The Maskelyne family were landowners and farmers in and around Purton Stoke for centuries. The Fifth Astronomer Royal - Nevil Maskelyne DD - spent five weeks holiday each year from Greenwich at one of the family homes " The Mansion House at Stoke ". He inherited it in 1775, and after his death in Greenwich was brought back to be buried by the south porch in the churchyard of the Parish Church, St Marys, Purton. There is a plaque prominently displayed inside the Church with the inscription
In hujus Aedis Ceteterio, Depositae sunt Relliquiae ..... translated as : In the cemetery of this church are buried the remains of Nevil Maskelyne DD FRS Astronomer Royal, and whether you look at the simplicity of his life or the kindness of his heart or the usefulness of his life of learning this man is worthy of being publicly mourned since he worshipped the Great Creator by formulating laws of nature: virtuous without pretence, he demonstrated goodness in his work, ultimately trusting not in himself but in Christ, to the bosom of the Eternal Father He rendered a life well lived in the certain hope of the reward to come. This on the fifth day of February AD 1811.
In the book "Longitude" Dava Sobel has described his part in the fortunes and misfortunes of John Harrison who played a major part in inventing the chronometer for navigation. Maskelyne's story of his search for a lunar method, involving meticulous observations and the publishing of the Nautical Almanac, from 1767 until his death in 1811, is told in the biography by John Howse.
The Greenwich Meridian was established by Nevil Maskelyne in 1767 for use with his Almanac, and was adopted in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference in Washington DC by 26 countries. Curiously, the French referred to it as Paris Mean Time retarded by 9 minutes 21 seconds!
The " Mansion House ", which, when it was built was surrounded by a moat, is now called Ponds Farm and still retains an impressive large pond in front of the main entrance.
