LAVENDON
Lavendene, Lawedene, Lawendene (xi-xiii cent.);
Launden (xiii-xviii cent.).
The parish of Lavendon covers 2,353 acres on the
left bank of the River Ouse, its southern boundary.
From the river, which runs at a height of 188 ft.
above the ordnance datum, the land slopes gradually
upwards towards the north, and, though the village
lies for the most part at a height of about 198 ft. to
214 ft., at the extreme northerly point beyond Northey
Farm a height of 345 ft. is attained. The soil is
mixed. The subsoil varies from Oolite by the river
to Oxford Clay in the north, the village and abbey
lying upon cornbrash. Of the whole area, 1,046 acres
are arable land, 1,167 permanent grass and 114 woods
and plantations. (fn. 1)
The village lies to the
north of the road from
Olney to Bedford and is
traversed by a branch road
to Northampton. It is built
about this and a lane running north-east to the site
of the castle, which must
thus have commanded both
highways.
The church is in the
western triangle formed by
the crossing of these two
roads. In Western Lane,
leading to Olney, is the
Baptist Chapel, founded in
1790 and rebuilt in 1894.
The elementary school dates
from 1875.
No tradition seems to
remain to indicate the
spot where once was held
the Tuesday market granted
to Paul Pever in 1249. (fn. 2)
This market had disappeared before the first half
of the 18th century, but at that date 'Figg Fair'
was still held 'about Palm Eve.' (fn. 3) It is not
known whether this fair was the successor of that
granted to Paul Pever for the vigil, feast and morrow
of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(15 August). (fn. 4)
The older houses are of stone, and with a few
exceptions have tiled roofs. The Hit or Miss Inn,
a two-storied building with a thatched roof, is probably of the early 17th century. Upon the outhouse is the date 1678 with the initials I.F. The
vicarage was described in 1607 as consisting of a
parlour, hall, kitchen and dairy; it had also 'an
orchard, a little Backside and a Barn.' (fn. 5) The
whole was usually let in the 18th century for £20 a
year. (fn. 6)
East of the village lies the manor-house of Uphoe,
for 400 years the property of the family of Norwich.
A circular moat still surrounds the house.
West of the village is Lavendon Grange, the
residence of Captain Harold H. Hulse. The house
was built by Robert Eccleston, (fn. 7) some time after 1626,
from the material, it is thought, of the abbey buildings. It is rectangular in plan, with two stories and an
attic, and is built of stone, with tiled roofs. Additions
were apparently made in 1722, the date on a sundial in a gable on the south side, and the porch was
built out of old stones in 1911. Other additions
and alterations have been made at different times.
No part remains of the abbey buildings, which
were 'situate hard by the common street and the highway' (fn. 8) ; some fragments of the moat surrounding
the site exist to the west of the village, and foundations have been discovered to the west of them.
According to 18th-century tradition the abbey church
'stood in a Close above the House, where was a
Warren of Rabbits, which burrowed among the
Ruins.' (fn. 9) Under papal indulgence of 1400 penitents
visiting this church from the first to the second
vespers on Passion Sunday and the feast of St. Augustine of Hippo received special benefits, while a
similar licence in 1426 gave release of three years and
three quarentines of enjoined penance to those who
on Passion Sunday should visit the church and give
alms towards its repair. (fn. 10) A survey of the abbey lands
made soon after the Dissolution mentions the 'grett
fyld callyd Colserwell' (Culverwell), containing
75 acres, the Wyndmylhyl Close, land called the
Laund, and a little wood called Hyghwood. (fn. 11) Mention is also made of the Tenoke Fyld, (fn. 12) a name
reminiscent of the Tynnokeswade of the 12th century,
Year which was the park given to the house by John
de Bidun. (fn. 13) The name is now preserved in Tinick
Farm in the north of the parish.
