HILLESDEN
Hildesdún (x cent.); Ulesdone, Ilesdone (xi cent.).
The parish of Hillesden has an area of about
2,600 acres, of which the greater part is laid down
in permanent grass; there are 310 acres of arable
land and 12 acres woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil
is clay. A small branch of the Ouse forms the
boundary on the south and south-east, in which
district the land is lowest (about 260 ft. to 280 ft.
above the ordnance datum). Towards the centre
and the west of the parish the ground is undulating
and rises gradually, but the highest part (from 360 ft.
to 380 ft.) is in the north. The village is divided
into three parts, known as Church End, Barracks and
Lower End. (fn. 2)
At Church End stand the church, the vicarage
and the school. Little of secular architectural
interest remains in the parish beyond a 17th-century
brick house to the south of the church and a small
half-timber cottage of c. 1600 at the Barracks. The
chief point of interest is Hillesden House, the site of
which is still to be traced to the east of the church,
where irregularities in the ground indicate the lines
of its foundations, while the remains of three terraces,
the brick walls of the garden, and the fish-pond
suggest the lay-out of the grounds.
The Dentons, who held Hillesden (fn. 3) for more than
200 years, were a family of considerable local
importance. (fn. 4) Sir Alexander Denton, the head of
the house at the time of the Civil War, had married
a cousin of John Hampden, (fn. 5) but his Royalist
sympathies were well known. In 1642 a Parliamentary soldier, Nathaniel Wharton, boasted of having,
with a file of men. 'marched to Sir Alexander
Denton's park, who is a malignant fellow, and killed
a fat buck.' (fn. 6)
In January 1643–4, when the Parliamentary forces
held Aylesbury and Newport, Captain Jecamiah Abercromby and a troop of Parliamentarians occupied
Hillesden House, the Royalist men in the neighbourhood having retreated before them. (fn. 7) A contemporary
record, with Parliamentary sympathies, states that the
taking of the house was 'much to the ease and
comfort of the poor inhabitants of the almost wasted
county of Buckingham,' which was oppressed by the
owners of the great house. (fn. 8) Less than a month
later, however, Abercromby, making a sortie, was
captured by Captain Peter Dayrell and his party
defeated. (fn. 9) It was after this, early in February, that
Col. William Smith was sent from the king's forces
at Oxford with a small troop to garrison Hillesden
House, which, lying nearly midway between Oxford
and Newport, might prove a strong support to the
king's operations in the former city. (fn. 10) At this time
there were in the house, besides Sir Alexander's
children, several other relatives, his sisters and nieces,
and some of the Verney family. (fn. 11) He afterwards
wrote to Sir Ralph Verney that he himself had only
come accidentally to Hillesden House, to remove his
family, the king having placed a garrison there. (fn. 12)
The actual garrison appears to have amounted to
about 263 men. (fn. 13)
Col. Smith assumed command. He built additional
accommodation for men and horses, had a trench dug
inclosing the house and the parish church, and made
foraging expeditions in the district. One of these led
to a dispute with the owner of some cattle taken;
the man appealed to the governors at Newport and
Aylesbury, who thereupon awoke to the growing
danger of the garrison at Hillesden. A force was
dispatched thither from Aylesbury, but, finding the
garrison fully prepared, retired without accomplishing
anything. Between this and the second attack the
defenders at Hillesden replenished their ammunition
and summoned the countryside under penalty of a
fine to come and keep garrison and continue the work
of fortification. (fn. 14) But the enemy moved with great
promptitude. An order made by the committee of
both kingdoms to Col. Oliver Cromwell, about this
date, instructs him, his forces being about Hillesden,
to stay in those parts and 'to be as active to the
prejudice of the enemy as with your safety you
may.' (fn. 15) He advanced on Hillesden, encamping in
Claydon at the spot known as Camp Barn, the night
before the siege. Sir Samuel Luke, governor of
Newport, advanced also, and the besiegers, amounting
to about 2,000 strong, appeared before Hillesden
House, which was unprepared for such a rapid
approach, before nine o'clock on the morning of
4 March 1643–4. (fn. 16)
According to Luke's own dispatch the house at
once sounded a parley and Col. Smith sent out to ask
for terms. An unconditional surrender was demanded,
and this being refused the assault commenced. From
the first the defenders were overpowered. Their
fortifications and entrenchments were incomplete and
proved inadequate; a retreat was made to the church
and house, and in a second assault the church was
taken, whereupon Col. Smith surrendered on a promise
of quarter. Luke states that his men 'in less than a
quarter of an hour were masters of the house and
works.' He seems, however, having made prisoners
of the defenders, to have violated his promise, many
of the garrison being slain without mercy. He also
speaks in his dispatch of the spoils gained—thirteen
barrels of powder with match and ball proportionable,
the cellars full of good beer, the stables full of horses,
and yards full of oxen and beasts. The day after the
siege a soldier discovered a large sum of money and
treasure hidden in the wainscoting. A rumour that
the king's troops were advancing from Oxford created
great panic, and for this and other reasons the captors
evacuated Hillesden the day after the siege, setting
fire to the house, which was entirely destroyed. (fn. 17)
The casualties during the siege amounted to about
forty on the side of the defenders and not above six
of the attacking side, which included 'no officer killed
or hurt save onely Col. Pickering and that onely a
little chocke under the chin with a musquet balle.'
