ALDBURY
Aldeberie, xi cent.; Audebur', xiii cent.; Albury,
xvi cent.
The parish of Aldbury comprises 2,020 acres of
land and seven acres of land covered with water,
consisting in 1905 of 596 acres of arable land, 193
acres of permanent grass, and 277 acres of wood, (fn. 1) and
includes the hamlets of Moneybury Hill on the north
of the village, and Northfield to the north-west. The
land rises from about 400 ft. above the ordnance datum
on the south and west of the parish to about 700 ft.
on the north-east. On Moneybury Hill, about the
highest spot in the parish, standing 731 ft. above the
ordnance datum, is a monument in the form of a
granite column, erected in 1832 to the memory of
Francis, third duke of Bridgewater, 'the father of
inland navigation.'
The soil of the parish is chalk, except at the
eastern extremity, where it consists of clay with
flints. The crops are mostly wheat, barley, oats, and
roots. There is an extensive common on the east
side of the parish, which is a continuation of the great common of Berkhampstead. The only important roads
are that from the Akeman Street passing through the village to Ivinghoe, and
that from Tring to Little Gaddesden,
but there are numerous footpaths. Of
other means of communication there are
the Grand Junction Canal, which runs
through a small portion of the parish
on its western side, and the London
and North Western Railway main line,
with a station in this parish called Tring
Station, opened in October, 1837. (fn. 1a)
There are no factories, the population
being mainly engaged in agriculture.
Amongst other place names, the following may be noticed: Cherrywicke and
Bursden's Hall Lane. There is a large
wood to the north-west of the parish
called Aldbury Nowers, formerly known
as Owrez.
A windmill was erected at Aldbury towards the
end of the sixteenth century, and in 1589–90 licence
was asked by Thomas Kynge of Aldbury to erect a
cottage for the miller, 'a painfull man in his calling.' (fn. 2)
In 1826 part of the old highway leading from Aldbury to Ivinghoe, within the parish of Aldbury, was
diverted and carried through the Stocks estate. (fn. 3) A
new high road was made in 1829 between Aldbury
and Tring. (fn. 4)
The village of Aldbury lies in a valley with chalk
hills on either side, well covered with beech and fir,
whose dark foliage is relieved here and there by the
patches of white from the exposed chalk. It is
prettily situated at the intersection of the roads from
Tring to Little Gaddesden and from Great Berkhampstead to Ivinghoe. Where the roads cross is an open
space with a large pond and one or two elm trees; at
the south end of the pond are the old village stocks
and whipping post, which are still in fairly good condition. The main street lies along the road from
Berkhampstead to Ivinghoe. The houses are mostly
of two stories, and built of timber frames filled in
with red brick, which in many cases is coloured stone
colour, a few having projecting upper stories. The
most interesting of them is at the corner of the street
just to the north of the pond, with close-set timbers
and brick filling, and probably dates from the first
half of the seventeenth century. The roofs are mostly
of tile, but four or five are thatched, a covering rarely
seen in this part of Hertfordshire. The modern
houses are of brick, with slate roofs.
The Village Pond and the Stocks, Aldbury
The church stands at the north-west end of the
village, on the Tring road, and the schools are on
the west of the cross-roads, near by. East of the
village, on the north of the Ivinghoe road, is
Stocks, the residence of Mr. T. Humphry Ward, and
other important houses in the parish are Tom's Hill
(Mr. R. W. Wood), south of the village; Northfield
(Mr. John Mead), north-west of the village;
Brightwood House (Mr. H. R. G. Craufurd, J.P.),
and The Wolds (Mr. F. Bloxam).
MANORS
The manor of ALDBURY was held of
the honour of Berkhampstead by fealty
and the rent of 5s.; and 3s. 4d. for
release of suit of court; and 16d. for free common
for the lord of the manor and his tenants in the
Frith. (fn. 5) The court leet, which was held on Thursday
in Whitsun week, belonged to the honour of Berkhampstead, and had jurisdiction over the tithings
of Long Marston, Betlow, Dunsley Grove cum
Pendley, Wigginton, Northcote cum Lyghe, Drayton Beauchamp, Gubblecote cum Cheddingdon, and
Aldbury cum Helpusthorp. (fn. 6) Each tithing had its
own constable. We have also mention of Tiscote
and West Rollsham as members of the manor.
