WOOBURN
Waborne (xi cent.); Woodbourne (xvii cent.).
Wooburn is watered by the River Wye, called also
the Wickham River, which flows through it from
Wycombe and enters the Thames at Bourne End.
The area is 3,140 acres, comprising 1,436 of arable
land, 699 of permanent grass, 289 of woods and
plantations (fn. 1) and 21 acres covered by water, and
includes the hamlets of Bourne End, Spring Gardens,
Havenslea, The Chequers, North End Woods and
Wooburn Common. It is low-lying, the surface of the
land varying between 92 ft. above the ordnance datum
in the south-west of the parish near the Thames and
367 ft. on the road to the south-west of Juniper Hill.
The soil is loam and gravel, the subsoil chalk and
sand. A large proportion of the inhabitants find
employment at the Soho paper and millboard mills,
for which this parish has long been famous, others at
the Clapton Mill, worked by Messrs. Wainwright &
Co., cabinet-makers, and at the Royal Stag Brewery
of Messrs. Williams & Co. Lace was formerly made
here, and a woman who made the lace for Princess
Charlotte's wedding dress was still living in 1870. (fn. 2)
The Thames is spanned by a railway bridge and
by a toll bridge for the road from Bourne End to
Cookham in Berkshire.
The village, locally called 'the town,' is situated
towards the south of the parish. On approaching it
by the road from the south-west the Town Farm,
vicarage and numerous cottages are on the right; the
Soho paper-mills, the school, the church and the
brewery are on the left. At Deyncourt Farm, which
also lies on the left of the village, four cottages and
some outbuildings incorporate remains of the 15th-century manor-house of the Deyncourt and Lovel
families. The cottages are built partly of flint and
clunch in chequer pattern and partly of brick and
timber, with tiled roofs. The three western cottages are supposed to have been the chapel, while
the present stables and hay-loft formed the old hall,
which still retains its original fine open timber roof.
In its south wall are two interesting 16th-century
oriel windows of four lights, now blocked, and traces
of two others. The north wall was rebuilt in brick
and bears the date 1610. Adjoining is a large 14th-century barn of timber and brick. The Royal Oak
Inn, now a private dwelling-house, has two 17th-century carved wooden figures fixed to the front;
one holds a compass and rule and the other a staff.
They are said to have come from the church and to
represent the architect and builder. Behind the inn
is a 16th-century barn.
About half a mile to the north-west there is a
second village, distinguished as Wooburn Green.
The houses and cottages, some of which, including
the Bull Inn and Red Cow Inn, are of the 17th
century, are grouped round a triangular green of
about 1½ acres, sheltered on all sides by hills. On
the right of the road leading north-west there are
brick-works and a gravel-pit. Near the station on
the Wycombe, Thame and Oxford branch of the
Great Western railway there is a chalk quarry. The
Baptists, Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists each
have a chapel at Wooburn Green. The manorhouse of that part of Wooburn afterwards known as
Bishop's Wooburn became a favourite residence of the
Bishops of Lincoln during the 16th century. Bishop
Atwater died there in 1521 (fn. 3) and Bishop Longland,
confessor to Henry VIII, in 1547. (fn. 4) It was afterwards
the seat of the Goodwins and the Whartons. Philip,
'the good Lord Wharton,' friend of Puritan divines,
notably of John Owen, (fn. 5) entertained William III at
Wooburn soon after his accession. (fn. 6) His grandson
Philip, created Duke of Wharton in 1718, (fn. 7) lived
there for a while in great magnificence, and he and
his father are said to have spent £100,000 on the
improvement of the house and grounds. (fn. 8) Traces of
the terraces which they cut in the hill are still visible.
The old palace was surrounded by a moat, the greater
part of which remains together with the fish-pond.