As regards the inhabitants of the house, the women
and children were left in a beggared condition, though
not molested by the enemy, and some of them at
least found a refuge in the Verneys' house at Claydon.
Sir Alexander Denton and Col. Smith with other
officers were taken prisoners and subsequently removed
to the Tower. (fn. 18) In a letter of about this time Sir
Alexander says, 'You may see what I suffered in two
dayes cannot but be allmost every man's fortune by
degrees, if these most unhappe tymes continue but a
short tyme.'Ralph Verney also wrote to Edmund
Denton, 'Suffer me to tell you how much I am
afflicted for the ruin of sweet Hilesdon, and the
distreses that hapened to my aunt and sisters.'
Sir Alexander bade his steward cause a view to be
taken of the house that he might have some certain
information of the ruin caused by the fire, whether it
would be possible to rebuild the walls that remained
standing 'if the distraction of the times should settle,'
adding that he was 'yet in health notwithstanding
these many misfortunes are fallen upon me, and my
comfort is I knowe myself not guilty of any faulte.'
But his accumulated misfortunes told upon him; his
eldest son Col. John Denton was killed in August 1644,
and at the end of the year his health gave way and
he died without regaining his liberty on New Year's
Day 1644–5.
The house was afterwards rebuilt; a letter of 1648
contains the information that 'they are building there
again and intend to set up a little house where the
old one stood.' (fn. 19) In the following century it is
described as a 'good old house,'and became famous
as the house of Mr. Justice Denton, the contemporary
and friend of Browne Willis. After the sale of the
estate by Thomas Coke, afterwards Earl of Leicester,
it was pulled down about the second decade of the
19th century. (fn. 20)
Manors
Land at HILLESDEN is mentioned
in the Anglo-Saxon charter of 949, (fn. 21) to
which reference has been made in Chetwode (q.v.). Before the Conquest Alric, a thegn of
King Edward, held a manor here; in 1086 it was
assessed at 18 hides as part of the lands of Walter
Giffard, first Earl of Buckingham. (fn. 22) It was afterwards held by the third Walter Giffard, second earl, (fn. 23)
who died without issue in 1164, and when his
inheritance was finally divided in 1191 between
William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, and Richard de
Clare, Earl of Hertford, (fn. 24) the overlordship of Hillesden, which amounted to a half fee, passed to the
latter, (fn. 25) and descended with the earldoms of Hertford
and Gloucester until the death of Gilbert de Clare
in 1314, (fn. 26) when it become the portion of his sister
Margaret, wife of Hugh Audley, (fn. 27) and so passed
through heiresses to the Earls of Stafford. (fn. 28) It was
held by Humphrey Earl of Stafford and Duke of
Buckingham in 1460, (fn. 29) but is not afterwards mentioned.
Walter Giffard's tenant in 1086 was Hugh, (fn. 30) probably Hugh de Bolebec, who held of Walter elsewhere
in the county. (fn. 31) Walter de Bolebec held Hillesden
in the reign of Henry II. (fn. 32) His daughter and coheir married Robert de Vere, third Earl of Oxford, (fn. 33)
and inherited Hillesden. (fn. 34) The fourth earl subinfeudated it towards the middle of the 13th century,
but a mesne lordship here continued to be held by
the Earls of Oxford, (fn. 35) and is last mentioned in
1584. (fn. 36)
Hugh de Vere, the fourth earl, granted the manor
to his daughter Isabel on her marriage with John
de Courtenay of Okehampton. (fn. 37) He had inherited
Waddesdon Manor (q.v.), with which Hillesden
descended for nearly 300 years. It was bestowed in
dower on Isabel in 1274, (fn. 38) and was later held by
her second husband, Oliver de Dinham. (fn. 39) Eleanor,
the next dowager countess, held Hillesden in 1316, (fn. 40)
and it formed part of the portion of Anne, widow of
Hugh Earl of Devon, reverting at her death in 1441
to their son Thomas Earl of Devon. (fn. 41) After the
attainder of his son Thomas in 1461 it was granted
by Edward IV in 1462 to Walter Devereux, Lord
Ferrers, (fn. 42) but was afterwards restored like Waddesdon
to the Earls of Devon. (fn. 43)
Vere Earl of Oxford. Quarterly gules and or with a molet argent in the quarter.