The Hit or Miss Inn, Lavendon
In the opposite direction and down by the river
is Lavendon Mill, probably on the site of that watermill which Humphrey held of the Count of Mortain
in 1086. (fn. 14) The mill is again mentioned in 1246, (fn. 15)
and in 1534 was the scene of a quarrel between the
Throckmortons of the neighbouring parish of Weston
Underwood and Thomas Hill, who had obtained leave
from the abbot to wash 400 sheep in the mill dam. (fn. 16)
At the Dissolution it was described as three mills
under one roof and was valued at £4 yearly. (fn. 17) This
was not, however, the only water-mill in the parish,
for there was also a mill 'and a moiety' in the chief
manor of the Bishop of Coutances in 1086, (fn. 18) and
this was probably that held at the close of the 13th
century by Henry de Norwich of John Pever. (fn. 19) In
the reign of Edward I a water-mill with a free fishery
was appurtenant to the manor of Snelston, (fn. 20) and two
water-mills are mentioned in an extent of about 1323. (fn. 21)
The capital messuage of the manor of Snelston
probably occupied the site of the present farm. The
herbage and fruit of the gardens were of some value in
the 14th century, and a park with two fish-ponds was
attached. (fn. 22)
Among the early placenames may be mentioned
Yerdewere, le Fladehey, and
Waldey Wood, all of which
were acquired by the family
of Norwich. (fn. 23)
Castle and Honour
Very
little is
known of
the history
of the castle. It was probably built by a member of
the baronial family of Bidun,
who held the manor in the
12th century, and belonged later to the Pevers. A
reference to it in 1231 shows that it then had a
chapel. (fn. 24) It must have been the head of the small
'honour of Lavendon,' of which one mention has
been found. (fn. 25) The moat and extensive earthworks
of the castle may still be seen, (fn. 26) but there is now no
trace of the wall, 40 ft. long, 10 ft. high and about
5 ft. thick, seen by a writer of the first half of the
18th century. (fn. 27) The castle as such seems, indeed, to
have disappeared before Leland's time though the
park still remained (fn. 28) and gave at a later date its
name to a farm north of the castle.
Pever. Argent a cheveron gules with three fleurs de lis or thereon.
Manors
In the reign of Edward the Confessor
a manor at LAVENDON was held by
eight thegns, of whom Alli, a man of
the king, was senior over the others. (fn. 29) Another
manor was held by a man of Borret in the time of
the Confessor, and was assessed at 2 hides in 1086. (fn. 30)
All these lands were in the hands of the Bishop of
Coutances in 1086, (fn. 31) and with Weston Underwood
(q.v.) passed to William Brewer, this overlordship
being afterwards divided between the honour of
Chaworth and the Wakes of Liddel. (fn. 32)
The fee of Alli and his fellows was assessed at
4 hides two-thirds of a virgate in the Domesday Survey,
and was held by William, a tenant. (fn. 33) It seems probable that William was the progenitor of the family of
Bidun, for by the first half of the 12th century Halnath
de Bidun was holding William's land in Newton
Bromswold (Northamptonshire), (fn. 34) and Lavendon was
certainly in the possession of this family at a later
date. Halnath was succeeded by his son (fn. 35) John de
Bidun, who was living in 1155. (fn. 36) He founded the
Premonstratensian abbey of St. John Baptist at
Lavendon, and endowed it with certain lands in the
surrounding commons and with various other tenements. (fn. 37) John was succeeded by a son of the same
name, (fn. 38) who appears to have died, probably shortly
after his father, in 1183–4. (fn. 39) The younger John was
childless, (fn. 40) and his co-heirs were his five sisters, Amice,
Mabel, Sarah, Maud and Ermengarde. (fn. 41) The fee was
apparently divided among them before 1185, when
Miles de Beauchamp, husband of Mabel, owed relief
for half a knight's fee here. (fn. 42)
Amice, the eldest sister, married Henry or Hugh
de Clinton; by him she had three daughters and
co-heirs (fn. 43) —Mabel, who married Luke de Columbars (fn. 44)
and died before 1254 without issue, Isabel wife of
Ralf son of John, (fn. 45) and Agnes wife of Warin de
Brakenham or Brageham. (fn. 46) In 1254 Agnes was still
living, but the rights of Isabel had descended to her
son Henry son of Ralf. (fn. 47) By 1303 this land was in
the possession of Adam Grosset or Grustet and his
tenants. (fn. 48) No mention of the share of Agnes and
Warin de Brageham has been found after 1255. (fn. 49)
Sarah, the third sister of John de Bidun, also left
three daughters by her husband Richard de Beauchamp—i.e., Isabel, Maud and Philippa (fn. 50) —but no
record of their descendants' interest in the manor has
been found. Equally uncertain is the part played by
