March, 2020 marks 160 years since a great fire destroyed the centre of Pitton village. In 1860, a whole group of farmsteads, with their houses, cottages, barns and sheds, was completely destroyed, and, for the most part, they were never rebuilt, at least not on their former sites.

The fire started in a barn where some men had been threshing and it is presumed that children playing there were to blame.

A strong north-east wind fanned the flames, which spread within a few minutes from one to another of the closely packed thatched buildings.

Tradition says that sparks from the conflagration fell in Salisbury Market Place, and that farmers attending Salisbury market galloped their horses home to find their farms destroyed. Several farming families never recovered from the disaster and emigrated to Australia to begin again there.

The lane leading through the centre of where the farms once stood is still known as Black Lane; and coins of approximately that date, together with other small relics, were often dug up in the neighbouring gardens.

Not far from Black Lane stands the Silver Plough Inn which was originally a farmhouse with an off-license known as Ivy Clad Farm. The Silver Plough was opened in 1947 and Percy Charles Lampard was the owner of the pub and licensee – but the pub only had a full license for a limited period as the premises were not then structurally adapted. This changed in March 1950 when Percy carried out the alterations needed and successfully applied for a license authorising him to sell all liquors. The inn went from strength to strength and in 1968 Councillor Biddle opened The Old Stable Skittle Alley which became a great success.

The Silver Plough at Pitton is a village pub of the very best type with a warm, friendly atmosphere – long may it continue.