MARSWORTH (fn. 1)
Maessanworth (x cent.); Missevorde (xi cent.);
Massewrth (xii cent.); Messeworthe (xiii cent.);
Masworth (xvi cent.).
The parish of Marsworth contains 1,212 acres, of
which 728 acres are arable land and 291 acres are
permanent grass. (fn. 2) The soil is marl and gault with a
subsoil of chalk and marl. The ground rises gradually
from about 300 ft. above the ordnance datum in the
north to 400 ft. in the south. Marsworth is traversed
by the Lower Icknield Way. The Grand Junction
Canal crosses the parish, throwing off the Aylesbury
branch towards the west. The main line of the
London and North Western railway cuts the eastern
boundary of Marsworth. The village, which lies towards the south of the parish, consists of a few houses
north of the church, and of the vicarage on the south,
and contains a small Baptist chapel, which was formerly
worked as a mission in connexion with New Mill in
Hertfordshire, but has been closed since 1907.
There are two hamlets, Startop's End on the southwest, and Cooks Wharf (otherwise Cheddington
Wharf). Along the canal are a few solitary houses,
and one or two farms lie away from the village.
Manor Farm in the village is part of the old building
of the De la Hay Manor House, and Church Farm
to its north marks the consolidation of two old farms,
the original Church Farm near the church having
disappeared over 100 years ago. Further west is
Marsworth Great Farm, which has moated remains,
all that is left of the manor-house of Goldingtons,
pulled down in the 18th century. In the south of
the parish are College and Hospital Farms, the latter
reminiscent of St. Thomas's Hospital, whose original
farm-house was between the church and Startop's End.
Duncombe's Farm, once known as Greening's and
for a short time as Russell's, on the south-west of the
church, is a timber-framed house with brick filling and
tiled roof. It is of the early part of the 16th century,
but is now much altered. It contains a hall, now
divided into two floors with probably the original
fireplaces. Near to it is an ancient timber-framed
barn with thatched roof.
The Inclosure Award for Marsworth, dated 7
November 1811, under the Inclosure Act of 1809, (fn. 3)
is now in the custody of the parish council.
MANORS
MARSWORTH is first mentioned in
the will of Aelfgyfu, by which she left it
to the king. (fn. 4) Thorpe dates this will at
1012, but it must have been before the death of
Edgar in 975, as by the Liber Eliensis Aelfgyfu, when
she died, gave Marsworth to Edgar, who with
Alftruda gave it to St. Etheldreda of Ely. (fn. 5) It had
passed from the monastery before the Conquest to
Brictric, a thegn of King Edward, (fn. 6) and by 1086 was
assessed at 20 hides among the possessions of Robert
Doyley. (fn. 7) His lands afterwards became part of the
honour of Wallingford, (fn. 8) to which Marsworth was
attached as late as the 17th century. (fn. 9)
The sub-tenant in 1086 was Ralph Basset, (fn. 10) in whose
family Marsworth remained for the next 130 years.
William Basset was holding in 1194–9, (fn. 11) and he was
succeeded by Thurstan, on whose death, c. 1223, the
property was divided into equal shares among his six
daughters and co-heirs: Isabel widow of Robert
Mauduit, Joan wife of Robert de Burnebu, Egeline
wife of Richard Burdun, Alice wife of John le Brun,
Maud, and Laurencia. (fn. 12) The two latter shortly afterwards married without royal licence Bartholomew de
Rakinton and Ralph de Wedon respectively, for which
offence their portions were temporarily confiscated to
the Crown. (fn. 13) The part allotted to Laurencia and
Ralph de Wedon was in the latter's possession in
1236. (fn. 14) By 1284 it had passed to another Ralph de
Wedon, probably a son or grandson, (fn. 15) on whose death
about 1301 it passed to his son and heir Ralph. (fn. 16)
The latter, by his marriage with Elizabeth daughter
and eventually sole heir of William de Beauchamp,
acquired the manor of Drayton Beauchamp (q.v.),
with which this portion of Marsworth, first called a
manor in 1328, was held until 1446. In that year
Sir John Cheyne and Joan his wife conveyed Marsworth Manor to Thomas Charleton, (fn. 17) by whom it
was alienated in 1460 to John Barlow. (fn. 18) Within
the next hundred years this estate appears to have
become united with the manor of Marsworth or
Goldingtons (fn. 19) (q.v.), and to have descended with it
as one manor.