It covered a large area, and its gallery, 120 ft. in
length, contained the valuable collection of portraits
of the Wharton family, which were purchased by
Sir Robert Walpole (fn. 9) and later transferred to the
Imperial collection at St. Petersburg. (fn. 10) The palace,
with the adjoining cruciform chapel, was taken down
in 1750, (fn. 11) with the exception of one of the stable
wings, which was converted into a dwelling-house (fn. 12)
and new-fronted by Mr. Bertie in 1769, (fn. 13) and has
since been enlarged. Known as Wooburn House, (fn. 14) it
is a large brick mansion, and was the residence of Sir
Giffen Wilson for about twenty years before his death
in 1848, (fn. 15) and afterwards the seat of Mr. Alfred Gilbey;
it is at present unoccupied. It stands to the southwest of Wooburn Green, and is sheltered from the
high road by a row of Lombardy poplars planted in
1777. The entrance lodge is ancient. To the southeast of the grounds of Wooburn House is Burghers
or Beggars Hill, with a school and chapel, and beyond
in the same direction lies Wooburn Common. Northeast of the Compasses Inn is an old gravel-pit, and
beyond Blake's Wood (fn. 16) to the north-east is Lillifee
Farm, to which reference has been made under
Hedsor. Over's Farm, to the north of Lillifee, on
the Beaconsfield border, probably derives its name
from Richard Over, who purchased some land called
Lynchwell in this parish in the middle 16th century. (fn. 17)
To the north-west of it is an old gravel-pit, and
another to the south-west. To the west of these
farms stretches Mill Wood. Nearly half a mile to
the north-east of it is Holtspur Farm, with a gravelpit to the west of it and brick-works and old gravelpits to the east. Upper Holtspur Farm lies to the
north-west, and from it the road leads down-hill to
Holtspur Bottom, where there is a chalk quarry.
Lude Farm, an old manor-farm, is in the extreme
north of the parish. About half-way between it and
Wooburn Green is the hamlet of Wooburn Moor,
with Clapton Mill to the north-west and Glory
Mill, occupied as paper-mills by Messrs. Wiggins,
Teape & Co., to the south-east, with Lower Glory
Mill, worked by the Buckinghamshire Fibre Board
Co., less than half a mile distant. Glory, or The
Glory, gave its name to a family who lived there in
the 12th and 13th centuries, and survives also in
Glory Hill and Glory Hill Farm, not half a mile east
of Glory Mill.
Bourne End, in the south-west of Wooburn parish,
known in 1222 as the Burn End, (fn. 18) is mentioned as
part of the manor of Wooburn Deyncourt in 1496. (fn. 19)
It is a residential district by the River Thames.
Abney House at Bourne End, formerly the residence
of the late Gen. Hammersley, is well known to boating
men, as is also Fieldhead, the residence of Mr.
Rudolph C. Lehmann. Here is a station on the
Wycombe, Thame and Oxford branch of the Great
Western railway, which crosses the river at this point.
From Bourne End railway bridge there are beautiful
views of Cliveden Woods and Hedsor. In dredging
near this bridge a dug-out flat-bottomed boat of oak,
probably of the Bronze Age, was found and given to
the late Frank Buckland for his collection at South
Kensington Museum. (fn. 20)
Other hamlets are Cores End, to the south-west of
Wooburn village, with a farm and a Congregational
chapel (memorable for its connexion with Thomas
Groves), (fn. 21) and Egham's Green, where there is a gunpowder mill. Prince's Mill stands between the two
hamlets.
This parish was inclosed in 1802, when an
allotment was made to the poor for fuel. (fn. 22)
The following place-names occur: Ovepetur or
the Monte Quay (fn. 23) (xv cent.); Cattesbrayne Piece, (fn. 24)
Clement's Close, (fn. 25) Court Close, Fuller's Toft, (fn. 26)
Grangefield (fn. 27) and a capital messuage Myelsies or
Milsies (fn. 28) (xvii cent.); Beggars Hill, Blake's Wood,
Niplands (where there was a kiln for bricks and tiles)
and Old Ross Wood (fn. 29) (xviii cent.); Chapel Grove,
Coles Croft, Great and Little Colts Crofts, Jays
Croft Wood, Jenkin's or Sinkin's Field and
Wood, Great and Little Mound, (fn. 30) Watry Lane (fn. 31)
(xix cent.).
