Widham
Coordinates: 51°35′42″N 1°51′58″W / 51.595°N 1.866°W
Widham is a hamlet now encompassed within the village and parish of Purton, Wiltshire, England.
Originally, Widham consisted of a few houses north of Purton along the Cricklade road, parts of Witts Lane, and the toll house at Collins Lane, with Widham Common in the centre. In time, Purton engulfed the hamlet, and only one small area remained as Widham. This, in turn, was divided in the mid-19th century by the railway line between Swindon and Gloucester.
A related place name, Widhill, in the parish of Cricklade, can be found approximately 4 miles to the north near the A419 at Blunsdon.
During the period of the Enclosure Acts, the common at Widham was awarded to the Earls of Shaftesbury along with 'foot rights' to the cottages around the common to the highway (which had been a private road with tolls collected at the toll house). The highway then became a public road. Tolls, however, continued to be collected into the late 19th century.
Pincocks Orchard, one of the last remaining private orchards in Purton and dating to the 18th century, lies behind the houses to the south of the railway. It was originally Thomas Pincock's orchard, but is now reduced in size to around half an acre. It is planted with greengage and other fruit trees.
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