the descendants of Maud, the fourth sister, (fn. 51) and of
Ermengarde, the fifth sister, whose heirs in 1254 were
her grandson John and her second son Richard de
Gatesden. (fn. 52) The greatest interest in the manor
seems to have been that of Mabel, second sister of
John de Bidun. (fn. 53) She was married to Miles de
Beauchamp before 1185, when he paid relief for half
a knight's fee in Lavendon. (fn. 54) The name of Miles de
Beauchamp occurs in 1201 and 1206, (fn. 55) and Mabel
seems to have been still holding her half knight's fee
in Weston and Lavendon in 1235–6. (fn. 56) Possibly she
afterwards acquired the share of ano her sister, for in
a further return she is said to have three-fourths of a
fee in these places. (fn. 57) In 1254 the heir of Mabel and
Miles was said to be Miles de Beauchamp, (fn. 58) who died
in or about 1264 (fn. 59) ; some four years later homage
was done by Richard his son and heir, (fn. 60) who was still
living in February 1291–2. (fn. 61) Before 1303 this fee
had been divided into two portions, one of which
was held by Adam Grosset and his tenants, (fn. 62) while
the second, assessed at half a knight's fee in 1315–16,
was inherited by Cecily daughter and co-heir of
Richard de Beauchamp, and brought by her in
marriage to William Jukel. (fn. 63)
The portion of Miles de Beauchamp did not,
however, include the castle. This and the advowson
of the Biduns' foundation of Lavendon Abbey were
held in 1275 and 1278 by John Pever, and had
probably been acquired by Paul Pever some twentyfour years previously. (fn. 64) Paul was probably already in
possession of the Town Manor, which may possibly
be identified with that held by Borret's man before
the making of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 65) It must have
been for this manor that he in 1249 obtained grants
of a Tuesday market, a fair on the vigil, feast and
morrow of the Assumption and free warren in his
demesne lands. (fn. 66) Paul Pever, steward of Henry III,
was, according to Matthew Paris, a self-made man,
who acquired wide lands and was an insatiable buyer
of manors. (fn. 67) However this may be, the only clue to
the former history of these Lavendon manors is probably that afforded by the quitclaim in 1288 of one
of them to John Pever by Agnes wife of Henry de
Hereford. (fn. 68) From this time forward the CASTLE
and TOWN MANORS, which apparently became
amalgamated, followed the descent of the manor of
Chilton (q.v.) until 1; 29. In 1537 John Lord Zouche
sold the manor of Lavendon alias the Castle Manor to
John Lord Mordaunt, lord of Turvey in Bedfordshire. (fn. 69)
Lord Mordaunt, who in 1533 had been summoned to
Parliament as a baron, (fn. 70) in 1562 was followed by a son
John, (fn. 71) who, under the terms of his father's will, (fn. 72) conveyed the manor of Snelston (fn. 73) to Lewis his son. Lewis,
who was M.P. for Bedfordshire in 1563–7, (fn. 74) died in
1601 (fn. 75) ; his son and successor Henry Lord Mordaunt
was suspected of complicity in the Gunpowder Plot
and was imprisoned in 1605–6. (fn. 76) Before his death
in February 1608–9 (fn. 77) Henry Lord Mordaunt made
a conveyance of the Castle Manor. (fn. 78) His son and
successor John was created Earl of Peterborough in
March 1627–8 (fn. 79) ; he was a party to a conveyance of
the Castle Manor in 1632 (fn. 80) and died in 1643. (fn. 81)
Henry Earl of Peterborough, his son and heir, seems
to have mortgaged this manor in 1653 (fn. 82) to Sir Charles
Compton, kt., of Grendon, Northamptonshire, (fn. 83)
brother of James third Earl of Northampton. (fn. 84) Lord
Peterborough was still in possession of the manor in
the spring of 1685–6, (fn. 85) but in 1698 Hatton, only
son of Sir Charles Compton, made a settlement of it
on his marriage with Penelope daughter of Sir John
Nicholas. (fn. 86) Hatton, who was Deputy-Lieutenant of
the Tower, was succeeded in 1740 by his son Charles,
treasurer of the Society of Antiquaries. (fn. 87) He settled
the manor to his own use in
1742 (fn. 88) and died in 1761,
when his estates passed to
his next brother Edward. (fn. 89)
William Compton, LL.D.,
succeeded his father Edward
in 1769, (fn. 90) and sold Lavendon
in 1777 to Thomas Major of
Market Harboro', Leicestershire, (fn. 91) by whom it was conveyed three years later to
Thomas Westcar of Souldern,
Oxfordshire. In 1788 he sold
it to James and Richard Hale,
who transferred their rights
ten years later to Thomas Higgins, in trust for
William Farrer. (fn. 92) From this time the manor
followed the descent of Cold Brayfield (q.v.), and
Mr. Denis Herbert Farrer is the present owner.
Zouche. Gules bezanty with a quarter ermine.
Mordaunt. Argent a cheveron between three stars sable.
Compton. Sable a leopard or between three helms argent.
