If Ceilings Could Talk - A Brief History of The Brewery House, 36 Milford Street, Salisbury

Last year while visiting several estate agents in Salisbury, for a marketing boost for my house history business, I got chatting with the Director of Sales at Winkworth’s office on Milford Street, Salisbury. As I write this many months later, unfortunately, the property is no longer leased by Winkworth’s and the office is currently closed. However, at the time, Matthew Hallett showed me the extraordinary ceiling in the main office which is richly decorated with several human faces and the initials ‘EW’.

Photographic images of part of the ceiling at 36 Milford Street, taken by Clare Humphreys Vicentini, 2023.

The head-dresses and features of the faces suggest they represent people of South American or possibly Native American heritage, but it is impossible to be certain. What are these faces doing on the ceiling of a Salisbury house?

In order to go some way to answer this question I began to look at the history of the property.

The Property and its Location

Known as The Brewery House, the property stands on the corner of Milford Street and Gigant Street in the centre of Salisbury, Wiltshire. The property is Grade II listed,[1] (1242971, 1952) which describes the building as 17th century in origin, with 18th century rebuilding and the ground floor stuccoed and altered in the 19th century. Mention is made of the 17th century plaster ceiling in the shop at the front of the building.

13th century Salisbury was planned on the grid pattern known as ‘chequers’. The property lies within Trinity Chequer which was originally divided north-south by the Town Ditch which served as the major drainage system for the city. Archaeological excavations provide evidence of a corner house from the 13th century and an enlargement to the building in the later 14th century making it a high-status complex and one of the few stone-built structures outside of the Cathedral Close.[2]

The RCHME[3] work of 1980, Ancient and Historical Monuments of the City of Salisbury, Vol 1., describes the property as follows:

“No. 34 [now 36] Milford Street. With brick walls and ashlar dressings and with tiled roofs, appear to be the surviving part of a larger building. The elevations are of the 18th century, but 17th century plasterwork inside appears to be in situ. The N. front [facing Milford Street], with stone quoins, a moulded cornice and stringcourses between the storeys, is in two parts: on the E. two bays with plain sashed windows in the upper storeys have a modern shop-front below; on the W., a single bay slightly set back has a sashed window in each storey. Evidently the facade has been truncated…The E. elevation [facing Gigant Street] has a pedimented doorway flanked by Tuscan columns and sashed windows in three storeys. Inside the N.E. ground floor room [the shop, and now Winkworth’s office] has 17th century oak panelling and a ribbed paster ceiling of four panels defined by intersecting beams.”

The photograph below, from the collection at Salisbury Museum,[4] although undated, appears to be from the early 20th century. It was taken from one of six albums of photographs of buildings in Salisbury, taken to record the buildings, often prior to demolition, during redevelopment after World War I. Note that at this point the shop windows have not yet been installed in the building frontage on both Milford and Gigant Streets.

36 Milford Street, Btw. 1926-1935. Courtesy of Salisbury Museum, Salisbury

There is no mention of the Milford Street entrance in the RCHME description however photographs from 1965 show the high steps and door which remain to this day. I have not been able to determine when the Milford Street entrance was added. Perhaps the RCHME work reproduced an earlier description of the building prior to the addition of the entrance.

The Owners and Occupiers

The property which stood on the corner plot, was linked to William TEYNTURER the younger, a successful merchant and Mayor of Salisbury in 1361 and 1375. The earliest surviving deed notes how he purchased the property, known as Stratfordescorner, from Edward, son of GLASTYNGBURY in 1366.

William HULL inherited the property by 1397 and it was HULL who sold it to the City Corporation in 1413.[5] The property was leased to William WARMWELL in 1416 for 20 years at a rate of 20 shillings. Later it was known as ‘le bakehous’ in Winchestrestret [as Milford Street was formerly known] and Gigorstret [as Gigant Street was formerly known] likely due to it being let to William MARTYN, a baker. It was later let to John WYSE, vintner, in 1475. The property was last recorded in City Corporation records in 1565 and does not appear in 17th and 18th surveys of the city.

A deed, dated 23 January 1684, which I viewed at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, records how William WASTFELOE leased the property to William PENNY, described as ‘All that capital corner messuage or tenement Brewhouse with the backside stable and garden…in the city of New Sarum in...Milford Streete and Gigon Streete”.[6] 

Detail of the inventory  from the parlour and dining room, 1684.

Wiltshire & Swindon history Centre, Catalogue Reference: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.

Attached to this deed is a fascinating inventory of the property listing among other things: iron latches and catches, panes of glass, waynscotting [wood panelling], doors and casement windows. Just as landlords today have buildings insurance with an inventory of the property, William WASTFELOE recorded each item to the last pane of glass and door latch. [The wood panelling can still be seen in the photo of the office above.]