Courtenay Earl of Devon. Or three roundels gules and a label azure.
At the attainder of the Marquess of Exeter in 1539
the history of the two manors diverges, Hillesden
being granted by Edward VI
in 1547 to Thomas Denton
and Margaret his wife and
their heirs. (fn. 44) Thomas was
Treasurer of the Temple and
M.P. for Buckinghamshire in
1554. (fn. 45) Margaret survived
her husband, who died in
1558, when their son Alexander was sixteen years of
age. (fn. 46) Alexander died in
January 1576–7. (fn. 47) His son
Thomas was sheriff of the
county in 1600, (fn. 48) received
the honour of knighthood at
Salden House in 1603, (fn. 49) and
was member for Buckingham Borough from 1604 to
1628. (fn. 50) He died in 1633. (fn. 51) His son Alexander, who
inherited Hillesden, (fn. 52) was made a knight in 1617, (fn. 53)
and he, too, represented the borough, being a member
of the Long Parliament until, being 'disabled to sit,'
John Dormer was elected in his place. (fn. 54) He was the
defender of Hillesden House during the siege and
died in prison in 1645. (fn. 55) Hillesden was afterwards
held by Alexander's second but first surviving son
Edmund, who in 1651 begged discharge of this manor
on the grounds that it had been granted him by Parliament. (fn. 56) Sir Alexander, before his death, had been
greatly involved in debt, and there appears to have
been some question of selling part of his estate to
satisy his creditors. (fn. 57) Hillesden was retained by the
family, however, although Edmund, succeeding to an
impoverished estate and a ruined house, appears to
have done little towards retrenchment. (fn. 58) He died
in 1657, having by his will, dated 17 October 1657,
made provision for his wife and children out of Hillesden Manor. (fn. 59) His son Alexander was M.P. for
the brough of Buckingham in 1690–8, (fn. 60) dying seised
of Hillesden in 1698, when his eldest son Edmund
succeeded. (fn. 61) He was created a baronet in 1699, (fn. 62)
but died without issue in 1714, when his brother
Alexander inherited the property. (fn. 63) Alexander, who
was also a member of Parliament, (fn. 64) was in addition
Recorder of Buckingham, a justice in the court of
Common Pleas, and chancellor of the Prince of
Wales. (fn. 65) He died in March 1739–40, (fn. 66) leaving no
issue, his heir being his sister's son, George Chamberlayne, whom he had adopted and who afterwards took
the name of Denton, (fn. 67) under which name he was
returned to Parliament on 4 May 1741 as member
for Buckingham Borough. (fn. 68)
Denton of Hillesden. Argent two bars with three cinqfoils gules in the chief.
The descent of Hillesden Manor is identical at this
time with that of Buckingham, under which account
their joint history for the next 100 years is given (q.v.).
The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos was lord of
Hillesden Manor as late as 1847, (fn. 69) but it had passed
before 1854 to Mr. James Morrison of Basildon Park,
Berkshire, (fn. 70) from whom it descended to Mr. Hugh
Morrison of Fonthill House, Fonthill Gifford, Wiltshire, grandson of James Morrison by his second son
Alfred. (fn. 71) He sold the estate in October 1910, some
of the tenants purchasing the farms held by them,
while others were acquired by Christ Church, Oxford.
The capital messuage of the manor is first mentioned in 1274, (fn. 72) and is invariably included in all
extents of the manor as given in inquisitions down to
the 16th century.
A mill belonged to the manor in 1086, (fn. 73) and in
1279–80 Roger de Martinall quitclaimed two mills
in Hillesden to John Giffard. (fn. 74) A 17th-century deed
records the existence of a mill in the parish. (fn. 75)
Land in Hillesden was held of the Earls of Oxford
by other sub-tenants than the Courtenays in the 13th
and 14th centuries. In 1203 Ralf Triket granted
15s. in lieu of dower in certain lands here to Agnes
daughter of Maud, who renounced her right in them
to the Knights Templars. (fn. 76) In 1207 Simon Pateshull
made a life grant to Ralf of 9 virgates in Hillesden,
retaining to his own use a capital messuage with fishpond and garden. (fn. 77) Walter Pateshull is mentioned
in 1221, (fn. 78) and in 1254–5 Simon Pateshull held 2½
hides, apparently of the Earls of Oxford. (fn. 79) In 1284
Eustace de la Hesche held, (fn. 80) but the land had passed
before 1302 to Nicholas Trimenel, (fn. 81) who is returned
as lord in 1316. (fn. 82) He was sued by John Trimenel
and Elizabeth his wife for this property, called a
manor, the case lasting from 1314 to 1317. (fn. 83) John
Trimenel, kt., held in 1346 (fn. 84) and in 1360, (fn. 85) and
Roger Trimenel in 1371, (fn. 86) but no further record of
it appears.