Before the Conquest a man of Wulfwig Bishop of
Leicester and Dorchester (1053–67) (fn. 93) held in Lavendon
land which he could sell. (fn. 94) This holding was assessed
at 2 hides 1¼ virgates in 1086, when it was in the
hands of Walter Giffard, of whom it was held by one
Ralf. (fn. 95) The history of this overlordship is obscure,
but in the 13th century Lavendon no longer formed
part of the honour of Giffard, but was accounted
among the fees of the barony of Wahull. (fn. 96)
The earliest known under-tenants were members
of the family of Grey, and the name of Sir Reynold
Grey is given as that of the lord of the manor of
SNELSTON in 1275–6. (fn. 97) Sir Reynold also held the
manor of Bletchley (q.v.), with which Snelston
descended to Richard Earl of Kent. He in 1506
made a settlement of this and other manors on himself and Elizabeth his wife and their issue. (fn. 98) His
marriage was, however, childless, and three years later
the reversion of the manor of Snelston was sold to
John Mordaunt, (fn. 99) who in 1512 acquired the whole
right of the earl and countess in return for a yearly
rent of £8 13s. 4d. payable after the death of
Walter Luke of Cople, Bedfordshire. (fn. 100) All right in
the manor was quitclaimed by Henry, half-brother and
heir of the earl, in 1516 and again in 1552. (fn. 101) From
this time the manor of Snelston alias Grays followed
the descent of the Castle Manor (fn. 102) into the hands
of the family of Farrer.
As early as 1674 Sir Anthony Chester, bart., of
Chicheley (q.v.), heir through marriage of the family
of Cave, (fn. 103) was in possession of Snelston Meadow and
other lands here. (fn. 104) It was said in the 18th century
that the demesne lands of the Mordaunts were sold
to the family of Chester,
which in 1735 (fn. 105) and later
claimed a reputed manor here.
This land for some time followed the descent of the
manor of Chicheley (q.v.),
but is now in the hands of
Mr. Charles Anthony Chester,
who does not hold Chicheley.
Chester of Chicheley. Party argent and sable a cheveron engrailed between three rams' heads with golden horns all countercoloured and a border engrailed gules bezanty.
There were before the
Conquest five other holdings
described as in Lavendon:
one of these possibly formed
the nucleus of the abbey fee;
three were formed of lands
that in later times lay in the
parishes of Newton Blossomville and Cold Brayfield, and
their descent will be found in
the account of those places. (fn. 106) The remaining holding
was that held in the time of King Edward by Turbert, a man of the Countess Goda, who could sell his
hide if he would. (fn. 107) In 1086 it was held by Ralf of
the Countess Judith, (fn. 108) and afterwards formed part of
the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 109)
The earliest known tenant of this fee is Hugh de
St. Medard, who gave his church of Lavendon to the
abbey, a gift confirmed by John his grandson in
1237. (fn. 110) In a return made at or about this time John
was said to hold two parts of half a knight's fee of the
honour. (fn. 111) John, who was also known as St. Mark,
was dead by 1246, when Mabel his widow claimed
dower against Richard his son and heir and received
one messuage and 15 acres. (fn. 112) In 1259 Richard de
St. Mark and Isabel his wife conveyed another messuage and 15 acres of land in Lavendon, together with
Mabel's dower lands and rights in 9 acres held by
tenants, to Henry de Norwich, (fn. 113) thus augmenting the
lands obtained by the family of Norwich at an earlier
date, as described below. The whole was afterwards
known as the manor of UPHOE (Opho, Houpho,
xiii cent.).
Roger de Uphoe, who may have been another early
tenant of the Huntingdon fee, was followed by his son
Robert (fn. 114) ; he dispersed his lands, selling 13 acres 1 rood
to the abbey of Lavendon, (fn. 115)
and the rest in 1234 (fn. 116) to
Simon de Norwich, one of
the king's clerks. (fn. 117) The reason
for this Norfolk man's attraction to North Buckinghamshire is obscure, but it will be
recalled that the Bidun family
had possessions in Tombesland
in Norwich (fn. 118) and in 1240–1
two of the Bidun co-heirs
acknowledged that Simon had
obtained land of their fee. (fn. 119)
Simon also acquired land in
the vill before 1234 from William son of Robert de
Lavendon and from Ralf son of John. (fn. 120) Simon de
Abington 'le charter' granted to him all his land
with a messuage in Abington (Northamptonshire)
and Lavendon, (fn. 121) the Lavendon portion being probably the 7 acres quitclaimed to him by Philip son
of Simon de Lavendon early in 1235. (fn. 122) Simon
de Norwich had entered the king's service before
1226, (fn. 123) and for the next twenty-two years he was