Basset. Barry wavy argent and sable.
Wedon. Argent two bars gules with three martlets sable in the chief.
The origin of the manor of Marsworth called
Goldingtons, later MARSWORTH with GOLDINGTONS, is somewhat obscure. It does not appear
to correspond to one of the portions assigned to
Basset's six daughters, but was a composite holding
subinfeudated by them or their descendants to the
Goldington family, from whom it took its name.
Ralph de Monchesney, who may have represented
one of the heiresses, was said in 1292 to have as his
tenant William Goldington, (fn. 20) and in 1319 the overlords were given as Ralph de Wedon, Nicholas Burdun,
the lord of Hawridge (John Beauchamp) and Sir
Philip Aylesbury. (fn. 21) The first three were all descended
from three of the Basset heiresses, and Aylesbury's
rights were probably based upon similar grounds, the
greater part of his inheritance apparently lying in
Tiscot, in Hertfordshire. (fn. 22) The Aylesburys, however, retained rights in this manor as late as the early
15th century. (fn. 23) The William Goldington who held
this estate under Ralf de Monchesney in 1292 (fn. 24)
is probably identical with the William Goldington
who died about 1319, leaving a son John, aged
twenty-one. (fn. 25) His manor of Marsworth was surveyed
in 1324, and comprised a capital messuage, a garden,
a fishery with fish-pond worth 6s. 8d. yearly, and various
lands in Hertfordshire. (fn. 26) John Goldington received
a grant of free warren here in 1328, (fn. 27) and died c.
1338, when his widow Katherine entered into the
manor, (fn. 28) his son and heir John, then aged ten, (fn. 29) later
entering into the rest of the property. (fn. 30) John was
still alive in 1375, (fn. 31) but doubtless alienated Marsworth
to the Venours, of whom William and Elizabeth were
in possession in 1401. (fn. 32) Richard Venour, mentioned
in connexion with Marsworth in 1409, (fn. 33) was probably
the next holder. The history of Marsworth is obscure
for the next eighty years, but by 1489 it was the
property of Sir Thomas Bryan, chief justice, who made
a settlement of it in that year, (fn. 34) and left it by his will,
proved December 1500, to his son and heir Thomas
and the latter's wife Margaret. (fn. 35) The son, Sir Thomas
Bryan, by his will proved 31 January 1517–18, left
the manor for life to his wife Margaret and then to
his son Sir Francis. (fn. 36) In 1527 Marsworth was
settled on Margaret and her second husband David
de la Zouche for the life of Margaret, then on Francis,
failing whose issue it was to go to his sister Elizabeth,
wife of Nicholas Carewe. (fn. 37) Further arrangements
were made in 1532, by which the Carewes obtained
the first reversion, (fn. 38) and in 1546, after the death of
the Carewes, Sir Francis quitclaimed his rights in the
reversion to their son Francis Carewe, (fn. 39) who accordingly entered into the manor after the death of Margaret
de la Zouche, c. 1554. (fn. 40) In 1561 Francis Carewe
conveyed it to John Gresham, citizen and goldsmith
of London, (fn. 41) by whom it was
alienated in the following
year to John Seare and others, (fn. 42)
a preliminary to its transfer to
Nicholas or Richard and Joan
West and William their son
and heir. (fn. 43) In 1565 Nicholas
West had to prove his title to
the manor, (fn. 44) and received a
confirmation of the alienation from Francis Carewe in
1575. (fn. 45) Nicholas West died
in 1586, and was succeeded
by his son Edmund, (fn. 46) William