The next deed for the property, dated 23 June 1704,[7] was drawn up between William WASTFELOE [the younger] of The Close, and Mary HANCOCK, widow, and documents the sale of the property to Mary HANCOCK. The deed recorded not only Mary HANCOCK’s recent occupation of the property, but also previous tenants and that the property was on the lands of William WASTFELOE, deceased, late father of the said William WASTFELOE.

Previous occupants had been John WINDOVER, Gent., deceased; Francis SHERGOLD, tenant to Giles NAISH of the city of New Sarum, deceased; William PENNY, deceased; and the said Mary HANCOCK who now inhabits the property. The property was described as being situated in Milford Street and consisting of several parcels of land situated on Milford Street and “consisting of several houses, edifices and buildings lately erected and built on the said several parcells of land”.

The deed records that “the said Capital Messuage houses buildings and parcells of land were heretofore the lands, tenements and hereditaments of John WINDOVER, Gent., deceased and before that the land of Edward WINDOVER, Gent., deceased… and by them or one of them purchased of Sir Giles ESTOURT [sic], Knight and Baronet, Edward ESTOURT[sic] Esq., Peter OWEN, Gent., Edward LUDLOW Esq., Mary BAILEY, widower, John BAILEY, Gent., and are bounded by the lands late of Thomas CHAFFIN, Gent., on the west part, a street called Giggour Streete on the east part, the said streete called Milford Streete on the north part and the land now or late of Matthew BEE, Gent. And John BAILEY, Gent. on the south part.”

There is a huge amount of information in this deed relating to previous owners and occupiers. Of particular note is Sir Giles ESTCOURT, politician, who came from a notable Wiltshire family which owned Bourne Hill House (today’s council office). Built on the site of the former St. Edmund’s College founded in 1269, the family owned the site until 1660 when it was sold to Sir Wadham WYNDHAM.[8]

Also, the WINDOVER family was a prominent Salisbury family, and Windover House in St Ann’s Street still stands today and is used as offices. It is possible that a notable ‘Merchant Adventurer’, William WINDOVER [died 1633], was the brother of John WINDOVER. William’s portrait hangs in the Salisbury Guildhall.[9] The Merchant Adventurers were a “company of English merchants who engaged in trade with the Netherlands from the early 15th century…principally engaged in the export of finished cloth from the burgeoning English woollen industry.”[10] WINDOVER was also benefactor to several guilds in the city of New Sarum.

Portrait of William WINDOVER, Merchant Adventurer. Oil on Canvas. Abt. 1630.

Salisbury Guildhall, Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Subsequent deeds and documents relating to the property document the transfer of ownership. Thomas HANCOCK [likely the son of Mary HANCOCK] sold the property, or more likely part of the property, to Francis and Elizabeth WATSON, in 1714.[11] Francis WATSON was recorded as an Innkeeper.

The next document,[12] dated 1742, records the sale, by Edmund WHITE, his wife Elizabeth WHITE [daughter of Mary HILL, formerly HANCOCK], his sons Edmund WHITE the younger and Thomas WHITE, of several properties, including “all that Capital messuage or tenement with appurtenances, situate lying and being in Milford Street and Giggon Street” to Robert COOPER, linendraper, Alexander POWELL and Anne PEARCY, widow.

Edmund WHITE’s ownership of the property had no doubt come through his wife Elizabeth HANCOCK, supporting the supposition that only part of the property had been sold to the WATSONs.

It is this deed which suggests that there are several properties on this site as it mentions “all the houses outhouses edifices buildings stables coachhouses gardens orchards backsides courtyards…hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said several messuages or tenements lands and premises or any parts parcels whereof belonging or in any wise appertaining by the name of twelve messuages two curtilages four gardens and two orchards and of the moiety of one messuage and one curtilage [the immediate land around the property] and one garden with appurtenances in the city of New Sarum.”

This could be interpreted to mean that there were several properties on the corner site owned by Edmund WHITE, some of which were being sold.

However, the will of Edmund WHITE,[13] dated 1745, indicates that he and his wife retained the corner property or a part of it and resided in it, as he gives and bequeaths unto his wife “for and during the life term of her natural life all that messuage tenement brewhouse malthouse and garden with all and singular the appurtenances thereto belonging in Milford Street and Giggon Street in the City of New Sarum aforesaid and now in my own immediate hands and possession. I also give and bequeath unto my said wife all my plate linen and china with all the furniture of the chamber in which she at present lodges and the closet thereto belonging.”

Part of the will of Edmund WHITE, 1744.

Wiltshire & Swindon history Centre, Catalogue Reference: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.

The will also reveals that Edmund WHITE owned several inns in the city, namely The Red Lyon and The Kings Head in the parish of Sarum and The George in the parish of Fisherton Anger, as well as farms and lands in Laverstock and Milford.

