LATHBURY
Lateberie, Latesberie (xi cent.).
This parish covers nearly 1,055 acres, including 315
acres of arable, 627 of permanent grass and 12 acres
of woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The slope of the land
varies from 178 ft. above the ordnance datum in the
south-east of the parish to 210 ft. to the north-west of
the village. The soil is gravel, the subsoil limestone,
and the chief crops are wheat, barley and roots. The
land in the neighbourhood of the River Ouse, which
encircles this parish on all sides except the north-west,
is liable to floods. Flood Dyke, about 3 ft. high, in
the south-east of the parish, follows the course of the
Ouse, extending from Woad Farm in a wide semicircle
towards the Bedford road. A bridge, built mainly of
stone, of four arches, called North Bridge, (fn. 2) connects
the south end of Lathbury with the parish of Newport
Pagnell. Just beyond it, within the parish boundary,
is a bridge of brick, consisting of three arches. A
mile to the north-east the River Ouse is crossed by
Sherington Bridge, also of three arches.
The village of Lathbury occupies a central position.
A road leads south-west from it past the rectory and
the church to Lathbury Park, the seat of Mr. William
Trevor. The house is of stone and was built in 1801
by Mansel Dawkin Mansel on the site of that erected
by Sir William Andrewes, kt., in the early 17th century, (fn. 3) and called the Place in 1735. (fn. 4) Quarry Hall, in
the south-west of the parish, derives its name from an
old quarry; there is a farm of the same name a quarter
of a mile to the north-east. Gallard Farm is situated
in the north of the parish. The old inn, a large
and well-built building, is now used as a farm-house,
with nearly 400 acres of land attached. (fn. 5)
James Chelsum, an opponent of Gibbon, was vicar
of Lathbury at the end of the 18th century. (fn. 6)
The following place-names occur: Ernesden Wood,
belonging to Lavendon Abbey (fn. 7) (xiii cent.); Windmill
Post (fn. 8) (xvi cent.); an inn called the 'Hart's Head' (fn. 9)
(xvii cent.); Beggars or Hospitalholme (fn. 10) (xviii cent.).
Manors
Four hides of land in LATHBURY
which had been held as two manors
before the Conquest by two thegns,
Leuric and Olviet, were held as one manor in 1086
by Hugh de Beauchamp. (fn. 11) It was attached by the
service of half a fee to the barony of Bedford. (fn. 12) After
the subdivision of that barony in 1265 (fn. 13) the over
lordship passed with that portion which descended to
the Mowbrays and Brays, (fn. 14) and is last mentioned in
1626. (fn. 15)
A mesne lordship of this manor was held in 1223
and 1229 (fn. 16) by Mabel de Bidun, one of the five
sisters and co-heirs of John de Bidun. (fn. 17) Her heir
Miles de Beauchamp was living in 1254, (fn. 18) and was
succeeded about ten years later by his son Richard, (fn. 19)
mesne lord in the later 13th century. (fn. 20) In 1310
this lordship was vested in William Jukel in right
of his wife Cecily, (fn. 21) apparently one of the daughters
and co-heirs of Richard de Beauchamp. (fn. 22) William
Jukel was still holding in 1317, (fn. 23) but his rights in
Lathbury had passed before 1324 to Richard Grosset (fn. 24)
and do not reappear.
Beauchamp. Quarterly or and gules a bend sable.
Mowbray. Gules a lion argent.