having died in 1583. (fn. 47) In
1610 Edmund settled the
manor on his second wife Theodosia and their issue, (fn. 48)
and died in 1618, when his rights descended to his
son Edmund, then aged ten. (fn. 49) Edmund attained his
majority in 1629, his mother in the meanwhile
having married Gregory Pratt. (fn. 50) By his will, dated
23 January 1677–8, Edmund West left all his lands
to his son Edmund, serjeant-at-law, (fn. 51) who, however,
died on 27 February 1681–2, about a year before
his father. (fn. 52) Roger, the second son, therefore inherited Marsworth, (fn. 53) which in accordance with his
will, made 23 March 1697 and proved 7 July 1700,
passed to Samuel Poynter, son of John Poynter and
Sarah, Roger West's niece. (fn. 54) Samuel Poynter held
the manor until 1720, when he alienated it to
William Gore of Tring Park, Hertfordshire. (fn. 55) William
Gore's grandson, Charles, made a settlement of the
manor in 1767, (fn. 56) and was succeeded by his son
Charles Orlando Gore, who conveyed Marsworth at
the end of the 18th century to Drummond, afterwards Sir Drummond Smith, bart., (fn. 57) who was holding
in 1814. (fn. 58) The trustees of Sir Drummond Smith
sold the estate after his death to William Kay, in
whose family it remained until
1872, (fn. 59) when it was purchased
by Baron Lionel Nathan de
Rothschild, (fn. 60) whose son Lord
Rothschild of Tring is the
present lord of the manor.
West of Goldington. Argent a fesse dancetty sable charged with three fleurs de lis coming out of leopards' heads or.
Rothschild. Quarterly, (1) Or an eagle sable, (2 and 3) Azure a naked arm issuing from the edge of the shield and holding in the hand a sheaf of arrows all proper, (4) Or a lion gules; and over all a scutcheon gules charged with an ancient shield proper.
Maud de Rakinton, who
received another portion of
Marsworth as her inheritance,
apparently married as her
second husband a man surnamed 'of Esserughe (Ashridge),' as she is called Maud
of Esserughe in 1236. (fn. 61) Her
share may possibly be identical
with the half-fee held in 1284
and 1302 by Walter de Rudham, (fn. 62) who died without issue
c. 1306, when MARSWORTH
MANOR passed to his nephew
William Bygod. (fn. 63) The following year William Bygod alienated the manor to Ralph
de Monchesney, (fn. 64) on whose death about four years
later it descended to John his son. (fn. 65) Disputes seem
to have arisen between Thomas son of William
Bygod, (fn. 66) who apparently retained some land in
Marsworth, and John de Monchesney, for in 1312
Thomas complained that John with several others
had broken his houses at Marsworth and carried
away his goods. (fn. 67) In 1315 John in his turn complained that several men, possibly incited by Thomas,
'forcibly entered his manor of Masseworthe, broke
the houses, and fished in his stews.' (fn. 68) In 1318 a
certain Peter Doyvel, great-nephew of Walter de
Rudham, (fn. 69) sued John de Monchesney for half the
manor on behalf of himself and Thomas Bygod. (fn. 70)
By 1346 the manor appears to have passed to John
Was or Wace (fn. 71) in right of his wife Isabel, with
reversion to Alice, the wife of Richard atte Ponde. (fn. 72)
However, in 1350 the two latter granted the reversion to Walter Wace of Amersham and his heirs. (fn. 73)
Here the descent of this manor is uncertain, but
it may have passed to John de la Hay, who in 1379
held land in Marsworth of the honour of Wallingford, (fn. 74)
afterwards known as the manor of DE LA HAY.
