Drewett, Bassett and Little Families Virginia Higgins July 2020
Drewetts Mill buildings (courtesy Carol Payne)
There have always been mysteries in the origins of Box place-names, particularly Drewetts Mill and The Bassetts. We can be fairly certain that Drewetts is a personal name replicating earlier mill names, Croke’s Mill and Parker’s Mill but finding an owner called Drewett was more difficult.[1] The name Bassetts has been tentatively mentioned as having quarry origins but the area seems to be outside the boundary of the stone deposits.[2] Suddenly, out of the blue, we received details from Virginia Higgins in Australia who traced her ancestors called Little back to two Box families of Drewetts and Bassetts. This is her research.
Early History of Drewetts Mill
The earliest reference to Drewetts Mill is in the Domesday Book: Rainald holds HASEBERIE of Milo. Levenot held it in the time of King Edward and it paid geld for five hides. The land is five carucates... There are two mills paying thirty-five shillings, and twenty-two acres of meadow.[3] The mills were mentioned because they were valuable assets to the lord of the manor and the king, both of whom took an income from them. We know that the mills were on the By Brook because the reference predates the earliest windmills. It has been claimed that Rainald was a member of the Croke family, who owned the mill from 1086 until 1482. The mill was rented out to tenants and in Francis Allen’s map of 1626 it is shown as occupied by a person called Browning.
The terrier (survey) of the revenue of the vicars of Box on 10 December 1677 calls the mill Parker’s alias Croc mill. Mills were valuable to the church, who were due to receive tithes-in-kind on them which had been commuted to cash payments at an early date. The 1704 Terrier defines the tithe due on the mill as: For Parker's (alias Crook's Mill) five shillings to be paid at Lady-day. We know who owned the mill at this time because it had been acquired by the Bonham family of Hazelbury, then by the Speke family in about 1610. These people were lords of the manor and would have sublet the mill to provide themselves with an income.
Box Families
The name Drewett (with various spellings) starts to occur in Box in the late 1600s along with families Bassett, Redman, Little and Ford. Richard Druett was buried on 24 September 1689 had his will signed by William Bassett and Henry Redman. Henry Redman also signed Abraham Little’s inventory. A 1695 will for John Ford (possibly of the Foard family of Wadswick) was signed by Anthony Drewett. The connections continued for more than a generation: the will of William Bassett, baker, in 1727 was signed by William Drewett and John Ford. In the 1700s, the families appear to have become involved in milling. James Little’s brother Richard had tenure of a mill at Ford, North Wraxall, which their father James mentioned in his will of 1766 as having been purchased from Mrs Betty Smith.
These people appear to be hard working artisans who were comfortably off rather than wealthy. Henry Redman requested in his will (probate 1692) to be buried at Box Church as were my old master Sir George Speke but if I die in Winsley then near my father in Winsley Church.[4] Henry Redman did not have a family as far as I know. On 2 March 1724 Ann Basset Drewett was buried in Box Church. She may have married William Drewett on 1 May 1712. William’s will of 1729 mentions a brother Thomas. But they don’t appear to be tenants of the mill at this time.
The earliest reference to Drewetts Mill is in the Domesday Book: Rainald holds HASEBERIE of Milo. Levenot held it in the time of King Edward and it paid geld for five hides. The land is five carucates... There are two mills paying thirty-five shillings, and twenty-two acres of meadow.[3] The mills were mentioned because they were valuable assets to the lord of the manor and the king, both of whom took an income from them. We know that the mills were on the By Brook because the reference predates the earliest windmills. It has been claimed that Rainald was a member of the Croke family, who owned the mill from 1086 until 1482. The mill was rented out to tenants and in Francis Allen’s map of 1626 it is shown as occupied by a person called Browning.