Edmund WHITE died in 1744 and was buried in St Martin’s churchyard.[14] It is not known if, or for how long his wife Elizabeth remained in the property, but the next document records the drawing of lots for the ‘Great House’ in 1746. The letter was drawn up in The Mitre Tavern [of which I can find no records, but may have been in Mitre Chequer, a small chequer bounded by New Canal, High Street and Silver Street.]

The letter, dated 14 October 1746,[15] between Henry McCULLOCK, Robert COOPER, John LOGAN [possibly], described the agreement to draw lots for the Great House on Milford Street, the deed of which will be conveyed to the party who drew the lot.

Agreement to draw lots for the Great House, 1746.

Wiltshire & Swindon history Centre, Catalogue Reference: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.

Robert COOPER drew the lot for the house and the subsequent deed was drawn up on the same date between Edmund DYKE, maltster, Robert COOPER, linendraper, and Alexander POWELL, Gent., on the one part and Sydenham BURROUGH, mercer, on the other part.

The deed recorded the sale of “all that capital messuage or tenement with the appurtenances, lying on Milford Street and Giggor Street together with the brewhouses, malthouse, outhouses and other edifices and buildings, belonging late in the occupation or possession of Edmund WHITE the younger, formerly purchased by Mary HILL in two parts, one from William WESTFELOE, Gent., deceased and the other part from Thomas CHAFFIN, Esq. also deceased…all to be sold to Sydenham BURROUGH paying a peppercorn rent, that he may take a grant [mortgage or loan].”

Sydenham BURROUGH died in 1782 and his will bequeathed money to his nephews and wife and daughter, but did not mention the property, and I have been unable to trace the subsequent sales until 1856.

On 24 January 1856, the property was advertised in The Wiltshire County Mirror to be let.

“PREMISES TO LET

TO BE LET, with immediate Possession, all that

Commodious and comfortable DWELLING-HOUSE,

 with Gardem (in new and complete repair), situate at the

Corner of Milford Street and Gigant Street, SALISBURY,

 commanding a good Frontage, also a Back Entrance to

the Washhouse, Scullery, &c. – Particulars to be had of

Mr. SAMUEL CUSSE, on the Premises.

N. B. – Rent very moderate.”

A later advertisement in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal on 04 May 1867 announced that the property was to be sold.

“MILFORD STREE AND GIGANT STREE,

SALISBURY.

Mr JOHN WATERS will SELL by

AUCTION, at his SALE ROOMS, CANAL, SALISBURY

(by direction of the Trustees under the will of the late Mr.

Joseph DAVIS), on TUESDAY, the 14th MAY next, at three

o’clock, - The undermentioned

FREEHOLD PROPERTY, viz.,

The FREEHOLD TENEMENT, situate at the corner of

Milford-street and Gigant-street, having Sitting-room, Kit-

Chen, Back Kitchen, three Bedrooms, and Attic, with small

Court Yard and Side-door, late in the occupation of Mrs

Davis, deceased, together with

The TENEMENT adjoining, situate in Milford-street, in

The occupation of John Blake, as weekly tenant, and contain-

Ing Front Room (now used as a shop), Kitchen, three Bed-

Rooms, and two Attics.

Further particulars may be obtained of the Auctioneer, or

MESSERS. WILSON, THRING, and NODDER,

Solicitors, Salisbury.”

It is well known that the property became part of the GIBBS MEW Brewery in the late 1800s but census records show that a number of households were recorded in what may well be the corner house suggesting it had been converted to apartments on each floor.

Bridger GIBBS, who had been a partner in Fawcett & Sons Brewery in Salisbury, moved to the Anchor Brewery on Gigant Street in 1858. The 1861 census[16] recorded Bridger GIBBS working as a Maltster and Brewer on Gigant Street with his wife Eliza, four children and three servants.

Bridger GIBBS was recorded in the same location on the 1871 census[17] as a Master Brewer employing 8 men. The occupier of 36 Milford Street at this time was John TURNER and his family. Described as a General Dealer, a newspaper article in The Salisbury and Winchester Journal of 07 February 1874 describes him as a Fishmonger and Poulterer. The article advertised the sale of a number of freehold properties including;

“All the FREEHOLD DWELLING HOUSE,

SHOP, STOREHOUSE, and LOFTS, Six-stall Stable,

Single Stable, large Back Yard and Premises, situate in

Milford-street (adjoining the Chapel), now I the occupation

Of Mr. John Turner, Fishmonger and Poulterer, on Lease

Expiring 24 June, 1874, at a rental of £21 per annum-

Tenant doing inside and Landlord outside repairs. -Land

Tax 17s. 3d. per annum.”

I have not been able to find out who bought the property but by the 1881 census,[18] Bridger GIBBS was recorded living at 36 Milford Street and 34 Gigant Street.

Detail of the 1881 census for Bridger GIBBS.

