SHENLEY
Senelai (xi cent.); Sanleia (xii cent.); Senle,
Shenlegh (xiii cent.); Shendeley (xv cent.).
The parish of Shenley extends into the two hundreds of Newport and Cottesloe, to the south-west of
Watling Street. The more important portion, the
township of Church End, where St. Mary's Church
is, lies in Newport Hundred, and has to the south of
it the hamlet of Brook End in Cottesloe Hundred.
These names have respectively replaced those of
Great and Little Shenley in the 13th and 14th centuries, and of Lower and Upper or of Nether and Over
Shenley from the 13th century onwards.
The areas of the township and hamlet have varied
considerably during the 19th century. In 1831
there were 1,510 acres in Church End and 1,620 in
Brook End, a total of 3,130 acres, (fn. 1) which between
1841 and 1851 had decreased to 2,900. A further
decrease took place between 1861 and 1871, when
the whole parish was assessed at 2,596 acres, of which
only 935 were in Brook End. Another change
occurred between 1871 and 1881, probably under
the Divided Parishes Acts of 1876 or 1879, by
which the area of Brook End was increased to 1,659
acres and that of Church End to 1,662 acres, the
figures at which they stand at the present day. There
are 276 acres of arable land, 933 of permanent grass
and 167 of woods and plantations in Church End. (fn. 2)
A 16th-century survey of Shenley Manor, which lay
principally in Church End, speaks of Shenley Park
(50 acres), Hangers (38 acres), Redocks Hill (14 acres),
and Oakhill (16 acres) as woods 'all well sett with
yonge oke.' (fn. 3) Howe Park in the south of Brook End
was returned at 88 acres in the 17th century, (fn. 4) and is
referred to in a deed of the 14th century. (fn. 5) The
woodland in this part of Shenley is now only 65 acres
in extent, the greater portion of the land, 1,032 acres,
being laid down in grass, while there are 517 acres
under cultivation. (fn. 6) The soil is alluvial and clay with
a subsoil of stone and clay, producing cereals and
beans. It is watered by brooks flowing from the
higher land in the west (400 ft. above ordnance
datum) to the lower lying fields (300 ft.) in the east
of the parish.
Church End is pleasantly situated among trees on
a road which crosses Watling Street, and branches
west and south at St. Mary's Church and rectory.
About a quarter of a mile south-west of the church
is the Toot, a moated mound with two large moated
inclosures, the whole covering some 7 acres. In the
northernmost of the inclosures are traces of the foundations of the old manor-house of Shenley, pulled
down in 1774 by Matthew Knapp, then lord of the
manor. (fn. 7) The present principal landowner, Mr.
Richard Selby-Lowndes, lives about a quarter of a
mile north at Shenley Park (formerly Shenley House),
a stone building which is approached through the park
by an avenue of limes.
A short distance to the south of the church are the
gabled almshouses of stone with tiled roofs, founded
under the will of Thomas Stafford of Tattenhoe, who
died in 1607, (fn. 8) and to whom there is a monument in
the north aisle of Shenley Church. (fn. 9) He empowered
his son and heir Thomas Stafford, his son-in-law Sir
Arthur Savage and other trustees to build an almshouse
or hospital for four men and two women in some
town in Buckinghamshire 'of their own appointing,'
and to endow it with lands worth £30 per annum.
Each occupant was to have house-room and a garden
plot and was to be given a gown with a red cross on
the left sleeve every year, while the men received 3d.
and the women 2d. each day. (fn. 10) As recorded on a
panel in the middle gable of the building, the hospital
was erected on land purchased in 1615 by Thomas
Stafford the son, who intended to incorporate the
almshouses by a deed poll of 25 February 1626–7.
There was, however, no indorsement of enrolment of
the deed poll. (fn. 11)
Of about the same date is the half-timber farmhouse south of the church. Folly Farm, a mile to
the south-west, was built in the same century, but
much of the brickwork is modern.
The hamlet of Brook End stands on higher ground
about three-quarters of a mile south of the church,
and is grouped round a green. To the west of it, in
an isolated position surrounded by fields, is Westbury
Farm, the site of the manor of that name. Part of
the south wing is of the early 17th century, but the
greater part of the building seems to have been constructed in 1670, the date inscribed on the south
front. Roman remains consisting of part of a tessellated pavement and bricks were found in the neighbourhood at Dovecot Farm in January 1901.