MANORS
WOOBURN MANOR
WOOBURN MANOR, which had
formed part of Harold's lands, (fn. 32) was
assessed in 1086 at 8½ hides, when it
was held by Remigius Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 33) In
1284 it was held by the Bishop of Lincoln of the
king in chief for three knights' fees. (fn. 34) The overlordship rights appertained to the see of Lincoln. (fn. 35)
These rights over two-thirds of the manor appear to
have been retained by the Crown after the attainder
of Francis Lord Lovel in 1486, (fn. 36) and fresh grants
were made in fee in 1488 (fn. 37) and 1513. (fn. 38) The see of
Lincoln surrendered all rights in the remaining onethird of Wooburn in 1547, (fn. 39) and a fresh grant in fee
was made by the Crown in 1550. (fn. 40) The tenure by
knights' service in connexion with Wooburn is last
named in 1627. (fn. 41)
In 1086 the tenant of Bishop Remigius in
Wooburn was Walter (fn. 42) Deyncourt (de Aincurt,
d'Eyncourt), a kinsman, who was also connected by
marriage with the Conqueror. (fn. 43) He held lordships
in several counties, principally in Nottinghamshire, (fn. 44)
Lincolnshire (fn. 45) and Derbyshire. (fn. 46) His heir was his
younger son Ralph, (fn. 47) founder of Thurgarton Priory in
Nottinghamshire. (fn. 48) Ralph's son and successor Walter
Deyncourt (fn. 49) was one of the benefactors of Kirkstead
Abbey, Lincolnshire. (fn. 50) One of his grants to this
abbey is dated 1140, and was given with the consent
of his sons Oliver and John. (fn. 51) The latter, who
succeeded his father, (fn. 52) also granted lands to Kirkstead
Abbey in 1162. (fn. 53) His son
Oliver, (fn. 54) representative of the
family in 1186, (fn. 55) died in
1201, (fn. 56) when the wardship of
his sons and the custody of
the lands and the marriage of
the heir Oliver were granted
to John Bishop of Norwich. (fn. 57)
Oliver Deyncourt paid £100
relief to the king on the lands
of his inheritance in 1217. (fn. 58)
Hugh Bishop of Lincoln
brought suits against him in
1220 (fn. 59) and 1221 in respect
of his tenure of Wooburn
Manor. (fn. 60) A settlement was made in 1222 by which
the bishop granted Oliver and his heirs two-thirds of
the manor to hold for the service of two knights' fees. (fn. 61)
He was still holding these two parts of Wooburn in
1235. (fn. 62) They are later called WOOBURN MANOR
or (from the first quarter of the 15th century)
WOOBURN DEYNCOURT or DEANCOURT
MANOR.
Deyncourt. Azure billety and a fesse dancetty or.
Oliver Deyncourt's son and heir John obtained the
livery of his lands in 1246. (fn. 63) The custody of his lands
and heirs was granted to Queen Eleanor in 1257, (fn. 64) and
she was still in possession in 1270. (fn. 65) Edmund son of
John Deyncourt had attained his majority in 1277, (fn. 66)
and was summoned to Parliament as a baron by the title
of Lord Deyncourt in 1299. (fn. 67) In 1314, having only
a female heir, Isabel, he obtained a royal licence to
settle his estates after his death for the preservation
of his name and arms on William and John Deyncourt
respectively in tail-male. (fn. 68) They were the sons of
John Deyncourt of Parkhall, Derbyshire, representing
a collateral branch of the family. (fn. 69) Edmund Deyncourt
died about 1327 and was succeeded by his kinsman
William, (fn. 70) first in the reversion, who was summoned
to Parliament in 1332 as Lord Deyncourt. (fn. 71) In 1353
he granted his Wooburn manor for eleven years to
Thomas de Holborn and Richard de Granby as
security for a debt of £400. (fn. 72) With his other manors
it was exempted from official exactions in 1359, since
he was charged with the custody of the King of
France and his suite at Somerton Castle. (fn. 73) He died
in 1364 seised of this manor jointly with his wife
Millicent, (fn. 74) to whom it was delivered in the same
year. (fn. 75) On her death in 1379 she was succeeded by
her grandson William son of William Deyncourt, (fn. 76)
who had predeceased his father. (fn. 77) He died in 1382 (fn. 78)
and his son Ralph in infancy two years later. (fn. 79)
Another son, John, aged twenty in 1402, was heir
to his brother Ralph. (fn. 80) He died in 1406 (fn. 81) and his
son and heir William, still a minor, in 1422. (fn. 82) The
heirs of William Deyncourt in respect of Wooburn
were his sisters Alice and Margaret. (fn. 83) The latter
married Sir Ralph Cromwell, and in 1435 her moiety
of Wooburn Deyncourt, twice called CRANWELL
MANOR at the end of the 16th century, (fn. 84) was
settled on them, with remainder in default of issue to the
right heirs of Margaret. (fn. 85) She
died in widowhood without
children in 1454, when her
heir was her sister Alice wife
of Sir William Lovel, (fn. 86) seventh
Lord Lovel of Tichmersh, who