In the time of Edward the Confessor Aldbury was
held by Alwin, a thegn of the king, and at the time
of the Domesday Survey it had passed into the hands
of the count of Mortain. (fn. 7) William de Bocland held
the manor in 1203, (fn. 8) and granted the advowson of
the church to the priory of Missenden. (fn. 9) He died
about 1218, leaving as his heirs three daughters,
Maud wife of William de Averenges, Hawisia wife of
John de Bovill, and Joan wife of Robert de Ferrars,
and on a partition of his lands this manor was
assigned to Hawisia and John. (fn. 10) In 1225 John died
seised of the manor in right of his wife Hawisia, (fn. 11)
who died in 1226, leaving as her heirs her two sisters,
of whom Maud, the wife of William de Averenges,
took this manor. (fn. 12) William de Averenges died about
1230, when the custody and marriage of his heirs
were at first granted to Hubert de Burgh, and afterwards in 1233 (fn. 13) to the bishop of Exeter, except the
custody of the lands at Aldbury, which the king had
granted to Eudo his brother. (fn. 14) The heir possibly
died a minor about 1235, for in January of the
following year Hamon de Crevequer did homage for
the lands which Maud his wife, daughter of William
de Averenges, had inherited. (fn. 15) Maud died in 1271
leaving four daughters, when the manor fell to the
share of Isabel, who married Henry de Gaunt, (fn. 16) and
died in 1283, apparently without issue, for at her
death her sisters and their heirs were said to be her
heirs. (fn. 17) Her sister Eleanor, the wife of Bertram de
Criol, took the manor as her share and died in
1302, (fn. 18) when, her eldest son
John having died without issue,
she was succeeded by Bertram
her second son. This Bertram
died in 1306 without issue,
and was succeeded by his sister
Joan the wife of Sir Richard
de Rokeslegh. (fn. 19) In 1309 the
manor was sold by Sir Richard
and Joan his wife to Walter
de Aylesbury, (fn. 20) from whom it
appears to have passed to Philip
de Aylesbury, who presented
to a chantry, the advowson
of which was held with the manor, in 1345 and
1356. (fn. 21) From Philip de Aylesbury it passed apparently to Sir John Aylesbury, his second son, who
died in 1409. (fn. 22) Sir Thomas Aylesbury, son and heir
of Sir John, granted the manor in 1416 to Sir
Thomas Chaworth, (fn. 23) husband of his daughter Isabel,
who obtained full possession of it, (fn. 24) and in 1438
settled it on himself and his wife Isabel. (fn. 25) In 1447,
with Elizabeth, possibly his second wife, he held
manorial courts here. (fn. 26) Sir Thomas died 10 February, 1459, and was succeeded by William his son
and heir, (fn. 27) who appears to have conveyed the manor
to the earl of Shrewsbury and others, feoffees, to the
use of his son Thomas, who held courts there in
1471–2. (fn. 28) This Thomas died before 1485 without
issue, (fn. 29) and had apparently settled the manor upon
his wife Margaret, who after
his death married firstly Ralph
Vernon of the county of
Derby, and secondly, about
1493—Talbot. In 1485
Ralph Vernon and Margaret
his wife leased the hall and
the demesne lands to Henry
Wynch for twenty-seven
years. (fn. 30) On the death of
Margaret the manor passed
to Joan, sister and heir of
Thomas Chaworth, then married to John Ormond, (fn. 31) who
in 1502 conveyed it to Thomas Babington, Robert
Brudenell, and others, as trustees for a settlement
upon herself and her husband for life, with remainder
in thirds to her daughters Joan wife of Thomas
Dynham, Elizabeth wife of Anthony Babington,
and Anne wife of William Meryng. (fn. 32) Joan died
in 1507, and her heirs were her daughters Joan and
Anne, and Thomas Babington son of Elizabeth and
Anthony. (fn. 33) Sir Thomas Dynham and Joan and their
co-parceners held a court for the manor in 1519, (fn. 34)
and Sir Thomas died in the same year. (fn. 35) His widow
Joan married Sir William FitzWilliam, and they held
a court of the manor in 1530. (fn. 36) Joan was again a
widow in 1538, (fn. 37) and in the following year conveyed
her third of the manor to a younger son Thomas
Dynham. (fn. 38) Anne Meryng died without issue, and
her third descended to her two nephews, Thomas
Babington and George Dynham eldest son of Joan
FitzWilliam. (fn. 39) George sold his sixth part in 1542–3
to John Hyde, (fn. 40) and Thomas Babington sold his half
in 1544 to the same John, (fn. 41) who had acquired the
remaining third from Thomas Dynham in the same
year. (fn. 42) John Hyde of Hyde in the county of Dorset
was an officer of the court of Exchequer and already
had a lease of the manor. (fn. 43) He died in 1545, (fn. 44) and
his son Thomas Hyde succeeded to the manor, which
passed on his death in 1570 (fn. 45) to his son George, who
died in 1580, (fn. 46) leaving his brother Robert his heir.