William d'Orenge was tenant of the Beauchamp
manor of Lathbury in 1086. (fn. 25) Ralph d'Orenge and
his son and heir William (fn. 26) were successive holders
in the next century, the latter probably the same
William d'Orenge who was holding of Simon de
Beauchamp in 1166. (fn. 27) Through the marriage of
William's daughter Mabel with Simon de Houghton (fn. 28)
(Hocton) Northamptonshire, who was living in 1199, (fn. 29)
the Orenge lands in Lathbury came to William de
Houghton. (fn. 30) He married Isabel daughter and heir of
Robert Daubeny of Cainhoe (Bedfordshire), (fn. 31) and died
about 1235. (fn. 32) His widow in 1236 obtained the
custody of his lands and heir from John Earl of
Chester, to whom it had been previously granted. (fn. 33)
She held Lathbury (fn. 34) for her son William, who, taking
the name of Daubeny, attained his majority before his
mother's death in 1262 (fn. 35) and died seised of Lathbury
Manor about 1264. (fn. 36) His son and heir Simon died
without issue in 1272, leaving as heirs his sisters
Isabel, Christine and Joan. (fn. 37) Isabel married Hugh
de St. Croix; Christine, Peter de la Stane; and Joan,
Roger Dakeney. (fn. 38) In 1286, after the death of Ellen,
widow of William Daubeny, (fn. 39) who held Lathbury
Manor in dower, the elder co-heirs with their husbands surrendered it with some trifling reservations
to Roger and Joan Dakeney. (fn. 40) Roger died in 1286, (fn. 41)
and in the following year Joan's right by inheritance
in his lands was acknowledged. (fn. 42) Joan survived
another husband, Aumary de Nowers, and died in
1310, when her son Robert Dakeney succeeded. (fn. 43) On
his death in 1316 the custody of his son Roger with
two-thirds of Lathbury Manor was granted to Richard
de Cave, and the remaining third of the manor
was assigned to the widow, Joan Dakeney. (fn. 44) Roger
Dakeney proved his age in 1324, (fn. 45) and continued
holding in Lathbury (fn. 46) until 1355, when he and his
wife Joan surrendered their rights there to Hugh de
Sadelyngstanes. (fn. 47) He settled Lathbury Manor in
1357 on his wife Isabel and his heirs, (fn. 48) and was living
in 1361. (fn. 49) Before 1409 it had come into the possession of Sir William Thirning, who settled it in
that year with Stantonbury Manor on John Fever
and other trustees. (fn. 50) Sir William Thirning died
in 1413 (fn. 51) and Lady Thirning was holding Lathbury
in 1433, (fn. 52) but the manor evidently reverted to the
Vaux family and descended with Stantonbury (fn. 53) (q.v.)
until 1535. Thomas Lord Vaux appears to have
sold Lathbury Manor in this year to Henry Earl
of Essex. (fn. 54) His daughter and heir Anne married
William Parr, Queen Katherine's brother, who was
created Earl of Essex in 1543. (fn. 55) He sold Lathbury
Manor to Anthony Cave of Chicheley, who died seised
in 1558. (fn. 56) One moiety of this manor was allotted to
his daughter Anne, the other to his daughter Martha,
who married John Newdigate. (fn. 57) Martha Newdigate died in 1575, and on the death of her husband
in 1592 her moiety passed to their son John. (fn. 58) He
and his wife Anne at once conveeyd it to John and
Henry Jackman (fn. 59) preliminary to its purchase by
William Andrews, (fn. 60) who was knighted in 1604, (fn. 61)
and appointed sheriff of the county in 1607. (fn. 62) He
died seised in 1625, and was succeeded by his son
William, (fn. 63) who had been knighted in 1618. (fn. 64) In 1650
he settled the Lathbury estate in favour of his son
Henry on his marriage with Elizabeth daughter of
John Brown of Shingleton, Great Chart, Kent. (fn. 65) Henry
also acquired the greater part
of the other moiety, the
Hampdens' interest, (fn. 66) shortly
before his father's death in
1657. (fn. 67) Henry Andrews, who
was created a baronet in
1661, (fn. 68) made a settlement of
the Andrews' moiety of this
manor in 1662, (fn. 69) and acquired
property in 1695 from Brereton Bourchier and others. (fn. 70)
On the death of Sir Henry
Andrews in 1696 the baronetcy
became extinct, but his nephew
Henry Andrews (fn. 71) succeeded
to Lathbury Manor. (fn. 72) He was
sheriff of the county in 1705 (fn. 73) and died in 1744. (fn. 74)
By his will Lathbury Manor passed to his eldest
daughter, Elizabeth Uthwatt, for life. (fn. 75) In 1753
she gave it to her son Henry for life, (fn. 76) and after his