thus became sole heir of her
parents and suo jure Baroness
Deyncourt. (fn. 87) Sir William
Lovel died in 1455 (fn. 88) and his
widow, who afterwards married Sir Ralph Butler, (fn. 89) in
1474, when her heir was her grandson Francis (fn. 90)
ninth Lord Lovel. (fn. 91) Lord Lovel was created Viscount
Lovel in 1483, supported Richard III, and was
attainted after Bosworth Field in 1485. (fn. 92) In the
following year Wooburn Deyncourt was held for a
short time by Jasper Duke of Bedford (fn. 93) and afterwards by Sir John Risley, kt. (fn. 94) He obtained a grant
of the manor in tail-male in 1488, (fn. 95) but died without male issue in 1512. (fn. 96) In the following year
Wooburn Deyncourt was granted in fee to William
afterwards Sir William Compton, kt. (fn. 97) His grandson
Henry Compton, knighted in
1566 and summoned to Parliament as Lord Compton in
1572, (fn. 98) died seised in 1589. (fn. 99)
His son and heir William
Lord Compton, (fn. 100) ancestor of
the Earls of Northampton, (fn. 101)
effected certain exchanges with
the Crown in 1596 by which
he obtained the reversions and
remainders (fn. 102) and a grant of
Deyncourt Manor in fee
simple. (fn. 103) In the following year
he quitclaimed it to Francis
afterwards Sir Francis Goodwin, kt. (fn. 104) The descent of this manor is the same
as that of Upper Winchendon (fn. 105)
until 1732, (fn. 106) when
it was sold by the trustees of Philip Duke of Wharton to John Morse. (fn. 107) He died in 1739, (fn. 108) when
his heir was his niece Elizabeth, the last representative
of her family and the wife of Peregrine Bertie. (fn. 109)
She died in 1765 (fn. 110) and her husband in 1777. (fn. 111)
Their son Peregrine, who had barred the entail on
the estate in 1765, (fn. 112) was buried at Wooburn in 1782. (fn. 113)
His brother and heir, Col. Albemarle Bertie, in 1784
sold the whole manor of Wooburn, including Wooburn Deyncourt, to Mrs. (Rebecca) Du Pre. (fn. 114) Her
son James, on succeeding his mother in 1800, (fn. 115) made
his title secure in law, (fn. 116) and was owner of Wooburn
Deyncourt and of all manors in Wooburn in 1802. (fn. 117)
His great-grandson, William
Baring Du Pre (fn. 118) of Taplow
House, is the present propriteor.
Lovel of Tichmersh. Barry wavy or and gules.
Compton. Sable a leopard or between three helms argent.
Wharton. Sable a sleeve argent and a border or charged with eight pairs of lions' paws razed gules set saltirewise.
Bertie. Argent three battering rams sable with heads and rings azure.
Du Pre. Azure a cheveron or between two molets in the chief and a lion passant in the foot argent with a pile or over all.
The reversions and remainders of this manor acquired
by William Lord Compton
in 1596 were granted in fee
on his petition in 1597 to
Thomas Spencer and Robert
Atkinson. (fn. 119) In the same year
Lord Compton conveyed an
estate in Wooburn Deyncourt
to Ralph Atkinson. (fn. 120) This included the mansion-house or
farm and Wooburn Mill, of
which the latter died seised
in fee in 1626. (fn. 121) His son and heir Ralph owned
this property in 1634, (fn. 122) but no later reference to his
family in connexion with Wooburn has been found.
Before 1765 the manor-house estate had passed to
the owners of the manor. (fn. 123)
The ordinary manorial court was held at Wooburn
Deyncourt (fn. 124) every three weeks. (fn. 125) The right of
holding the view of frankpledge twice yearly after
Easter and Michaelmas, also free warren, the amendment of the assize of bread and ale, pillory and
tumbril, waifs and strays were granted to Alice Lady
Lovel and Deyncourt in 1459. (fn. 126) The courts leet
and baron are named in 1765 (fn. 127) and the view of
frankpledge in 1784. (fn. 128) Freedom of access to the
wharf on the Thames belonging to this manor, with
exemption from all tolls and customs payable to the
Crown on goods landed there or conveyed thence
and from obligatory conveyance of goods for the
king's use, was assured in 1459. (fn. 129) In this year the
right to hold a yearly fair on her manor on the
feast of the Translation of King Edward and two
following days (20, 21, 22 June) was also granted to
Lady Lovel. (fn. 130) This fair had been discontinued at
the end of the 18th century. (fn. 131) A grant of two fairs
was made to Philip Lord Wharton in 1687, one to
take place on the feast of St. George and the day
following (23, 24 April), the other on All Saints'
Day and the next day (1, 2 November). (fn. 132) In 1784
the rights belonging to these fairs were leased to
Thomas Williams for £4 yearly. (fn. 133) They are still held
for cattle on Wooburn Green, but owing to the alteration in the calendar, on 4 May and 12 November.
