DRAYTON BEAUCHAMP
Draitone (xi cent.); Dreiton (xiii cent.); Druton
Bechame (xvi cent.).
The parish of Drayton Beauchamp covers an area
of 1,319 acres, of which 696 are arable land, 327
permanent grass, and 22 woods and plantations. (fn. 1) It
is about 5 miles long and averages less than half a mile
in width. It runs in a north-westerly direction along
the Hertfordshire boundary. The ground rises from
289 ft. above the ordnance datum in the south-west
to 802 ft. in the north-east. The soil of the higher
land is chalk with a subsoil of chalk and clay, which is
worked in pits near the village. The soil of the lower
land is gault. The chief crops are wheat, barley,
turnips and clover.
The village, which is very small, lies about a mile
from the north end of the parish, with its church at
the southern extremity, and just south of it the
Wendover branch of the Grand Junction Canal, now
disused, crosses the parish.
In the village there are several buildings, including
Manor Farm and Upper Farm, which date from the
17th century, but are all more or less restored and
altered. The old manor-house stood to the southwest of Upper Farm, where there are fishponds and
a homestead moat.
A branch road leads south to Akeman Street, the
Roman road, off which lies Drayton Lodge, a redbrick 18th-century house standing in a park of 70
acres, the property of Major S. W. Jenney, J.P., V.D.,
and residence of the Rev. Walter Neame. Grim's
Ditch, now only faintly visible, and the Upper and
Lower Icknield Ways also cross the parish.
In the 16th century the farm or lordship of
Painsend is referred to in tenure of John Payne. (fn. 2)
This name still exists in the parish.
In the 17th century some field-names in Drayton
Beauchamp were St. John's Field, Trinity Field, le
Grove, Perkins Butts, Helsthorpe Mead. Helsthorpe,
which was formerly an outlying part of Drayton
Beauchamp parish, was transferred in 1886 to the
parish of Wingrave. (fn. 3) A prehistoric gold coin has
been found here. (fn. 4)
MANORS
The manor of DRAYTON BEAUCHAMP, which had been held by
Alveric, a thegn of Edward the Confessor, was assessed at 6 hides and 3 virgates in 1086
and was then held of Manno le Breton. (fn. 5) The overlordship remained vested in the Wolvertons, Manno's
descendants, of whom Drayton Beauchamp was held
as part of their barony of Wolverton (q.v.) and is last
mentioned in 1619. (fn. 6)
The under-tenant in Domesday was Helgot, but
nothing further is heard of the manor until 1225,
when William de Beauchamp was in possession. (fn. 7) His
right was contested in that year by Roger de Drayton,
who declared that his great-grandfather Osbert had
been seised of it in the reign of Henry I. (fn. 8) Roger
lost his case and Drayton remained in the Beauchamp
family (fn. 9) until the death of William de Beauchamp
about 1312, (fn. 10) when the manor was divided between
his two daughters and co-heirs Alice and Elizabeth. (fn. 11)
In 1312 Alice was robbed and carried off by strangers 'to
Woodegrene-ende by Agmodesham (Amersham), where
by night they killed her,' (fn. 12) and her interest in the manor
devolved on her sister Elizabeth, (fn. 13) whose husband,
Ralph de Wedon, held in her right in 1316. (fn. 14) In
1322 a settlement of the manor was made by Ralph,
whereupon the escheator took possession under the
mistaken impression that it was held of the king in
chief, (fn. 15) and it was not until 1328, after many petitions, that Ralph recovered seisin. (fn. 16) He still held in
1346, (fn. 17) but in 1349 William de Hynton conveyed
Drayton, which he claimed by hereditary right, to
Mary Countess of Norfolk, to hold jointly with her
son John de Cobham. (fn. 18) The countess died in 1362, (fn. 19)
and in the following year John de Cobham granted
the king and his heirs the
reversion of the manor, (fn. 20)
'because of the great love and
good affection that he had
towards the Prince, eldest son
of the King.' (fn. 21) In 1364 the
king granted his interest in
Drayton to Thomas Cheyne,
his shield bearer, (fn. 22) from whom
the reversion descended to
William Cheyne, probably his
son, who was in possession in
1370, (fn. 23) and died in 1375
leaving a son Roger aged
thirteen. (fn. 24) On the death of
John de Cobham some time after 1377, (fn. 25) the manor
was inherited by Roger, who entered upon the estate
and married without the royal licence; his mother
Joan likewise entered upon her dower lands, for