On 16 June, 1590, Robert conveyed this manor to
Miles Sandys and William Sydley as feoffees to the use
of Nicholas Hyde his brother, who had married
Bridget daughter of Miles Sandys of Latimers in the
county of Buckingham. (fn. 47) Upon the death of Robert
Hyde in 1607 he was succeeded by his brother
Nicholas, (fn. 48) who was created a baronet and died in
1625, leaving Sir Thomas Hyde his son and heir. (fn. 49)
Thomas died in 1665, (fn. 50) and Bridget, his only
daughter, married Peregrine Osborne second duke of
Leeds, (fn. 51) and the manor passed with that title until
1736, when Thomas the fourth duke of Leeds sold
it to Scroop Egerton earl and first duke of Bridgewater. (fn. 52) From him it descended to Francis Henry,
ninth and last earl of Bridgewater, whose widow held
it for life, and at her death it passed to John Hume
Cust, Viscount Alford, son of the first Earl Brownlow,
and from him to the present
Earl Brownlow. A few of
the court rolls of the manor
are at the Public Record
Office. (fn. 53)
Criol. Or two cheverons and a quarter gules.
Chaworth. Burelly argent and gules an orle of martlets sable.
Cust, Earl Brownlow. Ermine a cheveron sable with three fountains thereon.
The manor of LAUNCELENES, consisting of 70 acres
of land, 3 acres of meadow,
and 5s. rent, was held in 1361
of the heir of Roger Launcelene in free socage for the
service of one pair of white
gauntlets worth a halfpenny. (fn. 54)
John son of William Aignel
died seised of this manor in
that year, (fn. 55) and from this time it appears to have
descended with the manor of Pendley (q.v.), (fn. 56) into
which it was evidently merged early in the sixteenth
century. (fn. 57) In 1331 John Aignel obtained licence
to have an oratory in his manor house in Aldbury,
which was probably the house of this manor. (fn. 58)
William de Mandeville was holding land in
STOCKS (Stok) in 1176–7, (fn. 59) and in 1270 John de
la Stock died seised of a carucate of land in la Stock,
held in free socage of the heir of Ralph de Querdon,
and of a small piece of land held of Katherine,
daughter of Arnold de Berkele in free socage. His
heir was a minor, whose name is not given. (fn. 60) In
1273 Walter de la Mare and Katherine his wife, in
whom we may perhaps recognize Katherine Berkele,
conveyed rent in La Stok to Master Henry Sampson,
who was to hold it of Walter and Katherine for the
service of one clove gilly-flower, (fn. 61) and in the same
year Thomas de Brayford conveyed a messuage and
land in La Stok to the same Henry, to be held of
Thomas and his heirs for a rent of 6d. at Easter. (fn. 62)
Richard de Cantilupe also held land here in the
reigns of Henry III and Edward I. (fn. 63) In 1280–1
Adam Wace granted a tenement, which Adam Cotton
and Maud held for life, to Walter de Agmondesham, (fn. 64)
and in 1283–4 Walter conveyed it to Humphrey de
Bohun, earl of Hereford and Essex. (fn. 65) Henry de
Bohun in 1277–8 made the men of la Stok come to
his view of frankpledge at Agmondesham in Buckinghamshire, (fn. 66) and in 1286–7 a new warren at Stok
was made by Humphrey de Bohun. (fn. 67) In 1318 a
piece of land called 'Stockyngge' was granted by
Philip de Aylesbury to William de Dunhamstede and
Alice his wife, with remainder in tail to Thomas,
William's brother, and reversion to the grantor. (fn. 68) No
mention of Stocks has been found since this date till
the seventeenth century, when it was in the possession
of Robert Duncombe, son of
William Duncombe of Barley
End, ancestor of the Lords
Feversham, who died in 1630. (fn. 69)
From Robert, Stocks descended
to John Duncombe, on whose
death in 1728 (fn. 70) the estate
came to his son John, who
died in 1746, and was buried
in Aldbury church. The second John left a son Arnold,
who died without issue, leaving William Hayton, son of
his sister Elizabeth, wife of
