DAYLESFORD
Daeglesford, Deilesford, Eilesford (xi cent.);
Daeilesford, Dayleford (xii cent.); Dalysford, Dailsford, Dallifford, Dallisford (xvii cent.).
The parish of Daylesford, containing 670 acres,
of which 266 acres are arable land, 258 under
permanent grass and 47 woodland, (fn. 1) lies between
Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire on the left bank of
the little River Evenlode, which forms its south-western boundary. The Oxford, Worcester and
Wolverhampton branch of the Great Western railway runs alongside the river, which makes a great
curve to the east and is twice crossed by the line
within half a mile south of Adlestrop station. Close
to this curve of the river and rather more than a
quarter of a mile from the main road is the neat
village of Daylesford, which was entirely built by the
late Mr. Grisewood on the road leading to Daylesford Park, the old houses being pulled down one by
one as the new were finished. At its western end on
slightly rising ground stands the church of St. Peter
with its depressed spire looking down on the double
row of well-built comfortable cottages which suggests
a succession of park lodges rather than a village street.
A road from Kingham (co.Oxon.) separates the
church from the village, and runs north-west to join
the main road from Stow-on-the-Wold to Banbury,
which crosses the Evenlode a little south of Adlestrop station and forms the greater part of the
northern boundary of Daylesford. The ground slopes
gradually up from the river till it reaches a height of
about 700 ft. above the ordnance datum in the north
corner of the parish. From this point a footpath
leads along the north-eastern boundary to meet the
road from Chipping Norton, which runs almost due
west along the borders of Daylesford Park to Norton
Gap, where it joins the road to Stow-on-the-Wold.
Both roads are well shaded, and in the park there
are many fine trees, especially beeches.
Daylesford House is a handsome late Georgian
building standing in the middle of a well-timbered
park. The house was built about 1793 by the East
India Company for Warren
Hastings, and in it he spent
the last years of his life. It is
built on the slope of rising
ground, the main rooms facing
south and west. The entrance
front has been added to and
altered since Hastings was
there. The elevations are of
a plain and somewhat heavy
classical type, and the interior
is decorated with the severe
classical plaster detail of the
period. The state bedroom
is a very good example of the
domestic work of this time
with a high-domed ceiling
and a segmental bay. The
old furniture has for the most
part disappeared, but many of
the pictures remain. Particularly notable is a large collection of exquisite miniatures
of Indian workmanship.
The gardens at the back of
the house were planned and laid out by the exgovernor. Possibly he regarded such improvements
as a part of his inheritance, for there is a local tradition that his great-great-grandfather John Hastings
busied himself with agricultural improvements as far
as his limited means would allow, and was the first to
introduce into England the sainfoin which has now
become so thoroughly naturalized in the country
round Daylesford. (fn. 2) Corn and root crops are also at
the present time grown in the parish, but a large proportion of the land is pasture. The subsoil is Oolite
and Lias, with beds of Chipping Norton limestone.
The following place-names occur in local records:
Combe Grove, (fn. 3) the Parsons Seete, Hillis Close, Wills
Close, Gallaunce, Bickerstaffe Coppice, Baywell (fn. 4) (xvii
cent.); Great Hill, the Picked Piece, Proctor's
Farm, and Halifax's Farm (fn. 5) ; the Pike, Hunger
Bean, Hangings, Mazey Ground, Tipsey Hill, Sparkwell and Slinket (fn. 6) (xviii cent.).
MANOR
The history of DAYLESFORD during
the centuries preceding the Domesday
Survey depends almost entirely on the conflicting statements of the two religious houses between
whom its possession was for many years disputed.
