SWANBOURNE
Suanaburna (viii cent.). Sueneborne, Soeneberno
(xi cent.).
Swanbourne is a parish of 2,551 acres, of which
304 acres are arable land, 2,078 acres permanent grass
and 14 acres woods. (fn. 1) The ground rises in the middle
and north-east of the parish to 420ft. above the
ordnance datum and falls in the west to about 300 ft.
The soil is loam and gravel, the subsoil clay. A
stream on the southern boundary and two others on
the north and south of the village, respectively, water
the parish. The London and North Western railway
crosses it in the north, where there is a station. The
village, which is small, lies in the centre of the parish
along the main road. The church is situated to the
east of the village, and near it is the manor-house.
This is of two stories, built of stone, and dating
probably from the latter half of the 16th century.
It was originally rectangular, with a porch in the
middle of the
principal front;
but the north side
was pulled down
and a new wing
added on the south
side. The original
building retains, for
the most part, its
stone-mullioned
windows and dormers, and internally
the original features
include two fireplaces. It is said to
have been built by
the Fortescues of
Salden, who, tradition asserts, used it
principally as a
nursery or hospital
for the children
when ill. (fn. 2)
North of the
Manor House is a late 16th-century timber-framed
building, part of which is now used as the post office.
The brick filling of the front is set in herring-bone
pattern, and three original mullioned windows remain
in each story.
Hollow Lane, the road leading westward to
Winslow, has on the north Charlton Hill Farm, an
early 17th-century house, which has been a good deal
altered, but retains among its original features a fine
central chimney stack and a room lined with oak
panelling. On the south side of the road is Grange
Hill Farm, built, probably, late in the 16th century
and added to in the 17th century; the house has
been considerably altered, but its chimney stacks, a
fireplace on the upper floor and several old doors are
interesting features. On the same side of the road,
farther west, is Ivy Farm, probably a late 16th-century house, added to in 1626 and again in 1718,
according to dates on the walls; the house has been
restored, but still retains some interesting features,
including chimney stacks, fireplaces and some old doors.
East of the church, on the north side of the road
leading eastward to Mursley, is Deverell's Farm, a
stone building, apparently of early 17th-century date;
the greater number of its original stone mullioned
windows remain, and in the gable of the west porch
wing is the date 1632. On the south side of the road,
further to the east, is 'The Old House,' the residence
of the Hon. T. F. Fremantle, a late 16th-century
building, timber-framed with a filling of herringbone brickwork, partially visible internally. Externally the walls are covered with modern plaster, and
considerable modern additions have been made. Internally there are several original stone fireplaces.
Brise's Farm, at Nearton End, on the south side of
a lane running east from the Hoggeston road, is
probably a late 16th-century house, and has walls of
closely spaced timber-framing with a filling of herringbone brick-work. This still remains on the north
and south fronts, but the original very small window
openings have been blocked. The central chimney
stack and two fireplaces are other interesting features.
Swanbourne House
Swanbourne House is a large 19th-century building
of brick, now the residence of Lord Cottesloe. The
village contains a number of 17th-century houses, most
of which are of timber-framing with brick filling, and
all of which have been considerably restored, altered
or added to during subsequent years.
Early in the Civil War Swanbourne suffered misfortune at the hands of the Royalists. By a report
of the occurrence afterwards made in Parliament in
June 1643 it appeared that 'a number of armed men
calling themselves the King's Forces, under the
command of the Earls of Cleveland and Carnarvon,
invaded the county of Buckingham, robbed and
pillaged there, and in particular burnt the village of
Swanbourne and murdered a poor woman there and,
seeming to take delight in the desolation they caused,
set guards to prevent anyone from attempting to
quench the flames.' (fn. 3)
To the east of the village is the hamlet of
Nearton End, which has both Methodist and Baptist
chapels.