which pardon was obtained by both in 1385. (fn. 26)
Roger died in 1414 and was succeeded by his son
John, (fn. 27) who in that year received a pardon for all
past offences, (fn. 28) and who in 1430 was accused of
terrorizing his neighbours. (fn. 29) He was arrested in the
following year and his manors, books and papers
seized, (fn. 30) being doubtless suspected of Lollardy as his
brother, Thomas Cheyne of Chesham Bois, had
already been convicted for heretical beliefs. (fn. 31) In 1466
John settled the manor on himself, his wife Agnes,
daughter of William Lexham, and their issue, with
remainder to the heirs of Roger Cheyne his father,
and dying without issue in 1468, was succeeded at
Drayton Beauchamp by his great-great nephew, John
Cheyne of Chesham Bois, then three years old. (fn. 32)
From this date until about 1728 the descent of this
manor is identical with that of Chesham Bois (q.v.), (fn. 33)
but after the death without issue in 1728 of William
Cheyne, Viscount Newhaven, it is said to have been
sold about 1730 by his representatives to John
Gumley of Isleworth. (fn. 34) In 1755 it belonged to
Samuel Gumley and Mary his wife. (fn. 35) It subsequently
passed to Lady Robert Manners, a connexion of the
Gumleys. (fn. 36) Lady Robert
Manners was succeeded by
her daughter, the Hon. Lucy
Manners, who died in 1835, (fn. 37)
leaving as heir her cousin,
Caroline Frances Jenney, wife
of William Jenney. Mrs.
Jenney died in 1861, leaving
the manor to her two sons,
Arthur Henry and Stewart
William Jenney. Arthur
Henry died in 1894, leaving
as sole lord of the manor his brother, whose son,
Major Stewart William Jenney, is the present
owner. (fn. 38)
Cheyne. Checky or and azure a fesse gules fretty ermine.
Jenney. Ermine a bend gules cotised or.
The manor of HELSTHORPE was held in the
reign of King Edward by four thegns, one a man of
Earl Lewin, another a man of Wulwene, the third a
man of Lewin of Mentmore, and the fourth a man
of Brictric. (fn. 39) By 1086 it was held, together with
Drayton Beauchamp Manor, of Manno le Breton by
Helgot. (fn. 40) Its descent is identical with that of Drayton
Beauchamp (q.v.) until 1719, when William, Viscount
Newhaven, sold it to John Gore. (fn. 41) He or his
son John Gore died in 1763, leaving instructions that
Helsthorpe was to be sold by his executors, among
them his wife Hannah and Thomas Gore. (fn. 42) His
daughters Judith Towsend, widow, Anne the wife of
William Mellish, Catherine wife of Joseph Mellish,
and Susannah Gore, surrendered their right in the
manor in 1773 to Christchurch, Oxford, (fn. 43) in order to
obtain their jointure under the terms of their father's
will. (fn. 44) No further mention has been found of this
manor.
In 1475 John Harvey died seised of lands in
Drayton Beauchamp appurtenant to the manor of
Wilstone, afterwards Harveys, in Hertfordshire, and
held of Elizabeth widow of Sir John Cheyne. (fn. 45) They
were sold with that manor by John Harvey in 1565
to William Lake, (fn. 46) in whose family they remained
until they were conveyed in 1710 to William Gore
of Tring Park. (fn. 47) Before 1739 these lands, hitherto
considered to be part of the Hertfordshire Harveys
Manor, became known as HARVEYS MANOR in
Drayton Beauchamp. (fn. 48) Though the descent of the
Buckinghamshire manor is identical with that of the
Hertfordshire one, it was regarded as a distinct manor,
being always classed with Goldingtons Manor in
Marsworth (q.v.), (fn. 49) whereas the Hertfordshire manor
was held with Tring. Harveys is last mentioned as
a separate manor in 1814. (fn. 50)
An estate in Drayton, afterwards called DRAYTON
BEAUCHAMP MANOR, was held in the reign of
King Edward in two parts of 1½ hides and 1½ hides
and two-thirds of a virgate by a widow, a tenant of
Brictric, and by Wiga, a man of King Edward. (fn. 51) By
1086 the overlordship of these two parts had passed
to the Count of Mortain. (fn. 52) This estate remained
attached to the honour of Berkhampstead, (fn. 53) last mentioned in this connexion in 1459. (fn. 54)
The tenants of the lands in 1086 were William son
of Nigel and Lepsi respectively. (fn. 55) Before 1205 their
holding seems to have passed to
Robert Basset, whose widow
Alice in that year claimed a
third of the estate as dower, (fn. 56)
against the heir William
Basset, still living in 1249. (fn. 57)
Basset of Weldon. Or three piles gules and a border sable bezanty.