William Hayton, his heir. (fn. 71)
William died without issue in
1811, and was succeeded by his niece Harriot, wife
of James Gordon, daughter of William's half-sister
Harriot, the wife of Samuel Whitbread. (fn. 72) James
Gordon died in 1832, leaving James Adam Gordon
his son and heir, (fn. 72a) who died in 1854, leaving Stocks
to his widow, Emma Katherine, daughter of Thomas
Wolley, for life, with a choice of persons to whom it
should go on her death. James Adam Gordon was a
friend of Sir Walter Scott, and there is a tradition,
which seems to have some foundation in fact, that the
poet visited his friend at Stocks. Mr. Gordon's widow
afterwards married Richard Bright, M.P. for East
Somerset, who died at Stocks in 1878. Mrs. Bright
died in 1891, and left the estate to Sir Edward Grey,
present minister for Foreign Affairs, as descendant of
Mary daughter of Samuel Whitbread. (fn. 73) He shortly
afterwards sold the house to Mr. T. Humphry Ward,
whose wife, Mrs. Humphry Ward, is the well-known
novelist.
Duncombe. Party cheveronwise engrailed gules and argent with three talbots' heads razed and countercoloured.
Robert Dogget bought land in Aldbury from Edward
Verney in 1557. His name also appears in the
Subsidy Rolls for 1566, (fn. 74) and in 1615 CHERRYWICKE in Aldbury, described as a manor, was sold
by Edward Dogget, son and heir of Edward Dogget
of Wigginton, deceased, to Francis Bellingham and
Mary his wife. (fn. 75) In 1638 John Dogget held several
pieces of land in Aldbury, near to the churchlands. (fn. 76)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST has a chancel 13 ft. 6 in.
wide by 27 ft. 3 in. long, with north
chapel and vestry, nave of the same width 59 ft.
long, with north and south aisles and south porch
and west tower. Nothing older than thirteenth-century detail is now to be seen, a window at the
north-east of the chancel dating from the first
quarter of this century. The chancel arch and nave
arcades (the two eastern bays of the north arcade
are modern) are all of one pattern. The arches
are pointed, of two hollow-chamfered orders, a
detail of frequent local occurrence, but difficult to
date within narrow limits, as it was used without
essential difference from the thirteenth century (as at
Flamstead) to the fifteenth. The mouldings of
the capitals suggest a date early in the fourteenth
century, and it is difficult to see any evidences of
difference in date, as far as masonry details are concerned. The break in the south arcades of the nave
between the second and third piers probably gives the
position of the east wall of an earlier nave, whose
width of about 13 ft. 6 in. is retained, its length
having been about 38 ft.
The probable development of the plan was that the
present chancel was added to the east and outside the
lines of an earlier chancel about 1220, the area of
the old chancel being thrown into the nave. Aisles
to the nave were perhaps added at this time, or may
have existed previously, and probably some transeptal
arrangement flanked the new east end of the nave.
About the end of the thirteenth century, or beginning of the fourteenth, the present chancel arch and
nave arcades were set up, and the aisles were perhaps
widened at the same time.
The tower seems to have been added later in the
fourteenth century, and the widening of the east end
of the north aisle may be connected with the foundation of a chantry by Sir P. Aylesbury in 1335. (fn. 77) An
opening from the east of the north aisle witnesses to
the existence of a north chapel in the first half of the
fourteenth century, but the existing chapel contains
nothing older than a sedile of c. 1400. The church
underwent much repair in 1867, and a great part of
the window tracery is modern; the tower and south
porch were repaired in 1905.