death in 1757 (fn. 77) she and her sister Jane Symes settled
the reversion after their deaths on Jane daughter
of Jane Symes. (fn. 78) After the death of Elizabeth
Uthwatt, in 1764, (fn. 79) a further settlement was made
in 1769. (fn. 80) Jane Symes, widow, died in 1778, and
the younger Jane Symes died unmarried at Lathbury
in 1799, (fn. 81) leaving the manor to her cousin Margaret
Dalway and her friend Mansel Dawkin Mansel for
life in survivorship, with a life estate on their death
to Elizabeth Brown in the event of her marrying
Mansel. (fn. 82) The effect of a codicil to the will was to
divide the residue in favour of the principal legatees
and their heirs. (fn. 83) Mansel Dawkin Mansel, who
was Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1800, (fn. 84) married
Elizabeth Brown, (fn. 85) and they with Margaret Dalway
made a settlement in respect of Lathbury Manor in
1801. (fn. 86) He retained the principal estate and built
a new residence on the site of the old one, dying
there in 1823. (fn. 87) His widow, surviving him only a
fortnight, was also buried at Lathbury. (fn. 88) Their sons
sold the Lathbury estate to Richard John Tibbits of
Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire, whose daughter
and heir Mary Isabella married Samuel third Viscount
Hood. (fn. 89) He died in 1846, his widow surviving
until 1904. (fn. 90) Their son, the fourth viscount, immediately sold the manor and a great part of the estate
to Mr. Joseph Evans Whiting, the present owner.
Lathbury Park with the manor-house was at the same
time acquired by Mr. William Trevor. (fn. 91)
Andrews of Lathbury, baronet. Argent a bend cotised sable with three molets argent on the bend.
Margaret Dalway's moiety of the manor does not
reappear after the early 19th century. (fn. 92) It is possibly
represented in part by Major Long's estate in Lathbury, which has been in his family since 1862
and earlier. (fn. 93)
The moiety of Lathbury Manor inherited by Anne
Cave in 1558 passed by her marriage to Griffith
Hampden. (fn. 94) After his death in 1591 (fn. 95) she gave it
to their son William, (fn. 96) and it descended with Great
Hampden Manor to his grandson Richard Hampden, (fn. 97)
who was owner in 1653. (fn. 98) Three years later he sold
the greater part of this estate to Richard son and heir
of John Brown, who in the following year transferred
most of the property to his brother-in-law Henry
Andrews, owner of the other moiety. In 1664
a further settlement of the estates was made
between Sir Henry Andrews and his niece Elizabeth,
daughter and heir of Richard Brown, by which an
arrangement of 1622 between Sir William Andrews
and John Hampden (the patriot) was superseded.
In 1677 a settlement of Elizabeth's portion was made
on her marriage with Thomas Leigh, Lord Leigh of
Stoneleigh, but there is no later reference to this small
estate. (fn. 99)
A court leet and view of frankpledge were among
the manorial liberties in the 18th century, (fn. 100) and references to free fishery in the Ouse occur in the 17th
and 18th centuries. (fn. 101) A several fishery in this river
is also mentioned in 1697 (fn. 102) and the rights of free
warren and toll of the New Bridge in 1758. (fn. 103)
A second manor called LATHBURY MANOR
was held before the Conquest by Edduin, son of
Borret, one of King Edward's thegns. (fn. 104) In 1086
it was assessed at 5 hides and held by the Bishop of
Coutances. (fn. 105) The overlordship rights evidently passed
later with those of Weston Underwood (q.v.) to the
Brewers, and were divided with them in 1233 between the Wakes and Fertes. (fn. 106) The Wake interest
in a quarter of a fee in Lathbury (fn. 107) passed after 1349
to the earldom of Kent, (fn. 108) and is last mentioned as held
in dower by Joan widow of Thomas Earl of Kent at
her death in 1442. (fn. 109) The overlordship of the other
quarter fee was attached to the honour of Chaworth, (fn. 110)
last mentioned in connexion with Lathbury in the
early 14th century. (fn. 111) Kempsford, in Gloucestershire,
the caput of the English barony of Patrick de
Chaworth, (fn. 112) had by this time
come through the marriage
in 1298 of Maud or Joan,
daughter and heir of his
younger son Patrick de
Chaworth, (fn. 113) to Henry third
Earl of Lancaster. (fn. 114)
Chaworth. Burelly argent and gules an orle of martlets sable.
