The area has many bowl barrows, from the Bronze Age or earlier, including one close to the present church.

[3] The site of a Romano-Celtic temple on Whitecliff Down in the north of the parish is surrounded by evidence of occupation in the Iron Age and earlier.

Subsequent excavation by Wessex Archaeology uncovered a pit with two more pans and two copper alloy wine strainers.

[6] A small settlement of nine households was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, when the land was held by the canons of Lisieux.

[5] The population of the parish reached 420 at the census of 1841, then declined to 176 in 1901[1] as mechanisation of agriculture reduced employment.

[9] It falls within the area of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions.

The 18th-century house was extensively altered in 1858 by the Bath architect G. P. Manners, giving it a ten-window front with many gables.