The chancel has a three-light window of geometrical style with modern tracery. In the north wall
near the east angle is a thirteenth-century lancet
window with an outer rebate, and below it a fourcentred recess, probably of the fifteenth century.
The rest of the north side of the chancel is occupied
by a modern arcade of two bays, opening to the north
chapel. In the south wall is a two-light window of
fourteenth-century style, and a plain doorway, the
masonry being modern in both, and near the southwest angle a small lancet window, low in the wall, its
external stonework being modern. In its west jamb
is a squint from the east end of the south aisle.
The chancel arch is of two hollow-chamfered orders
with half-octagonal moulded capitals, the upper member of which has been cut away. Above the arch the
wall sets back on both faces.
The north chapel has a three-light east window,
and a north window of two lights, the tracery being
modern in both. At the south-east is a cinquefoiled
piscina, and adjoining it on the west a single sedile
with an ogee head cinquefoiled. The date of both
is c. 1400, but half the head of the sedile is modern.
In the north-east angle is a marble altar tomb of
'London' type in Purbeck marble, in the slab of
which are inlaid brass figures of Sir Ralph Verney,
1546, and Elizabeth (Bray) his wife, with nine sons
and three daughters. At the corners of the slab are
four shields with heraldry, and there have been others
on the sides of the tomb, but these, with the marginal
inscription, are lost. Sir Ralph wears a tabard with his
arms of Verney quartering an unknown coat (fn. 78) and
Whittingham. His wife bears on her mantle the
same arms, together with the Bray quarterings; and
of the four shields one bears Verney and another Bray,
while the remaining two have the two coats impaled.
On the north wall is an alabaster and marble
monument to Thomas Hyde, 1570, and George his
son 1580. It has a cornice and broken pediment,
carried by three Corinthian columns, the panels between which are carved with strap-work with a skull
in the centre of each. Above the cornice are the
arms of Hyde of Aldbury, while beneath the panels
are lozenges with the Butler arms and the arms of
Sedley. On the west wall is a black marble panel
in a white marble frame, the monument of Thomas
Hyde of Aldbury, 1665.
Verney. Azure a cross argent with five pierced molets gules thereon.
Verney. Azure two cheverons or and a quarter argent with a paschal lamb gules.
Whittingham. Argent a fesse vert and a lion gules over all.
Bray. Argent a cbeveron between three eagles' legs razed sable.
Hyde of Aldbury. Or a cheveron between three lozenges azure and a chief gules with an eagle or therein.
Skdley. Azure a fesse wavy between three goats' beads razed or.
The nave is of five bays with arcades as already
noted. The north aisle for 16 ft. 6 in. from the
east is 13 ft. wide, and for the rest of its length
10 ft. 6 in. wide. In its east wall is a fourteenth-century arch of two orders dying out at the springing,
and to the north of the arch the remains of a late
fourteenth-century canopied niche. In the north wall
of the wider eastern part of the aisle is a window of
three trefoiled lights, originally of the fourteenth
century but now in modern stonework. A fourth
light, with a cinquefoiled head, has been added on
the east, apparently in the fifteenth century, though
the stonework is now modern. The narrower part of
the aisle is lighted by two square-headed windows,
each of two trefoiled lights, the stonework being
modern, and west of them is a plain north door also
in modern stone. In the west wall is a two-light
window with tracery in the head, with modern stonework like the rest. The east end of the south aisle is
taken up by the fine altar tomb of Sir Robert Whittingham, 1471, brought to Aldbury, with its inclosing
stone screens, from the church of the suppressed house
of Bonhommes at Ashridge in 1575 by Edmund
Verney. On it lie the stone effigies of Sir Robert
Whittingham and his wife. He is fully armed in
plate with a mail hauberk and wears a collar of SS
and a short surcoat on which are the arms of Whittingham. His head rests on a helm which has lost
its crest but retains the crest-wreath, and at his feet
is a wild man with a club. His wife's feet rest on a
hind. The tomb has been somewhat altered, probably
at its removal from Ashridge, and the slab has a
gadrooned edge of Elizabethan style. The sides are
panelled, having five panels on north and south and
three at east and west. On the west end are two
female figures and between them a shield with azure
two cheverons or and a quarter argent with a paschal
lamb gules, (fn. 79) quartering Whittingham. On the east