Bridger GIBBS was a very successful brewer in Salisbury and wealthy enough to lease Arundel House, known as Arundels today [the former home of PM Sir Edward Heath], in the Close, from the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral. Bridger GIBBS died there in 1890 leaving a personal estate of over £13,000 [worth well over £1m today]. The GIBBS MEW Brewery continued trading until 1997 when the premises in Salisbury were closed.

The corner property on Milford Street and Gigant Street has clearly borne witness to several interesting and enterprising inhabitants over the centuries. If walls could talk and all that…

But what about the unusual ceiling? What would it tell us if it could? There are two possible men whose initials could match the EW on the ceiling…Edward WINDOVER and Edmund WHITE. Edmund WHITE was mentioned in documents dated 1742, so well into the 18th century, and so this leads me to suppose that the EW initials were those of Edward WINDOVER who occupied the property in the 1600s.

If readers have any thoughts on the ceiling and who the mysterious 'EW' may be, please feel free to contact me.

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Significant sources for this article include:

1. Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (1980). Ancient and Historical Monuments of the City of Salisbury, Vol 1. P. 113 and Plate 93.

2. CURRIE, C. K. and RUSHTON, N. S. (2005). Wiltshire Studies. Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine. Vol. 98. pp. 213-235.

3. The deeds bundle relating to The Brewery House (36 Milford Street). Held at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473.

Spire Genealogy – Family and House Histories

If you are interested in finding out more about the history of your house but don’t have the time to undertake the work yourself, please feel free to contact me to see what we can discover.

References

[1] Historic England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1242971?section=official-list-entry : accessed 01 February 2023.

[2] CURRIE, C. K. and RUSHTON, N. S. (2005). Wiltshire Studies. Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine. Vol. 98. pp. 213-235. : accessed 26 January 2023.

[3] Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (1980). Ancient and Historical Monuments of the City of Salisbury, Vol 1. P. 113 and Plate 93. : accessed 27 January 2023.

[4] Images, Photograph. Building on the corner of Milford Street and Gigant Street. Salisbury Museum Digital Image Archive. Reference: SBYWM-2008L-1-144 PC01085a : accessed 04 February 2023.

[5] Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (1980). Ancient and Historical Monuments of the City of Salisbury, Vol 1. P. 113 and Plate 93. : accessed 27 January 2023.

[6] Property Deed for the Brewery House (36 Milford Street). 23 January 1684. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre: accessed and transcribed by Clare Humphreys Vicentini 27 January 2023.

[7] Property Deed for the Brewery House (36 Milford Street). 23 June 1704. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre : accessed and transcribed by Clare Humphreys Vicentini 27 January 2023.

[8] Historic England. Bourne Hill House Garden. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1001700?section=official-list-entry : accessed 27 April 2022.

[9] www.artuk.org. Portrait of WINDOVER, William. Oil on Canvas. Abt. 1630. Salisbury Guildhall, Salisbury, Wiltshire.   https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/william-windover-of-new-sarum-d-1633-merchant-adventurer-of-sarum-benefactor-of-the-company-of-shoemakers-1632-64818 : accessed 27 January 2023.

[10] Britannica.com. Merchant Adventurers. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Merchant-Adventurers : accessed 11 February 2023.

[11] Property Deed for the Brewery House (36 Milford Street). 16 March 1714. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre : accessed and transcribed by Clare Humphreys Vicentini 27 January 2023.

[12] Property Deed for the Brewery House (36 Milford Street). 29 May 1742. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre : accessed and transcribed by Clare Humphreys Vicentini 27 January 2023.

[13] Testamentary records. Salisbury, Wiltshire. 1745. WHITE, Edmund. Ref: P1/10Reg/1. Collection: Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 February 2023.

[14] Burial records. England. St Martin’s, Salisbury, Wiltshire. 09 June 1744. WHITE, Edmund. Collection: Wiltshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812. Parish Registers, 1701-1758. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 February 2023.

[15] Letter concerning the drawing of lots for the Brewery House (36 Milford Street). 14 October 1746. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Ref: 451/473. Images reproduced with kind permission of Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre : accessed and transcribed by Clare Humphreys Vicentini 27 January 2023.

[16] Census records. England. 07 April 1861. Salisbury, Wiltshire. GIBBS, Bridger [Head]. RD: Salisbury. ED: 15. Piece: 1317. Folio: 77. P. 3. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 February 2023.

[17] Census records. England. Salisbury, Wiltshire. 02 April 1871. GIBBS, Bridger [Head]. RD: Alderbury. ED: 15. Piece: 1956. Folio: 38. P. 2. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 February 2023.

[18] Census records. England. Salisbury, Wiltshire. 03 April 1881. GIBBS, Bridger [Head]. RD: Alderbury. ED: 15. Piece: 2072. Folio: 81. P. 2. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 February 2023.