By 1302 it had passed to
Richard Basset, (fn. 58) still holding
in 1311, (fn. 59) who was succeeded
by his son Sir Ralph Basset
of Weldon, (fn. 60) who in 1331
settled his Drayton property
on Richard his son and heir
on the occasion of his marriage with Nicole daughter of
Sir Robert de Arderne. (fn. 61) Richard died childless (fn. 62)
and was succeeded by his brother Ralph, who entered
the priory of La Laund in 1367. (fn. 63) The estate in
Drayton Beauchamp, which is first called a manor in
1383, (fn. 64) passed to his son and heir Ralph, (fn. 65) who died
in 1385, leaving a son and heir Richard, a minor. (fn. 66)
Doubts seem to have been raised as to the parentage
of the latter, (fn. 67) and Sir John Knyvet, kt., and Sir John
Aylesbury, kt., (fn. 68) nephews of the Ralph Basset who
entered religion, (fn. 69) unsuccessfully claimed the manor
against Richard. (fn. 70) However, on the death of Richard
Basset without issue, c. 1408, they became his heirs and
Drayton Beauchamp passed to Sir John Aylesbury, (fn. 71)
who died seised of the manor in 1409, leaving a son
and heir Thomas. (fn. 72) The latter died in 1418 and
was succeeded by his son John, (fn. 73) who died while still
a minor in 1422. (fn. 74) His son Hugh died when a few
months old in 1423, and the manor then passed to
John Aylesbury's sister and co-heir Isabel the wife of
Thomas Chaworth, the other sister and co-heir Eleanor,
later wife of Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton,
receiving other lands. (fn. 75) Sir Thomas Chaworth held
Drayton (fn. 76) until his death in 1459, when it descended
to his son and heir William, (fn. 77) who died in 1467 and
was succeeded by his son Thomas, a minor. (fn. 78) The
latter died childless about 1485, leaving as heir his
sister Joan, the wife of John Ormond. (fn. 79) In 1502
the manor was settled on Joan and her husband for
life with remainder in thirds to her daughters, Joan
wife of Thomas Dynham, Anne wife of William
Meryng and Elizabeth wife of Anthony Babington. (fn. 80)
On Joan Ormond's death in 1507, her heirs were her
daughters Joan Dynham and Anne Meryng and her
grandson Thomas son of Elizabeth Babington. (fn. 81) Joan
Dynham married again after her first husband's death
and as Joan Fitz William, widow, conveyed her third
to her younger son Thomas Dynham in 1539. (fn. 82) Anne
Meryng died without issue, when a moiety of her
third was inherited by George Dynham, elder son of
Joan Fitz William, who in 1543 conveyed it to his
brother Thomas, (fn. 83) who thus owned half the manor.
The other moiety of Anne's share passed to her
other nephew Thomas Babington, who thus acquired
the other half of the manor, and in 1544 he obtained
Thomas Dynham's half in exchange for other lands. (fn. 84)
In the same year Babington sold the whole manor to
William Sedley, (fn. 85) whose son John in 1556 conveyed
it to John Cheyne, (fn. 86) when it doubtless became merged
in the chief manor. In 1602 it was held by Francis
Cheyne as a moiety of the manor of Drayton
Beauchamp. (fn. 87)
The overlordship of 3 virgates in Helsthorpe,
which in the reign of King Edward were held by
Lewin, a man of Godric, had passed by 1086 to the
Count of Mortain, (fn. 88) of whose fief the estate was still
a member in 1284. (fn. 89)
The tenant in 1086 was Ranulf, and this land may
possibly be identical with the 3 virgates held by John
de Beville in Helsthorpe in 1225. (fn. 90) By the middle
of the 13th century it was in the possession of Gilbert
de Greinville, (fn. 91) and from him appears to have passed
to Geoffrey le Suminur, who by 1284 had subinfeudated the estate to Roger de Huntingfield. (fn. 92) As there
is no further mention of this holding, it may have
become merged in the rest of the Mortain fee in
Drayton Beauchamp.