end is an armed man between two shields of Whittingham and Verney. On the north side; (1) Verney
quartering Verney (?) and Whittingham, (2) an
armed man standing, (3) Whittingham impaling
Bockland, (4) as (2), (5) as (1) on this side, and on
the south side (1) as (1) on north, (2) Verney,
(3) as (3) on north, (4) Verney, (5) Bray, the
cheveron and eagles' legs, quartered with another
Bray coat, vair three bends gules, with an escutcheon quarterly of Halliwell, (fn. 80) Boteler, Norbury,
and Sudley. A brass plate on the south wall of
the chapel, which must date from 1588 or soon
after, records the history of the tomb, how it
was set up in 'the Monasterie of Ausheritch,' Sir
John Verney, husband of Margaret sole heir of Sir
Robert Whittingham, being afterwards buried in it
with his wife, as was his son Sir Ralph Verney and
Anne his wife. Then it was moved to Aldbury in
the eighteenth year of Elizabeth and the chapel and
vault made by Edmund Verney, his wife Dame Audrey
(Carew) being buried here in 1588. It is not clear
whether the making of the chapel implies a rebuilding
of the walls, but it more probably refers to the setting
up of the stone screens which were brought from
Ashridge with the tomb and still inclose it. They
are good specimens of fifteenth-century tracery, but
that on the north side has been lowered and part of
it taken back to Ashridge. The chapel has no east
window, the wall being occupied by the marble
monument of Sir Richard and Lady Anderson, 1699
and 1698, and an inscription to Simon, Henry, and
John Harcourt. There are two funeral helmets in
the chapel. In the south wall is a square-headed
window of four cinquefoiled lights in modern stonework and in the aisle west of the chapel two square-headed windows, each of two trefoiled lights, on
either side of the plain south doorway. The west
window of this aisle is like that in the north aisle.
Over the doorway is a stone porch with an upper
room, rebuilt in 1871, of fifteenth-century style, the
stair to the upper room opening to the aisle.
Bockland. Sable a garter between three square buckles or.
Bray. Vair three bends gules.
Halliwell. Or a bend gules with three goats argent thereon.
Boteler. Gules a fesse checky argent and sable between six crosslets or.
Norbury. Argent a cheveron engrailed between three bulls' beads cabossed sable.
Sudley. Or two bends gules.
The west tower is tall, of three stages with an
embattled parapet, and belfry windows of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the head. The east
arch of the tower and probably part of the walling of
the lower stages is of fourteenth-century date, but the
upper stages seem to be entirely of the fifteenth century. All are much repaired with modern stonework, and externally there is little old masonry to be
seen in any part of the church. The roof timbers
are also modern, but a few old bench ends with
moulded uprights remain. In the north aisle and in
the Verney chapel are a few mediaeval floor tiles, but
there are no remains of ancient glass or paintings. A
small brass of good style with a figure and inscription
to a boy John Davies, son of Henry Davies of London,
mercer, 1478, is set in the wall below the eastern
corbel of the north arcade of the nave.
The font, under the tower, is modern, with a round
bowl of Bath stone and a central stem flanked by four
columns of serpentine.
There are four bells, the treble by Robert Oldfeild,
1634, the second by Chandler, 1655, the tenor by
Richard Chandler, 1683, and a small priest's bell of
1840. On the bell frame is cut 'I. E. Marton gave
this bel frame 1681.'
The church plate consists of a vase-shaped secular
cup used as a chalice, with fluted sides and an embossed cover and foot, bearing the London hall-mark
for 1514, and a paten and flagon dated 1803.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms,
burials, and marriages from 1693 to 1773, the second
book those from 1774 to 1804. The third contains
baptisms and burials from 1804 to 1812 and the
fourth book marriages between the same dates.
ADVOWSON
The church of Aldbury was granted
early in the thirteenth century by
William de Bocland to the canons of
St. Mary, Missenden, together with a virgate and a
half of land which Robert de Breccesdune held, with
all the assart which Archibald took from the wood of
Aldbury, except 3 acres which Robert held of
William in chief. (fn. 81) The church was held by the
abbot and canons till the dissolution, when the
advowson of the rectory was granted in 1546–7
to Thomas Babington and John Hyde, (fn. 82) and subsequently passed with the manor to Robert Hyde who
died seised of it in 1607. (fn. 83) From this point the
descent of the advowson is identical with that of the
manor (q.v.), Earl Brownlow being the present patron.
