CAN you help solve the mystery of Mannington?

Confusion surrounds the exact location of Mannington today, as there are several areas with the same name in the town.

During the 14th century, records from A History Of The County Of Wiltshire indicate that Mannington was once in the parish of Lydiard Tregoz.

A settlement dating back to the 13th century in the village of Lydiard Tregoz was divided into three separate tithings of Lydiard Tregoz, Midgehall and Mannington. Taxation assessments taken in 1377 record that there were 65 taxpayers in Lydiard Tregoz, 46 in Midgehall and 21 in Mannington.

At some point after this records indicate that there was a shift in population to the nearby village of Hook and by the 19th century the parish of Lydiard Tregoz had been divided into the tithings of Hook and Midgehall.

The London Charterhouse, a charity founded during 1371, acquired Mannington in 1605.

The land, which included the farms of Toothill and Whitehill, remained part of Charterhouse until 1919 when it was sold to Wiltshire County Council to provide smallholdings for soldiers who served in the First World War.

Another Mannington, the Mannington Recreational Ground, in Rodbourne, was first purchased in 1889 for recreational use.

The area was a welcome green space for Rodbourne’s residents, many of whom had moved to the area after gaining jobs at the nearby railway works.

The Rec, as it is known today, is used by children and many football teams.

Further down the road, off Great Western Way, is Mannington Park, an area of land which belonged to Even Swindon Farm before it was bought by the Swindon Local Board in 1871. Some of the land was then used to build the sewage works and nearby cottages for those who worked there.

The third area is Mannington Lane, off Tewkesbury Way, Westlea.

In 1976 the Swindon Archaeological Society discovered Roman pottery close to the road. There are 32 houses along the lane including apartments in Mannington House.

Mannington Retail Park, also situated in Great Western Way, has recently been partly demolished.

So where is Mannington today? Is it in Rodbourne or West Swindon? And why did the name move from its original location in Lydiard Tregoz?

Perhaps you are a resident whose postal address is in Mannington, or you can shed some light on the mystery. If so, we would love to hear from you.

Sources: Rodbourne Community History Group, British History Online