busy with public affairs; as receiver of the nineteenth, as guardian of the temporalities of various
religious houses during vacancies (in 1242 of the
issues of the see of London), and as one of the three
men responsible for the provisioning of the army in
1245, (fn. 124) he was deep in the king's confidence. Henry III
rewarded him by extorting from the Abbot of St. Albans
in 1236 a yearly gift of 110s., (fn. 125) by giving him a prebend
of Lichfield in 1241, (fn. 126) and in the following year by
ordering the Archbishop of York to provide for him
in some church of the king's patronage to the value
of 50 marks. (fn. 127) In spite of his constant employment
at home and abroad Simon seems to have held his
Lavendon land in demesne, for in 1246 he sued
Simon Druel and Alice his wife (fn. 128) who had prevented
his fishing and had seized his nets and boat. (fn. 129) Simon
appears to have retired from the king's service in 1248,
and in the autumn of this year he granted his messuage
and seven score acres in Lavendon to his kinsman
Henry son of Nicholas de Norwich. (fn. 130) Simon was to
hold them of Henry for life, and after his death Henry
was to hold them of Simon's heirs at a yearly rent of
24s. (fn. 131) In 1249 Simon bought the mill and threequarters of a virgate with 6d. rent from Robert le
Blund and Mabel his wife, (fn. 132) and in 1251 he died. (fn. 133)
Henry, who was one of Simon's executors, (fn. 134) was also
in the royal service. (fn. 135) He continued Simon's policy
of acquiring land in Lavendon, (fn. 136) notably the St. Mark
fee (see above), and in 1269 he obtained a grant of
free warren. (fn. 137) Before 1290–1 Henry had been succeeded by another Henry de Norwich, (fn. 138) who in 1315
settled messuages and land in Lavendon and elsewhere
on himself and Joan his wife for their lives with remainder to Henry's son Simon and his issue. (fn. 139) Henry died
before the summer of 1327, when the land was in the
hands of Simon. (fn. 140) Simon seems to have been continually
in trouble (fn. 141) and quarrelled bitterly with the Abbot of
Lavendon over services alleged to be due to him (fn. 142) and
with some of his neighbours over a fishery. (fn. 143) He was
still living in 1357. (fn. 144) Either this Simon, or more probably his son of the same name, married Margaret
sister of John Holt of Brampton (Northamptonshire). (fn. 145)
Their son Simon, with Simon his son, is mentioned in
the will of John Holt made in November 1415. (fn. 146)
Simon grandson of Margaret and Simon had a son
Simon Norwich, aged twenty-three in 1452, when
he inherited the lands of his cousin Richard Holt,
who had died in 1429. (fn. 147) This younger Simon
Norwich died in 1468, and was succeeded by John
his son, a child eight years old. (fn. 148) John settled Uphoe
at a later date on Katharine his wife, who held
it after his death in March 1503–4, (fn. 149) when Simon
their son was still under age. (fn. 150) Simon settled his
manor and mansion of Brampton on Margaret his
wife, (fn. 151) and, though he died in 1548, (fn. 152) she was still in
possession in the early years of Elizabeth's reign. (fn. 153)
John son of Simon and Margaret inherited the rest
of the land. He married twice, and on his death, in
1557, (fn. 154) quarrels arose between Simon his son and
heir and Alice the step-mother, whom Simon accused
of being 'wyckedly bente to hinder' him 'by all
possible meanes and wayes that she maye devise.' (fn. 155)
Norwich. Party gules and azure a lion ermine.
Simon Norwich made a conveyance of the manor
in 1579, (fn. 156) this being possibly for the purpose of the
settlement made by him on Bridget his wife and
Acanius his son. (fn. 157) Simon died in 1588, (fn. 158) but Bridget,
who afterwards married Edmund Sands, (fn. 159) lived on
until the spring of 1611–12. (fn. 160) Ascanius seems to
have been alive in 1625. (fn. 161) Charles son and heir of
Simon Norwich included his reversionary interest in
the manor in his marriage settlement, made in 1589,
on Ann daughter of Edward Watson. (fn. 162) Sir Charles (fn. 163)
died in 1605, leaving a son Simon Norwich, then
aged ten years. (fn. 164) Simon, who was knighted in
February 1617–18, (fn. 165) made a conveyance of his manors
in Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire in 1618, (fn. 166) and in 1623 sold Uphoe to John Parker
of Duston, Northamptonshire. (fn. 167) In 1641 Parker
conveyed his interest to William Fitzhugh of London, (fn. 168)
who in 1671 released the manor to his son William. (fn. 169)
He died in 1710, and the following year Robert
Fitzhugh conveyed Uphoe to William Carter. (fn. 170)
In 1719 it was purchased from Carter by Denis
Farrer of Cold Brayfield (fn. 171) (q.v.), which manor it
subsequently followed in descent.