Nether, Middle and Upper Fields in Shenley Brook
End and part of East Green Common were enclosed
by an Act of 1762, when an allotment was made to
the rector in lieu of tithes. The award is dated
2 March 1763. (fn. 12) In 1841 Matthew Knapp, lord of
Shenley Brook End Manor, was allotted the value of
William Selby-Lowndes's chase rights over Shenley
Common in part compensation for similar rights over
Whaddon Chase relinquished by Matthew Knapp.
The said allotment was to be fenced in from the
rest of the common. (fn. 13) By an award having date
7 November 1851, Shenley Common was still further
enclosed under an Act of 1845. (fn. 14)
Among place-names have been found: Hartdames,
Bushey Bartrams, Fedys, Rowlak's Hill, Tatnyllmill, (fn. 15)
the Brothered Land, Collet Wyke (fn. 16) (xvi cent.);
Town Street, the Pickle and Calves, Mare Pitts (fn. 17)
(xvii cent.); Fulmore, Bennetty Leys, (fn. 18) Carter's
Farm (fn. 19) (xviii cent.).
Manors
Two manors in Shenley of 5 and
2 hides respectively, both held in the
time of Edward the Confessor by Baurchard, his thegn, were included in 1086 among the
lands of Earl Hugh (fn. 20) (Earl of Chester). As one fee of
the honour of Chester, or, as it was known from its
later holders, the honour of Arundel, (fn. 21) Shenley was
subordinate to Olney Manor, the chief possession
from the early 13th century of the Earls of Chester
in this county. (fn. 22) The descent through the Earls of
Arundel, the Bassets of Drayton and Beauchamps and
Nevills, Earls of Warwick, has been given under
Olney (q.v.), with which the overlordship rights in
Shenley were transferred to the Crown in 1488. In
1542 Shenley was included in the honour of Grafton, (fn. 23)
and was held of the Crown for one-twentieth fee until
the 17th century. (fn. 24)
From Hugh, the earl's tenant in 1086, (fn. 25) these two
manors passed as one estate to the family of Maunsell.
The William who paid half a mark for Shenley in
1167 (fn. 26) may be the William Maunsell who in 1183
paid 2 marks for licence to sue John de Caverton for
land in Shenley. (fn. 27) In 1198 7 virgates in Shenley
were quitclaimed by Robert son of Ralph to Thomas
Maunsell, (fn. 28) to whom Nicholas Maunsell quitclaimed a
rent of 40s. in the same year. (fn. 29)
In 1223 (fn. 30) and 1229 (fn. 31) Thomas Maunsell presented
to the church, and he or a successor of the same name
paid scutage for Shenley in 1236 (fn. 32) and was returned
as lord of the vill in 1254. (fn. 33) Thomas Maunsell supported Simon de Montfort against the king, and it
was probably during his absence that John de Grey
about 1276 seized the manor, which he wasted, appropriating all he could and selling part. (fn. 34) Shenley was
forfeited and granted to William de Aette (Ayet or
Eyet), in accordance with the 'Dictum of Kenilworth.' (fn. 35) It was demised by William to Isabel de
Albini, Countess of Arundel, the overlord, and by
her granted, together with the custody of the heirs of
Thomas Maunsell during their minority, to Richard
de la Vache, (fn. 36) who was therefore the lord of Shenley
in 1278, (fn. 37) and who acquired land there in that year. (fn. 38)
Thomas Maunsell had left two daughters, Mabel,
whom Richard de la Vache married to his son
Richard, and Alice, who about 1283 married Robert
Verdon (fn. 39) without her guardian's permission, and
entered on certain lands in Shenley which Margery
widow of Thomas Maunsell held in dower. (fn. 40) This led
to trouble with Richard de la Vache the elder, against
whom the Verdons brought a suit in 1284 to obtain
possession of their moiety of the manor, (fn. 41) and both
Richard de la Vache the elder and the heirs of
Thomas Maunsell laid claim to the manorial rights