According to the Abbot and convent of Evesham it
had been granted to their house for the support of the
monks by Earl Ælfgar with the consent of King
Edward the Confessor, (fn. 7) while the Worcester monks
stated that it had belonged to them ever since the
end of the 9th century, though they do not seem to
have been quite certain whether the original grant
had been made to Bishop Eadberht by Beorhtwulf,
King of the Mercians, in 841, (fn. 8) or to the monastery
before 875 by King Ceolwulf II of Mercia. (fn. 9) Both
statements could be supported by charters in the
Worcester chartulary, which also contained leases
made by St. Oswald the Bishop to his brothers between
961 (fn. 10) and 979, (fn. 11) as well as a charter of King Ethelbald
granting the land to Bœge (Bœgia) in 718 for the
foundation of a monastery. (fn. 12) In comparison with so
ancient a title the claim made by Evesham Abbey seems
modest, but the charter of Ælfgar which her monks
were able to produce stated that the earl had made
the gift because he 'had heard and knew that the
land belonged of old time to that church' (fn. 13) ; and it
was witnessed by almost every person of the day who
had any claim to distinction. (fn. 14)
Daylesford House
Of these varying statements the claim of Evesham
receives the most support from the Domesday Survey,
where it is said that Daylesford was assigned to the
support of the monks and was held by the abbot of
the Bishop of Worcester until Odo of Bayeux took it
from the abbey. (fn. 15) The Bishop of Worcester appears
to have been still recognized as overlord in the 12th
century, (fn. 16) but after the Hastings family obtained the
manor it is usually said to be held of the Earl of
Pembroke. (fn. 17) Godfrey Giffard revived the episcopal
claims, and succeeded in 1290 in obtaining an acknowledgement from Sir Miles de Hastings that he owed
suit at the court of Blockley. (fn. 18) Daylesford was also
included in the bishop's hundred of Winburntree, (fn. 19)
and appears on the court rolls as late as 1680, though
its owners seem usually to have evaded their duty. (fn. 20)
The last mention of the overlordship of Pembroke
occurs in 1541, (fn. 21) and in 1637 the wardship of John
Hastings belonged to the Crown, (fn. 22) though Habington
says his inheritance was held 'partly of the Bishop of
Worcester.' (fn. 23)
Stephen the son of Fulchered held Daylesford in
1086, (fn. 24) but it seems probable that the land was
afterwards acquired by Urse D'Abitot, or his brother
Robert Despenser, for the Worcester chartulary records
that Walter de Beauchamp held 3 hides there in the
time of Henry I. (fn. 25) It subsequently passed to Robert
Marmion, who was the tenant in 1182. (fn. 26) At the
same date Philip de 'Haster' (? Hastings) was said to
hold Daylesford of the bishop, possibly as a tenant
under Robert Marmion. (fn. 27) Eutropius Hastings, who
held half a fee of the Bishop of Worcester in 1166,
may have been owner of Daylesford. (fn. 28) William
Hastings was holding lands in the neighbourhood in
1216, (fn. 29) and in 1275 Miles de Hastings granted the
manor, on condition that he himself should hold it
for life, to his younger son Thomas and the heirs of
his body with remainder in default to another younger
son Nicholas. (fn. 30) Miles died in 1305, (fn. 31) and was succeeded
in Daylesford by Thomas, (fn. 32) who died before 1310,
leaving the manor to Roland Hastings, probably his
son. (fn. 33) Roland was still living in 1333, (fn. 34) but died
before 1335 (fn. 35) ; his heir was another Thomas
Hastings, who died in 1362, leaving a son Bartholomew
in his minority. (fn. 36) Bartholomew came of age in 1368, (fn. 37)
but the history of the manor during the next twenty
years is difficult to trace. By 1393 the property had
passed to John Mirye of Lyneham (co. Oxon.), who
settled it in that year on himself and Agnes his wife
with reversion to his own heirs (fn. 38) ; and before 1408
it was held by Richard Milton and Katherine his
wife in right of Katherine, who was perhaps the
daughter of John Mirye. (fn. 39) She and her husband
sold Daylesford in 1408 to Thomas Hastings, (fn. 40)
traditionally said to have been a member of the old
family, though it is not clear whether he was a
descendant of Bartholomew or Nicholas.