Before the Conquest a man of Alric son of Goding
held land here which was in the hands of Humphrey,
tenant of the Count of Mortain, in 1086, when it was
assessed as a manor of 2½ hides. (fn. 172) The subsequent
history of this fee is uncertain, but it seems possible that
part at least of this land afterwards came to the Premonstratensian abbey founded here by John de Bidun
in the reign of Henry II. (fn. 173) The abbey may perhaps
have also obtained the land held by the Hospitallers
in the spring of 1285–6. (fn. 174) Other lands were held of
the Grossets under the Wakes, (fn. 175) but all the possessions
of the house, beyond reprises, were in March 1546–7
valued at only £9 14s. 10d. (fn. 176)
The abbey was surrendered to the Crown before
July 1536, (fn. 177) and in 1543 the house and demesne
lands were sold to Sir Edmund Peckham of Denham,
the king's servant, and Robert Peckham, his eldest
son. (fn. 178) The second son, Henry Peckham, leased the
manor in 1550 to John Waters of Aston Mullins in
Dinton for eighty-eight years. (fn. 179) On the attainder of
Henry Peckham the reversion of the land again passed
to the Crown, and in 1558 it was granted to Thomas
White and others. (fn. 180) The accession of Elizabeth
restored the fortunes of the Peckhams, (fn. 181) and in 1573
Sir George, third son of the grantee, obtained royal
confirmation of a conveyance of this manor of
LAVENDON, afterwards LAVENDON GRANGE,
to Sir Roland Heyward, kt., and Joan his wife. (fn. 182) Sir
Roland, who was for thirty years an alderman of
London and twice lord mayor, (fn. 183) died in December
1593. (fn. 184) Under a settlement of the manor made in
the previous September it passed to his second son,
John Heyward, (fn. 185) who sold it in 1615 to William and
Humphrey Newton. (fn. 186) They sold it in 1626 to Robert
Eccleston. (fn. 187) Robert Eccleston was described as of
Lavendon Grange in 1639, when a settlement was
made on the marriage of John, his son and heir, with
Cecily second daughter of Richard Taylor. (fn. 188) John
Eccleston, Cecily his wife and Robert his son made a
settlement of the manor in
1663. (fn. 189) In 1671, after the
death of John, Robert and
Cecily sold Lavendon Grange
to Thomas Newton. (fn. 190)
Thomas Newton was succeeded after June 1685 (fn. 191) by
his son Richard Newton, (fn. 192) the
founder of Hertford College
(Oxford) and an educational
reformer. He spent much of
his spare time at Lavendon,
and died there in April
1753. (fn. 193) Jane, his only child
and heir, married the Rev.
Knightley Adams, rector of
Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, (fn. 194) who barred the
entail in 1755. (fn. 195) He died in 1769, Jane surviving
until 1787 or 1788, when Lavendon passed to her
son Simon Adams. (fn. 196) He held until his death in
1806, (fn. 197) his son the Rev. Richard Adams, rector of
Edingthorpe, Norfolk, succeeding. In 1813 the
entail was barred by Richard and his son Samuel
Hooper Adams, (fn. 198) the latter dying in 1816, in his
father's lifetime. (fn. 199) The manor was retained by the
family until 1851, when it was sold by the Rev.
Richard Newton Adams, D.D., to Mr. Benjamin
Sculthorpe Brookes, (fn. 200) who held it for many years. (fn. 201)
It is now in the possession of Captain Harold Hutton
Hulse.
Newton of Lavendon. Argent a fesse indented of three points azure with three sheaves or thereon.
The reputed manor of ADDERSEY (Adirsey,
Addersley) was part of the demesne lands of the
Lavendon Abbey manor. (fn. 202) Called in the 16th century a great field pasture of 80 acres (fn. 203) it descended
for some time with Lavendon Grange. (fn. 204) It later
belonged to the last Earl of Halifax, (fn. 205) whose daughter
and heir Elizabeth married John Montagu, Viscount
Hinchinbroke, and died in 1768, in her father's lifetime. (fn. 206) Addersey was purchased from Lord Hinchinbroke before 1792 by Philip Skeen, the owner in the
early 19th century. (fn. 207) Browne Willis speaks of it as
formerly a 'vill,' but consisting in his day of a single
house and the estate worth about £50 yearly. (fn. 208)
Since then the name appears to have been entirely
lost.
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN consists of a chancel measuring
internally 27 ft. 6 in. by 12 ft. 8 in., nave
48 ft. by 16 ft., north aisle 6 ft. 9 in. wide, south aisle
7 ft. 6 in. wide, north and south
porches, and west tower 11 ft. 8 in.
square; it is built of rubble, the
roofs of the nave and aisles being
covered with lead and that of the
chancel with tiles.
The nave and tower and the
western part of the chancel date
from the early 11th century. The
church appears to have been left
unaltered till early in the 13th
century, when the chancel was
rebuilt and both aisles were added.
No further structural alterations
were made until late in the 15th
century, when a clearstory was
added to the nave, north and south
porches were built, several windows
were inserted in the aisles, which,
with the nave, were reroofed and
provided with embattled parapets,
and an additional stage was added
to the tower. The whole fabric
was restored in 1859.