The terrier (survey) of the revenue of the vicars of Box on 10 December 1677 calls the mill Parker’s alias Croc mill. Mills were valuable to the church, who were due to receive tithes-in-kind on them which had been commuted to cash payments at an early date. The 1704 Terrier defines the tithe due on the mill as: For Parker's (alias Crook's Mill) five shillings to be paid at Lady-day. We know who owned the mill at this time because it had been acquired by the Bonham family of Hazelbury, then by the Speke family in about 1610. These people were lords of the manor and would have sublet the mill to provide themselves with an income.
Box Families
The name Drewett (with various spellings) starts to occur in Box in the late 1600s along with families Bassett, Redman, Little and Ford. Richard Druett was buried on 24 September 1689 had his will signed by William Bassett and Henry Redman. Henry Redman also signed Abraham Little’s inventory. A 1695 will for John Ford (possibly of the Foard family of Wadswick) was signed by Anthony Drewett. The connections continued for more than a generation: the will of William Bassett, baker, in 1727 was signed by William Drewett and John Ford. In the 1700s, the families appear to have become involved in milling. James Little’s brother Richard had tenure of a mill at Ford, North Wraxall, which their father James mentioned in his will of 1766 as having been purchased from Mrs Betty Smith.
These people appear to be hard working artisans who were comfortably off rather than wealthy. Henry Redman requested in his will (probate 1692) to be buried at Box Church as were my old master Sir George Speke but if I die in Winsley then near my father in Winsley Church.[4] Henry Redman did not have a family as far as I know. On 2 March 1724 Ann Basset Drewett was buried in Box Church. She may have married William Drewett on 1 May 1712. William’s will of 1729 mentions a brother Thomas. But they don’t appear to be tenants of the mill at this time.
Drewett Loving cup (courtesy The Queen magazine, 16 April 1910)
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Anthony Drewett of Box seems to be the man after whom the mill was named but finding this person is difficult because there were so many people of this name in Box. A brief history of the name shows the confusion. It appears that Anthony Drewett senior had both sons and grandchildren also called Anthony. Anthony senior married Margaret in 1625 and they had a loving cup made to commemorate the event, described as having leaves and scrolls in blue form, its somewhat rude decoration; the bottom is rough and unglazed .[5] One infant child was baptised on 27 March 1727, the son of Anthony Drewett junior and his wife Margaret Hulbert of Corsham whom he had married on 28 June 1726. But the infant died and was buried on 9 April 1727. Anthony junior and Margaret had another boy, and also named him Anthony, who was baptised on 27 February 1729 but again, this infant died and was buried on 2 April 1733.
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Meanwhile Anthony senior was rising up the social scale in the village and in 1736 was named as a Box juror in the Quarter Sessions and the freeholders’ list for Box in 1736, which only mentions 11 people, including Anthony Drewett and John Ford.
I believe that our Anthony Drewett senior died and was buried on 20 October 1741 but this is partly speculative because of name similarities. Anthony Drewett junior died shortly thereafter and probate of his will was granted in 1751 which described the deceased as miller.
I believe that our Anthony Drewett senior died and was buried on 20 October 1741 but this is partly speculative because of name similarities. Anthony Drewett junior died shortly thereafter and probate of his will was granted in 1751 which described the deceased as miller.
By 1783 the mill was referred to as Drewetts Mill and this name has stuck.[6] The name of the mill seems to have been coined between 1704 and 1783. The Drewett family were also involved in different functions for their mills. Chapps Mill at Slaughterford was a fulling mill until 1790 when Charles Ward took over from the Drewett family. We have a continuous record of tenants of Drewetts Mill from 1780 with an unchanging record of usage as a flour mill using an overshot wheel and three pairs of stones.