Eight mills valued at 104s. yearly stood on Wooburn Manor in 1086. (fn. 134) Oliver Deyncourt held at
least four of them in the first half of the 13th century. (fn. 135) The water corn-mill, worth 20s. yearly in
1422, (fn. 136) and other mills with their tenants and rentals
are named in the transfer of the Bertie estate to
Mrs. Du Pre in 1784. (fn. 137)
A fishery of 300 eels appertained to Wooburn
Manor in 1086. (fn. 138) In 1382 a fishery called Wooburn
Lock belonged to Wooburn Deyncourt. (fn. 139) By 1422
it had fallen into disrepair. (fn. 140) The manorial rights
included free fishery in the water of Wooburn (fn. 141)
(that is the Wye) and in the Thames. (fn. 142)
Shire-silver was paid by Wooburn Deyncourt Manor
in the 14th and 15th centuries. (fn. 143) Reference to a
park of Wooburn Deyncourt occurs in the middle
16th century. (fn. 144)
The one-third of Wooburn Manor or 10 librates
of land retained by the see of Lincoln in 1222 was
called BISHOPS WOOBURN. It was held by the
rector of Wooburn, William of Thornton, (fn. 145) in 1285, (fn. 146)
and taken into the king's hands during the unsettled
times of Edward II, who restored it to the see of
Lincoln in 1324. (fn. 147) To escape the inconvenience
caused by this liability of the temporalities of his see
to seizure the diocesan is said to have appropriated
Wooburn Rectory (fn. 148) about 1330. (fn. 149) Wooburn Manor,
practically a rectory manor,
remained with the see of Lincoln until 1547, when it was
alienated, with the consent
of the dean and chapter, by
Bishop Holbeche to Edward
Duke of Somerset. (fn. 150) His interest in Bishops Wooburn
was conveyed to Francis Russell Earl of Bedford, (fn. 151) who
obtained a grant in fee from
the Crown in 1550, with all
appurtenant liberties, including the view of frankpledge
and free warren. (fn. 152) He alienated this manor in 1562 to
John Goodwin, (fn. 153) who in the
same year was elected Sheriff of Bedfordshire and
Buckinghamshire. (fn. 154) He was afterwards knighted
and appointed Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1587. (fn. 155)
In the previous year Sir John Goodwin and his son
and heir-apparent Francis had alienated Bishops
Wooburn to Edward Lord Zouche and others. (fn. 156)
This appears to have been only a temporary arrangement. Sir John Goodwin died in 1597, (fn. 157) and in
1600 his widow Elizabeth, (fn. 158) then the wife of
Thomas Stukley, quitclaimed her right in this manor
to Francis Goodwin. (fn. 159) He leased it in the same
year for forty-five years to Edward Phillipps and
others. (fn. 160) From 1600 the descent of the manor of
Bishops Wooburn is the same as that of Wooburn
Deyncourt (q.v.). The distinctive names of these
manors, which are still found in 1802, (fn. 161) were already
being lost, and the estate, which changed hands in
1784, was then described as the manor of Wooburn
alias Bishops Wooburn alias Wooburn Deyncourt, (fn. 162)
and is now only known as Wooburn Manor.
Bishopric of Lincoln. Gules two leopards or and a chief azure with Our Lady and the Child or therein.
Before the Conquest Leuric, one of Earl Harold's
men, held LEDE MANOR. (fn. 163) In 1086 it was held
by the Bishop of Lincoln and assessed at 1½ hides. (fn. 164)
It corresponds to half a knight's fee of the two fees
held in Wooburn by Oliver Deyncourt in 1235 (fn. 165)
and to the estate known as LYDE alias LUDE
MANOR from the later 17th century.
The bishop's tenant in Lede in 1086, as in Wooburn, was Walter (fn. 166) [Deyncourt], but by the middle
of the 13th century the Deyncourts had subinfeudated
Reynold de la Lude and Richard de la Stoke. (fn. 167)
Their holdings cannot be clearly traced. About
1224 Ada de la Stoke held one-sixth of a knight's fee
in Wooburn of Oliver Deyncourt, (fn. 168) who ten years
later claimed the custody of her son and heir John
against Robert Marshal and his wife Lettice. (fn. 169) About
1270 John de la Stoke died seised of 2 virgates of
land in Wooburn, the custody of which was given to
Thomas de Missenden as next of kin to the heir. (fn. 170)
No later connexion of this family with Wooburn has
been found.