The Bishop of Coutances
had subinfeudated his manor
in Lathbury before 1086 to
William (fn. 115) (de Bidun), who
was also his tenant in Lavendon, the caput of the Bidun
holdings in Buckinghamshire.
This manor descended with
Lavendon Castle (q.v.) to John de Bidun, (fn. 116) and had
been allotted before 1225 to one of his five sisters
and co-heirs, Ermengarde de Bidun, (fn. 117) widow of
Andulf de Gatesden. (fn. 118) It is represented by the half
fee in Lathbury which she was holding in 1235 (fn. 119)
and 1236. (fn. 120) In 1241 she subinfeudated part of this
land to her younger son Richard, and the remainder,
comprising the manorial rights, had passed before
1254 to John son of her elder son John de Gatesden. (fn. 121) He conveyed it to his relative Walter de
Gatesden, (fn. 122) apparently with the advowson in 1269. (fn. 123)
In this year Walter de Gatesden transferred both to
Robert Burnel, (fn. 124) who also had a quittance from John
de Gatesden. (fn. 125) Three years later Burnel bestowed
the manor and advowson in free alms upon Lavendon Abbey. (fn. 126) Lathbury was retained by the abbey, (fn. 127)
which, after prolonged lawsuits between 1310 and
1318 with Richard Chamberlain and his wife Joan,
daughter and heir of John de Gatesden, (fn. 128) and afterwards with their son John Chamberlain, finally
secured a verdict against the latter in 1321. (fn. 129) Several
small properties in Lathbury were acquired by Lavendon Abbey during the 14th century, (fn. 130) and it owned
a considerable estate there in 1535. (fn. 131)
After the Dissolution the manor was leased in 1539
to Thomas Lawe of Olney, (fn. 132) and the capital messuage
called the Parsonage House or Place was granted to
him in fee in 1543. (fn. 133) He alienated it, retaining leasehold rights, to Edward Ardes, (fn. 134) who transferred it
in 1545 to Anthony Cave. (fn. 135) He purchased the Lawe
interests from Hugh and Thomas Lawe, and died
in 1558 seised of all their property in Lathbury which
had formerly belonged to Lavendon Abbey. (fn. 136) It was
divided between his daughters Anne and Martha with
the other Lathbury Manor, and part of Martha's
share is distinguishable from her moiety of that manor
until 1626. (fn. 137)
The land which Ermengarde de Bidun granted to
her younger son Richard (fn. 138) in 1241 was rather less
than a carucate of land, (fn. 139) equivalent to the quarter
fee of the honour of Chaworth which he was holding
in Lathbury about this time. (fn. 140) John Prude is named
as an under-tenant to Richard de Gatesden in 1279, (fn. 141)
and a Richard de Gatesden held in 1302 the quarter
fee which lay partly in Upper Filgrave. (fn. 142) Before
1346 it had passed into the hands of the two manorial
lords in Lathbury, Roger Dakeney and the Abbot of
Lavendon, (fn. 143) and does not reappear.
Fishery rights in Lathbury belonged to the manor
in 1269, (fn. 144) and a dovecote is mentioned in 1291. (fn. 145)
A close and pasture called Monwood in Lathbury
had been granted by Richard de Beauchamp to
Lavendon Abbey before 1227. (fn. 146) It seems to be in
respect of this land that the abbey owed service to
the Dukes of Norfolk, paying a quit-rent of 20d.