One hide of land in Hillesden was held before
the Conquest by Alric son of Goding, (fn. 87) and was included in 1086 among the lands of the Count of
Mortain. (fn. 88) With the count's other lands it afterwards formed part of the honour of Berkhampstead,
belonging to the little fee of Mortain, (fn. 89) and was so
held by the Earls of Cornwall with that honour as
late as the 15th century. (fn. 90)
The count's tenant in 1086 was Rannulf. (fn. 91) An
entry in the Pipe Roll of 1166–7, 'HildestonMarescaldi,' (fn. 92) may refer to this part of Hillesden, as
Ralf Marshal held a carucate of land here in 1234, (fn. 93)
and in 1284–6 Ralf Marshal held 2 hides, for a
third of a fee, of the honour of Berkhampstead. (fn. 94)
The tenants under the Marshals at that date were the
Abbots of Nutley, (fn. 95) who were already seised earlier
in the 13th century, (fn. 96) and so remained (fn. 97) as late
probably as the Dissolution. It is difficult to trace
the subsequent history with any certainty. The abbots
also held land in Hillesden of the Earls of Oxford in
the 13th century. (fn. 98) In 1535 the abbot's estate in
Hillesden consisted of the rectory lands only, (fn. 99) to
which, however, manorial rights appear to have been
attached. (fn. 100) Possibly, therefore, the entire Nutley
property had been amalgamated into this one holding,
the descent of which is given below.
The origin of the RECTORY MANOR is probably
to be found in the lands granted with the church to
Nutley by Walter Giffard. (fn. 101) In 1291 the abbey's
lands pertaining to the church property amounted in
value to £3 18s. 9d. per annum, including rent,
courts, escheats and value of works. (fn. 102) In 1535 the
annual value of the rectory at farm was £19 8s. (fn. 103) In
1538 a complaint was made against Roger Giffard of
Claydon and his sons for having persuaded the abbot
to falsify a lease of the parsonage made some time
before to Thomas Giffard of Twyford (Berks.), and
for having personally injured the latter. (fn. 104) After the
Dissolution the rectory was granted in 1542 to the
Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 105) the
present owners of the tithes and of about 200 acres
of land.
In 1555 the dean and chapter granted an eightyyear lease of the parsonage and mansion-house to
Roger Giffard, whose efforts to sublet the property
led to considerable litigation. (fn. 106) The tithes were afterwards held on lease by the Dentons. (fn. 107)
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS consists
of a chancel 30 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft., north
chapel of the same length, 18 ft. 6 in.
in width, a two-storied vestry at the north-east of
the chapel 15 ft. 6 in. by 9 ft., nave 46 ft. 6 in. by
18 ft. 6 in., north and south transepts each 13 ft. 6 in.
by 12 ft. 6 in., north aisle 8 ft. 6 in. wide, south
aisle 8 ft. wide, west tower 10 ft. square, and a north
porch. These measurements are all internal.
The present building is a very fine and complete
example of the style of the late 15th century, having
been rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, shortly
after the year 1493. (fn. 108) The church which it replaced
was probably a 12th-century cruciform building, and
fragments of the west walls of its transepts are perhaps
incorporated in the short west walls of the existing
transepts, which are considerably thicker than the
other walls. The unequal settlement of the south
wall of the south transept at its junction with the
west wall affords additional evidence, as no material
settlement has occurred elsewhere. Prior to the
entire rebuilding, the still surviving west tower, which
is of mid-15th-century date, appears to have been
added or reconstructed. In the last century a thorough
restoration, completed in 1875, was carried out by
Sir Gilbert Scott.
The north side of the chancel is almost entirely
occupied by an arcade of two bays opening to the
north chapel; the arches are of three moulded orders
and spring from a central pier of lozenge plan with
attached shafts at the cardinal points and in the centre
of each face, all having moulded octagonal capitals
and independent bases of the same form standing
upon double plinths about 2 ft. 6 in. in height. The
responds repeat the half plan of the pier. The east
window is of five lights, divided by a transom and
cinquefoiled in both tiers, the depressed four-centred
head being filled by vertical tracery descending some
distance below its springing. The glass line is placed
at the middle of the wall and the jambs are elaborately
moulded on both faces, while the head, like those
of all the other windows of the body of the church,
has an external label. Below the sill internally is a
moulded string-course, stopped and returned upon
itself for the high altar, and continued upon the north
wall on either side of the arcade. The two south
windows, the jambs of which are moulded like those
of the east window, are each of four transomed and
cinquefoiled lights, rising without other tracery into
a flat four-centred head; below their sills is a bold
string-course, deeper, and placed at a slightly lower
level than that below the east window. Above the
string-courses the whole of the blank surface of the
east and side walls of the chancel is richly panelled
in three stages, the two lower having compartments
with cinquefoiled and traceried heads, while the
uppermost stage, a mere frieze, has smaller and narrower
cinquefoiled compartments, cut into by the heads of
the windows and the arches of the north arcade.