An Inclosure Act for this parish was passed in
1762. (fn. 4)
MANORS
Before the Conquest two thegns,
Alward and Alwi, held two manors in
SWANBOURNE. The former's land
amounted to 5 hides all but one virgate, and that of
Alwi, his man, to 2 hides and 3 virgates. (fn. 5) By the
time of the Survey these two manors had been united
and were held as one by William, tenant of Walter
Giffard. (fn. 6) The land was afterwards attached to the
honour of Giffard and was held of the Earls of
Gloucester as of their chief manor of Crendon in
the 13th century. (fn. 7) The direct overlordship was in
the Crown in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the
manor was attached to the royal honour of Ampthill. (fn. 8)
The last mention of the overlordship occurs in
1627. (fn. 9)
In the late 12th century this part of Swanbourne
was held by Hugh Malet and Margaret Passelewe his
wife (fn. 10) who, in 1202–3, confirmed a charter which
they had previously made to Woburn Abbey, giving
this house all their land in Swanbourne except one
virgate, and all services and customs in free alms
except the annual payment of a silver mark to the
sick nuns of Maiden Bradley. (fn. 11) Other land in
Swanbourne was also granted to Woburn (vide infra)
and in 1255 the possessions of the abbey here
amounted to 13 hides of land. (fn. 12)
In 1326 the abbot leased lands here to John, son
of Philip Walewayn, for thirteen years, which lease
John afterwards transferred to Richard de Aythrop.
In 1331 Aythrop was sued by the abbot for damages
for having dug in 2 acres of the manor and sold the
soil (arsillum) thereof; and for selling a hall (aula)
worth £10, two large gates with houses built over
them, value 5 marks, and many oak and ash trees. (fn. 13)
Swanbourne remained among the abbey's possessions until the Dissolution, (fn. 14) and was granted by the
Crown in 1544 to Ambrose Gilbert and Grace his
wife. (fn. 15) Ambrose died in 1558 and his widow afterwards married Richard Smith, with whom she held the
manor. (fn. 16) In 1577 George Gilbert, son and heir of
Ambrose, was lord of Swanbourne. (fn. 17) The manor
was afterwards sold by him to Philip Bassett, who,
after some years, sold it in his turn to Sir James
Dyer, kt., at whose death Richard Dyer, his greatnephew and heir, inherited. (fn. 18) An attempt to disinherit
the latter was made before 1587 by Edward Smith,
son of Richard Smith and Grace, acting on behalf of
his step-sister, Anne Gilbert, and her nephew, John
Harp. (fn. 19) These parties claimed that, under the terms
of a settlement made by Ambrose Gilbert, the
remainder, on the death without issue of George
Gilbert, should have been to his next heirs, and that
the sale to Philip Bassett was therefore illegal. (fn. 20)
By 1614 the manor had come into the hands of
the Fortescues of Salden, (fn. 21) who in 1624 conveyed it
to John Adams and his brother Thomas. (fn. 22) It seems
probable that the manor was forthwith divided between
the two Adamses in separate moieties. In 1626 Thomas
Adams died seised of half the manor, leaving a son
and heir Robert, aged five. (fn. 23) It was probably the son
of the latter, another Robert, who held a moiety in
1683, (fn. 24) and died in 1716. (fn. 25) John Adams was lord
in the first half of the 18th century. (fn. 26) By 1762 this
moiety was held by James Adams, (fn. 27) son of Roger
Adams and Susanna, of Little Horwood. (fn. 28) At his
death in 1775 James Adams bequeathed his land here
to trustees to be sold after the death of his wife for
the benefit of his nieces Alice Stonell and Elizabeth
Williamson and his great-nephew James Williamson. (fn. 29)
The purchaser was Joseph
Farborough, (fn. 30) who still held
in 1813. (fn. 31)
The property came before
1873 into the Fremantle
family, (fn. 32) afterwards Lords
Cottesloe. The present Lord
Cottesloe is now lord of the
manor, the manorial rights of
which, however, appear to
have long since lapsed.
Fremantle, Lord Cottesloe. Vert three bars ermine with a lion gules having a mural crown or over all and two roundels argent in the chief.