When the chancel was rebuilt the western portion
of the original south wall was preserved and still
exists, though the window it contained (of which
only the round head is now visible) was blocked and
a doorway opened out below it. The east window,
of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a pointed
head, was inserted about 1390, and to the south of
it is an image bracket of the same period with a wellcarved head. On the north are two early 13th-century
lancets and a blocked 15th-century low-side window
of one wide cinquefoiled light. A 13th-century lancet
and the doorway mentioned above, which dates from
the same period, have been inserted in the pre-Conquest part of the south wall, and further east is a 15thcentury window of three lights in a four-centred head.
The external stonework of the lancet, with the exception of the label, has been renewed, and the doorway
is blocked. The sill of the south-east window has been
carried down to form a sedile, and to the east of it
is a 15th-century cinquefoiled piscina with a circular
bowl. There is a square aumbry at the north-east.
The timber roof over the chancel and the pointed
chancel arch are modern.
The pre-Conquest nave was characteristically lofty
in its original state and has been rendered particularly
so by the addition of the clearstory. Both lateral walls
are pierced by 13th-century arcades which replace
all the original windows, except the round head of
one near the apex of the easternmost arch of the
north arcade. The round tower arch in the west
wall, with its plain abaci, and the opening above it,
are doubtless original, though, being covered with
plaster, the stonework is not visible. The north
arcade is of three bays with pointed arches of one plain
order supported by circular pillars with square bell
capitals and moulded bases, the base of the eastern
pillar being modern. The south arcade is also of
three bays, and has acutely pointed arches supported
by circular pillars with square capitals and bases; the
capitals have grotesquely carved heads at their angles
but no neckings, and the bases large angle spurs but
no upper mouldings. The arches of both arcades
spring at the responds from chamfered imposts. In
a modern recess at the north-east of the nave is a
mediaeval piscina bowl. The clearstory is lighted
from either side by three square-headed windows
of two trefoiled lights dating from the late 15th
century, and the low-pitched roof of the nave with
its heavy cambered beams is of the same period.
Plan of Lavendon Church
In the east wall of the north aisle is a square-headed
window of two trefoiled lights, which was altered in the
15th century, but probably dates from an earlier period.
In the north wall are two large windows, inserted late
in the 15th century, each of three cinquefoiled lights
in a depressed head, and to the west of these is the north
doorway, with a small lancet of the early 13th century
beyond it. The doorway is of about 1250 and has a
pointed head of two richly moulded orders, the outer
of which dies into the jambs in a somewhat unskilful
manner, while the inner is continuous. In a roundarched plastered recess at the south-east is a 12thcentury pillar piscina. The jambs and head of the
two-light east window of the south aisle are doubtless
original, and the label terminates on the south in a
grotesque head, which is very similar to those on the
capitals of the south arcade; the tracery is, however,
modern. In the south wall are two late 15th-century
windows similar to those in the north aisle, an original
doorway with a plain chamfered edge, and a fourcentred doorway of the 15th century opening to the
parvise stairway, which is now blocked. The east
end of this aisle is occupied by the organ, for which
an opening has been cut through to the nave on
the north. The organ obscures a piscina and a large
trefoiled niche on the south. The lean-to roofs of
both aisles have rough timbers, probably dating from
the late 15th century.
The north porch is lighted from either side by an
unglazed square-headed window of two trefoiled lights
with plain tracery, and has a pointed entrance arch
with a square outer order and foliated spandrels, above
which is a cinquefoiled niche, all of the work being
original. The pitch of the roof is masked by a
straight embattled parapet and the diagonal buttresses
are carried up to this level to obviate the awkward
appearance which the abrupt drop to the lower level
of the side parapets would otherwise have. The
south porch was originally of two stages, but the
turret stairway at the north-west by which the upper
chamber was approached is now blocked, and the floor
of the chamber itself has been taken away. The
entrance has a four-centred arch under a square outer
order with fleurs de lis in the spandrels, and above is
a repaired square-headed light which originally lighted
the upper chamber. The windows in the lateral
walls are similar to those of the north porch. The
diagonal buttresses stop below the parapet, which is
gabled and has small pinnacles at the southern angles.
The lower part of a 13th-century coffin-lid with a
foliated cross has been built into the south wall, and
some pieces of moulded stonework with nail-head
ornament are inserted in the walling to the east of
the south doorway.
The tower is a well-preserved example of preConquest work and was originally of three stages, all
of which are intact. The two lower stages are lighted
by narrow round-headed windows in all the exposed
faces, and the third, the original bell-chamber, by larger
windows of the same form, the east light being blocked
and now partly covered by the clock face. Below the
windows of the third stage is a wide course of herringbone masonry. Upon this bold and simple structure,
which has neither string-courses nor buttresses, a late
15th-century bell-chamber has been built with a stringcourse and slight offset at its base. This is lighted
from each side by a traceried window of two cinquefoiled lights and is surmounted by an embattled
parapet.