Ada de la Stoke had granted her holding to Walter
de la Lude and his three brothers some ten years
before her death. (fn. 171) Reynold de la Lude was probably
one of these. In 1233 Richard de la Lude made an
agreement with Iseult daughter of Gilbert of Lewknor
and widow of William de la Stoke concerning half a
hide of land in Wooburn, by which Richard granted
half the land with the capital messuage to Iseult for
life with one-third of her husband's estate, which
Richard was then holding. (fn. 172) In 1245 William de
la Lude granted to Isabel widow of William de la
Lude one-third of a carucate of land in Wooburn for
her life in dower. (fn. 173) The last representative of this
family was John de la Lude, who recovered seisin of
land in Wooburn and the neighbourhood from Ralph
Loveday of Hedsor in 1315. (fn. 174) He and his wife
Alice made some agreement in regard to property in
Wooburn in 1328 with Richard de Wegenholt and
his wife Isabel. (fn. 175) John de la Lude was at one time
coroner for Buckinghamshire, but was removed by
the king in 1330 for inefficiency. (fn. 176) He was still
alive in 1337 and in debt to Richard de Wegenholt. (fn. 177)
When Lede reappears as Lyde or Lude Manor in
1680 it was conveyed by Thomas Morris and Francis
Smith to William Dayrell. (fn. 178) He and his wife Elizabeth quitclaimed this manor in 1694 to John Long. (fn. 179)
A member of his family bearing the same name still
owned it in 1736. (fn. 180) Fifty years later it was sold by
Samuel Rotton and his wife Sarah to Mrs. Du Pre, (fn. 181)
owner of the other manors in Wooburn (q.v.), and
it has since followed the same descent.
In 1235 John de la Gloria held half a fee in
Wooburn of Oliver Deyncourt (fn. 182) which appears from
the early 15th century as THE GLORY MANOR or
THE GLORY or GLORY MILLS, a sub-manor to
that of Wooburn Deyncourt. (fn. 183) An agreement was
made in 1256 by which Isabel and Alice de la Gloria
were to hold in survivorship a messuage, a carucate
of land and three mills in Wooburn of Isabel de
Worcester and her daughter Agnes with remainder
to Isabel and Agnes. (fn. 184) This appears to be the estate
held in 1278 by Walter de Amersham and granted
by him for life to Agnes daughter of Walter de Grey
with remainder to her son John and final remainder
to Walter and his heirs. (fn. 185) He was granted free
warren in his lands in Wooburn in 1282 (fn. 186) and in
1301 transferred them to his son Adam de Wooburn (see Amersham) and his heirs with successive
remainders to John and Thomas, Adam's brothers,
and their heirs and reversion in default of direct issue
to Walter and his heirs to hold of the chief lord of
the fee for the accustomed services, giving Walter for
his life £10 yearly and after his death a rose at
Midsummer to his heirs. (fn. 187) Adam de Wooburn, or as
he is more usually called Adam de la Gloria, and his
wife Margaret made an agreement with Edmund
Deyncourt in respect of their holding in 1314 (fn. 188) and
were both living in 1318. (fn. 189) Adam de la Gloria and
his wife Joan were holding in 1339 (fn. 190) and a reference
to John de la Gloria occurs in 1364. (fn. 191) In 1404
Roger Dayrell of Lillingstone Dayrell recovered seisin
of Glory Manor from Walter Bounce, to whom he
had leased it. (fn. 192) In 1414 Roger's widow, Margaret
Dayrell, sold it to Walter de Asselyn and his wife
Alice with remainder to the heirs of Alice. (fn. 193) Later
in the century this manor had reverted to the
Amershams of Tomlyns and followed the same descent
as that manor in Amersham (fn. 194) (q.v.) until the early
17th century. It was included by Sir Francis
Goodwin in the marriage settlement on his son
Arthur in 1618, (fn. 195) and has since followed the same
descent as Wooburn Deyncourt (q.v.).
In 1627 Richard King and Christopher Fisher
were seised in fee of the Glory paper-mills and leased
them to Edmund Waller of Beaconsfield at a peppercorn rent for twenty-two years. (fn. 196) He relet them to
Richard King for £50 yearly until 1645, when
payments were in arrears. (fn. 197) In 1751 the Glory
Mill was transferred from Gilbert and Susan Beck
and others to Sarah Peltzer and others. (fn. 198)
Half the remaining fee of the Deyncourts in
Wooburn was held in 1235 by William Fisher, John
of Elmeden, Thomas of Stanbrook and the other half
by the heirs of Ralph of Medburn, (fn. 199) but no later
trace of these holdings has been found.