in Shenley that year. (fn. 42) In 1285 both sisters and their
husbands redeemed their father's lands from William
de Aette (fn. 43) and divided Shenley between them, the
moiety appertaining to the Vaches being settled by
them in the following year on Robert de Broughton. (fn. 44)
It was seized by the Crown for their default against
Thomas Poyle, and an attempt to regain it in 1290
evidently succeeded, (fn. 45) for in 1294 Richard de la
Vache was dealing with land in Shenley, (fn. 46) and in
1308 he settled his Shenley property on himself for
life, with remainder successively to his sons Matthew
and Richard and his daughter Maud and their heirs. (fn. 47)
Matthew succeeded to Shenley before 1316, (fn. 48) and in
1326 a settlement was made by Walter de la Vache
of a messuage and 24 acres of land in Shenley on
himself for life, with remainder successively to William
son of Wymark of Shenley, to Joan sister of William,
to Walter son of Matthew de la Vache, Thomas his
brother and Walter's heirs. (fn. 49) The Vaches' moiety of
SHENLEY MAUNSELL MANOR, so-called during
the 14th and 15th centuries, (fn. 50) descended with their
manors in Aston Clinton and Chalfont St. Giles
with which it was included in the settlements in the
late 14th and early 15th centuries. (fn. 51) It passed with
Aston Clinton to the Kirkhams, and after the death
of Anne Kirkham, then a widow, in 1427 (fn. 52) was held
by a John Kirkham, who is described as of Shenley in
1435. (fn. 53)
Maunsell. Gules a fesse argent.
Vache. Gules three lions argent having golden crowns.
As in Aston Clinton so also in Shenley, the manorial
rights were claimed by Reynold Lord Grey de Wilton
on the death in 1442 of his father Richard, (fn. 54) to whom
Reynold's mother, the Vache heiress, had brought
the manor in marriage. (fn. 55) After a dispute with his
stepmother Margaret, (fn. 56) on whom this moiety as well
as the other (see later) had been settled, (fn. 57) Reynold
in 1447 acknowledged her life interest and that of
her second husband, Sir Thomas Grey, to VACHES
MANOR in Shenley, first so-called. (fn. 58) She died early
in 1451–2, and was survived by Sir Thomas Grey, (fn. 59)
probably a few years only, as Vaches reverted to
Reynold Lord Grey de Wilton, by whom it was
alienated in 1456 to Thomas Grey, Lord Richemount, the owner since before 1452 of the other
moiety of Shenley called Verdons (q.v.), Reynold's
renunciation of right therefore applying to the whole
manor of Shenley called Vaches and Verdons. (fn. 60) The
two manors henceforward remain in the same ownership, but the distinction between them was maintained, the names of Vaches and Verdons being
replaced by Nether and Over Shenley after the early
16th century, and occasionally by Church and Brook
End in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1460 Lord
Richemount obtained an exemplification of the grant
of Verdons, (fn. 61) and in the same year granted the whole
manor to Henry Duke of Exeter and others. (fn. 62) Both
Lord Richemount and the Duke of Exeter were
attainted as Lancastrians in 1461. (fn. 63)
Shenley escheated to the Crown, by whom it was
doubtless bestowed on John Lord Grey de Wilton,
son of Reynold, who had died in 1493, (fn. 64) since at his
death in 1499 it was accounted among his possessions. (fn. 65)
His son and heir Edmund negotiated the sale of the
manor in transactions extending from 1506 (fn. 66) to 1509,
in which latter year it was transferred to Hugh Dennis
and Thomas Wolverston, (fn. 67) who a few weeks later conveyed their interest to Robert Brudenell, justice of
the Common Pleas, as trustee for Thomas Pigott of
Whaddon, serjeant-at-law. (fn. 68) The latter died in 1520, (fn. 69)