yearly in 1535. (fn. 147) Monwood was purchased in 1580
from John Newdigate by Christopher Cotes of Hanslope, who died seised in 1612, leaving a son and
heir Henry. (fn. 148)
Lands in Lathbury belonged in 1502 to Edmund
Denny, (fn. 149) at whose death, in 1520, they passed to
Thomas his son. (fn. 150) In 1544 Anthony, younger brother
of Thomas Denny, obtained leave to sell this property
called LATHBURY MANOR, with other lands of the
inheritance of John son and heir of Thomas Denny. (fn. 151)
William Andrews, the next owner recorded, in 1596
sold the estate known as Dennys Lands to Daniel
Cage of Layston, Hertfordshire. (fn. 152)
Another manor in Lathbury called STOCKING
MANOR appears to correspond to a quarter fee held
in 1166 by Jordan de Lathbury of the barony of
Hanslope. (fn. 153) Overlordship rights in Stocking descended
with the principal manor of Lathbury in the 13th
and 14th centuries. (fn. 154)
Jordan, lord of Stocking, possibly a son of the
Jordan de Lathbury mentioned above, was succeeded
by John Passelewe, (fn. 155) who was holding jointly with
his wife Mabel (presumably Jordan's daughter) in
her right in 1245, when they acknowledged Ralph
Dayrell's right to a carucate in Stocking and Lathbury
and to the reversion of the land which Geoffrey de
Easton Neston (Northants) and his wife Eustacia were
holding of the latter's dower. (fn. 156) Ralph Dayrell allowed
the Passelewes to retain their holding for life, (fn. 157) and in
1247, complaining of waste on the land held by Geoffrey
and Eustacia, secured a quitclaim from them for an
annuity of 40s. yearly during the latter's life. (fn. 158) By
1254 the whole of his interest in Stocking had passed
to two heiresses, Sybil and Alice, and their respective
husbands William de Merefeld and Peter de Grendon,
who quitclaimed it (in subinfeudation which does not
reappear) to Robert de Usburn, then holding a lease
from Robert de Tothall and Mabel de Stocking (Passelewe). (fn. 159) Usburn obtained a licence to impark his wood
at Stocking within Salcey Forest in 1257, (fn. 160) and evidently married Margery daughter of John de Stocking
(John Passelewe). She was holding in 1262, (fn. 161) having
secured the custody of their son Edmund de Usburn (fn. 162)
or Stocking, and is the lady of Stocking mentioned in
1275. (fn. 163) Edmund was holding in 1279 (fn. 164) and 1286, (fn. 165)
but had been succeeded by John de Usburn before
1309, when John settled the property on himself, his
wife Alice and their heirs. (fn. 166) This estate is apparently
identical with that held by John de Stocking in 1355, (fn. 167)
when it is evident that the disintegration of the
former manor of Stocking was nearly complete in the
gradual absorption of its sub-tenancies by the owners
of Lathbury Manor.
The tenant of one of these small holdings in
Stocking in the earlier half of the 13th century was
Roger de Stocking, (fn. 168) and in 1245 the custody of his
land and heir was retained by Ralph Dayrell. (fn. 169) His
holding appears to be that in which Simon de Stocking
and his wife Agnes had a life interest in 1355, when
the reversion was transferred with the principal manor
of Lathbury to Hugh de Sadelyngstanes.
In 1262 Margery de Stocking quitclaimed a messuage, meadow and 50 acres of land in Lathbury to
Adam Franklin, (fn. 170) and his holding is mentioned in
1279 (fn. 171) and 1286. (fn. 172) A descendant of his, John
Franklin, was a tenant in Lathbury in 1355. (fn. 173) A small
property there was given in marriage by Nicholas
Franklin with his daughter Muriel to John de
Usburn, (fn. 174) to whom in 1339 Thomas de Beauchamp
subinfeudated a carucate of land. (fn. 175) Their son Thomas
de Usburn quit claimed the former estate in 1366
to Henry Harlwin of Lathbury, chaplain. (fn. 176)
Bunsty, a detached part of Lathbury, which was
transferred in 1886 to the parish of Gayhurst (q.v.),
is in part identical with the hide of land which Siric,
a man of Earl Leofwin, held and could sell before the
Conquest. (fn. 177) Siric's lands, here and in Gayhurst, were
obtained by the Bishop of Bayeux. His tenant in
both places in 1086 was the Bishop of Lisieux, (fn. 178) and
William de Nowers, the descendant of Robert de
Nowers, the sub-tenant of the Bishop of Lisieux in
Gayhurst (q.v.), was holding one-sixth of a fee in
Lathbury as mesne lord in 1279. (fn. 179)
The lords of the principal manor of Lathbury were
tenants under the Nowers before 1230, when William
de Houghton was allowed to impark his wood at
Bunsty. (fn. 180) Joan (Dakeney) was holding this park with
the right of free warren in 1275 (fn. 181) as one of the heirs
of William Daubeny. (fn. 182) This part of Lathbury appears
to have been surrendered to the mesne lord before the
middle of the 14th century, (fn. 183) and corresponds to the
land there which has since descended with Gayhurst
Manor (fn. 184) (q.v.).
