John Aubrey and Joan Sumner

The famous antiquary and the Church Piece squatter

John Aubrey was born in 1626 in Kington St Michael; he was educated at Oxford, lived through the Civil Wars and the Restoration, and became famous for his writing on a wide range of subjects, but especially for his Brief Lives; this book included a section on his very good friend Sir James Long of Draycot Cerne. Aubrey is also remembered for a number of failed business ventures, court cases and failed attempts to find love. One of which took him to Sutton Benger.

To quote a biographer of Aubrey:

In 1665 he became involved in what was perhaps the worst fiasco of his career, combining as it did, in the maximum degree, his endemic vexations at law and in love. The beginning of the mischief he notes as: "November 1; I made my first addresse (in an ill howre) to Joane Sumner."

(Anthony Powell (1988), John Aubrey and his Friends)

Who was 'Joan (or Joane) Sumner'? - she was a member of a family who were originally from Seend, near Devizes, but she was living in Sutton Benger. Aha! This is the same family who caused all the problems with Church Piece, and who are mentioned in the legal documents of 1618 and 1723.

For the full details about the history of Church Piece, please see the separate article in the History / Archives section.

For more on John Aubrey and Joan Sumner, please watch this space ...

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