when Shenley passed, in accordance with the terms of
his will, to his second son Francis, (fn. 70) afterwards called
of Stratton (co. Bedford). (fn. 71) In 1539 he settled it on
his son and heir Thomas, reserving to himself certain
acres of wood, (fn. 72) for which he did homage the following year. (fn. 73) In 1541, however, he was forced to convey
the manor to the Crown in exchange for other property. (fn. 74) A survey for 1550 mentions a forty years'
lease of the manor-place of Shenley made by Francis
Pigott to Richard Raven. (fn. 75) Edmund Ashfield, who
in 1546 had been appointed bailiff and steward of
the courts of the manor (fn. 76) at a salary of 53s. 4d., (fn. 77) in
1563 obtained a grant of Shenley in fee, (fn. 78) Thomas
Pigott, the son and heir of Francis, who had died in
1552, (fn. 79) releasing all right in the manor to the Crown
in the same year. (fn. 80) In 1571 Sir Edmund Ashfield (fn. 81)
settled the manor on his wife
Eleanor, with remainder to
John Fortescue, husband of
his deceased daughter Cecily,
and to their sons Robert,
Francis, William and Thomas
Fortescue in tail-male. (fn. 82) Sir
Edmund Ashfield died at
Ewelme (co. Oxford) in
January 1577–8. His son-inlaw, Sir John Fortescue, who
succeeded him, (fn. 83) purchased
before 1573 the manor of
Salden in Mursley, with which
Shenley descends for the next
100 years. (fn. 84) Shenley was sequestered in 1651 for
the recusancy of Sir John Fortescue, first baronet, (fn. 85)
and in 1652 was held by his two sons Sir John and
Edward Fortescue, (fn. 86) the elder brother apparently
renouncing his rights in it to the younger (fn. 87) after the
death of their father in 1656. (fn. 88) Edward Fortescue
was therefore in possession in 1661, (fn. 89) possibly as
trustee for Elizabeth, the elder brother's daughter, (fn. 90)
who, with her husband, Thomas Brome Whorwood,
held the manor in 1687. (fn. 91) They sold it ten years
later to John Knapp (fn. 92) of Little Linford (q.v.), with
which it descended (fn. 93) until about 1868, when Matthew
Knapp apparently sold the property to Charles
Morrell. A writ followed thereupon as to the conveyance. Some twenty years later the Shenley Park
estate passed to James Waddell, and with Westbury
Farm was purchased about 1900 by Lt.-Col. William
Duncan, J.P., for the benefit of his daughter, Mrs.
Richard Selby-Lowndes, who is now owner.
Fortescue of Salden, baronet. Azure a bend engrailed argent cotised or.
The other moiety of Shenley, held by Robert
Verdon in 1316, (fn. 94) had passed to his son Robert before
1340, in which year another son, William, renounced
the life interest which the younger Robert had given
him. (fn. 95) Robert Verdon was still holding in 1346, (fn. 96)
but before 1397 the manorial rights of this moiety
had been acquired by the overlord, Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, (fn. 97) lord of Hanslope (q.v.),
with which it descended to Richard Beauchamp Earl
of Warwick. (fn. 98) In 1408 he released to Thomas
Crawe and Robert Huggeford all his right in the
manor, (fn. 99) probably in process of transferring it to
Richard Lord Grey de Wilton, by whom it was settled
in the year of his death on his wife Margaret and his
issue by her. (fn. 100) Margaret conveyed her interest in
this moiety of Shenley, now called VERDONS
MANOR, to Thomas Grey Lord Richemount, (fn. 101)
William Grey, her son and heir by Richard Lord
Grey de Wilton, releasing his title in the manor. (fn. 102)
immediately after her death in 1452. (fn. 103) The two
moieties henceforward descend together, and their
history has been given under Vaches.
Verdon. Argent a cross azure fretty or.
Beauchamp. Gules a fesse between six crosslets or.