A chantry in the parish church of Aldbury was
founded in 1335 by Philip de Aylesbury, then
lord of the manor, who obtained licence to alienate
a messuage, land, and rent in Aldbury to a chaplain, to celebrate divine service daily in the chapel
of St. Mary, Aldbury, for the soul of Philip and
the souls of his ancestors for ever. (fn. 84) From its
foundation till the dissolution the advowson of this
chantry remained in the hands of the lords of the
manor. (fn. 85) Its revenues, amounting in all to 65s.,
consisting of rent from various tenements, and from a
tenement called the 'Chantry House,' let to William
Butler for fifty years in 1543, had been given to the
parson of the parish in augmentation of his living. (fn. 86)
The chantry house and closes called Hall Closes,
Preests Close, and Reve Close, with land in Shepley,
Micklefield, and Mogborowe, were granted in 1548 to
John earl of Warwick, Richard Forsett and Margaret
his wife, and the heirs of Richard. (fn. 87) The chantry
house subsequently came to Robert Hyde, lord of the
manor of Aldbury, who died in 1607, (fn. 88) when it
passed to his brother Nicholas, on whose death in
1625 it came to Thomas his son, (fn. 89) and probably
followed the descent of the manor.
Land in 'Mychellfyld' and Staynefilde and rent
from Donaines land had been given time out of mind
for finding lights in the church. (fn. 90)
Edmund earl of Cornwall in 1297 granted to the
rector and brethren of Ashridge a rent of £8 from
the lands of Bertram de Criol for the maintenance of
a chaplain to celebrate divine service daily in the
chapel of Hamelden. (fn. 91) This chapel is mentioned in
the inquisition taken after the death of Bertram de
Criol, (fn. 92) but its site is not apparently known. The
rent of £8 was granted in 1544 with the advowson
to Thomas Babington and John Hyde. (fn. 93)
There was in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries a
church house which was held by the churchwardens for
the use of the parish together with 2⅓ acres of land. (fn. 94)
The first registration of a place of meeting for Dissenters in Aldbury occurred in 1691, but no house is
specified. In 1699 the house of Austin Brooks was
certified as a place of meeting, and other registrations
followed in 1707, 1747–8, 1795, 1809, and 1827. (fn. 95)
There is no Nonconformist chapel in Aldbury at the
present time.
CHARITIES
Sir Thomas Hyde, bart. by his will
left £120 for the benefit of the poor
of this parish. In 1675 a close of
land called Butts Field in Berkhampstead St. Peter,
containing 6 acres or thereabouts, was purchased
therewith. The land was sold in 1886, and the net
proceeds invested in £1,425 10s. 4d. consols with
the official trustees. The dividends amounting to
£35 12s. 8d. were in 1905–6 divided as to £11 5s.
amongst old and infirm widows and widowers,
£10 3s. 6d. amongst deserving poor generally, and
the balance among children of poor persons.
Poor's Land and Houses Charity.
—There are no
documents extant showing the origin of this charity;
but there were formerly certain tenements called
Church Houses adjoining the churchyard, which were
some forty years ago thrown into the churchyard;
there are still four tenements in the village street
occupied by poor persons who are in receipt of parish
relief; there are also a piece of land containing 3 roods
2 poles in the parish of Tring, and three pieces of land
in Aldbury containing together 2 acres 2 roods
35 poles. The several pieces of land are let at rents
amounting to £4 12s. a year, which are applied in
keeping the poor's houses in repair. Under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1894, the Parish
Council nominate members of their body to be trustees
of the above-mentioned charities.
In 1721 Simon Harcourt by his will gave £150 to
be laid out in land, the rent to be applied in the distribution of bread among the poor of the established
church. The legacy was laid out in the purchase of
three pieces of land in the parish of Buckland, county
Bucks., containing about 10 acres or thereabouts, now
let at £8 a year, which is applied by the minister and
churchwardens in the distribution of bread.