Before 1443 this had passed to Richard de la Hay,
who in that year settled Marsworth on himself and
Margaret his wife, with reversion to Matthew, William
and Robert his sons. (fn. 75) Matthew died without issue some
time after 1455, (fn. 76) for his brother William died seised
of the manor in 1507, leaving a son and heir Edward. (fn. 77)
The manor is next heard of in the tenure of Richard
Goodere and Mary his wife, (fn. 78) who gave it in November
1534 to their daughter Alice (fn. 79) and her husband
William Rood. Richard Goodere soon afterwards
died, and his widow Mary, with Nicholas Feld and
Elizabeth his wife, another daughter of Richard and
Mary Goodere, disputed the gift of the manor to the
Roods. (fn. 80) It was finally agreed that William and
Alice Rood should keep the manor of Marsworth,
other lands being allotted to the Felds. (fn. 81) Alice
appears to have married as her second husband Edward
Capell, with whom in 1546 she conveyed the manor
then called Hayes to John Seare, (fn. 82) whose relative
Edward Seare had been lessee under the Roods. (fn. 83)
In 1575 John settled this manor under the name of
De la Hay Manor on his younger son Michael, Edward
his son and heir renouncing all right in the same. (fn. 84)
On John's death in 1575 Michael entered into the
premises, (fn. 85) and settled them in 1591 on himself with
reversion to his son and heir John, (fn. 86) to whom the
manor descended on his father's death in 1602. (fn. 87)
The connexion between the various members of this
family who held Marsworth during the 17th and
18th centuries has not been established, (fn. 88) but in 1755
the manor was in the possession of John Seare, (fn. 89) who
died in 1792, leaving all his property to his wife
Mary. (fn. 90) He desired his wife, in case she should die
childless, to leave part of the estate to his nieces
Maria and Caroline Lockman. (fn. 91) Mary Seare survived
until 1798, (fn. 92) and in 1808 Maria, then wife of
Edward Barker, and Caroline Lockman were in
possession, (fn. 93) but the Barkers appear to have obtained
sole rights in the manor, (fn. 94) which they alienated in
1819 to Viscount Lake. (fn. 95) It was afterwards purchased
by Earl Brownlow, holding in 1862, (fn. 96) who sold it
to Baron Mayer de Rothschild. After his death in
1874 it passed to his daughter, who brought it in
marriage to Lord Rosebery, the present proprietor. (fn. 97)
There is mention of courts leet and baron attached
to the manor from the 16th to the 19th century. (fn. 98)
Free fishing and view of frankpledge were included in
the sale of 1819. (fn. 99)
Alice Basset's share of Marsworth was still in the
possession of her husband John le Brun in 1235. (fn. 100)
It may be identical with the land held here in 1284 (fn. 101)
by Nicholas Durival, who died between 1288 (fn. 102) and
1302, at which latter date his widow Hawise held
the estate, (fn. 103) their son Robert being seised of the
reversion. (fn. 104) In 1305 Robert granted the reversion to
John Pever, Beatrice his wife, and Aumary their son, (fn. 105)
and later married Margaret, John's daughter, to whom
Great Woolstone was given for life. (fn. 106) John was
succeeded at his death in 1315 by his son Paul Pever, (fn. 107)
who let Marsworth, now called a manor, to Ralph
Marshall and his wife Clarice for their lives at 10 marks
yearly, with reversion to Paul and his heirs. (fn. 108) Paul
died about 1323, leaving a son and heir Nicholas, (fn. 109)
who held Marsworth (fn. 110) till his death in 1361. (fn. 111) His
son and heir Thomas (fn. 112) obtained in 1366 a renunciation of her right in the manor from Avice, probably
his mother, then wife of William de Clopton. (fn. 113)
Thomas Pever, mentioned in connexion with Marsworth in 1379, (fn. 114) married Margaret daughter and heir
of Sir Niel Loring, by whom he had a daughter
Mary, (fn. 115) mother of John Broughton, who succeeded
to Marsworth on his grandfather's death in 1429. (fn. 116)
At his death in 1489 his grandson Sir Robert
Broughton, son of his son John, inherited the property, (fn. 117)
which passed at his death in 1506 to his son John. (fn. 118)
John Broughton and his wife Anne conveyed the