The manorial privileges in the 13th century comprised view of frankpledge, held twice a year, and
assize of bread and ale, (fn. 104) and were enumerated in the
grant of Shenley Manor to Edmund Ashfield in
1563. (fn. 105) Free warren bestowed on Richard de la
Vache in 1303 (fn. 106) was still claimed at the end of the
17th century. (fn. 107) Courts leet and baron were held
from the 16th to the 18th century, and free fishing was
among the appurtenances. (fn. 108)
Two manors is Shenley of 2½ hides each, held in the
time of Edward the Confessor by Wlward, one of his
thegns, and Morcar, a man of Earl Harold, were assessed
in 1086 as the only holdings in Buckinghamshire
of Richard Engaine and Urse de Bersers respectively. (fn. 109)
The two estates were in Mursley Hundred, afterwards
part of Cottesloe Hundred, and united to form the
later WESTBURY MANOR which lay in the Cottesloe part of Shenley, the amalgamation probably taking
place by the marriage of Richard Engaine with the
widow of Richard Fitz Urse. (fn. 110) Richard Engaine's
chief manor in 1086 was Benefield (co. Northampton), (fn. 111)
the head of an honour to which Westbury was attached (fn. 112)
and which passed through the families of Lisures (fn. 113) and
Bassingbourne. (fn. 114) In 1278 the overlordship was vested
in the heirs of Warner Bassingbourne, (fn. 115) but in the
assessment of 1284–6 the manor was said to be held
of the king, (fn. 116) and the Crown was returned as overlord
until the 17th century, (fn. 117) the service rendered being
one-tenth of a fee with 5s. for hidage. (fn. 118)
A manor of 2½ hides in Westbury entered in the
Domesday Book under Mursley Hundred has been
taken to be Westbury Manor in Shenley owing to the
hundredal heading. (fn. 119) It was then, however, among
the possessions of Roger de Ivri, whose lands afterwards went to form the honour of St. Valery. (fn. 120) There
is no trace of this honour in Shenley, to which, moreover, the other 2½-hide manor of Westbury, in Stodfald,
now Buckingham Hundred, was later attached. (fn. 121) The
owner of this second manor, the Bishop of Bayeux, had
as tenant Roger, (fn. 122) who may be identical with Roger
de Ivri, and it is possible that both these manors, one
held in chief and one under the bishop, were in Stodfald
Hundred, and that a later amalgamation took place,
owing to the manorial rights being held by one and
the same lord. (fn. 123)
There is no record of the subinfeudation of Westbury
Manor in Shenley until the reign of Henry III, when
it was held by Joan de Nowers. (fn. 124) Thomas son of
Stephen had lands in Shenley about 1226, (fn. 125) and may
have been related to Eustace son of Thomas, after whose
death Henry III gave Westbury in custody to Terry
(Turricus) Allmain, in possession in 1278. (fn. 126) Thomas
son of Eustace or Thomas Fitz Eustace, who attained his
majority in 1284, (fn. 127) received a grant of free warren in
Shenley in 1292. (fn. 128) In 1320 he obtained licence to have
an oratory in his house at Shenley, (fn. 129) and in 1327 he
settled the manor on himself and his wife Agnes and
their issue with remainder to his daughter Joan and her
heirs. (fn. 130) At his death about 1341 his wife Agnes had
the custody of their son Thomas, aged thirteen. (fn. 131) He
evidently died without issue male, for at Agnes's death
in 1361 Shenley Manor passed to her son and heir John
Fitz Eustace, aged twenty-two. (fn. 132) John Fitz Eustace
died in 1369, (fn. 133) and this manor was assigned in dower
to his widow Christine. (fn. 134) She afterwards married
Sir William Berland, to whom the marriage of Philip
son and heir of John Fitz Eustace was granted in
1385. (fn. 135) Philip Fitz Eustace and his wife Blanche
enfeoffed Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester and others
of Westbury Manor, to the intent that it should be
reenfeoffed to them in fee simple, but the Earl of
Huntingdon, one of the feoffees, contrary to this order
and without the consent of his co-feoffees, enfeoffed
Thomas Shelley, kt., at whose execution and forfeiture
in 1400 Westbury escheated to the Crown. (fn. 136) The
Earl of Worcester, however, re-entered the manor
without licence and enfeoffed Philip Fitz Eustace and
Blanche, (fn. 137) who obtained the king's pardon in January
1402–3, (fn. 138) and in June of that year they enfeoffed
Nicholas Wolbergh, John Whitwell and others, (fn. 139) a renunciation of right being made in the following month
by Agnes Verdon, daughter of Thomas Fitz Eustace. (fn. 140)
Notwithstanding the legalization of this transaction by
the king, (fn. 141) in December of that year he granted Westbury as a forfeiture of Thomas Shelley to John Cope
for life. (fn. 142) The grant appears to have been ineffective,
and in the following February 1403–4 the feoffees'
title was strengthened by a renunciation of rights from
John Hartshorn, from whom Philip Fitz Eustace had
borrowed money. (fn. 143) In the following December the
feoffees obtained a release of claim to Westbury from
Richard brother and heir of Thomas Shelley. (fn. 144) The
manor was held to the use of Nicholas Wolbergh and
his heirs, and after the death in 1419 of John Whitwell, the surviving feoffee, Westbury passed to Cecily
daughter and heir of Wolbergh and wife of William
Sydney. (fn. 145) In 1430 they settled Westbury on themselves and their sons William and Richard in tailmale, (fn. 146) and it was apparently
the son William who died
seised of the manor in 1462,
leaving two infant daughters,
Elizabeth and Anne, who
afterwards married John
Hampden and William Uvedale respectively. (fn. 147) The Uvedales before 1512 appear to
have renounced their interest
in the manor to Thomas
Stafford of Tattenhoe, who
made a settlement of it that
year, (fn. 148) and to whom the
Hampdens shortly afterwards quitclaimed their
rights. (fn. 149) Westbury has since descended with Tattenhoe (fn. 150) (q.v.) to Mr. W. Selby Lowndes, the present
owner, though the manorial rights have long since
been obsolete. There are references to a windmill
on Westbury Manor in 1278 (fn. 151) and 1342. (fn. 152)
Stafford of Tattenhoe. Or a cheveron gules and a quarter ermine.
