Timsbury community website

Facilities, groups, parish council and business information for the village of Timsbury, near Bath

History

Timsbury has a long and varied history dating from occupation in the Bronze Age. These pages will help you to find out more about the village’s history, use sources such as the census, directories and maps to carry out your own research and locate further information and sources on-line or in libraries/record offices.

Further information, objects and photos about Timsbury and the area is held by:

Click on any of the links below to find out more about Timsbury’s history.

Timsbury is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon period, and is listed in the Domesday Book.

The name of the village has variously been called Timfborough, Tymmersbarue, Timsbarrow (meaning Timbered grove), and Temsbury. In the Norman record it is described as the Bishop of Coutances’s land, and also that of Odo Flandrensis.

In the time of King Henry III in 1216 these lands were the property of the family of Waddowe, who held it until the reign of Henry VI in 1422.

The St Loe family held this manor until the reign of Henry VIII in 1509, but alienated it, and it was afterwards possessed by the Sambornes who resided in Timsbury for many generations.

In 1644 the village consisted of about 50 houses, most of which formed a street near the Parish Church, which was rebuilt in 1826 after fire had destroyed the previous church. Built on a Norman site, it has a Norman-style tower and beautiful stained glass windows. In the chancel a tablet is dedicated to the Samborne family, and a monument showing Sir Barnaby Samborne in armour is also in the church.

From the early 1800s Timsbury became a busy mining area  and at the industry’s peak had working coal mines at Amesbury, Mearns, Tyning, Hayeswood, Old Grove, Withy Mills and Upper and Lower Conygre.

Today Timsbury is a residential village, the coal pits having long since closed down, and has many buildings of both architectural and historical interest contained mainly in the Conservation Area.

From Know your Timsbury published in 1993 by the Parish Council.

Beleow is the extract from the Somerset section of the Domesday Book:

William holds of the Bishop of Coutances TIMSBURY Api held it Tempore Regis Edwardii* and it paid geld for 5 hides. There is land for 3 ploughs. In demesne is 1 plough and 2 slaves, and 2 villans and 1 bordar with 1 plough. There are 2 parts of a mill rendering 3s and 26 acres of meadow and as much pasture. It was worth 26s, now 50s.

To this manor have been added 2 hides which Sibbi held as 1 manor Tempore Regis Edwardii* and it paid geld for as much. There is land for 2 ploughs which are there with 1 slave and 1 villan and 3 bordars. There is the third part of a mill rendering 2s and 16 acres of meadow and as much pasture. It was worth 13s, now 30s

* In the time of King Edward (the Confessor)

The Bishop of Coutances was William 1’s second highest tenant-in-chief after the Count of Mortain. He held land totalling 343s 8d (371 1/2 hides)

The buildings we see in Timsbury reflect different periods of expansion. This table shows the number of dwellings found in Timsbury at different dates.

Year16581784182118311891195120012011
Number of buildings20-305019826735558910911145

Before 1784 Timsbury was a small rural settlement. In the 19th century there was significant expansion that resulted from the development of coal mining. In the second half of the 20th century further expansion resulted from Timsbury becoming a commuter village.

There are several buildings still to be seen that date from the 18th century and the core of the village represents much of the development that took place in the 19th century. Further information about how to research the history of a building can be found here.