manor in 1514 to the trustees of the Savoy Hospital, (fn. 119)
among whose possessions it was assessed in 1535 at
107s. 6½d. (fn. 120) Upon the suppression of the Savoy in
1553 (fn. 121) it was granted by the king to the Mayor and
citizens of London for the endowment of St. Thomas's
Hospital. (fn. 122) The hospital continued to hold this
manor until c. 1876, (fn. 123) when it was exchanged for
land in Essex with Mr. William Brown of Tring. (fn. 124)
In 1888 the estate was sold in two parts to Miss
Margaret Chapman and Lord Rothschild, and on Miss
Chapman's death in 1908 Lord Rothschild acquired
the remainder, and is the present owner. (fn. 125)
The part of Marsworth assigned to Egeline Burdun
was held by her as a widow in 1235. (fn. 126) The next of
this family mentioned is Nicholas Burdun in 1252, (fn. 127)
who died in 1272, leaving a son and heir Robert, (fn. 128)
on whose death in 1280 his possessions descended to
his son and heir Nicholas, then aged eleven. (fn. 129)
Nicholas attained his majority in 1291, (fn. 130) and died
about 1300, (fn. 131) when dower was assigned to his widow
Agnes. (fn. 132) His son, another Nicholas, was under age
and did not enter into possession of the estate until
he reached his majority in 1310. (fn. 133) This Nicholas
was still holding in Marsworth in 1316, (fn. 134) but after
this date the family appears to have disappeared from
the place, leaving no trace.
Isabel Basset's portion of Marsworth was brought
by her to her husband Robert Mauduit in 1223, (fn. 135)
and passed to their son William Mauduit, mentioned
in 1222. (fn. 136) The greater part of this property appears
to have been situated in Hawridge (q.v.), with which
it was held by the Mauduits and the Beauchamps,
their descendants. (fn. 137) John de Beauchamp was holding
Marsworth and Hawridge in 1346, (fn. 138) but the lands in
Marsworth are not referred to after this date.
Robert and Joan de Burnebu were succeeded by
1284–6 by John de Burnebu, who held a fee in
Marsworth. (fn. 139) This land may be identical with that
held by Sir Robert Swynerton in 1379, but nothing
further is known of it. (fn. 140)
Land in Marsworth was probably amongst the
endowments of the church of St. George in Oxford,
founded by Robert Doyley. (fn. 141)
Of the three mills worth 15s. on Marsworth
Manor in 1086, (fn. 142) one was probably situated in
Tiscot in Tring, Hertfordshire, which had the same
Domesday over and underlords. As such it would
be attached to the Aylesbury portion of the Basset
inheritance, which included Tiscot, and is probably
identical with the water-mill in Marsworth called
Athelynemulne, leased in 1313 by Philip Aylesbury
to Walter de Gobelcote for six years at 60s. rent. (fn. 143)
The charter given at Tiscot reserves to the grantor
the rights and easement of the fishery, the tenant
being bound to take care of the fish, and of any
swans placed in the mill-pond. (fn. 144) A hundred years
later the Aylesbury family were receiving 10s. rent
from this mill. (fn. 145) The lessee of the mill at this date
was Richard Venour, (fn. 146) who was probably also lord of
Goldingtons Manor, to which another water-mill was
appurtenant. This mill is mentioned in 1292 as
worth 57s. 4d. (fn. 147) yearly, but in 1324 only 30s. (fn. 148) It
descended with the manor, (fn. 149) and was in Edmund
West's possession at his death in 1618. (fn. 150) It stood
south-west of the village, on the site marked cornmill in the Ordnance Survey, and was turned into a
windmill, called Dyers Mill. (fn. 151)
The mill attached to the De la Hay Manor was in
1571 the subject of a dispute between Michael Seare,
heir to the manor, and John Gery. (fn. 152) It is said to
have stood on Nottimore Brook, near the Lower
Icknield Way. (fn. 153) A fourth mill in Marsworth belonged
to the Savoy Manor and stood near Startop's End, on
a spot now included in the reservoir bank or just
outside it. It was later used as a paper-mill, and had
passed from the possession of the hospital by 1790. (fn. 154)
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS consists
of a chancel 23 ft. 4 in. by 14 ft. 3 in.,
south chapel 16 ft. 6 in. wide, nave 38 ft.