The font is octagonal and dates from the late 15th
century; the bowl has shallow sunk panels enriched
with delicate tracery and foliage, while in the panel
at the south-west is a shield of France modern. The
panelled oak pulpit dates from the early 17th century,
but stands on a modern stone base.
On the north wall of the chancel is a monument
with arms to Richard Newton, sometime Canon of
Christ Church, Oxford, and Principal of Hertford
College (d. 1753). On the south wall is a monument
to Katherine Harvey, wife of Thomas Newton of
Lavendon Grange (d. 1680). At the east end of the
north wall of the north aisle is an incised slab commemorating Nathaniel Waker, a former rector of the
parish (d. 1654), and on the south wall is another
incised slab commemorating Ephraim Pippen, also
rector of the parish (d. 1670). Two brasses, one to
the Katherine Newton mentioned above, and the other
to James Newton, barrister of the Inner Temple
(d. 1690), are preserved at the vicarage. There is a
carved mahogany chair of the early 18th century in
the chancel, and in the north aisle is an oak chest with
three locks of about the same period, while a hatchment of George IV is attached to the east wall of the
tower. A mediaeval slab with a raised cross, now
considerably weatherworn, has been built into the
south wall of the churchyard.
The tower contains a ring of five bells, of which
the first three and the tenor are by Alexander Rigby
of Stamford, 1689, and the fourth is by R. Taylor
& Sons, 1828; all have been rehung in the old framework, which is inscribed 'IS. RB. CH. WD. 1690.'
The communion plate includes a cup and cover
paten of 1569; a stand paten of the late 17th century,
given by Sir Anthony Chester, bart.; a modern paten
copied from the cover paten of the 1569 cup; a
modern flagon designed in the same manner, and a
plated flagon.
The registers begin in 1574.
Advowson
Though no mention of the church
occurs in the Domesday Survey, (fn. 209) it
is evident that it was appurtenant
to the fee in Lavendon held of the honour of
Huntingdon. At the close of the 12th century the
advowson of the church of the Blessed Mary was
given to the abbey of Lavendon by Hugh de St.
Medard, and the gift was confirmed in 1237 by
John de St. Medard, his grandson. (fn. 210) The vicarage
was ordained in the time of Bishop Hugh of Wells, (fn. 211)
and licence to appropriate in mortmain was afterwards
obtained. (fn. 212)
The advowson followed the descent of the abbey
manor until the spring of 1632–3, when Robert
Eccleston and others conveyed the rectory and
advowson to Anthony Elcocke, (fn. 213) possibly a trustee for
Edward (Noel) Viscount Campden In 1670 the
dowager Viscountess Campden presented to the living (fn. 214) ;
she died in 1680, (fn. 215) and in 1693 (fn. 216) the patronage
was exercised by her great-grandson Baptist (Noel)
Earl of Gainsborough. (fn. 217) On his death in 1714 it
descended to his son Baptist fourth Earl of Gainsborough. (fn. 218) He died in 1751 and was succeeded
in turn by his sons Baptist (1751–9) and Henry
(1759–98), both of whom died unmarried. (fn. 219) The
last earl bequeathed the advowson to his nephew
Sir Gerard Noel Noel, bart., the patron in the early
19th century. (fn. 220) By his first wife Diana Lady Barham
he had a son Charles, who succeeded his mother as
Baron Barham in 1823 and inherited his father's
estates in 1838. (fn. 221) Charles Lord Barham was created
Earl of Gainsborough in 1841, (fn. 222) and was returned as
patron in 1865, (fn. 223) the year before his death. (fn. 224) It
would seem, however, that he had disposed of his
rights in at least one turn, for in 1860–4 the patron
was the Rev. William Tomkins. (fn. 225) In 1877 the
living was in the gift of Mr. Francis Larken Soames,
whose trustees are the present patrons.
The chapel in Lavendon Castle is mentioned in
1231, when the abbot, as patron of Lavendon Church,
had to provide for services twice a week. (fn. 226)
Charities
Church Allotment. — It appears
from a tablet in the church that some
unknown person or persons gave 9
acres of land adjoining and comprising the poorhouse, the rents therefrom to be applied for the
repair and ornamentation of the church. By an
Inclosure Award 8 a. 3 r. 39 p. of land adjoining the
poor-house were awarded in lieu of land in the uninclosed field. The estate is now let at £17 yearly, and
two cottages are also let at £6 and £3 8s. respectively.
The income is applied to general church expenses.