The Bassetts Area
The first mention of the area was in 1840 when it was called by the name Bassett and owned by Thomas Strong of the quarry-owning family at Box Hill. In the 1840 Tithe Apportionment map it was an agricultural area when there was virtually no housing at the east side of the central village. The fields were variously called Bassetts, Little Bassetts and Great Bassetts and Hemmings Pool. Residential development of the estate known as The Bassetts was started in the inter-war period. A local Box firm T&E Best got planning permission for five bungalows in 1928 and the directors lived in one themselves.[7]
In 1929 Box School headmaster Henry Druett suggested one possibility for the name of the area: The word Basset has come into prominence. It is not mentioned on the 1630 map of Box. Has it received the name from the quarrying industry? The edge of any inclined stratum when it comes to the surface of the ground is called its outcrop, crop, basset or basset-edge.[8] That doesn’t sound very convincing, not least that there was no quarrying in that area and on that side of the A4 road. More likely is the idea that it was an early Norman word for a person of small status derived from the Old English word bas, meaning of low stature. This was adopted to mean a low-lying area, not easily used for residential development, which fits a description of the Box location.
My Little, Drewett and Bassett Ancestors
My Georgian ancestors can be traced to the Little family of Box and Biddestone and there are frequent references to mills in their history. Abraham Little was mentioned as marrying Elizabeth Baird (buried 28 January 1664) on 4 November 1624. He was buried in Box on 24 May 1671 and his will gives him as baker with an inventory signed by William Bassett amongst others, including Anthony Bolwell. Anthony’s will, probated 1705, shows that he left his mill named Box Mill or Pinchin’s Mill to his loving wife Elizabeth. This wasn’t Drewetts Mill but it was the other mill mentioned in the Domesday record.
There are several connections between the Little family of Box and the Bassett family, starting with John Little of Box who married Anne Compeer (1636-1684) on 28 May 1663. Widow Anne was buried in Box in 1684 and her will refers to Richard Bassett (buried 28 September 1712) son of cozen William Bassett and other Bassetts, Anne, Mary, Elizabeth and Susan, described as now his wife. This William Bassett was the person called William Bassett, senior of Box, baker buried 3 June 1715. His will recorded a son William, daughters Anne and Mary and his granddaughter Elizabeth. There is an obvious connection between the trades of miller and baker and sometimes younger sons went into baking with a direct source of good ground flour.
I have also found references to William’s second wife, Susan Bassett (nee Little), who was baptised in Box 15 October 1649.
She married William on 29 June 1671, and William was again referred to as a baker when Susan was buried on 7 October 1703. Their child William Bassett (buried 5 January 1727 in Box) appears to have taken on his father’s bakery business and the inventory for his will refers to another William Drewett.
The Bassetts Area
The first mention of the area was in 1840 when it was called by the name Bassett and owned by Thomas Strong of the quarry-owning family at Box Hill. In the 1840 Tithe Apportionment map it was an agricultural area when there was virtually no housing at the east side of the central village. The fields were variously called Bassetts, Little Bassetts and Great Bassetts and Hemmings Pool. Residential development of the estate known as The Bassetts was started in the inter-war period. A local Box firm T&E Best got planning permission for five bungalows in 1928 and the directors lived in one themselves.[7]
In 1929 Box School headmaster Henry Druett suggested one possibility for the name of the area: The word Basset has come into prominence. It is not mentioned on the 1630 map of Box. Has it received the name from the quarrying industry? The edge of any inclined stratum when it comes to the surface of the ground is called its outcrop, crop, basset or basset-edge.[8] That doesn’t sound very convincing, not least that there was no quarrying in that area and on that side of the A4 road. More likely is the idea that it was an early Norman word for a person of small status derived from the Old English word bas, meaning of low stature. This was adopted to mean a low-lying area, not easily used for residential development, which fits a description of the Box location.
My Little, Drewett and Bassett Ancestors
My Georgian ancestors can be traced to the Little family of Box and Biddestone and there are frequent references to mills in their history. Abraham Little was mentioned as marrying Elizabeth Baird (buried 28 January 1664) on 4 November 1624. He was buried in Box on 24 May 1671 and his will gives him as baker with an inventory signed by William Bassett amongst others, including Anthony Bolwell. Anthony’s will, probated 1705, shows that he left his mill named Box Mill or Pinchin’s Mill to his loving wife Elizabeth. This wasn’t Drewetts Mill but it was the other mill mentioned in the Domesday record.