9 in. by 14 ft. 6 in., north-east stair turret, north
vestry, south aisle 16 ft. 6 in. wide, west tower 12 ft.
6 in. by 12 ft., and a south porch.
There was a church here probably at the end of
the 12th century, (fn. 155) consisting of a chancel and nave,
to which a south chapel and aisle were added in the
14th century. In the 15th century the present nave
was partly rebuilt, the south arcades being preserved,
and the west tower was added or rebuilt, the tower arch
being constructed of re-used 13th-century material.
The church was restored in 1828; in 1854 the
north and east walls of the chancel were rebuilt, the
pitch of the roof being made steeper. In 1860 the south
chapel was repaired and new north and south porches
were erected. In 1880 the Rev. F. W. Ragg was
instituted vicar, and finding the church in a deplorable
condition, and being unable to raise the necessary
funds to repair it, he undertook the work with his
own hands, assisted by some of the villagers. He
stripped off the old plaster, repaired and pointed the
walls, underpinned the tower and raised the nave
ceiling some 4 ft. by means of screw jacks. He built
a chancel arch, the mouldings of which he worked,
and the capitals he himself carved. He cut the wallarcades on the north side of the chancel and added a
window there and inserted the east window. The
repairs occupied some twenty-five years and form a
marvellous memorial to the industry and loving care
of the workers. (fn. 156) The south chapel was further restored in 1913.
The walls of the chancel and chapel are of small
squared rubble with ashlar dressings. The north
wall of the nave has a lower part of ashlar; at a
higher level are chequerings of flintwork, and above
is modern flintwork with some old stones re-used.
The roofs of the chancel, porch and vestry are
covered with tiles and the remainder with lead.
The modern east window of the chancel is of
elaborate design and richly carved. The eastern
window in the north wall was inserted in 1854,
and the western of two lights with tracery was
found built into the east wall and inserted by
Mr. Ragg. In the south wall is a 14th-century
arcade of two bays with two-centred arches of
two hollow-chamfered orders, having broached stops,
springing from an octagonal column and semi-octagonal
responds. It was possibly rebuilt at a later period.
The south chapel has a large modern east window.
In the south wall there are two large windows almost
completely restored externally; the eastern is 15thcentury work, of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery
in a two-centred head, the soffit of the arch having
sunk panels with trefoiled ends. The 14th-century
western window is of three lancet lights in a twocentred head. Partly beneath the eastern window
is a 14th-century double piscina with a traceried
head carried on small shafts with moulded capitals and
bases, the easternmost shaft and the bowls being
modern. Near the piscina is a corbel of the 14th
century, and carved with foliage, built into the wall.
The arch to the south aisle is modern.
At the east end of the north wall of the nave are
the upper and lower doorways of the stair to the
former rood-loft. The stair, which is in a turret, is
lighted by one small loop. West of these are a large
window of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery
in a four-centred head, a doorway now leading to the
vestry, with a four-centred arch and sunk spandrels in
a square head, and a window of two cinquefoiled
lights with tracery in a two-centred head, all of 15thcentury date, but considerably restored externally.
The south wall has an arcade of three bays of the
same detail as that in the south wall of the chancel.