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS consists of a chancel measuring internally
30 ft. by 15 ft. 6 in., nave 35 ft. 6 in.
by 14 ft. 8 in., north aisle 10 ft. 8 in. wide, south
aisle 11 ft. 4 in. wide, west tower 9 ft. 8 in. square,
and south porch. It is built of rubble, with stone
dressings, and the roofs are covered with lead.
The church dates from the early 12th century,
and originally consisted of a small chancel and the
present nave, to which a south aisle was added about
1180–90. The tower was erected in the early part
of the 13th century and the south aisle was rebuilt
about 1280, while the north aisle was added and the
chancel rebuilt during the first half of the 14th century. The clearstory was added to the nave, and the
nave, aisles and tower were provided with embattled
parapets early in the 15th century. The porch is
modern, and the whole fabric was restored in 1869.
The chancel is lighted by a large four-light east
window, only the jambs of which are old, and by two
14th-century windows on either side, each of two
trefoiled lights with tracery in a pointed head. The
tracery of the south-east window is composed of a
circle with running trefoils, and below the sill of this
window are three sedilia with trefoiled ogee heads and
a double piscina with heads of the same form and
quatrefoil bowls. At the west end of the north wall is a
low blocked opening with a modern lintel, and opposite
to it on the south are a window and a low pointed
doorway, both of which are also blocked. The chancel
arch is of the 14th century, and has semi-octagonal
responds with moulded capitals and plain bases; the
north respond and both bases have been restored.
The nave opens to the north aisle by a lofty
arcade of the early 14th century, consisting of two
acutely pointed arches supported by an octagonal
pillar and responds, with moulded capitals and restored
moulded bases. A moulded abacus of considerable
projection is placed on the capital for the reception
of the thick 12th-century wall above. On the south
is a late 12th-century arcade of two pointed arches,
with a circular pillar and plain responds. The pillar
has a moulded base with square plinth and leaf-spurs,
and the capital is carved with a pair of doubleheaded dragons on each
side. At the angles of the
capitals are bunches of
foliage upon which the
dragons appear to be feeding, while a large grotesque
head in the middle of the
north face of the capital
holds one head of each of
the two dragons on that
side in its open jaws. The
responds have rich foliated
capitals. The tower arch,
which is now supported by
a modern arch, was originally semicircular, but has
become distorted. In the
west wall above is the jamb
of a blocked window, and
in the south wall, near the
apex of the eastern arch of
the south arcade, is the
round head of another window, both of which date
from the early 12th century. There is a rood-loft stairway at the south-east, which is approached by a pointed
doorway in the south aisle, and ascends by steep steps
in the thickness of the wall to the upper doorway in the
nave. The clearstory has on the south three early 15thcentury windows, each of two trefoiled lights with
tracery in a pointed head, and on the north are three
square-headed windows, originally similar to those on
the south, but altered to their present form at a later
period. The nave has a low-pitched open-timber
roof, the trusses of which are supported by 15thcentury angel corbels. The embattled external parapet
has the remains of a cross on the east gable.