In 1365 Thomas Cheyne was granted free warren
in the manors of Drayton Beauchamp and Helsthorpe. (fn. 93)
A view of frankpledge was held for the manors in
1530, (fn. 94) and is mentioned as pertaining to them in
1615. (fn. 95) From the end of the 14th century, and
probably earlier, the tenants of Helsthorpe had to
attend the view of frankpledge held at Aldbury
(Herts). (fn. 96)
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY consists
of a chancel 32 ft. 6 in. by 16 ft. 6 in.,
nave 39 ft. by 16 ft. 6 in., north aisle
7 ft. wide, north porch, south aisle 7 ft. 6 in. wide
and west tower 10 ft. 6 in. by 9 ft. 6 in., all these
measurements being internal. It is built of flint
and stone, and the roofs are of lead.
The present church dates from the 15th century,
but the still surviving font shows that there was a church
here in the 12th century, which was altered and
partly rebuilt in the two following centuries. About
1500 the porch was added, and shortly afterwards the
clearstory was built. In 1867 the church was restored.
The chancel is lighted from the east by a fivelight window with a square head; from the north by
a three-light window with a four-centred head; and
from the south by a three-light window with a square
head. All of these have cinquefoiled lights, and date
from the late 15th century. Below the north window
is a 16th-century blocked doorway which, with the
window, is now concealed by the organ. The lights
of the east window are filled with contemporary
painted glass, which has been carefully restored. Ten
of the Apostles are represented in two tiers; each
holds his symbol and stands under a canopy upon
a step on which is his name, while over his head
is a scroll with an article of the Apostles' Creed in
Latin. In the north window are some fragments of
15th-century painted glass including parts of a figure,
and in the south window are three shields, probably
of the 14th century, two with the arms of Cheyne,
one of which has been restored, and the other Gules
two hands cut off at the wrists. At the north-west
of the chancel is a late 15th-century low-side window
with trefoiled head, and at the south-west are indications of a blocked squint from the south aisle. In
the south wall are the remains of a 15th-century
piscina with trefoiled head and broken bowl and two
niches of the same date which are in the position of
sedilia, but one at all events seems too narrow for
that purpose. The pointed chancel arch dates from
about 1250, but has probably been reset and contains
many new stones. The arch is of two chamfered
orders springing from semi-octagonal responds with
somewhat rudely formed capitals and modern bases.
The nave, like the rest of the church, was rebuilt
in the 15th century from materials of the two
previous centuries, partly recut to suit the style of
the later date. It has on either side an arcade of
four bays with pointed arches of two chamfered
orders springing from octagonal piers and semioctagonal responds at the east end, and from two
round piers on each side westward, with half-round
respond at the north-west end and three clustered
shafts at the south-west end. The capitals are
bell-shaped and those of the eastern columns are
recut. The bases are moulded and of the 13th or
14th century, except those of the eastern responds,
which are modern. The clearstory has four threelight windows on each side. The pointed tower
arch at the west end is of the 13th century, probably
reset, the responds having been heightened and 15th-century capitals inserted. The north and south
aisles have each a window of three cinquefoiled lights
under a square head in their east walls. In the
north wall are two similar windows, but of four
lights, much restored, and in the south wall a three-light window of like detail to the west and a modern
window to the east. The north doorway is continuously moulded and of the 14th century. The
south doorway now blocked is of the 15th century
and has in its spandrels the arms of Cheyne on the
one side and a shield charged with three martlets on
the other.
The tower is of two stages supported by diagonal
buttresses and crowned by an embattled parapet.
The west doorway, dating from about 1480, but
restored, has a pointed arch in a square head with
plain spandrels, and above it is the west window of
about 1450, which is pointed, and has two traceried
cinquefoiled lights.
There is a plain single light over the west window
and the upper stage of the tower has four windows
of two cinquefoiled lights under square heads, all
much restored.
The roofs are low pitched and much restored;
that over the south aisle is of the 15th century and
that over the nave is of the following century.
The pulpit is modern and was erected to commemorate Richard Hooker, author of the Laws of
Ecclesiastical Polity, who was rector here in 1584–5.
The font, which dates from the 12th century, is
circular, and has a short plain stem and a moulded
base, while its bowl is enriched by a continuous
arcade in low relief of round arches divided by
small pillars.
In the chancel are three brasses; that on the south
shows the broken figure of a knight in armour of the
latter part of the 14th century. The inscription is
lost, but the brass is attributed to Thomas Cheyne, who
died about 1370. There are indents for two shields.
On the north side is another brass, with figure of a
knight in armour and indents for four shields, which
was originally in the south aisle. The inscription is imperfect, but the brass seems to commemorate (William)
Cheyne, who died in 1375. There is also a slab with
the indents for the figures of a man and a woman under
a double canopy, which is thought to represent Sir John
Cheyne, who died in 1468, and Agnes his wife. There
is also a brass with the headless figure of a priest in
mass vestments and part of an inscription attributed
to Henry Fazakerley who died in 1531.