The other moiety, which
was the share presumably of
John Adams in 1624, was
apparently that settled in 1683
by Thomas Adams on his son
Thomas. (fn. 33) In 1684 John
Walker and Elizabeth, William
Grove and Mary and Robert Boulter and Katherine,
holding in the right of the three wives, conveyed
this moiety to Josiah or Jonas Askew. (fn. 34) The latter
died in 1750, (fn. 35) and his land was afterwards sold by the
Askew family to the Deverells. (fn. 36) John Deverell was
lord of this moiety in 1762 (fn. 37) and at his death in
1784. (fn. 38) Subsequently it seems to have been reunited
to the rest of the manor, as in 1873 the Fremantles
owned practically the entire parish.
In the time of the Confessor Earl Harold had held
4½ hides in SWANBOURNE, which in 1086 were
in possession of William I. (fn. 39) The land was attached
to the royal manor of Brill in the 13th century. (fn. 40) In
the 14th century the Crown appears to have granted
certain of its privileges as overlord to the Moleyns
family. (fn. 41) In the 16th century the manor was again
held in chief (vide supra).
This land was held under the Crown in the 12th
century by Robert de Tenerchebrai, who died before
1191, in which year the sheriff rendered account of
58s. 7d. from the issues of his land at Swanbourne. (fn. 42)
During the next five years an annual sum of 41s. or
42s. was paid to the Exchequer for the farm of the
land, (fn. 43) the inheritance of which gave rise to a dispute
about this time between Hugh son of William Peverell
and Lucy de Kokefeld. Hugh Peverell, whose father
appears to have been cousin and male heir of Robert
de Tenerchebrai, claimed the land against Robert's
daughter and heir Lucy, asserting that she had been
born out of wedlock. (fn. 44) Another claimant, though on
what grounds is not evident, was Henry son of
Geoffrey de Clinton, and to him in 1195 Hugh
Peverell and Lucy de Kokefeld finally quitclaimed all
their right. (fn. 45) Before 1208 Henry de Clinton subinfeudated the manor to Robert de Braybrook, the
Clintons retaining the position of intermediary lords
until some time after 1278. (fn. 46) After this date their
interest appears to have lapsed, and the Braybrooks
held directly of the chief lord of the fee, the last
reference in this connexion occurring in 1346. (fn. 47)
The tenants and holders in fee under the Clintons,
and afterwards under the Braybrooks also, were the
Abbots of Woburn, to whom Henry de Clinton gave
4½ or 5 hides here in the early 13th century. (fn. 48) The
subsequent descent of this estate is identical with that
of the rest of the Swanbourne lands which were held
by Woburn Abbey, and which, with this addition,
formed the main manor (q.v.). The abbot claimed
view of frankpledge in his land here in 1255, (fn. 49) and
was said to hold by a charter of Stephen, afterwards
confirmed by Edward IV in 1461. (fn. 50) In 1275–6 he
also claimed assize of bread and ale. (fn. 51) In 1291 his
authority to hold the view was called in question, and
he finally offered to compound with the Crown by
paying 2s. yearly for the privilege. (fn. 52)
Part of the land given by Henry de Clinton was
held by the abbot by payment to the manor of Brill
of a bowl of honey containing 9½ gallons, but this
rent was withdrawn by the abbot from the reign of
Henry III onwards, although by what authority was
not known. (fn. 53) In 1285–6 the abbot claimed that
John de Braybrook, his immediate overlord, ought to
acquit him of the bowl of honey to the king and this
claim was evidently allowed, this rent being afterwards paid by the Braybrooks. (fn. 54)
There is mention of the mills at Swanbourne in
the 13th and 14th centuries, (fn. 55) and a windmill was
later the property of the Deverell family, being left by
William Deverell by his will, proved 5 July 1559, to
his youngest son Augustine. (fn. 56) At the close of this
century John Deverell of Swanbourne bequeathed
'the old windmill standing upon church hill,' to his son
John, and the 'new windmill' to his son William. (fn. 57)
The manor which became known in the 16th
century as CLIFFORD'S MANOR probably had its
origin in the 2 hides of land which Geoffrey de Mandeville held in 1086, (fn. 58) succeeding Ansgar the staller
here as elsewhere in the county. (fn. 59) Suen, a man of
