ASTWOOD
Estwod (xii cent.); Estwode (xiii, xiv cent.).
This parish covers 1,281 acres, of which 615 are
arable and 564 permanent grass. (fn. 1) There are 28 acres
of woods, Ramacre Wood, Wallace Wood, Snakes
Meadow and Jacobs Wood being the names of
small woods in the parish. The soil is strong clay,
and the subsoil clay, the principal crops being wheat,
beans, barley and oats. The slope of the ground
varies little, being from 303 ft. to 324 ft. above the
ordnance datum.
The village is small, and consists mainly of thatched
cottages built round the green. At the west end of
the green, in one of the prettiest churchyards in the
county, is the parish church. Opposite the church
porch is the base of an ancient stone cross. South
of the church is the vicarage, an early 19th-century
building. The house which it replaced has been
described in a terrier of 1674 as containing 'four
Bays of Building covered with Straw.' (fn. 2) The Manor
Farm, near the Vicarage, stands on the site of
the ancient manor-house of Astwood, a large and
important building pulled down some fifty years
since, (fn. 3) which was the seat of John Thurloe in 1674
and of subsequent lords of the manor. (fn. 4) A yet more
important seat in this parish was that of Astwood
Bury in the north, which was pulled down in 1799,
the moat and dovehouse, the latter now a cottage,
alone remaining to mark its site at the present day. (fn. 5)
This building was said to have been begun by the
Zouches, continued by the Norwoods, and so improved by William Lowndes that Willis, writing
c. 1755, says, 'it may be reported one of the best
old seats in the county.' (fn. 6) Bury Farm and the old
house at Green Valley Farm are 17th-century houses
of half-timber, with brick filling and tiled roofs.
Besides the homestead moat at Bury Farm, there is also
a small quadrangular moat in Astwood. (fn. 7)
Bury Farm, Astwood
In 1672 the house of Robert Seabrook of Astwood
was licensed for congregational worship. (fn. 8) An Independent chapel was erected in the parish in 1826, (fn. 9)
and the present building dates from 1847.
The following place-names have been found:—Lewenscroft (xv cent.), (fn. 10)
Bozeats, a messuage (xvi
cent.), (fn. 11) Windmill field and
Claypitts (xvii cent.). (fn. 12)
Manors
There is no
mention of Astwood by name
in the Survey of 1086, but it
is likely that ASTWOOD
BURY MANOR may be included in the unnamed fourhide manor which William
Fitz Ansculf then held in
Moulsoe Hundred. (fn. 13)
He was lord of Newport
Pagnell (q.v.), head of the
honour of Newport Pagnell,
part of the barony of Dudley,
of which Astwood Bury was
held c. 1240 with Little
Crawley. (fn. 14) The dependence
of Astwood Bury on the
manor of Newport Pagnell
persisted into the 18th century. (fn. 15)
The earliest tenants known
of Astwood Bury Manor are
a family of Rokele or Rupella, who owned land
in Essex (fn. 16) as well as in this county. In 1216
Robert de Rokele paid a heavy fine to the Crown
to obtain the release of his sons Henry and Richard,
and his nephew Colin, son of Nicholas de Tutham. (fn. 17)
Between 1231 and 1232 one of the same name
was disputing the right of Rose de Rokele and
Godfrey de Rokele to part of a knight's fee in
Astwood. (fn. 18) He apparently succeeded in acquiring
the fee for which he is returned c. 1240. (fn. 19) It was
probably his son Robert de Rokele who in 1281
conveyed a rent-charge of £12 on one messuage,
1 carucate of land, 14 acres of meadow, and 5 marks
rent in Astwood to John le Usser for his life. (fn. 20)
