Population 285 (2011 census) Unitary authority Country England Dialling code 01249 Post town Chippenham | OS grid reference ST9480 Region South West Sovereign state United Kingdom Ceremonial county Wiltshire UK parliament constituency North Wiltshire | |
 | ||
Seagry is a civil parish in Wiltshire, England, about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southeast of Malmesbury and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northeast of Chippenham. Its main settlements are the village of Upper Seagry (first documented in 1317 as 'Over Seagry') and the hamlet of Lower Seagry (first documented in 1218 as 'Nether Seagry').
Contents
Map of Seagry, UK
The toponym is thought to derive from the Old English for "sedge stream", possibly referring to the River Avon which flows through the area.
History
There is evidence that the area was settled in the Upper Paleolithic period, and also of Saxon occupation. The Domesday Book of 1086 records two manors, that of Durand of Gloucester Segrete, and that of Dru Fitz Ponz, Segrie.
Segrete became part of the estates of the Earl of Hereford, and later passed into the ownership of Bradenstoke Abbey until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. A grange farm at Lower Seagry was associated with the Abbey.
Upper Seagry
The village is on a minor road between Malmesbury and Sutton Benger at grid reference ST 947 807. It has a modern village hall, run jointly with Great Somerford and Startley, and Seagry CofE (VC) Primary School. The school was founded in 1966 and has about 40 pupils. In 2008 the school federated (a process whereby two or more schools choose to share resources, in this case a shared headteacher and governing body) with Somerfords' Walter Powell CofE (VA) school in Great Somerford.
Lower Seagry
The hamlet is east of Upper Seagry at grid reference ST 958 810, towards Great Somerford.
Local government
The civil parish elects a parish council. It is in the area of Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions.
The present parish was formed in 1971. The ancient parish was added to Sutton Benger parish in 1934, then in 1971 the newly built M4 motorway became the boundary between the parishes of Sutton Benger and Seagry.
Churches
The Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin at Lower Seagry was founded in 1172 by Walter de Clifford, a descendant of the Fitz Ponz family. Clifford is buried in the church. It was rebuilt in 1849.
A Primitive Methodist chapel was built at Upper Seagry in 1825. It fell into disuse around 2010 and was sold for residential use.