Crowning the whole, immediately below the roof,
is a band of sculptured angels in high relief, those
upon either side of the east window, which extends
the whole height of the chancel, bearing instruments
of music, an organ, a guitar, a harp, and a violin,
while the rest hold scrolls of music. The chancel
arch is of two pointed and moulded orders separated
by casements, and has responds with attached shafts
to each order, the curves of the shafts of the outer
orders finishing flush with the wall faces. The roof
is concealed by a modern flat-pitched plaster ceiling,
said to be of the same design as the original ceiling;
it is divided by moulded oak ribs into small squares,
and each square is again
divided saltirewise by subsidiary ribs. At the east
end of the south wall is a
shallow piscina niche having leaf-carved spandrels
and a projecting semioctagonal basin. Immediately over the niche is a
credence recess half covered
by the monument of Dr.
William Denton described
below. On either side of
the east window are semioctagonal image brackets,
that on the north having
circular quatrefoiled panels
on each face, while the
southern bracket is plainly
moulded. The lower stage
of panelling is omitted on
this wall, and immediately
below the second stage are
sculptured angels, one over
each bracket, holding shields
with the emblems of the
Passion. Externally the
walls rise from a moulded plinth, and are crowned
by a cornice surmounted by elaborately panelled
battlements, with pinnacles at the eastern angles and
at the centre of each side wall. A moulded stringcourse runs round the exposed walls below the sills of
the windows, and there is a buttress of two stages
between the south windows, the south-eastern angle
having a pair of buttresses of the same type. The
plinth and string-course are continued round the
whole church, interrupted only by the north-east
vestry and the tower.
The walls of the north chapel have stone panelling
in two stages divided by an embattled transom, the
upper panels having cinquefoiled ogee heads with
tracery, while the lower panels have heads of the
same form without tracery. The flat-pitched ceiling
is modern, and of the same type as that of the chancel.
The east window is of four lights with an embattled
transom, the lights being cinquefoiled in both stages,
while the depressed four-centred head is filled with
quatrefoil tracery. On either side are semi-octagonal
image brackets, that on the north having cinquefoiled
panels in each face. In the north wall is a four-light
window with an embattled transom, but in other
respects like the south windows of the chancel, though
less lofty, and placed like the east window at a lower
level. To the east of it is an elaborately moulded
doorway with a four-centred head and traceried
spandrels opening to the vestry. At the south-east
is a piscina niche with a cinquefoiled ogee head and
carved leaf spandrels, but all trace of the drain has
now disappeared. On the west an arch like the
chancel arch, but smaller, opens to the north transept. The walls of the chapel are treated externally
like those of the chancel, but the battlements are plain.
The two-storied vestry adjoining the chapel has an
octagonal turret at the north-east containing the stairs
to the upper floor, and the walls rise to the same
height as those of the north chapel. The room on
the ground floor has an external doorway with a fourcentred head at the south-east, and is lighted by
single lights with four-centred heads on the east,
north, and west. At the north-east is a doorway
opening to the stair-turret. The upper room has a
blocked doorway in the east wall, which was probably
a private entrance from Hillesden House, and must
have been approached by a bridge. In the east wall
is a square-headed cinquefoiled light, and on the north
and west are two-light windows of the same type.
All have external labels, and a bold string-course,
continued round the north-east turret, runs beneath
their sills. A doorway with plain rebated jambs and
a four-centred head leads to the stair-turret. In the
south wall is a series of seven radiating loopholes,
four now blocked, with a larger opening, also blocked,
towards the east end. The stairs in the turret, which
is lighted by loops, are continued upwards to the
roof, upon which they open by a doorway with a
four-centred head; the central newel is surmounted
by a column with a moulded base and capital supporting a plain vault of fan form. The turret rises above
the embattled parapet of the vestry, and is crowned
by a moulded cornice and panelled battlements, from
the pinnacled angles of which spring cusped flying
buttresses meeting in the centre, where they are
strengthened by an octagonal column and support a
central crocketed pinnacle.
Plan of Hillesden Church
The nave arcades are each of four bays with pointed
arches of two hollow-chamfered orders separated by
casements. The piers have each four attached shafts
with octagonal capitals, and stand upon high octagonal
plinths. The arches opening to the transepts are of
the same width, but are raised higher by lifting the
eastern halves of the eastern piers. The responds
repeat the half plan of the piers, and are like those
of the chancel arch. The upper entrance to the
rood-loft still remains above the south-east respond,
and has in its western jamb a pocket which received
the end of the top-rail of the loft. The clearstory
is lighted by three square-headed windows of five
cinquefoiled lights on either side, placed so close
together as to form almost a continuous wall of glass.