Robert de Rokele still held in 1302–3, (fn. 21) but by
1306 had been succeeded by his son and heir Robert
de Rokele, who in that year quitclaimed various
lands to his tenants in Astwood. (fn. 22) Robert de Rokele
is returned for the vill in 1316, (fn. 23) in 1322 and
1323, (fn. 24) but it was probably a descendant of the
same name who in 1345 made a settlement of the
manor (here so-called for the first time) to the use of
Thomas de Shelton and Alice his wife for their joint
lives. (fn. 25) Thomas de Shelton is accordingly returned
in the feudal assessment of the following year. (fn. 26) A
change occurs in the ownership of this manor between
1346 and 1390, at which date it was the property of
Thomas Pever and Margery his wife. (fn. 27) They then
conveyed it by fine to John de Lincoln, Richard Albon
and others, to the use of Richard Albon. (fn. 28) Like
Lavendon Manor (q.v.), Astwood Bury was retained
by the Pever and Zouche families, until John Lord
Zouche was attainted after Bosworth, and in 1487
Astwood is described as the property of Philip Curtis. (fn. 29)
On the reversal of the attainder in 1495, (fn. 30) Astwood
was restored to the Zouches, and by them retained
until 1538, when John, son of the last-mentioned
Lord Zouche, alienated the manor to Edward Hazlewood, (fn. 31) who two years later transferred it to Thomas
Norwood. (fn. 32) In 1575 he combined with his sons
Nicholas, John, Thomas and William Norwood to
make a settlement of the manor on John Norwood,
his wife Anne and their children. (fn. 33) Thomas Norwood,
senior, died in February 1587–8, being predeceased
by John, and Astwood Manor then passed to Tyringham, son of John Norwood, twelve years of age. (fn. 34) In
1598 Tyringham, together with Thomas Catesby and
Anne his wife (possibly widow of John Norwood),
settled the manor by fine on Anthony Tyringham
and others. (fn. 35) Tyringham Norwood received royal
licence to enter into the manor in 1606, (fn. 36) and retained
possession until 1621, when, together with his wife Anne
and his son Anthony Norwood, (fn. 37) he finally alienated
Astwood Bury to Samuel Cranmer, (fn. 38) a collateral descendant of the famous archbishop. (fn. 39) He died seised of the
manor in 1640, having previously settled it on his son
Caesar, then only six years of age. (fn. 40) Caesar Cranmer,
who was knighted in 1677, (fn. 41) acquired considerable
property under the will of his uncle Sir Henry Wood,
dated 1676, (fn. 42) and took the name of Wood. (fn. 43) He made
various settlements of the manor between 1683 and
1685, (fn. 44) finally mortgaging it
to Sarah dowager Duchess of
Somerset, wife of Lord Coleraine. (fn. 45) She died in 1692, (fn. 46)
and by her will bequeathed
all her right in Astwood to
the Honourable Langham
Booth, younger son of Henry,
first Earl of Warrington. (fn. 47)
His trustees foreclosed in or
about the year 1704, (fn. 48) and
Astwood Bury Manor passed
to Langham Booth, who in
1715 alienated the property
to Charles Hosier and others
on behalf of William Lowndes, (fn. 49) son of William Lowndes
of Winslow. (fn. 50) William Lowndes, junior, resided at
Astwood Bury until his death, which took place in
1775 in the eighty-eighth year of his age. (fn. 51) It next
passed to his grandson, William Lowndes-Stone, (fn. 52)
whose descendant, Miss Lowndes-Stone, held in the
middle of the 19th century. (fn. 53) The property appears
to be at present vested in Mr. Benjamin Howkins
of Bromham, Bedfordshire.
Cranmer. Argent a cheveron azure between three pelicans sable with three cinqfoils or on the cheveron.