Ansgar, had held before the Conquest, but could not
sell without leave. (fn. 60) The overlordship remained in
the Earls of Essex, afterwards Earls of Hereford, (fn. 61)
for some time, (fn. 62) but seems to have passed to the Earls
of Gloucester before 1278, (fn. 63) and by 1462 was held in
chief. (fn. 64)
Richard Godard held half a fee of the Earl o
Gloucester in the 13th century. (fn. 65)
In 1238 Robert Passelewe was a life tenant of the
land, but, by agreement between Humphrey de
Bohun, Earl of Hereford, and the Prior of Newnham,
gave it up to the priory at about this date. (fn. 66) Robert
had previously enfeoffed John de Swanbourne, son of
Ralph de Lesseberge and brother of the prior, (fn. 67) of this
land, or of part of it, and this tenant now quitclaimed
to the prior his right in a virgate and a capital
messuage which he held of Robert Passelewe, and in
half a virgate and a messuage which he held of Henry
Godard. (fn. 68) The Abbot of Woburn was mesne lord
between the Prior of Newnham and the Earl of
Gloucester, but it was stated in 1278–9 that the earl
had dispossessed the prior and granted the land to
Robert le Veel, (fn. 69) together with view of frankpledge. (fn. 70)
Robert was succeeded by his son Bogo le Veel, and by
his grandson Peter. (fn. 71) The latter in 1337 alienated
his estate here to Sir John de Moleyns, (fn. 72) the transaction being completed in 1339. (fn. 73) Sir John de
Moleyns retained view of frankpledge and the manorial
rights from the king in 1338 (fn. 74) and 1339. (fn. 75) After
his first disgrace (fn. 76) Swanbourne was restored to him in
1345, (fn. 77) but Peter le Veel finally gained possession,
and in 1352 Peter le Veel, probably son of the above
Peter, (fn. 78) granted his lands in Swanbourne, then first
called a manor and named LE VEEL after its owner,
to Robert atte Brome, clerk. (fn. 79)
It was probably alienated with
Littlecote in Stewkley (q.v.)
by John Colewell and his wife
Isabel in 1364 to Thomas de
Missenden, (fn. 80) as Sir Edmund
de Missenden, at his death in
1394, held a messuage and
lands in this parish. (fn. 81) It descended with the Missendens'
manor of Overbury in Great
Missenden (q.v.) (fn. 82) until the
death of John Iwardby in
1485, when Swanbourne was
allotted to his youngest daughter and co-heir, Helen. (fn. 83)
She married firstly William Cutlard or Cutland, and
secondly Thomas Clifford, (fn. 84) and held the land as the
latter's widow in 1544. (fn. 85) In 1566 Thomas Clifford,
her younger son, alienated his manor of Swanbourne
to William Shillingford alias Isodd, (fn. 86) who sold it three
years later to John Watts and Elizabeth. (fn. 87) They in
turn sold it in 1577, by the name of 'the manor of
Swanbourne called Clyfford's Manor,' to Henry
Sheppard. (fn. 88) In 1584 the latter, with Mary his wife,
conveyed it to Andrew Watts, (fn. 89) who, by agreement,
and in exchange apparently for some other lands,
seems to have given up his right, in 1600, to Robert
Adams, on whose heirs a settlement was made in the
same year. (fn. 90) Robert Adams died in April 1616, when
Clifford's Manor descended to John, his son and heir, (fn. 91)
who afterwards, with his brother Thomas, acquired the
principal manor of Swanbourne, into which Clifford's
doubtless became merged, as it is not mentioned
separately afterwards. The name Veel survived in
the parish, for in 1597 John Deverell bequeathed
'Vealles' Close' to his son Matthew. (fn. 92)
Veel. Argent a bend sable with three calves argent thereon.
A manor which existed here as WELDES Manor
had its origin doubtless in part of a knight's fee held
by Thomas de Walda (de la Welde) in this parish in
1284. (fn. 93) The land was parcel of the fee of Mortain
in Swanbourne held of the lord of Langley. (fn. 94) A
Thomas de la Welde still held in 1302. (fn. 95) In 1306
a messuage, about 150 acres of land and 40s. rent
were settled on Thomas de la Welde and Alice his
wife by Walter de la Welde, (fn. 96) and Thomas, or his
son, still held in 1316 and 1342. (fn. 97) By 1462 'Weldes
Manor' was held by the Iwardbys, (fn. 98) who also had
the Veels Manor in this parish. The two probably
became united in Clifford's Manor (q.v.) afterwards
held by the descendants of the Iwardbys.