The north transept is lighted on the north by a
transomed window of four uncusped lights under a
four-centred head, and the south transept has a window
of the same design in its south wall, but the east
window is like the south windows of the chancel.
Each aisle has two windows in its side wall and one
in the west wall, all of three uncusped lights under
four-centred heads. The north doorway has a fourcentred head moulded continuously with the jambs,
and a flat rear arch; the smaller and less elaborate
south doorway has a head of the same form. Flat
segmental arches, about 9 in. in thickness, divide the
ceilings of the aisles and transepts and form the only
separation between them. Both transepts have embattled parapets, and follow the general exterior treatment of the eastern portion of the church, the north
transept being designed externally as a continuation
of the north chapel; the aisles are also embattled,
but the parapet of the three western bays of the nave
is plain, the embattled parapet of the chancel being
continued over the eastern bay only. The nave,
transepts, and aisles have modern flat-pitched plaster
ceilings with oak ribs, copied from their predecessors
of the late 15th century.
Hillesden Church: North Doorway and Stone Panelling of the North Chapel
The mid-15th-century west tower is of three
stages with a south-west stair-turret, western diagonal
buttresses and an embattled parapet. The
tower arch is pointed and of two orders, the
outer moulded with a chamfer continued
down the meeting angles of the nave and
tower walls, while the inner order, which
is moulded with a sunk chamfer, dies into
the side walls of the tower. The arch is
inclosed on the nave side by a label with
head-stops. In the west wall of the ground
stage is a doorway with moulded jambs and
a depressed head, and above it is a pointed
window of two cinquefoiled lights with
tracery in the head. The ringing stage is
lighted from the west by a plain opening,
while the bell-chamber has pointed and
traceried windows of two cinquefoiled lights
on all four sides. All the detail is of the
original date of the tower.
The north porch, an extremely rich piece
of work, has a low-pitched gable and a
moulded cornice surmounted by panelled
battlements. At the angles are buttresses
with panelled upper stages. The porch is
ceiled by a modern fan-vault, the original
vault, if ever completed, having gone by the
date of Scott's restoration. (fn. 109) The vaulting
shafts remain in each angle, and the shape
of the wall ribs is shown by the form of the
panelling upon the side walls. The north
doorway is inclosed on the porch side by
narrow trefoiled panels, and above the head
is fine tracery work. The outer doorway,
which is inclosed by similar panelling on
the inner side, has a four-centred head
within a square external labelled head, and
is most elaborately wrought with panelled
jambs and soffits. Above the doorway externally is a richly carved niche with a projecting
semi-octagonal canopy crowned by a finialled cupola.
The base of the niche is elaborately moulded and the
whole is flanked by pinnacled flying buttresses worked
on the wall-face of the porch.
Below the present altar table is a 15th-century
stone altar slab with two consecration crosses remaining upon it. The font is circular and stands upon
an octagonal stem of later date than the bowl, which
is of the 13th-century; the oak cover is of the 17th
century. Twelve consecration crosses, two now hidden,
still survive on the walls of the chancel, chapel, transepts and aisles, each consisting of a cross formy inclosed within a circle about 10½ in. in diameter.
The rood screen, which is contemporary in date with
the rebuilding of the church, remains in a very
perfect condition, only the parapet of the loft having
gone. It is divided into three bays with pointed
heads by posts with small attached shafts having
foliated capitals, from which spring the ribs of the
vaulted coves beneath the projecting loft. The lower
portion of each bay has four linen-fold panels with
moulded styles supporting a rail enriched with running
foliage, and the upper portion has four open lights
with ogee heads and foliated cusping, above which,
filling the pointed head, is tracery of mixed vertical
and flamboyant character. The middle bay opens in
two leaves, the tracery in the head being fixed, while
the mullions detach themselves immediately below the
springing of the heads of the lights. The face of the
western beam of the loft above the vaulted cove is
enriched with a bold vine-pattern, but the eastern
beam is plain. In the chancel are two late 15thcentury desk-fronts, with two tiers of linen-fold panelling, moulded rails and buttressed muntins. Nine
benches with panelling of the same date remain in the
nave. A low screen, made up with fragments of deskfronts like those in the chancel, separates the north
chapel from the adjoining transept. The doorways
from the stair-turret to the upper and lower rooms in
the vestry building retain their original batten doors,
that to the upper room having a moulded framing
planted upon it, and a lozenge pattern scratched on
the battens, with nails at the intersections; the strap
hinges to both doors are also original, and form good
examples of the ironwork of the period. The door
in the north doorway, on the external face of which
is an almost obliterated carving of the sun, moon and
stars, is also of original late 15th-century date. It
has been considerably damaged by bullet holes, probably during the Civil War. In the north transept
is a fine mid-17th-century pew having on the front
and sides carved bolection moulded panels in two
ranges, the lower range of panels being pedimented.