To the east of the arcade high up is an opening through
the wall near the chancel through which the nave
rood-loft was perhaps continued across the east end of
the south aisle.
In the south wall of the south aisle is a window
similar to that at the east end of the south wall of the
chapel; below it is a 13th-century recess much restored.
The south doorway has a rear arch and inner jambs
of 13th-century date. Between the window and
doorway high up is a small 15th-century niche with
a four-centred head and a moulded bracket at the
base. In the back are traces of original colouring
depicting apparently the figure of a saint, across which
an inscription of the 17th century, 'Judge and revenge
my cause, O Lord, from them that evill be, From
wicked and deceitfull men, O Lord, deliver me.
psa xliii.,' has been painted. The west window is
similar to that at the west end of the north wall of
the nave.
The tower is of two stages with a moulded plinth,
an embattled parapet, and a stair in the south-west
angle carried above the level of the roof. There
are diagonal buttresses to the eastern angles, and at
the western angles pairs of square buttresses to the
top of the lower stage, whence diagonal buttresses
springing from between them are carried to the top
of the upper stage. The early 13th-century tower
arch, which was reconstructed in the 15th century, is
two-centred and of three chamfered orders. The
two inner orders spring from 15th-century semioctagonal responds with 13th-century moulded
capitals carved with stiff-leaved foliage, the outer
order being continuous on the east side and dying
into the walls on the west. The bases of the responds
have been recut. The west doorway, of late 15th
or early 16th-century, date is considerably restored;
it has a two-centred arch with sunk spandrels in an
almost flat two-centred head. The window above,
of three cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head, is
probably modern. The north and south faces of
the ringing chamber have a single cinquefoiled light,
and the east and west faces of the bell-chamber a
window of two cinquefoiled lights in a two-centred
head, the north and south faces having pairs of similar
windows. The stair is lighted on the west face by a
loop and a modern quatrefoil, and on the south face
by a loop and two modern quatrefoils. The west
face of the tower north of the doorway and the south
buttress to the west side are pierced by small rectangular openings, and the north and south faces of the
tower have a number of similar piercings, now blocked.
They appear to be putlog holes.
In a broken Purbeck marble slab in the south
chapel is a brass, parts of which are missing. It
comprises the lower part of a figure of a man in
armour, the figures of two daughters, the lower parts
of the figures of four sons, with an inscription beneath
the man's figure commemorating Nicholas West, kt.,
and Joan his wife, who died in 1586 and 1585
respectively, and an achievement of his arms, and
another shield with West impaling a coat of many
quarterings, most of which are indecipherable. Several
parts of this brass are said to be engraved on the back
of a brass of foreign workmanship. Near this is
another slab containing the figure of a woman in an
embroidered gown and ruff, beneath which is the
figure of a chrisom child with an inscription to Mary
Clare, wife of Edmund West, the date 1606 and part
of the name being hidden now by the organ. The
south chapel also contains a brass with an inscription
to William West, who died in 1583, and another
with a request in Latin for prayers for the souls of
John Scelk and Cristine his wife.
At the east end of the chapel is the tomb of
Edmund West, who died in 1618, the front, back
and ends of which are panelled and enriched with
allegorical figures, carvings of skulls, &c., and the arms
of West. The panel on the north has a brass tablet
depicting the death-bed of a knight in armour.
The tomb was reset in 1860, but not on its original
site. There are floor slabs to Edmund West, 1681;
to Sarah wife of Edmund West, 1691; to Bridget
Wilford, daughter of Edmund West, 1692; to Theodosia West, daughter of Edmund West, 1701; to Roger
West, 1700; to Bridget West, daughter of Edmund
West (the date hidden by a fixed bench), and to
Edmund West and Ann his wife with no dates, but
an inscription recording that the stone was laid by
their daughter, Ann Hassell, in 1701.
