Salisbury, Wiltshire has been a ‘hot spot’ where Ogbournes have lived since early times. This is further emphasised with the publication of ‘Salisbury Domesday Books 1413-1478’ vol 77 by The Wiltshire Records Society.  The detailed account of court decisions includes a number of mentions of one Robert Ogbourne and his family in property transactions and wills. In the 15th Century.   William Ogbourne is listed as ‘chaplain’ and in the earlier volume 75 and  mentions that in “1374/75  A charter of William Ogbourne, a clerk, [priest], perfected for William Dunkerton and William Lord….”   The names have been converted to modern equivalents. At this time the name was sometimes spelt as Okeborn or similar.   This is further evidence that Ogbournes/Okeburns have been in the Salisbury area from early times. Salisbury was once one of England’s major cities.

Included in early records  held by The Public Record Office ^d

• 28 Aug 1326 Order to the steward & marshal of the King’s household to deliver to the Bishop of Salisbury John de Okebourn & other clerks [in holy orders], charged with divers crimes, to be tried by ecclesiastical jurisdiction. They have escaped from the bishop’s prison, & were taken within the verge of the King’s household. (The King was then at Clarendon, Wilts) ^a
• 1403  John Okeburn Prior of St John’s Wilton  the said prior owed Sir Thomas Bishop priest 13s 4d but the prior is now taken prisoner by yonde see [beyond the sea – i.e. in in going toward Rome.  [Wilton is close by Salisbury]
• 1429 Presentation of William Okeburne, chaplain, to the chantry of Holy Cross in the King’s castle of Old Saresbury (Old Sarum, Wilts). b

And in other records ^c

• 27 Jan 1429     Nicholas Okebourne of Salisbury husbandman  Master Gilbert Kymer dean of Salisbury cathedral and the chapter of the same sue Maurice Broghton of New Sarum husbandman and Nicholas for debt of £10 each
• 1475 Nicholas Okebourne of Salisbury husbandman  Master Gilbert Kymer dean of Salisbury cathedral and the chapter of the same sue Maurice Broghton of New Sarum husbandman and Nicholas for debt of £10 each

Numerous births,marriages & burials from the commencement of recording in the 16th century onwards show the name cropping up in Salisbury and the surrounding area, ‘husbandman’ being an occupation often mentioned.

Sources

^a Calendar of Close Rolls 1323-1327 p 604

^b Calendar of Patent Rolls 1422-1429 p 526

^c https://www.ogbourne.com/brushes-with-the-law/ogbrns-occurring-in-early-uk-public-records/

^d https://www.ogbourne.com/brushes-with-the-law/more-cases-appearing-in-the-english-courts-of-law-from-1259-1579/p

John Ogbourne, author of this website, and his brother Nicholas once sang in Salisbury Cathedral as part of a choir from their home town of Wootton Bassett, In the 1950s !