In the north chapel is a 17th-century communion
table, and in the vestry is preserved a chest of the
same date.
The remains of late 15th-century glass are important
and valuable. The finest is that in the four upper
lights of the east window of the south transept,
illustrating eight legends of St. Nicholas. Each light
contains two subjects, and under each subject is a
descriptive Latin hexameter inscribed in black letter.
The upper panel in the northernmost light and the
corresponding panel in the next light illustrate the
legend of the cups. In the first is represented a
three-masted ship at sea, from which the boy is seen
falling overboard with the golden cup in his hand.
Upon the ship are two sailors lowering the sail, while
the father looks on, leaning his elbows on the rail of
the poop. The hull of the ship is of a yellow colour
and the figures wear bright colours, but the faces are
almost white. Underneath is inscribed 'Cadit puerulus quem mox sal(va)t Nicholaus.' In the second
panel the father and mother are seen kneeling at the
altar of St. Nicholas, whose seated figure, wearing
episcopal vestments, is placed at the north end of the
altar. Behind his parents stands the boy holding the
gold-covered cup; below is the inscription 'Tunc
offert cyphum grates (sic) pro mun (er)e reddens.' The
third panel, continuing from north to south, illustrates
the relief of the famine at Myra by St. Nicholas.
The saint is shown in the foreground standing by the
shore without nimbus or vestments to indicate that
the event occurred in his lifetime. Near him are
sailors pouring out corn into sacks, while in the background is a large three-masted ship with figures.
Underneath is inscribed 'Multiplicat frugem presul
quam nave recepit.' The next three panels illustrate
the legend of St. Nicholas and the Jew of Calabria.
In the foreground, helping themselves to the Jew's
treasure, are seen the robbers, truculent ruffians,
armed with sword and axe, and wearing brightcoloured clothes, the northern of the two nearer figures
being clad in a crimson tunic with green hose, while the
southern figure has a purple tunic with slashed sleeves.
In the background is the Jew setting out on his
journey, staff in hand, and threateningly warning the
figure of St. Nicholas to keep guard over his wealth
in his absence. He wears a crimson cloak trimmed
with gold, and has a flowing white beard. Below
the panel is inscribed 'Que tulerant (fures) bona cogit
reddere presul.' The next panel shows St. Nicholas
appearing to the robbers, and in the background the
Jew attacking the saint's image with his staff, the
subject being thus described: 'Auro furato baculo
flagellat amicum.' In the remaining panel of the
series is shown the restitution of the treasure to the
Jew, who is drawn in the foreground, receiving back
from the robbers a gold casket, which appears in the
two former panels. In the background is a gate-house
with trees and foliage. Below is inscribed 'Restituit
rursus latro quod sustulit aurum.' The last two
panels illustrate the restoration to life of the boy
strangled by the devil disguised as a pilgrim. In the
foreground of the first panel the devil is seen strangling the boy, whom he has forced to a half-kneeling
position, while the food which had been brought out
to him drops from the dish in the boy's hands. In
the background is a house with a half-gable, and above
its walls is seen the father, who clasps his hands in
horror, with two guests beside him. The incident is
described by the line: 'Strangulat hic (demon) puerum
(pul) menta ferentem.' In the last panel the boy lies
dead on the ground with his parents kneeling by him,
and in the doorway of the house, from which the
guests are looking out, appears St. Nicholas. Beneath
is the inscription, 'Mortuus ad vitam rediit precibus
Nicholai.'
In the heads of the lower lights of the windows
are fragments of other panels which probably illustrated
further legends of St. Nicholas, as in the head of the
fourth light is the fragmentary inscription in black
letter 'eledgite (eligite ?) NicholaŨu ĩ episcopum.' In
nine of the ten lights of the tracery of the east window
of the chancel are fragments of canopied figures, that
in the second light from the north having been entirely
destroyed. The remaining figures, taken from north
to south, are as follows: in the first light, a pope,
perhaps St. Gregory; in the third light, St. Peter;
in the fourth, a figure with a book, perhaps St. Paul;
in the fifth, a figure with a nimbus, probably St. John
Baptist; in the sixth, St. John the Evangelist; in the
seventh, St. George; in the eighth, St. Christopher;
in the ninth a bishop, perhaps St. Augustine; and in
the tenth a second bishop, perhaps St. Ambrose. Fragments of canopy work also remain in the two south
windows. Other fragments also survive in the east
and north windows of the north chapel, including an
Annunciation and a Majesty. In the south-east
window of the south aisle are two heads of bishops,
with part of the figure of an archbishop holding a
crozier, and in the next window to the west is a third
bishop's head.