A second property in Astwood called ASTWOOD
MANOR was evidently included in 1086 in the
2½ hides ¾ virgate belonging to the Bishop of
Coutances in Tyringham, (fn. 54) of which 'vill' it was
reckoned a hamlet in 1284–6, the service of one fee
being demanded from both 'vill' and hamlet in conjunction with Lower Filgrave. (fn. 55) With Tyringham
it was attached to the honour of Newport, the first
mention of the overlordship being found in 1274, (fn. 56)
and the last in 1624. (fn. 57)
The Tyringham portion of this holding became
the manor of Filgrave (q.v.) with which the Astwood
property passed to the Tyringhams, the first John de
Tyringham or Giffard dying c. 1274 seised of a
messuage, grange, rents and a wood called Pirney in
Astwood. (fn. 58) Roger his son held here in 1284–6, (fn. 59)
and another Roger de Tyringham in 1323, (fn. 60) but
between their ownership the fee seems to have been
for some years in possession of Robert Dakeney, who
is returned for the aid in 1302–3, (fn. 61) and whose name
appears as witnessing charters in Astwood for the year
1306. (fn. 62) In 1346 John Talworth was said to hold
this fee in Astwood, (fn. 63) and for the next century and
more its history is very obscure. It may have been
in possession of the Tappe family, who certainly
owned land in the parish in the 14th and 15th centuries, and this suggestion is borne out by the fact that
there was a small wood called Tappes within the manor
in 1610. (fn. 64) Thomas Tappe leased lands here to John
Breteyn in 1436, (fn. 65) and in 1463 Sir John Twe of
Bedford quitclaimed land in Astwood to John Asteye
alias Tappe, son and heir of the above Thomas. (fn. 66) It
next passed to the Ingleton family, lords of Thornton
Manor (q.v.), and by the marriage of Jane daughter
and heir of Robert Ingleton to Humphrey Tyrell (fn. 67)
was acquired by the latter family. Jane Tyrell died
in 1557 seised of the manor of Astwood, having
previously made various settlements on her son
George. (fn. 68) At the time of her death she was the wife
of Alexander St. John. In
1558 George Tyrell and
Eleanor his wife alienated
Astwood Manor to Richard
Chibnale, (fn. 69) whose family had
been settled in the parish for
at least a generation, as appears
from a brass in the church
to the memory of Thomas
Chibnale and his wives bearing date 1534. (fn. 70) Richard
Chibnale, possibly son of the
above Richard, made a settlement of the manor in 1592, (fn. 71)
and died seised in 1607, when
Astwood passed to Godfrey his son and heir. (fn. 72) Godfrey Chibnale was holding the manor in 1620, (fn. 73) but
died in 1624, when he was succeeded by his son
Thomas Chibnale, (fn. 74) who held in 1648. (fn. 75) In 1665
Thomas Chibnale made a settlement of Astwood on
John Trevor and John Upton, (fn. 76) according to Willis,
in trust for John Thurloe, (fn. 77) whose name certainly
appears as defendant in a recovery of 1671, (fn. 78) and as
vouchee in 1674, in which year he appears to have
acquired full possession. (fn. 79) John Thurloe was not, as
stated by Willis and others, Cromwell's celebrated
minister of that name, for he died in 1668 (fn. 80) (before
the alienation of Astwood took place), but possibly
his son. John Thurloe left a daughter Anne, married
to Francis Brace, who held the manor in 1713,
when as a widow with her son John Thurloe Brace
and other members of the Brace family she settled
Astwood on Edward Carteret and John Hamilton. (fn. 81)
John Thurloe Brace was still holding Astwood in
1735, as various documents testify, (fn. 82) but sold it shortly
afterwards to the executors of Thomas Trevor, first
Baron Trevor of Bromham. (fn. 83) His son Robert
Viscount Hampden was in possession in 1776, (fn. 84) and
left Astwood to a relative, Robert Trevor, ReceiverGeneral, who inherited in 1783 (fn. 85) and held in
1793. (fn. 86) In 1803 Astwood Manor (fn. 87) was purchased
by Thomas David Boswell, M.D., (fn. 88) a representative
of whose family, John Irvine Boswell, is at present
lord of this manor.
Chibnale. Azure two lions passant or between two flaunches ermine.
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel measuring internally
24 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft. 3 in., nave 37 ft.
by 20 ft. 6 in., south aisle 42 ft. 6 in. by 8 ft. 6 in.,
west tower 11 ft. by 8 ft. 2 in., and south porch.
It is built of rubble with stone dressings and is coated
with cement; the roofs of the chancel and porch are
covered with tiles and those of the nave and aisle
with lead.
The nave probably dates from the 12th century,
and must have originally extended to the west wall
of the present tower, forming a rectangle completed
by the dotted lines on the adjoining plan; the thickness of the original walls would indicate this period,
and fragments of moulded stonework of about 1200,
including nail-head ornament, are built into the
upper part of the tower. During the 14th century
the present chancel was built and the south aisle
added, and early in the 15th century the tower was
constructed at the south-west angle of the nave, into
which it projected, cutting off the north-west angle
and part of the south arcade. Early in the 16th
century the clearstory was added to the nave, and the
nave and aisle were reroofed and provided with
embattled parapets. The porch is modern, but some
old stones have been re-used in the entrance archway.