Before the Conquest Brixtuin, a thegn of King
Edward, and Almar, a man of Earl Harold, held
4½ hides and 1 hide respectively. (fn. 99) In 1086 Ralf
and Almar held 5 hides of this as one manor of the
Count of Mortain. (fn. 100) These lands were attached,
with the count's other possessions, to his fief, known
as the small fief of Mortain or honour of Berkhampstead, (fn. 101) in which the overlordship remained
vested (fn. 102) as late as 1762. In this year the Inclosure
Act for the parish referred to the right, title and
interest of the king in certain lands here in the right
of his duchy of Cornwall and honour of Berkhampstead. (fn. 103) His jurisdiction, however, was over
but a small extent. (fn. 104)
Holding under this honour, and probably descended
from Ralf, the Domesday tenant, was the family of
Chenduit, who held the manor of that name in
King's Langley in Hertfordshire to which this fee in
Swanbourne was attached. (fn. 105) The last mention of the
Chenduit fief occurs in 1353, (fn. 106) but the name seems
to have attached itself to the land here, as a tithing
man from 'Swanbourne Cheynys' regularly attended
the courts of the honour of Berkhampstead in
the 15th and 16th centuries. (fn. 107) Holding under the
Chenduits in the 13th and 14th centuries were the
Passelewe family, who held land also in Drayton
Parslow (q.v.). John Passelewe held in Swanbourne
in 1278–9 and in 1284, (fn. 108) but it was probably his son,
another John, who was holding in 1304. (fn. 109) In 1353
there was a dispute between Nicholas Passelewe and
the Abbot of Woburn as to the right overlordship of
the lands; it was found, however, that the half fee
of Mortain in Swanbourne was held of the lord of
Langley, formerly William Chenduit, now the king. (fn. 110)
The tenants of the Chenduits and holders in fee were
the Godards. In 1255 Walter Godard held 2½ hides, (fn. 111)
but the estate had passed to his heir by 1278–9. (fn. 112)
She married William de Winslow, who held in her
right in 1284–6 and in 1302. (fn. 113) A Walter de Winslow
held the same fief in 1346, (fn. 114) but by 1352 the tenant
was Thomas Williams. (fn. 115)
In 1086 a virgate of land sufficient for two oxen
to plough was held by Payn of William Fitz
Ansculf. (fn. 116)
BELEWS FEE
BELEWS FEE in Swanbourne was also attached
to the honour of Berkhampstead. John de Belew
held 1½ hides in 1255, (fn. 117) and in 1278–9 the guardian
of Edmund, son of John Godard, held a messuage
and 6 virgates of the heir of Belew. (fn. 118) The last
mention of this fief by this name occurs in 1632. (fn. 119)
Hugh Malet and Margaret Passelewe his wife
granted a virgate of land in Swanbourne to the
leprous nuns and brethren of St. Mary de Pré near
St. Albans before the year 1202. (fn. 120) The accounts of
this house from 1486 to 1489 record the receipt
of 20s. during that time from Robert Ryot for farm
of lands in Swanbourne. (fn. 121) After the suppression of
this house in 1528 the Swanbourne lands were
granted as a manor to Cardinal Wolsey. (fn. 122) With it
were also granted the other possessions of the
nunnery, including the manor of Wing (q.v.) in
this county. The Swanbourne lands followed the
same descent as the latter manor, being granted with
it in 1530 to John Penn (fn. 123) and passing to Sir Robert
Dormer in 1547. (fn. 124) 'Pray' house and 'Pray'
close were left by William Deverell in 1559 to his
son Augustine (fn. 125) and in 1585 Queen Elizabeth
granted to Theophilus Adams and his heirs all her
lands in Swanbourne which had formerly belonged
to the said nunnery. (fn. 126)
A manor called DUDLEYS existed in the parish
in the reign of Henry VIII. In 1542 William
Dudley and Elizabeth his wife and Thomas his son
conveyed it to Thomas Palmer, (fn. 127) and two years later
it passed from the latter to John Saunders and Sibyl
his wife. (fn. 128) There appears to be no other record of this
manor; the appurtenances included one horse mill. (fn. 129)
CHURCH
The church of ST. SWITHUN consists of a chancel 32 ft. by 21 ft., nave
48 ft. by 25 ft., north aisle 34 ft. by
8 ft. 6 in., west tower 10 ft. by 9 ft. 6 in., and a
south porch.
