by the male line to Sir William Compton of Compton Wynyates. West Grimstead was then sold by Richard Compton to Sir Stephen Fox, Earl of Ilchester remaining part of that estate through the 18th century until it was sold to the Earl of Radnor in 1801 at the time of the Enclosure Act. In 1916 the whole village was sold by the Longford Estate, mainly to sitting tenants.