The east window of the chancel, of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a pointed head,
was inserted in the 15th century, and at the east end
of the south wall is a window of the same period, of
two trefoiled lights with tracery in a square head. On
the sill of the latter a stone containing a 14th-century
piscina bowl has been reset, and immediately to the
east of the window is a locker which is probably
original. The north wall is pierced only by a
modern cinquefoiled light placed near the west end.
Opposite to it in the south wall is a similar light,
and between this and the eastern window is an
original priest's doorway with a pointed head. The
pointed chancel arch, which also dates from the 14th
century, is of two chamfered orders, the outer continuousand the inner supported by half-round responds
with moulded capitals and bases. The trussed rafter
roof of the chancel is modern.
The nave opens to the aisle on the south by a mid14th-century arcade of four pointed arches supported
by quatrefoil pillars with moulded capitals and bases;
the east respond repeats the half-plan of the pillars,
but the west respond and a large portion of the
westernmost arch are absorbed by the tower, which
projects into the arcade at this point. The only
window on the north, which is of two plain lights
with a square head is a 16th-century insertion in a
14th-century opening, the internal jambs and reararch of which remain; at the west end of the wall,
and partly encroached upon by the 15th-century
work, is a pointed doorway of the 14th century
which was blocked not long since. The early 15thcentury tower arch at the west end of the nave is
pointed and has semi-octagonal responds with moulded
capitals and bases. The clearstory has three early
16th-century windows on either side, each of three
pointed lights in a four-centred head, and the lowpitched roof of the nave is of the same period: it
has heavy cambered beams, intermediate rafters and
purlins, all of which are moulded and divide the roof
into large plastered panels.
Neither the east nor west wall of the south aisle
is pierced, but on the south are three fine and wellpreserved windows of the mid-14th century, the eastern
of three and the others of two lights, with flowing
tracery in pointed heads; to the east of the large window
is a trefoiled piscina with a sexfoil bowl. The south
doorway, which retains an old door
with mediaeval hinges, has a pointed
head of two orders, the inner continuous and the outer supported by
shafts; it has been much defaced and
is now coated with cement, while the
lower parts of the original jambs have
been destroyed. Immediately to the
east of the doorway inside is a triangular-headed stoup, now without a
bowl. The lean-to roof of the aisle
is of similar date and character to the
nave roof.
The tower is of three stages with
an embattled parapet, and has an unusually large stair turret at the northwest, which, with a diagonal buttress
at the south-west, rises through two
stages. The south-west angle of the
original nave was used for the west and south walls
of the lower stage, the other walls being formed
within the nave itself, thus cutting off entirely the
north-west angle, the stonework of which was doubtless re-used in the new work. A 14th-century
window, probably one of two, had been inserted in
the west wall of the old nave, and so, while the south
wall was strengthened from the foundation, the west
wall with its window was retained intact, the necessary
additional thickness being procured above the window
by a pointed arch of slight projection which spans the
space between the turret and buttress. The window
is of two trefoiled lights with flowing tracery in a
pointed head, and being on the north side of the arched
space a cement label has been added at a late date on
the south to secure symmetry by suggesting another
window. There is a single light in the west wall of
the second stage, and the bell-chamber is lighted on
each of the north, west, and south sides by an early
15th-century window of two trefoiled lights with
tracery in a pointed head and on the east by a squareheaded window of two cinquefoiled lights, inserted
about 1500.
