The parish includes Bowden Hill, a small village 1 mile (1.6 km) to the east of Lacock, and the hamlet of Notton, the same distance to the northwest.
History
Lacock is mentioned in the Domesday book, with a population of 160–190; with two mills and a vineyard. Lacock Abbey was founded on the manorial lands by Ela, Countess of Salisbury and established in 1232; and the village — with the manor — formed its endowment to "God and St Mary". Lacock was granted a market and developed a thriving wool industry during the Middle Ages. Reybridge and a packhorse Ford remained the only crossing points of the River Avon until the 18th century.
At the Dissolution, the Abbey and estate, including the village were sold to William Sharington, later passing into the Talbot family by marriage.
Most of the surviving houses are 18th-century or earlier in construction. There is a 14th-century tithe barn, the medieval St Cyriac's Church, an inn dating from the 15th century[citation needed] and an 18th-century lock-up.
In 1916, Charles Henry Fox Talbot bequeathed the Lacock estate to his niece, Matilda Gilchrist-Clark, who took the name of Talbot. The estate – comprising 284 acres (1.15 km2), the Abbey and the village – was given to the National Trust in 1944 by Matilda Talbot.
Filming Location
The village has been used as a film and television set, notably for the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice and the 2007 BBC production of Cranford. It has also made brief appearances in the Harry Potter films Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In the spring of 2012, it was a filming location for the fantasy adventure movie Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box. Most recently it was used for the upcoming series of Downton Abbey.
Scarecrow Festival
A scarecrow festival is held annually in Lacock and is usually popular with visitors from the local area
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/