The walls of the nave are covered with paintings
chiefly of the 15th century. On the east wall, and
extending partly over the lateral walls, is a painting
of the Last Judgement, now indistinct, though our
Lord, St. Michael, and small figures rising from their
graves can be distinguished. The weighing of souls
is depicted on the north wall, where a crowned figure
of the Virgin, wearing a red cloak and holding a lily,
appears to be placing her hand on the beam of the
scales to incline it to the side of mercy; on the south
side, Burial and the Seven Sacraments were represented, but Penance and Extreme Unction are alone
visible. On the south wall are also several texts in
black letter of the 16th century, and on the soffits of
the arches of the south arcade are bands of foliage of
the earlier period. Many of these paintings have now
become very indistinct, but coloured drawings of them
as they appeared when first uncovered are preserved at
the rectory.
The north aisle is lighted from the east by a
window of three plain lights, with interlacing tracery
in a pointed head, from the north by two windows of
a similar character, but of two lights, all of early 14thcentury date, though very considerably repaired, and
from the west by a modern window of two cinquefoiled lights. The north doorway has an original reararch, but the external jambs and square head are of
the 18th century.
In the east wall of the south aisle is a graceful
late 13th-century window of two uncusped lights,
with a circle in a pointed head. In the south wall
are two early 14th-century windows with interlacing
tracery in pointed heads, the eastern window of three
lights and the other of two lights. To the east of the
larger window, which contains a fragment of 15thcentury glass, is a 14th-century pointed piscina with
a modern bowl. Below the east window is a small
recess, now very much restored. The south doorway,
which dates from the late 12th century, was reset
when the aisle was rebuilt about a hundred years later.
It has a round arch of two chamfered orders, and
jamb shafts with foliated capitals and abaci; the shafts
and the eastern capital are modern. The two-light
west window is of the 15th century, but has been
considerably restored. Reset in the wall at the northeast of the aisle is an early 12th-century tympanum,
which was found during the repairs of 1869. Upon
it is carved a central upright figure of interlacing strapwork, probably representing a serpent, upon which two
beasts are making a vigorous attack, while issuing
from the figure is some luxuriant foliage. Both aisles
have 15th-century parapets with weather-worn gargoyles; at the eastern angles very large and bold figures
are carved, that on the north aisle, which represents
a fierce creature of half-human form carrying a
smaller figure in its right arm, being comparatively
well-preserved, but the other is considerably weatherworn.
Plan of Lathbury Church
The tower is of three stages, with an offset between
the ground and second stages, and has an original straight
parapet with a 15th-century embattled parapet superimposed upon it. The ground and second stages are
lighted by original lancets, while the bell-chamber has
windows of two pointed lights with octagonal shafts
and unpierced pointed heads; these are also original,
but the east window is now filled with 15th-century
tracery, the central shaft having been removed.
The font and pulpit are modern. At the east end
of the south aisle is a mediaeval coffin-lid with an
incised cross. The chancel is paved with black and
white marble slabs of the 17th century, given, as
stated by the inscriptions on three of them, by
Margaret daughter of Sir Henry Andrews, bart., who
died in 1680, at the age of fourteen years; some of
the other slabs have the names of other members of
the Andrews family. On the north wall of the chancel
is a brass with arms, a lion passant between three
fleurs de lis, in memory of Richard Davies of Kynant,
Montgomeryshire (d. 1661), whose son Isaiah was
vicar of the parish. The inscription is as follows:
'Richard Davies of Kynant in the county of Montgomery Gent. hereunder buried. He deceased at the
house of his son Isaiah Davies, then minister of this
parish, 20th day of November 1661, aged 77 years.
His son Thomas Davies Esq., at that time Agent
Generall for the English nation upon the coast of
Africa caused a scenotaph to be erected in the church
of Welch Poole, the place of his birth, to the pious
memory of his father, and this small memorial for
such Cambria-Brittaines as shall this way travaile.'On
the south wall is a brass with arms to Mary wife of
Isaiah Davies (d. 1686). On the north wall of the
chancel is a mural monument, with arms, to Alice
(Pigott) wife of Robert Chandflower, with an incised
slab portraying the figures of a woman and child, both
kneeing, and two infants, the arms being those of
Pigott with a crescent for difference quartering a fesse
between three cherubs. In the north aisle is a large
mural monument with arms to Henry Uthwatt of Great
Linford (d. 1757) and Frances his wife (d. 1800). In
the south chapel is a communion table of the 17th
century with shaped ends carved with foliage. Two
small crosses are incised externally on the north-west
corner of the north aisle.
