How Downland village called Snap, near Aldbourne, came to be abandoned
The rise – and loss – of a village called Snap was the most recent talk enjoyed by Hungerford Historical Association (HHA).
Local history enthusiast John Dymond lectured on the lost Downland village west of Aldbourne and on how it came to be abandoned.
‘Snap’ is a late 19th-century spelling; it has been variously spelled ‘Snape’, ‘Snapp’, or ‘Snappe’, all meaning ‘spring or boggy place’.
Snape was first mentioned in a document from 1268.
In 1332 there were six households but only five households in 1509, by which time the land was owned by the Crown.
The earliest map of Snap is dated 1598.
1643 saw the English Civil War arrive in Snap when the Parliamentarian Earl of Essex marched down the main street with 8,000 men.
Spotted by Royalist Prince Rupert, two riders were dispatched to Oxford to warn King Charles I.
Essex and his army were chased through the centre of Aldbourne and on to Hungerford, making for Littlecote.
It was known as the Battle of Aldbourne Chase.
By 1809 there were just four houses in Snap and between 1861 and 1911 the census revealed a drop from 53 to five residents.
Arable farming had collapsed in the late 19th century due to high imports of cheap wheat from North America, resulting in the residents of Snap leaving to seek employment elsewhere, some as far away as Patagonia.
Rachel Fisher was the last to leave Snap around 1913.
The only remnant of the village is a small pile of rubble.
HHA chairwoman Dr Caroline Ness said afterwards: “John’s depth of research using primary sources including original maps and archival documents was commendable and made for an absorbing evening.”
The current lecture season comes to a close with HHA annual general meeting on June 25 for members, followed by a talk from Dr Hugh Pihlens and Dr Caroline Ness entitled ‘Jemima Lye of Hungerford and her Needlework Sampler of 1834’.
The next season begins on September 24.
Details and information on joining HHA can be found at https://www.hungerfordhistorical.org.uk
The photograph shows Aldbourne villagers – and, possibly the last Snap residents – in 1902.