The font, which dates from the late 14th century,
has an octagonal bowl and a square panelled stem
with angle shafts; three sides of the stem are carved
and on the south is a representation of the Stafford
knot. On the east wall of the aisle are the brass
figures of Thomas Chibnale, who died in 1534, in
fur-lined gown, and Emma and Alice his wives, with
inscription, symbols of the evangelists St. Matthew
and St. Luke, and the verse 'Cur caro letatur dum
vermibus esca paratur | Terre terra datur caro nascitur ut moriatur | Terram terra tegat demon peccata
resumat | mundus res habeat spiritus alta petat'; the
stone slab from which these brasses were taken is on
the floor at this end of the aisle. There is also a
small brass inscription on the north wall of the nave
near the pulpit to Roger Keston (d. 1409). On the
north wall of the chancel are marble monuments to
William Lowndes of Astwood Bury (d. 1775), who was
the son of William Lowndes of Winslow, Bucks.,
Secretary of the Treasury under William III, Anne,
and George I, with a medallion portrait and shield of
arms; to Margaret wife of William Lowndes of Astwood Bury (d. 1764); and to Samuel Cranmer (d. 1640),
who 'descended in a direct line from Richard Cranmer, second sonn of John Cranmer, elder brother to
Thomas Arch Bishop of Canterbury,' his second wife
Mary (Wood) (d. 1684), and Caesar Wood alias
Cranmer (d. 1685), who erected the monument. On
the chancel floor are 18th-century slabs to members
of the Lowndes family, and to Thomas Layton
(d. 1723) and Elizabeth his wife (d. 1757). The
communion table, the communion rails now under
the chancel arch, and a carved chair in the chancel
all date from the 17th century, while a panelled
chest with carved front at the east end of the aisle
and some panelling re-used in the aisle pews are
of the same period. Four benches and parts of
others of about 1500, with moulded rails and
panelled ends, are incorporated in the seating of the
nave.
Plan Of Astwood Church
The tower contains a ring of three bells: the treble,
inscribed 'Sancta Katerina Ora Pro Nobis,' and the
second 'Sit Nomen Domini Benedictum,' are both
by John Walgrave and date from the early 15th century; the tenor, inscribed 'God Save Our King 1631.
I.K.,' is by James Keene.
The communion plate consists of a cup and cover
paten dating originally from the Elizabethan period,
though the bowl of the cup and the paten have been
altered at a later date, the latter having been restamped
in 1827; a pewter flagon and paten of the 18th
century; a plated cup; and a knife and fork with
silver handles.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) an unbound volume of all entries 1666 to 1688; (ii) all
entries 1689 to 1712; (iii) all entries 1726 to 1758;
(iv) baptisms and burials 1761 to 1812; (v) marriages 1754 to 1775; (vi) marriages 1776 to 1824.
Advowson
The earliest mention that has been
found of Astwood Church concerns
the grant by Fulk Paynel, lord of
Newport Pagnell, who flourished in the reign of
Henry I, of Astwood Church and chapel to Tickford
Priory. (fn. 89) Numerous references are subsequently found
to the prior's exercise of the right of presentation, (fn. 90) until
Tickford was dissolved in 1524 in order that its
revenues might go to the support of Cardinal Wolsey's
new college. (fn. 91) In 1526 Wolsey received grant of
appropriation of Astwood among other spiritualities
of the priory, (fn. 92) and the advowson appears in the
list of endowments conveyed to the dean and canons
of the college in the same year. (fn. 93) Cardinal Wolsey
presented in 1527, (fn. 94) but after his fall in 1529 the
endowments of the college were forfeited. (fn. 95) In
1532 it was refounded by the king under the name
of Henry the Eighth's College, (fn. 96) to which in the
Valor the church is said to owe an annual pension
of 40s. (fn. 97) The college was once more surrendered
to the Crown in 1545 (fn. 98) and the advowson of
Astwood has remained in royal custody, (fn. 99) the living
being at the present day in the hands of the Lord
Chancellor.
In 1587 the rectory was temporarily granted to
Charles Bagehot and Bartholomew Yardley. (fn. 100) At
the beginning of the 19th century the great tithes
were owned by Robert Trevor, lord of Astwood
Manor. (fn. 101)
Charities
It appears from a paper in the
custody of the churchwardens that
Clara Lowndes by her will dated 17
July 1793 gave £5 per annum for ten poor people.
The endowment now consists of £166 13s. 4d.
consols with the official trustees, producing £4 3s. 4d.
yearly, which is divided equally at Easter among ten
poor persons.