There are several connections between the Little family of Box and the Bassett family, starting with John Little of Box who married Anne Compeer (1636-1684) on 28 May 1663. Widow Anne was buried in Box in 1684 and her will refers to Richard Bassett (buried 28 September 1712) son of cozen William Bassett and other Bassetts, Anne, Mary, Elizabeth and Susan, described as now his wife. This William Bassett was the person called William Bassett, senior of Box, baker buried 3 June 1715. His will recorded a son William, daughters Anne and Mary and his granddaughter Elizabeth. There is an obvious connection between the trades of miller and baker and sometimes younger sons went into baking with a direct source of good ground flour.
I have also found references to William’s second wife, Susan Bassett (nee Little), who was baptised in Box 15 October 1649.
She married William on 29 June 1671, and William was again referred to as a baker when Susan was buried on 7 October 1703. Their child William Bassett (buried 5 January 1727 in Box) appears to have taken on his father’s bakery business and the inventory for his will refers to another William Drewett.
Another connection was with the Ford (or Foard) family of Wadswick when a will dated 1695 for John Ford was signed by Anthony Drewett. These two names are repeated in the freeholders listing for Box in 1736, which only mentioned eleven people including an Anthony Drewett and John Ford.
Little family tomb in Box churchyard (courtesy Carol Payne)
Proving Name Origins
None of my research has definitively traced a connection between my ancestors and either Drewetts Mill or the fields called
The Bassetts. It does show that my ancestors were at times well-connected and sufficiently wealthy to need wills to secure their assets on death. The picture which emerges indicates that they were all part of a mill and baking trade who existed in Box in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The Drewett and Bassett families seem to have died out locally but the Little family continued and became sufficiently successful to have a chest tomb in Box churchyard which mentions James Little (died 1816) and his wife Hester, nee Light (died 1812). James appears to have been baptised at Biddestone and later became a yeoman farmer at Henley, Box. In 1806 their daughter, Margaret Little, married John Marsh, brother of Aaron mayor of Thornbury, Gloucestershire.
None of my research has definitively traced a connection between my ancestors and either Drewetts Mill or the fields called
The Bassetts. It does show that my ancestors were at times well-connected and sufficiently wealthy to need wills to secure their assets on death. The picture which emerges indicates that they were all part of a mill and baking trade who existed in Box in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The Drewett and Bassett families seem to have died out locally but the Little family continued and became sufficiently successful to have a chest tomb in Box churchyard which mentions James Little (died 1816) and his wife Hester, nee Light (died 1812). James appears to have been baptised at Biddestone and later became a yeoman farmer at Henley, Box. In 1806 their daughter, Margaret Little, married John Marsh, brother of Aaron mayor of Thornbury, Gloucestershire.
So, evidence of the names of these locations is unproven but likely origins show different attributions: the mill was named after the Drewett family whilst the Bassett area gave its name to Virginia's family ancestors. The evidence remains unproven but considerable, unless others can help solve the story of the Little, Drewett and Bassett families in seventeenth century Box.
Family Trees
Possible Little Family Tree
William Little (buried 2 August 1651) and Joan (Jone) (buried 4 December 1690). Children: Abraham; Susannah
Abraham Little, baker of Box (baptised 4 October 1601 in Corsham and buried 24 May 1671 in Box) married Elizabeth Baird (buried 28 January 1664) on 4 November 1624. His inventory was signed by William Bassett amongst others, including Anthony Bolwell of Box Mill.
Susannah Little, kinswoman of Abraham (baptised 15 October 1649, buried 7 October 1703) married William Bassett (buried 3 June 1715), baker, on 29 June 1671
Possible Bassett Family Tree
William Bassett senior (buried 3 June 1715), baker of Box, married Susannah (sometimes called Susan) Little on 29 June 1671. Susan was baptised in Box 15 October 1649 and buried on 7 October 1703.Children: William junior (buried 5 January 1727); Ann; Mary (married John Christopher)
William junior (buried 5 January 1727) married Elizabeth (possibly widow of Anthony Bolwell, died about 1705, of Pinchen’s Mill). Step-children Ann; Elizabeth (buried 11 July 1700)
Possible Drewett Family Tree
Margaret Drewett, widow of Box, the lawful mother of Isaac Drewett
Isaac Drewitt, bachelor, (died in 1751).
