Combs & Research - Proud Patron of USGenNet Combs &c. Families
of Tisbury, Wilts, England

You are Our     Visitor Since 28 Dec 2000 (new counter)
Last updated  
Please Email Additions and/or Corrections to Webmaster

Tisbury, a parish in the hundred of Dunworth, county of Wilts, 2-1/4 miles southwest of Chilmark, 2-1/4 miles northwest of Swallowcliffe, abt 3-1/2; miles southeast of Hindon 4-1/2 miles southwest of Dinton, 5 miles west of Compton Chamberlain, and about 8 miles northwest of Bishopstone (Wilton).

Researcher David Vidler adds:
Lewis adds that in 1740, one Alice COMBES bequeathed £400, directing the interest to be applied in teaching poor children. He also refers to ruins of an ancient castle, the origin of which, he states, is very remote: "...from the time of Edward III., downwards, it was successively the seat of the families of St. MARTIN, LOVEL, TOUCHET, AUDLEY, Willoughby de BROKE, and, lastly, of Sir John ARUNDEL, whose son Thomas was created Lord ARUNDEL of Wardour, by James I. In the history of this baronial castle no event of importance occurs until the time of Charles I., when it was besieged by a detachment of the parliamentarian army, under Sir Edward HUNGERFORD. Lord ARUNDEL being then at Oxford, attending the king, the castle was left in the custody of his wife, the Lady Blanch ARUNDEL, who, with a garrison of only twenty-five men, held out against a bombardment for five days, at the end of which, on May 8th, 1643, she surrendered upon honourable terms, which, however, were not punctually kept by the captors. The castle was then garrisoned for the parliament, and placed under the command of the celebrated Edmund LUDLOW. The latter, being in turn besieged in it, in the course of the same summer, by the royalists, under Lord Arundel and Sir Francis DODDINGTON, made an obstinate resistance for several weeks, but was at last compelled to deliver up the fortress to the besiegers, who, according to LUDLOW'S account, in his own memoirs, observed the terms of capitulation no better than the parliamentarians had done… In the ancient castle, Sir Nicholas HYDE, Chief Justice of the King's Bench and Lord Treasurer, in the reign of James I., was born, about 1570; and about the same period, Sir John DAVIES, eminent as a lawyer, a poet, and a political writer, was born at the hamlet of Chisgrove, in this parish." ("A Topographical Dictionary of England, Samuel Lewis, 1831)
There is a Burke's Lineage for the Combs of Tisbury, Wilts, as well as a Visitation of Somerset, 1623, both published under Visitations, but very little has been collected in the way of records so far. The following is a brief outline of just the earliest years, based on Burke's and the visition, except where otherwise noted. Also note that though the visitation was in Somerset, that Norton Ferrors Manor was in the parish of Kilmington, Somerset, only 1-/4 miles of Stourton, Wilts, and that most intermarriages took place in Wilts, not Somerset.


12th year of Queene Elizabeth (1570) Edward COMB of "Tisburie co. Com" (Visitations) and "Bridsor, in Tisbury, Wilts" (Burke's) was "seated" on his land; and had married by that year, Allice sister of Barnaby LEWIS, Armagent (Visitations), of Stocky Gaylard, Dorset, and Wincanton Manor, Somerset, and daughter of Thomas LEWYS, of Matherne, Mon.[Monmouth, Wales]. In 1593, "Edward COMB of Norton Ferrers Manor, Somerset" was "party to fine of lands at Dynton [Dinton], Wilts." (Burke's).

21 Aug 1570 Tisbury, Wilts. Baptised: Thomas COMBE, s/o Edward and Alice LEWIS Combe. (Burke's)

6 Mar 1577-8 Tisbury, Wilts. Baptised: William COMBE, s/o Edward and Alice (Burke's)

10 May 1589 Tisbury, Wilts. Married: Elinor COMB, daughter of Edward and Alice LEWIS Comb, and William MOORE (Burke's).

1591 (Tisbury?) Married: Thomas COMBE of Chicksgrove, in Tisbury and "Mary, dau. of John DAVIES, of Tisbury, and sister to Sir John DAVIES, of Englefield, Berks, Attorney-General for Ireland, by whom he had an only dau., Joane."

26 Sep 1593 (Tisbury?) Buried: Thomas COMBE of Chicksgrove, s/o Edward and Alice (Burke's)

bef 1600 William COMB of Norton Ferrers Manor, in Kilmington, and Chicksgrove, in Tisbury" ("of Norton Ferrers, co. Som." per the Visitation) married Isabel, daughter of Thomas SMITH of Bishopston, Wilts, whom Burke's states was "of Knighton Manor, in Bishopston" and (per Burke's), Elizabeth PENRUDDOCK, daughter of Sir Edward PENRUDDOCK of Compton Chamberlayne, who was Sheriff of Wilts in 1597.

7 Oct 1607 Tisbury, Wilts. Edward COMBS was buried, his will proved 12 Feb 1607-8 (P.C.C.) (Burke's) [Will still needed]

26 Oct 1609 (Tisbury, Wilts?) Baptised: Thomas COMB, s/o William and Isabel SMITH Comb (born about 1608 per Visitations).

2 Feb 1617-18 (Tisbury?) Married: Jane COMB and "Thomas COX, of Linley, in Tisbury" (Burke's)

1623 Arms granted by William SEGAR (to William COMB?):
Arms - Sable, two bars between six bees argent, 3, 2, 1.
Crest - A demi lion sable, ducally collared argent.
3 Jan 1627-8 (Tisbury?) Married: Edward COMB, s/o William and Isabel, and, according to Burke's, "Mary, eldest dau. of John FOYLE, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, and Kimpton Manor, Hauts [Hants?], by whom (who was bur. 23 June, 1639) he had three sons, who d. in infancy, and four daus [unnamed]. He m. 2ndly, 28 March, 1641, Rebecca, elder dau. of Francis TOPPE, of Combe Bissett, Wilts, and sister to Sir Francis TOPPE, Bt., of Tormarton Manor, co. Glouc, and by her (d. 16 March, 1644-5) had sons Edward and William (see below). Burke's titles Edward as "of Norton Ferrers Manor, and Netherhampton, Wilts," the latter parish being 1.86 miles north of Coombe Bissett.

1631 (Tisbury?) Michell COMB, d/o William and Isabel, born about 1603 according to the Visitation, married, per Burke's, in 1631 to "Edward SHOARE, of Maiden Bradley, who served on the Grand Jury at Salisbury Assizes, with his father-in-lawe, in 1643."

11 Oct 1631 (Tisbury?) Marriage License: Thomas COMB (son of William and Isabel) and "Mary, dau. of William HAYTER, of Teffont Evias"


Later Combs-Coombs &c. of Tisbury, Wilts

1822 Tisbury Independent Church. Member: Joseph COOMBES (Coombes researcher Alan Duncan who adds that Joseph married Anna SHORE 30 Oct 1820 at Swallowcliffe, Wilts, and that he was later suspended. Joseph appears on the Chilmark census of 1851), aged 60 years, born Tisbury, Wilts [ca 1791]. Researcher Andrew Coombs adds that Joseph died in 1877 in Tisbury, Wilts at the age of 87, Louisa BURROUGH his daughter the informat and the same applies for Ann who died in Tisbury, aged 82 in 1880- Informat was also Louisa Burrough. (Coombs Researcher Andrew Coombs) Ed Note: Dates still needed.

Return to Combs &c. of Wiltshire
Return to Combs &c. of England