On the north side of the chancel is a large finely
executed marble monument to William Cheyne, second
Viscount Newhaven, who died in 1728. Under a
pediment, containing the arms of Cheyne impaling
those of his two wives, supported on pilasters, is the
reclining figure of the viscount in his robes. Below
is the figure of his second wife Gertrude Pierrepoint,
which was added after her death in 1732 by her
kinswoman Mrs. Gertrude Tolhurst.
In the sill of the east window of the south aisle are
the remains of a 15th-century altar tomb with
quatrefoil panels. It is unknown whose tomb this
is, but it may belong to a later member of the Cheyne
family who held the manor at this time.
In the chancel are two 17th-century oak chairs, a
pair of gauntlets and a breastplate of the 17th century,
and at the west end of the nave are some 16th-century
seats.
There is a ring of three bells. The treble, by an
unknown founder, is inscribed 'Come and pray 1621,'
the second by Pack & Chapman, 1773, and the tenor
by (George) Chandler, 1704.
The plate consists of two silver chalices, a silver
paten and an electro plated flagon.
The registers before 1812 are as follows:—(i) baptisms 1538–1653, burials 1567–1651, marriages
1541–1643; (ii) baptisms 1653–1741, burials and
marriages 1653–1740; (iii) burials 1680–1765,
baptisms 1741–1765, marriages 1741–1753; (iv) marriages 1755–1812.
ADVOWSON
The church of Drayton Beauchamp
is first mentioned about 1221, when
William de Beauchamp was the
patron. (fn. 97) The advowson has apparently followed the
descent of the manor of Drayton Beauchamp (fn. 98) (q.v.).
About 1221, when William de Beauchamp presented one Miles, a minor, to the rectory, the Bishop
of Lincoln instituted a temporary vicarage, to which
Miles had to present a suitable clerk, and which lapsed
on the attainment of his majority. (fn. 99) The vicar's portion consisted of the altar offerings and tithes of land
beyond Waleweie on the south and a manse between
the cemetery and the manse of the church. (fn. 100) A
further arrangement was made in 1229, when the
bishop consolidated the vicarage and rectory with the
authority of the council. (fn. 101) The church was assessed
at £8 13s. 4d. in 1291, (fn. 102) and at £12 0s. 0¾d. in
1535. (fn. 103)
Richard Hooker, author of the Laws of Ecclesiastical
Polity, was rector of Drayton and in December 1584,
was visited by George Cranmer, a former pupil, who,
however, had to leave after one night, disgusted with
the shrewishness of Mrs. Hooker. (fn. 104)
In 1388 there was a chapel at Helsthorpe annexed
to the church of Drayton Beauchamp, (fn. 105) dedicated in
honour of the Holy Trinity. In the 18th century
the site of this chapel was called Chapel Yard. (fn. 106)
In Drayton Beauchamp a rent of 1d. was given
towards the maintenance of a lamp in the church. (fn. 107)
CHARITIES
John Cheyne's charity, founded
by deed 21 November 1577, consists of an annual payment of £1,
part of a rent-charge of £5 issuing out of a farm in
Chesham called the Mose. See also under Amersham
and Chesham.
The poor's lands, or Unknown Donors' charities,
mentioned on a tablet in the parish church, bearing
date 1773, have undergone changes under the Inclosure Act.
The trust property now consists of 2a. 1 r. 36 p.
in the parish of Tring let at £2 15s. a year; a
rent-charge on Manor Farm, Chesham Bois, £2;
rent-charge on Moor's Farm, Whelpley Hill, 14s. 10d.;
and £167 0s. 2d. consols, producing £4 3s. 4d. a
year, of which £33 6s. 8d. stock represents redemption
of a rent-charge of 19s. 6d. formerly paid by the lord
of the manor, and £133 13s. 6d. stock, proceeds of
a sale of land in 1879.
The income, amounting to £9 13s. 2d., together
with £1 from Cheyne's charity, was in 1909 distributed as to £3 6s. to six elderly infirm persons,
£6 12s. 4d. to twenty-seven poor inhabitants, and
14s. 10d. to the parish clerk.
The Stephenage Money.
The distribution on
St. Stephen's Day at the rectory of bread, cheese and
ale to all applicants, which formerly prevailed, but
apparently without legal obligation, has for many
years been discontinued.