The building dates from the first half of the 13th
century, and then consisted of the present nave, a
chancel and a west tower. The north aisle belongs
to the second half of the 15th century. Within fifty
years the tower was entirely rebuilt, and at the same
period the western bay of the north aisle was demolished, and a large window, apparently from another
part of the church, was reset in the north wall of the
nave. The south wall of the nave bears the date
1632, at which time it was rebuilt, possibly on
account of the demolition of a former south aisle, of
which, however, no evidence remains. In 1863 the
chancel was rebuilt, though it retains some of its
original features and walling stones, and modern
windows were inserted in the nave clearstory. The
walls are of stone and the roofs are all modern and
slated.
The east window of the chancel is of three lancets,
which internally form the middle portion of a 13th-century arcade of five bays. Its exterior stonework
is new. The arches of the arcade spring from circular
shafts, of which the two outer are detached; all have
moulded capitals and bases. The north wall contains
three lancets, which are modern externally, and the
south wall three similar lancets and a doorway, almost
wholly renewed. The double piscina, which is original
but restored, has two-centred trefoiled heads. The
chancel arch, which is also original, was restored and
heightened in 1863. It is pointed and of two
moulded orders on the chancel side and three on the
nave side, the innermost springing from moulded and
carved corbels and the remainder being continuous.
The nave has a north arcade of three bays of
late 15th-century date, with pointed arches of
two chamfered orders springing from octagonal
columns with moulded capitals and chamfered
bases. The square eastern respond has chamfered
edges; an original column built into the intersection
of the west wall of the aisle with the north wall
of the nave acts as the western respond. To the
west of the arcade is a large late 15th-century
pointed window of four cinquefoiled lights in a traceried head with an external label, one of the shield
stops of which is charged with a cross and the other
with a molet. At the east end of the arcade is the
restored upper doorway to the former rood-loft stair.
All the detail of the north aisle is of the 15th century.
The north doorway has a pointed arch in a square
head with moulded spandrels. Above the doorway is
a blocked niche, and eastward of it is a square-headed
window of three trefoiled lights. Further east on the
north wall is a painting of late 15th-century date,
divided into three stages, each containing three subjects. The first stage represents (1) the reception of
the perfect man into heaven; (2) a soul pleading for
admission and our Lord placing a crown upon his
head; (3) probably denotes the souls of the righteous.
The second stage shows (1) death, as a skeleton,
presenting a priest's stole, emblematic of a yoke on
man's sins, to a woman; (2) the struggle between an
angel drawing a woman forward by the hands and a
demon pulling her back by a stole round her neck;
(3) three souls in purgatory. The bottom stage
depicts (1) a woman coming out of a door, and death,
accompanied by a demon, taking the stole from her
neck; (2) a demon leading off the woman; (3) is
obliterated, but is supposed to have represented souls
in torment. A painting to the west cannot be
deciphered, but a shield with the arms Argent three
crosslets sable can be made out. (fn. 130) The east window
of the north aisle is of three trefoiled lights in a
four-centred head. The west window of this aisle
is similar to that in the north wall; below it, visible
externally, is a small blocked window or niche with a
trefoiled head, not in its original position.
The south wall contains two windows, probably of
the date 1632, already referred to; the first has four
and the other three trefoiled lights, and each has a
traceried pointed head. In the middle of the wall is
a 13th-century doorway, moved from a position
further west in 1863, and much restored. The inner
order has a septfoiled pointed arch with a plain
tympanum above, and the outer order is moulded.
The arch springs from moulded jambs having attached
shafts with moulded bases and capitals. The door is
probably of 15th-century date and retains its original
strap-hinges. At the east end of the south wall is the
15th-century lower doorway to the former rood-loft
stair, with a four-centred arch in a square head, carved
spandrels and one head-stop. There is also a piscina
recess of the same period with a trefoiled segmental
head. The basin has now gone.