Anthony Drewett married Margaret in 1625 and they had a loving cup made to commemorate the event. Children and grandchildren included the name Anthony.
Anthony Drewett (possibly buried on 20 October 1741) married Margaret Hulbert (possibly buried 10 October 1767) of Corsham on 28 June 1726. In 1736 he was named as a Box juror in the Quarter Sessions and the freeholders’ list for Box. A child Anthony (baptised on 27 March 1727) died in infancy and was buried on 9 April 1727. Another child, also called Anthony, was baptised on 27 February 1729 but died and was buried on 2 April 1733.
Anthony Drewett junior died and probate of his will was granted in 1751 which described the deceased as miller. Anthony and Margaret Drewett (buried 10 October 1767) had children:
Ann; Betty (who married Edward Lee)
Possible Little Family Tree
William Little (buried 2 August 1651) and Joan (Jone) (buried 4 December 1690). Children: Abraham; Susannah
Abraham Little, baker of Box (baptised 4 October 1601 in Corsham and buried 24 May 1671 in Box) married Elizabeth Baird (buried 28 January 1664) on 4 November 1624. His inventory was signed by William Bassett amongst others, including Anthony Bolwell of Box Mill.
Susannah Little, kinswoman of Abraham (baptised 15 October 1649, buried 7 October 1703) married William Bassett (buried 3 June 1715), baker, on 29 June 1671
Possible Bassett Family Tree
William Bassett senior (buried 3 June 1715), baker of Box, married Susannah (sometimes called Susan) Little on 29 June 1671. Susan was baptised in Box 15 October 1649 and buried on 7 October 1703.Children: William junior (buried 5 January 1727); Ann; Mary (married John Christopher)
William junior (buried 5 January 1727) married Elizabeth (possibly widow of Anthony Bolwell, died about 1705, of Pinchen’s Mill). Step-children Ann; Elizabeth (buried 11 July 1700)
Possible Drewett Family Tree
Margaret Drewett, widow of Box, the lawful mother of Isaac Drewett
Isaac Drewitt, bachelor, (died in 1751).
Anthony Drewett married Margaret in 1625 and they had a loving cup made to commemorate the event. Children and grandchildren included the name Anthony.
Anthony Drewett (possibly buried on 20 October 1741) married Margaret Hulbert (possibly buried 10 October 1767) of Corsham on 28 June 1726. In 1736 he was named as a Box juror in the Quarter Sessions and the freeholders’ list for Box. A child Anthony (baptised on 27 March 1727) died in infancy and was buried on 9 April 1727. Another child, also called Anthony, was baptised on 27 February 1729 but died and was buried on 2 April 1733.
Anthony Drewett junior died and probate of his will was granted in 1751 which described the deceased as miller. Anthony and Margaret Drewett (buried 10 October 1767) had children:
Ann; Betty (who married Edward Lee)
References
[1] See article Religion in Tudor Box
[2] Parish Magazine, February 1929
[3] Translation by GJ Kidston, History of the Manor of Hazelbury, p.8
[4] See article on Speke family
[5] The Queen, 16 April 1910
[6] Michael Woodman, 2004, notes in Wiltshire History Centre
[7] North Wilts Herald, 20 April 1928 and The Wiltshire Times, 10 August 1929
[8] Parish Magazine, February 1929
[1] See article Religion in Tudor Box
[2] Parish Magazine, February 1929
[3] Translation by GJ Kidston, History of the Manor of Hazelbury, p.8
[4] See article on Speke family
[5] The Queen, 16 April 1910
[6] Michael Woodman, 2004, notes in Wiltshire History Centre
[7] North Wilts Herald, 20 April 1928 and The Wiltshire Times, 10 August 1929
[8] Parish Magazine, February 1929