The tower contains a ring of five bells; the treble
was added in 1906, and the others have the following
inscriptions: the second, 'Edward Hall made me
1731'; the third, 'Newcome made me 1614';
the fourth, 'God save our King 1627 IK. FC. RP.
CW.'; and the tenor 'God save our King, 1629,'
the last two being by James Keene.
The communion plate consists of a silver cup of
about 1640, without date letter; a paten of 1683; a
large flagon of 1648, inscribed 'The gift of Lady
Andrews to the parish of Lathbury in memory of
her dafter Mrs Margaret Andrews'; and a stand
paten with embossed bottom.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1690 to 1762; (ii) baptisms and burials 1763
to 1812; (iii) marriages 1754 to 1813.
Advowson
John de Bidun, founder of
Lavendon Abbey, endowed it with
Lathbury Church, and his gift was
confirmed in 1227 by Henry III. (fn. 185) In 1232, however, Ermengarde de Bidun obtained renunciations of
right from the abbot, from William de Houghton,
lord of the main manor, and from Robert son of
Geoffrey, (fn. 186) her nephew. (fn. 187) The advowson was soon
vested anew in Lavendon Abbey by the acquisition
of the Bidun manor, and in 1281 Andrew de
Gatesden confirmed the abbot in its possession. (fn. 188)
Licence was obtained from the pope in 1306 (fn. 189) and
from Edward II in 1310, (fn. 190) to appropriate Lathbury
Church, which was endowed with 2¾ virgates of
land. (fn. 191) After the dissolution of Lavendon Abbey
the advowson was granted in 1546 to the Dean and
Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 192) who have continued in possession until the present time. (fn. 193)
In 1528 Lavendon Abbey granted to Thomas
Whalley a lease of the rectory, which he surrendered to
the Crown in 1545, when a lease for twenty-one years
was granted to John Johnson. (fn. 194) In 1546 the rectory
was included in the grant to the Dean and Chapter of
Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 195) and the annual rent for the
tithes was released by the Crown in 1554. (fn. 196) Various
difficulties occurring in the middle of the 17th century
about the lease of the rectory, the dean and chapter
leased it in perpetuity in 1662 to Isaiah Davies, then
vicar, and to his successors, (fn. 197) so that the vicar is
also rector. The tithes were commuted in 1842. (fn. 198)
A suit was brought by Thomas Wellar, vicar of
Lathbury, against John Whyte, about 1583, respecting a short lease of the vicarage. (fn. 199) A terrier of the
vicarage dated 1674 is quoted by Browne Willis. (fn. 200)
There is reference to a chapel in the churchyard
leased in 1553 for ninety-four years by the Dean and
Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, to Anthony
Cave for his free school. (fn. 201) In 1699 this chapel, then
called the school-house, having fallen into decay, was
taken down and the materials were used to repair
the vicarage. (fn. 202) Its site may perhaps be marked by
one of the large mounds in the churchyard.
In 1548 5d. yearly was derived from some land
and rent given for the maintenance of a light in
Lathbury Church. (fn. 203) This lamp-land lay in a
meadow 'in the western part of Lathbury in a place
called the Lord's Dole' and was granted in 1549 to
John Howe and John Broxholme. (fn. 204)
Charities
The Church Cobs.—It appears
from the parish terrier that the rent
of certain lands, known as the Church
Cobs, was applied for church purposes. Two pieces,
known as Plum Tree Cob and the Church Cob,
respectively, were sold in 1870, and the proceeds
invested in £179 15s. 2d. consols with the official
trustees, producing £4 9s. 2d. yearly. The rest of
the land, known as Ozier Cobs, is unlettable. The
income is applied to church expenses.