The manor subsequently continued in the possession
of the Hastings family for over 300 years. It was
held by Edward Hastings in
1466 (fn. 41) and 1494, (fn. 42) and successively by his son (fn. 43) and
grandson, (fn. 44) both John Hastings. Simon the son of John
the younger succeeded in
1585, (fn. 45) and made a settlement
of the estate in 1618 on
himself for life and his wife
Susanna during her widowhood and to the use of his
younger sons and daughters
for sixteen years with reversion
to his eldest son John and
John's son Edward. (fn. 46) Simon Hastings died in 1628 (fn. 47)
and John in the following year (fn. 48) ; Edward had died
during his father's lifetime, and John's heir was his
infant son and namesake, (fn. 49) whose long minority only
ended in 1648. He married Elizabeth, the daughter
of Sir Thomas Penyston, (fn. 50) whose surname was given
to his son and continued in the family for three
generations. Penyston Hastings succeeded his father
before 1674, (fn. 51) but his fortune was so much reduced
by 1709 that he and his sons
Samuel, Penyston and Theophilus were obliged to covey
the estate to trustees to raise
money for the payment of
£3,345 6s. to the Misses
Eaton of Oxford, (fn. 52) and subsequently to sell it to Jacob
Knight, (fn. 53) from whose trustees
it was bought back in 1793
by Warren Hastings, the great
Governor-General of India
and grandson of the younger
Penyston. (fn. 54)
Hastings. Argent a sleeve sable.
Imhoff. Argent three buffaloes' heads sable cut off at the neck.
Warren Hastings died at
Daylesford in 1818. In accordance with a settlement
of 1798 he left the property to
his wife Marian for her life with
reversion to Charles Imhoff, her
son by her first husband. (fn. 55) Mrs.
Hastings died in 1837, and Sir
Charles Imhoff subsequently remained in possession of the manor
until 1853, (fn. 56) when he sold it to
Mr. Harman Grisewood, who retained it till his death in 1874. (fn. 57)
It was afterwards bought from his
trustees by Mr. R. Nichol Byass, (fn. 58)
who sold it in 1884 to Mr. Charles
Edward Baring Young, the present
lord of the manor. (fn. 59)
Five messuages and 4 virgates of
land in Daylesford were settled in
1275 by 'the younger Miles de
Hastings' on Margery de Hastings
and her heirs, to be held for the
rent of a rose at Midsummer for
all service. (fn. 60) She granted her holding in 1286 to William de Chyrinton, clerk, (fn. 61) and it afterwards passed
to John le Boteler and Margaret
his wife, (fn. 62) who settled it in 1353
on William of Evenlode and his
wife Felice. (fn. 63) Its subsequent his
tory is obscure.
There was a water-mill attached
to the manor of Daylesford in
1275, (fn. 64) which seems to have followed throughout the descent of
the manor. (fn. 65) It is mentioned in
the sale of the estate to Jacob
Knight in 1715, (fn. 66) but had apparently disappeared before 1797. (fn. 67)
There is now no trace of the
building, but it probably stood on
the left bank of the Evenlode near
the rectory, where there are sluices and a second
stream which looks like a mill-race.
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel measuring internally 10½ ft.
by 13 ft., a central tower about 11 ft.
square, north and south transepts 10 ft. deep and
12 ft. wide, and a nave 30 ft. by 15 ft. There are
also a vestry and organ bay on the north side of the
chancel and a south porch.
The present building, designed by J. L. Pearson
in 13th-century style, was built in 1860 by Harman
Grisewood to replace another erected in 1816 on the
site of a very much older church. The east window
consists of three large lancets, each under an elaborate
rear arch, and on each side of the chancel is a wall
arcade with an alabaster dado below. Some remains
of 12th-century work exist in the north wall of the
chancel, consisting of two capitals and one bay of a
Norman arcade of two square orders.