The tower is of three stages, with an embattled
parapet and a moulded plinth. It has shallow
buttresses at the eastern, and diagonal buttresses at the
western, angles. The 13th-century tower arch is
pointed and of three orders, which are moulded on
the east side; the inner orders spring from carved
corbels. The 15th-century west window has three
trefoiled lights in a depressed head, and the doorway
below it has continuously moulded jambs and pointed
arch. The second stage contains on the west side a
stone clock dial, apparently original. In each face of
the topmost stage is a pointed window of two cinquefoiled lights.
On the south side of the chancel is a brass
to Robert Adams (d. 1616) and his wife, with
inscription and two small indents, and on the north
side is a brass to Thomas Adams, 1626, and Elizabeth
his wife, with the figures of a man, a woman, two
sons and two daughters, a shield of the arms of the
Butchers' Company, and an inscription to the said
Thomas,
'Who in prime of youth by bloudy theves was slain,
In Liscombe ground his bloud ye grass did staine.'
The chancel also contains several modern wall
tablets to members of the Fremantle family, and a
floor slab to Robert Adams, 1716, and his son Robert,
1718, with a shield of arms. On the north wall of
the north aisle are tablets to Thomas Deverell, 1699,
and Ann his wife, to Robert Adams and Elizabeth
his wife, to Mary daughter of Robert Adams, 1725,
to James Adams, 1775, and to Jonas Askew, 1750.
On the south wall of the nave is a tablet to Anna
Maria, relict of William Penn, 1799.
The font has a circular tapering bowl which has
been re-tooled, but is probably of the 13th century.
The communion table and the lectern are both of
17th-century date.
There are six bells and a sanctus, all modern, by
John Warner & Sons, with the exception of the
second and sixth, which are by Anthony Chandler,
1654.
The communion plate includes a paten of 1724, a
cup of 1809, a large unmarked plated flagon and two
pewter plates, probably of late 17th-century date.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1565 to 1688, with a list of vicars from
1536 to 1740 and some accounts of 1606; (ii) all
entries 1695 to 1747; (iii) baptisms and burials 1748
to 1785 and marriages 1748 to 1753; (iv) marriages
1754 to 1780; (v) marriages 1781 to 1785 and
baptisms and burials 1786 to 1812; (vi) marriages
1785 to 1812. There is also a book of churchwardens' accounts from 1649 to 1841.
ADVOWSON
The church of Swanbournc formed
part of the fee granted to Woburn
Abbey by Hugh Malet, (fn. 131) and it remained in the possession of this monastery until the
Dissolution. A vicarage was ordained before 1279,
in which year the vicar, appointed by the abbey, held
1½ virgates of land in its fee there. (fn. 132) After the
Dissolution the right of presentation remained vested
in the Crown (fn. 133) until the 19th century when the first
Lord Cottesloe obtained it with the manor. The
present lord of the manor is patron of the living.
The rectory was granted to Sir John Fortescue of
Salden in 1583 for a term of forty years, being at
that time in the tenure of Thomas Gifford. (fn. 134) A
grant in fee was made to Sir John in 1606, (fn. 135) and in
1624 John Fortescue his grandson conveyed the
rectory to John and Thomas Adams. (fn. 136) Its subsequent
history is that of the main manor, being divided into
separate moieties like the manor, in the 17th century.
In 1762 the sole impropriator of the great tithes
was James Adams, (fn. 137) and the present lay rector is
Lord Cottesloe.
CHARITIES
For the school founded by will of
Nicholas Godwin, 1712, see article
on schools. (fn. 138)
The poor's land, acquired in 1762 on the inclosure
of the parish, consists of 9 a. o r. 37 p., of the annual
letting value of £12, which is distributed among the
poor in sums of about 4s. each.
The church land, also acquired on the inclosure,
consists of 3 a. 3 r. 33 p., let at £7 a year, which is
carried to the churchwardens' account.
The parish clerk also receives 10s. a year, the rent
of a rood of land at Hoggeston.