ASTON SANDFORD
Estone (xi cent.); Astun Samford (xiii cent.).
Aston Sandford contains an area of 678 acres, of
which by far the greater part is pasture land. (fn. 1) It is
watered by the Standbridge Brook, a tributary of the
Thames. The land has only a variation of some
10 ft. in level, being about 255 ft. above the ordnance
datum. The soil is gault and sandstone, the subsoil
clay and limestone. The chief crops are wheat,
oats, and beans. The village, with the church, lies
in the south-west of the parish. The rectory-house,
which was built by the Rev. Thomas Scott on his
appointment as rector in the early 19th century, (fn. 2)
stands to the south-east and the manor-house to the
south-west of the church. Part of a homestead moat
lies a mile north-east from the church on the site of
Aston Court. (fn. 3)
Manor
In 1086 ASTON [SANDFORD] alias
COLD ASTON (xvi, xvii cent.) MANOR,
previously held by Sotiny, one of Earl
Tosti's men, was assessed at 4½ hides and held by
Manno the Breton. (fn. 4) In common with his other
holdings the overlordship of this manor, which was
held in 1328 by the service of half a knight's fee
and 10s. yearly towards the ward of Northampton
Castle, (fn. 5) descended in the barony of Wolverton (fn. 6) (q.v.).
It is last mentioned in 1618. (fn. 7)
Before the Domesday Survey Manno had subinfeudated Aston Manor to Odo, (fn. 8) probably the ancestor
of the family from whom it appears to have derived
its distinguishing name of Sandford. John de Sandford
held lands in Aston in 1199, (fn. 9) 1219, and 1220. (fn. 10)
Nicholas de Sandford had succeeded before 1234. (fn. 11)
His descendants had mesne overlordship rights in
Aston Sandford (fn. 12) during the next two centuries,
Nicholas de Sandford being mentioned in 1349 (fn. 13) and
1350, (fn. 14) and his heirs in 1351 (fn. 15) and 1439. (fn. 16)
In the middle 13th century Aston Sandford was
held by the Countess of Warwick (Philippa widow of
Henry de Newburgh) (fn. 17) for life. (fn. 18) Robert de Vere,
son of the Earl of Oxford and Alice his wife, daughter
and co-heir of Gilbert de Sandford, (fn. 19) was holding it
in 1284. (fn. 20) Robert appears to have given Aston
Sandford Manor (probably on succeeding to the
earldom) to his younger brother Alphonso, who was
holding it in the early 14th century. (fn. 21) He died
seised about 1328, when his heir was his son John. (fn. 22)
He in 1331 succeeded to the earldom, and Aston
Sandford descended with Whitchurch to Edward
Earl of Oxford, (fn. 23) who in 1578 sold it to William
Fleetwood, (fn. 24) owner of Missenden Abbey. (fn. 25) His
widow's life interest in Aston Sandford (fn. 26) appears to
have been purchased by Sir
David Fowles, who married
Fleetwood's daughter Cordelia (fn. 27) in 1604. (fn. 28) In 1610
he agreed to purchase the
estate from his brother-inlaw, Sir William Fleetwood, (fn. 29)
and obtained a grant in confirmation of his title, (fn. 30) but
being unable apparently to
raise the purchase-money,
transferred it again to Sir
William Fleetwood, (fn. 31) who left
it to his younger children for
life. (fn. 32) In 1711 the manor
had reverted to John Fleetwood of Great Missenden
Manor. (fn. 33) He sold the Aston Sandford estate about
1737 to Charles Price, (fn. 34) sheriff for the county in
1743. (fn. 35) His son Sir Charles Price, kt., sold it in
1771 to Henry Hurt, (fn. 36) who left it in trust by his
will, proved in 1785, to his granddaughter Susannah
Gines. (fn. 37) She and her husband John Barber settled
the property in 1798. (fn. 38) He died in 1809, (fn. 39) his
widow surviving till 1846. (fn. 40) Before 1862 Aston
Sandford Manor had passed to John and William
Dover, (fn. 41) and in 1873 the former was sole owner. (fn. 42)
His heir, Mr. J. Guy Dover, in 1909 sold the
manorial rights and the major portion of the land to
Mr. Percy Fisher, the present owner.
Sandford. Barry ways argent and azure.
Vere. Quarterly gules and or with a molet argent in the quarter.
Fleetwood. Party wavy azure and or six martlets countercoloured.
The right of view of frankpledge appurtenant to
this manor before 1254 (fn. 43) is named in the trust deed
of 1798. A grant of free warren in Aston Sandford
was made to John de Vere in 1329 (fn. 44) and confirmed
in 1424. (fn. 45)
Church
The church of ST. MICHAEL, one
of the smallest in the kingdom, consists of a chancel, measuring internally
18 ft. 6 in. by 12 ft., nave 38 ft. by 14 ft., north
vestry, south porch and west bellcote. It is built of
limestone and roofed with tiles.
The building was so considerably restored in 1878,
its details being retooled and reset, that it is now
difficult to assign accurate dates to its parts. The
nave probably dates from the 12th century, the
chancel from the 13th century, and the south porch
from the 18th century, while the vestry and bellcote
are modern.
The chancel is lighted by three lancets in the
east wall, two windows in the south wall, and a single
cinquefoiled light in the north wall; all are modern
except the last, which, though much retooled, is
probably of the 14th century. In the north wall
is an old locker. Some late 13th-century painted
glass, representing a seated figure, is placed in the
central lancet in the east wall. The chancel arch has
been replaced by a modern wood truss, below which
on both sides are twin shafts with carved capitals,
one of the southern pair having a grotesque head;
these are probably of 13th-century date, though
considerably restored.
The nave is lighted by two windows in the north
wall and two in the south wall, while in the west
wall is an early window blocked by a 15th-century
buttress. The north-east window of two uncusped
lights, and the blocked north doorway, though considerably modernized, probably date from the 14th
century. The south doorway and the two south
windows are modern, but the tracery of the south-east
window is set in an old opening. On the western
buttresses outside are some incised circles. The nave
has an old collar-beam roof.
There are three bells: the treble, with an unfinished
inscription 'Sancte Toma Or[a] and the tenor,
inscribed 'Sancte Clemes Ora Pro Nobis,' are both
from the Wokingham foundry, and date from the
first half of the 15th century; the second, dated
1675, is by Ellis & Henry Knight.
The communion plate consists of a chalice and
cover paten of 1661, an old pewter flagon and a
modern plated flagon.
The registers date from 1615.
Advowson
The church of Aston Sandford,
which is a rectory, was valued at
£4 13s. 4d. in 1291 (fn. 46) and at
£13 6s. 8d. in 1535. (fn. 47) The advowson has descended
with the manor until recently, (fn. 48) when it was sold to
Mrs. A. A. Pargiter of Towersey vicarage, the present
patron.
There do not appear to be any endowed charities
subsisting in this parish.