On the north wall of the chancel is a tablet to
Nathaniel Cole, a former vicar, 1612, and on the
south wall of the south aisle are others, to Elizabeth
wife of John Lockman, 1773; to John Seare, 1792,
and Mary his wife, 1798; and to Henrietta Seare,
spinster, 1807.
The south chapel contains a few mediaeval tiles
and two coffin slabs, on one of which is a cross.
The base of the modern pulpit is of 14th-century
date and was found in the south porch in Mr. Ragg's
restoration, and adapted by him to its present purpose.
It is carved with the figures of angels and with foliage.
The font (fn. 157) has an octagonal bowl of Purbeck
marble with sunk quatrefoil panels variously carved
with faces and conventional flowers. It is of late
14th-century workmanship. The stem and base are
modern.
In the recess in the south aisle there are several
fragments, including some 16th-century tracery, and
in the tower there are more, of the 12th, 13th,
14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, including part of a
label and an arch-stone enriched with ball- and fourleaved flowers.
There are screens in the chancel, south aisle and
chapel designed and carved by the Rev. F. W. Ragg
and Mrs. Ragg.
There are five bells and a sanctus, of which the
treble is by Henry Knight, 1662, the second by
Chandler, 1694, the third by George Chandler, 1702,
the fourth also by George Chandler, 1682; the tenor,
originally by Anthony Chandler, 1679, was recast
by Warner & Sons, 1887, and the sanctus is by
Lester & Pack, dated 1767.
The plate includes a large paten presented in 1685,
a flagon of 1698, and a large cup of 1712.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms and burials from 1720 to 1783, marriages
from 1720 to 1762; (ii) baptisms and burials from
1783 to 1811; (iii) marriages from 1754 to 1813;
(iv) baptisms and burials of 1811 and 1812.
ADVOWSON
Marsworth Church appears to
have been granted by Thurstan
Basset to Caldwell Priory, Bedfordshire, before 1218, in which year Hugh of Wells,
Bishop of Lincoln, made arrangements for a vicarage
which was to be ordained after the death or resignation of Richard de Tingehurst, the then rector. (fn. 158)
After his death about 1253 the canons of Caldwell
appear to have made an attempt to regain the whole
revenues, but their right to present to the vicarage
alone was admitted. (fn. 159) The church, which was assessed
at £9 6s. 8d. in 1291 (fn. 160) and at £10 0s. 0¾d. in 1535, (fn. 161)
was bestowed in 1546 after the Dissolution upon
Trinity College, Cambridge, (fn. 162) the present rector and
patron. (fn. 163)
A portion of Marsworth tithes was granted to
Oseney Abbey at its foundation, (fn. 164) and when the Prior
of Caldwell, in the reign of Edward IV, granted the
parsonage to William Parkyns of Aylesbury for about
three months, the payment of 6 marks 6s. 8d. to
Oseney was stipulated. (fn. 165) The indentures proving
faulty, Parkyns refused to pay this sum. (fn. 166) In 1585
John Cheyne died seised of a lease of the parsonage,
which he bequeathed to his second son Francis. (fn. 167)
Land rent in Marsworth worth 8d. a year was
given to maintain a light within the church. (fn. 168)
CHARITIES
Charity of William Hill, founded
by will 3 June 1723. This parish
receives from the trustees of the
charity at Wendover a great coat worth about 20s.
for a poor old man and 20s. in money for distribution among poor communicants.
In 1750 John Sawell, by his will, devised an acre
of land for the poor. Upon the inclosure of the
parish about 3 roods of land were allotted in lieu of
the land devised. The land allotted was taken by
the Grand Junction Canal Company in connexion
with the reservoir, in respect of which a sum of 20s.
a year is received and distributed in doles.
The church houses consist of three tenements and
about half an acre of land adjoining the churchyard,
of the annual rental value of £15, which is carried
to the churchwardens' account.
Countess of Bridgewater's Educational Trust.
This parish receives £5 a year from the trustees,
which is applied towards the support of the school.
(See under Edlesborough.)