The transepts are divided off by screens of open
ironwork and the responds of the tower arches are
enriched with polished marble shafting.
Daylesford Church from the North
In the south porch some fragments of 13th-century
work are embodied in the present jambs and capitals.
Several tablets and monuments have been transferred
from the original church, including a well-preserved
brass to William Gardiner of Lagham, Surrey, who
died aged twenty-six in 1632. It is engraved with
a large figure in short cloak and riding boots, a
crest and three coats of arms, two being Gardiner
(azure) a griffon passant (or) and one Gardiner impaling Hastings (argent) a maunch (sable). The
following inscription forms a border to the brass:—
'A full carrouse, vain world,
Let those drink up that like thy sweets,
I did but miss ye cup,
Thy best I tasted and disliked, for when
Thy enjoyed pleasures do but weary men,
What will thy labours doe?
This made me soone to seek for rest
Before my age's noone.
Should any blame my haste let it suffice
I went to bed betimes, betimes to rise.'
On the west wall of the south transept is a tablet to
Abel Makepeace, gent., 1708. On the north wall
of the chancel is a tablet to Warren Hastings,
acknowledging him as founder of the previous church.
His actual grave, in the churchyard close to the east
end, is marked by a stone urn inscribed 'Warren
Hastings' and mounted on a square pedestal. (fn. 68)
Two monuments of the Imhoff family commemorate General Sir Charles Imhoff, kt., died 1853, and
Anna Maria Apollonia Baroness Imhoff, died 1837,
'relict of the Right Honourable Warren Hastings.'
The church is built of Broadway stone and has a
square pyramidal spire with gables over the four belfry
lights.
There is a set of tubular bells and two ordinary
bells without inscriptions.
The plate consists of a modern cup, paten and
flagon (1860).
The registers (fn. 69) before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms from 1674 to 1788, burials 1679 to 1785,
marriages 1684 to 1748, many pages being missing;
(ii) baptisms from 1787 to 1812; (iii) marriages from
1755 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
At the time of the Domesday
Survey there was a church in Daylesford, of which the advowson then
belonged to Stephen the son of Fulchered, (fn. 70) and
afterwards followed for the most part the descent of
the manor. It was granted by Miles de Hastings to
his son Thomas in 1275, (fn. 71) but was not included in the
life grant which Thomas made to his father in return. (fn. 72)
Thomas presented in 1281, (fn. 73) but Miles seems nevertheless to have considered that he had some right to
the patronage, for he sued his son for its recovery in
1302. (fn. 74) During this suit the patronage devolved by
lapse of time on the Prior of Worcester, (fn. 75) the see
being vacant, and the Abbot of Westminster wrote
asking that the living might be given to William of
Evenlode. (fn. 76) The prior, however, gave it to Wulfstan
of Worcester, together with a licence for seven years'
absence for study. (fn. 77) But the king sent a writ of
prohibition for the duration of the lawsuit, (fn. 78) and
Wulfstan the incumbent resigned in 1305, when
Thomas de Hastings again presented. (fn. 79) After this
date the advoson followed the descent of the manor
until the 18th century, (fn. 80) though Sir Francis Russell,
bart., presented for one turn in 1679. (fn. 81) It was conveyed in 1716 to the younger Penyston Hastings, (fn. 82) who
presumably sold it, for in 1753 Miss Elizabeth Selfe
was the patron, (fn. 83) and in 1766 the Rev. Thomas
Brooks presented in right of his wife Mary. (fn. 84) The
advowson was afterwards bought by Warren Hastings,
who presented in 1814, (fn. 85) and was bequeathed to Sir
Charles Imhoff. (fn. 86) It was sold with the manor in
1853 to Mr. Harman Grisewood, (fn. 87) who left it in his
will to his brother Mr. Henry Grisewood. (fn. 88) The
Rev. Arthur George Grisewood, rector of Daylesford
and son of Mr. Henry Grisewood, is now the patron.
There do not appear to be any endowed charities
in this parish.