The 16th-century so-called GOODWIN'S MANOR
in Wooburn corresponds to four messuages, seven
cottages and 200 acres of land held of Wooburn
Deyncourt Manor for fealty and 18s. 8d. yearly by
John Goodwin (fn. 200) at his death in 1488. (fn. 201) Before 1493
his son and heir John, (fn. 202) grandfather of Sir Francis
Goodwin (fn. 203) (Wooburn Deyncourt, q.v.), sued Thomas
Restwold and Thomas Garston, feoffees to uses under
his father's will in respect of this property. (fn. 204) He
inclosed land for pasture in Wooburn in 1507 (fn. 205) and
earlier and died about 1558. (fn. 206) Goodwin's Manor
remained in the Goodwin family, (fn. 207) but is not distinguishable after 1600 from Wooburn Deyncourt.
CHURCHES
The church of ST. PAUL consists of a chancel 29 ft. 6 in. by
14 ft. 6 in., north chapel 30 ft. by
14 ft., nave 52 ft. by 19 ft. 6 in., north aisle 10 ft.
wide, south aisle 12 ft. 6 in. wide, and a west tower
14 ft. square. These dimensions are all internal.
The earliest portion of the present building is the
nave, which dates from about 1180; the chancel seems
to have been rebuilt in the 14th century, when the
north chapel was added, and the aisles were rebuilt
in the 19th century. The west tower was added in
1442, (fn. 208) and the whole fabric having become very
dilapidated was thoroughly restored internally in
1856–7 and externally in 1868–9. The walls have
been refaced with modern flint-work and have stone
dressings; the north chapel roof is tiled, but the other
roofs are covered with lead.
The three-light east window of the chancel is
entirely modern with the possible exception of part
of the moulded rear arch. On the north are a
rectangular rebated locker and a 14th-century arch to
the chapel of two moulded orders springing from
semi-octagonal jambs with moulded capitals and bases.
The south wall has two modern windows, beneath the
easternmost of which is a small plain recess with a
pointed head covered with plaster. At the southeast of the chancel is a 14th-century piscina with a
trefoiled head, a circular bowl and a stone shelf.
The chancel arch is modern. The north chapel is
lighted on the north by two windows, each of two
trefoiled ogee lights with head tracery, and on the
east by a window of similar character but of three
lights; all are of 14th-century date, but have been
restored with cement. There is a modern doorway on
the north and in the south wall is a 14th-century
piscina. The pointed arch of two moulded orders
opening into the north aisle is also of 14th-century
date.
The nave was very considerably restored in 1856,
when the clearstory was added. On the north and
south are arcades of four bays with plain pointed arches,
now plastered, supported on circular pillars with
moulded capitals and bases; these date in part from the
late 12th century, but the north arcade has been
considerably retooled and restored, and the only
original parts of the south arcade are the westernmost
pillar and the west respond. The north and south
aisles are both modern. (fn. 209)
The west tower is of three stages with an
embattled parapet and has a stair-turret at the southeast angle. The moulded tower arch springs from
responds with moulded capitals and bases. There
is a small doorway in the south wall, giving access to
the stair-turret. The doorway in the west wall with
the window above it and the windows in the belfry
are all modern, but the west doorway and the doorways opening from the ground stage and ringing
chamber to the stair-turret all retain old doors.
The font is modern. There is said to have been
an ancient curiously carved font in the church which
had disappeared long before 1870. (fn. 210) There is a
brass in the chancel to Thomas Swayn, S.T.B., who
was prebendary of Aylesbury and chaplain to William
Atwater, Bishop of Lincoln, and who died in 1519.
It represents a priest in cope and amice and has a
Latin inscription. Another with no date, but of
the 16th century, has the figure of a man in a
shroud with a scroll, an inscription in English verse,
four shields, and a representation of the Trinity. The
third brass in the chancel is to Arthur, the infant son
of Philip Lord Wharton, who died in 1641; it
consists of a small square plate with the figure of a
child on an altar tomb, an inscription, and a lozenge
with a shield of arms and a motto. The original slab
of this brass is now in the south aisle; it is broken,
but contains part of a marginal inscription and
indents for all the above plates. The brasses in the
north aisle include one to Christopher Askowe,
Margery his wife, and William her son, with figures
of the man and woman, the indent of a child, and an
inscription, undated, but probably of the early 16th
century; to John Goodwin, 1488, and Parnel
his wife, 'first founders of the Stepull of Obourne
Deyncourt,' with the figure of a civilian and indents
of the figures of the woman and two children; and a
third with an inscription to Hugh Robertson, a former
vicar, who died in 1614. In the north chapel is an
undated brass, probably of the late 15th century, with
an inscription in Latin to Maud and Margaret, the
wives of Thomas Sothewyk. On the north side of
the chancel there is a mural tablet with arms and an
inscription to Philip Lord Wharton, who died in
1695, and his two wives Elizabeth and Anne.
