Beach family of Fittleton, Keevil and Netheravon (Wiltshire)

The Beach family can be traced back to the Beche or de la Beche family of Warminster in Wiltshire in the 15th and 16th centuries; despite much effort on the part of various members of the family, it has not been possible to prove a link with the de la Beche family of Aldworth (Berkshire) [see D2455/F7/2/5/4-5]. By the mid-17th century they were living at Brixton Deverill, and William Beach [one of several by that name; he is referred to throughout the catalogue as "William Beach of Brixton Deverill" for the sake of clarity] bought the manors of Fittleton and Keevil in 1665 and 1678 respectively. His son, also William [referred to throughout as "William Beach of Fittleton"] inherited the estates on his father's death in 1686, and passed them to his son Thomas on his own death in 1741. Thomas died in 1753 and the estates were inherited by his son, another William [referred to throughout as "William Beach of Netheravon"], who bought the Netheravon estate from the Duke of Beaufort in 1760. William's estates were inherited on his death in 1790 by his daughter Henrietta Maria and her husband Michael Hicks, on the condition that Michael take the name of Beach as well as that of Hicks, thus founding the Hicks Beach family [see D2455/F3]

William Beach of Fittleton and his grandson William Beach of Netheravon both married daughters of the Wither family of Hall Place [later Oakley Hall], Oakley (Hampshire) named Ann: the elder Ann was grandmother to William of Netheravon, and great-aunt to his wife [and second cousin], the younger Ann [see D2455/F5 for records of the Wither family]