In the upper room of the vestry are preserved
some fragments of moulded stone from the former
church, a carved female head of the 14th century,
and some worn 15th-century tiles. A sundial set in
the south buttress of the nave bears the date 1601
and the name 'Georg …de Fraisne,' with the
inscription 'Sic transit gloria mundi.' In the churchyard on the north side of the church is the base, stem,
and fragment of the head of a fine 14th-century cross.
The shaft is octagonal, and the remaining portion of
the head is carved with the ball-flower.
Against the north wall of the north chapel is an
elaborate alabaster monument to Thomas Denton,
who died in 1558. The monument is of the table
type and has a pilastered base with shields of arms,
and upon the top are the recumbent effigies of Thomas
Denton and his wife, both considerably damaged. He
is wearing plate armour with a tabard of his arms, and
his head rests on his crested helm. At the north-east
of the chapel is a beautifully designed monument
to Alexander Denton, who died in 1576, and his
second wife Mary, who died in 1574; the inscription
states that she was the daughter of Sir Roger Martyn.
Upon the same wall is also a monument to Thomas
Isham, who died in 1676. At the south-east of the
chancel is a monument to Dr. William Denton,
physician to Charles I and Charles II, who died at
an advanced age in 1691. Two other monuments
of interest remain on the south side of the chancel;
one is a large and elaborate monument of marble
with portrait busts commemorating Sir Alexander
Denton, one of the justices of the court of Common
Pleas, who died in 1739, and his wife Agnes, who
died in 1753. The other, a mural tablet, commemorates George Woodward, 'Envoy Extraordinary
from the King of Great Britain to the King and
Republic of Poland,' who died at Warsaw in 1735,
at the age of thirty-eight. He was the son of George
Woodward of Stratton Audley and of his wife Anne,
daughter of Alexander Denton.
There is a ring of six bells: the treble and second,
by Henry or Matthew Bagley, both inscribed
'Alexander Deanton EqS 1681'; the third inscribed
'Prayse ye the Lord M.B. (Matthew Bagley) 1681';
the fourth 'Henricus Bagley me fecit'; the fifth
recast by Mears & Stainbank in 1893 and bearing
the inscription of the bell which it replaced, 'W. Hall
made me 1756'; and the sixth, also recast by Mears
& Stainbank, bearing the inscription of the former
bell, 'Pro rege et ecclesia Alexander Denton Robert
Corbett Church Warden Henry Bagley made me
1721.'
The plate consists of a silver cup of 1811; a paten
without marks or inscription; a fine silver flagon
inscribed, 'The Gift of the Honble Alexander
Denton one of the Justices of His Majesty's Court of
Common Pleas, and Chancellor to his Royal Highness
Frederick Prince of Wales, to ye Parish of Hillesden
in the County of Bucks, 1737,' and bearing the
marks of the year 1736; and a plated caudle-cup, the
base of which may be silver, though without marks.
The registers begin in 1594.
Advowson
The church of Hillesden was
granted to Nutley Abbey before
1164 by Walter Giffard and Ermengard his wife, (fn. 110) and confirmed to the monastery by
subsequent charters of kings and popes. (fn. 111) A vicarage
is mentioned in the early part of the 13th century, (fn. 112)
but no presentations to it are found in the episcopal
registers, the church being served by a canon of
Nutley. After the Dissolution the vicarage was
granted with the rectory in 1542 to the Dean and
Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 113) but the living
was only held as a perpetual curacy from that time
until 1868–9, (fn. 114) at which date a vicarage was formed,
presentation to which is still made by the dean and
chapter.
A complaint was made against Nutley Abbey in
1344 that this and other of their churches were
destitute of vicars, (fn. 115) and in the next century it was
found that the abbey had allowed the chancel and
other parts of the church to become very ruinous. (fn. 116)
At the time of the Dissolution an annual stipend
of £4 was paid to the incumbent, which sum was
afterwards continued by the rectors. In 1680 the
churchwardens certified at a visitation that there was
no house, glebe or endowment saving 40s. which
Alexander Denton paid to the churchwardens. This
allowance was augmented by the college to £20 per
annum, which the lessee tenants, the Dentons, on
being permitted to nominate a minister, increased to
£30; in addition, they gave the ministers very
generous entertainment at their house. (fn. 117) Further
augmentations to the curate's stipend were made
during the 19th century. (fn. 118)
In 1548 the commissioners returned that land in
the parish to the annual value of 2s. had been given
for the keeping of an obit in the church. (fn. 119)
Charities
Francis Clarke, by his will proved
27 July 1910, bequeathed £500
consols, the dividends to be distributed
among the deserving sick and aged poor. The stock is
held by the official trustees, and the annual dividends,
amounting to £12 10s., are duly applied.