In the north chapel are a plain chest of the late
13th century with richly carved feet, another and
smaller chest of the 17th century, and a table
probably also of the 17th century.
The carved chancel screen from the design of
Mr. Comper was given by Miss Du Pre and
Mrs. Bagnell in memory of their father Caledon
George Du Pre in 1900. The carved reredos representing the Entombment was presented by Mr. and
the Misses Gilbey in 1901.
There is a ring of eight bells: the treble and
second, 1814, and fourth, 1813, by Thomas Mears,
jun.; the third, 1718, by Richard Phelps; the fifth,
1790, by John Warner; the sixth, 1868, by J. Murphy;
the seventh, 1712, by Richard Phelps; the tenor,
1762, by Lester & Pack.
The plate consists of a silver flagon of 1704, a
paten with fluted cover of 1708, a chalice of 1808
and a 19th-century paten.
The registers begin in 1653.
The church of ST. MARK, Bourne End, built in
1889, is designed in the style of the 13th century
and consists of chancel, nave, south porch and turret
containing one bell. It serves as a chapel of ease to
the parish church.
There is a small mission church in Wycombe
Lane dedicated to the honour of St. Mary.
ADVOWSON
In 1229 15 marks were paid
annually from Wooburn Church
(which was valued at £10 13s. 4d.
in 1291) (fn. 211) to the see of Lincoln. (fn. 212) The vicarage
was ordained in 1337 (fn. 213) and further endowed in
1458. (fn. 214) The advowson was retained by the Bishops
of Lincoln (fn. 215) until 1547 and followed the same descent
as Bishops Wooburn Manor (fn. 216) (q.v.) until 1912, when
Mr. W. Baring Du Pre surrendered it to the Bishop
of Oxford in consideration of a benefaction of £2,000
by Mrs. Gilbey towards the increase of the vicar's
income.
In 1655 the tenth toll dish of corn or grist from
a corn-mill in the parish was claimed by prescriptive
right by the vicar. (fn. 217) He was awarded £22 at an
estimated value of £3 5s. yearly. (fn. 218) In 1802 an
allotment was made in lieu of great tithes to the
lord of the manor and in lieu of small tithes to the
vicar. (fn. 219) There are 94 acres of glebe land.
The Chantry Commissioners stated in 1548 that
certain rents in Wooburn yielded 12d. yearly for
uses not known to them, and that an annual rent of
unknown amount was paid out of the parsonage in
pension to an aged priest since the dissolution of
Woburn Abbey (fn. 220) (Beds.).
There were also in Wooburn Deyncourt in 1548
lands worth 2s. 6d. yearly for the maintenance of
lights. (fn. 221)
CHARITIES
Eleemosynary charities.
Charity
of Lucy Butterfield, mentioned in an
old churchwardens' book, 1769, as
£100 stock for twelve poor families at 5s. each on
St. Thomas's Day for ever, now represented by £100
consols.
Mrs. Rook's charity, mentioned in the same book
as a legacy of £50 for six poor widows not receiving
parochial relief, now represented by £50 consols.
In 1844 Peter John Fromow by will, proved in the
P.C.C. 16 November, bequeathed a sum of money,
now represented by £207 13s. consols, the income
to be applied in the distribution of blankets for poor
at Christmas.
The income of these charities, amounting to
£8 18s. 8d., is usually applied as to £5 thereof in
blankets, £1 10s. to six poor widows, and the remainder in gifts to poor families.
Poor's land.
Under the Wooburn Inclosure Act
28 acres or thereabouts at Northern Scrubs were
allotted to the poor in lieu of their common rights.
The rents, amounting to £16 a year, are applied in
the distribution of coal.
In 1812 John Osmer by will bequeathed £45
consols, the interest, subject to keeping in order an
inscription in the church, to be applied every second
year among the poor in bread. By order of the
Charity Commissioners the residue of the income is
now spent in providing necessaries of food or nursing
to the sick poor. It is distributed by the Wooburn
Nursing Association.
Ecclesiastical charities.
The charity of Sir Francis
Goodwin, founded by indenture, 12 February 1631,
consists of a rent-charge of £20 yearly issuing out of
Lower Glory Mills in Wooburn, for the benefit of
the vicar.
The church estate formerly consisted of 3 a. 3 r. (fn. 222)
situated in Wooburn Mead. In 1889 the land was
sold for £1,200, which was invested in £1,227 12s. 5d.
consols. The annual dividends, amounting to
£30 13s. 8d., are expended in the maintenance of
the church.
Lord Wharton's charity.
This parish is entitled
to participate in the distribution of Bibles and other
religious books in respect of the charity of Philip
Lord Wharton.