In 1278 the priory of Snelshall held 1½ virgates
in Shenley and half a virgate in Westbury, (fn. 153) and paid
rent to Woburn Abbey. (fn. 154) From this estate 12d. rent
each was paid in 1535 to Francis Pigott and to —Hampden, (fn. 155) the former of whom received a grant of
the property in 1539. (fn. 156) Two years later, however,
it passed with Shenley Manor to the Crown.
Lands in Shenley belonging to Bradwell Abbey
descended with Bradwell Manor (q.v.) to Sheen
Priory. (fn. 157) The gild of St. Margaret and St. Katherine,
Fenny Stratford, had a farm-house with dove-house
and 60 acres of land worth £20 yearly in Shenley, to
which Sir John Fortescue, bart., of Salden, Mursley,
put forward a claim in 1656. (fn. 158) This property known
as Dovehouse Farm, which was leased by Sir John or
his son in 1680, was afterwards bought by John
Knapp, (fn. 159) purchaser of the principal manor in Shenley,
into which it became absorbed.
Church
The church of ST. MARY consists of
a chancel measuring internally 23 ft. 6 in.
by 14 ft. 6 in., north vestry, central
tower 14 ft. square, north transept 12 ft. by 11 ft.,
south transept 12 ft. by 10 ft., nave 39 ft. 6 in. by
17 ft. 6 in., north and south aisles, both 7 ft. 6 in.
wide, and south porch. It is built of rubble, and
the roofs are covered with lead and tiles.
The church dates from about 1150, and originally
consisted of chancel, nave, north and south transepts,
and perhaps a central tower; but both the chancel
and tower have been rebuilt, and the only parts of
the original structure remaining are the transepts and
the west wall of the nave. About 1190 the chancel
was rebuilt and the south aisle added; the latter,
however, was rebuilt about 1350, when the north
aisle and the nave clearstory were also added. The
tower was rebuilt about 1490. The porch probably
dates from the 17th century, but has been considerably
repaired, and the whole fabric was restored in
1888–90. The vestry is modern, but stands on the
site of a chapel or sacristy built about 1180 and
destroyed when the tower was rebuilt.
The chancel was originally vaulted in two bays,
and the richly carved triple corbels which supported
the transverse and diagonal ribs are still in position
in the middle of the north and south walls, but
the vault has been destroyed. Some stones from
the moulded ribs have been re-used in the rear
arch of the east window, while a sculptured stone
lying at the south-west is probably one of the bosses.
The eastern bay retains its original windows in the
north and south walls, and the western bay has an
original window on the south. All these are single
pointed lights with moulded external arches of one
order and rear-arches of two orders, supported
generally by shafts with foliated capitals and moulded
bases, most of the shafts having annulets. On the
north is an original round-headed doorway, which
was evidently designed to open into an adjoining
building, probably a sacristy. The east wall is almost
entirely occupied by a large five-light window with a
four-centred head of about 1490, which has been
considerably repaired. A three-light window of the
same period has been inserted at the north-west, and
opposite to it, at the west end of the south wall, is a
low-side window of early 15th-century date, while
between the original windows on the south is a roundheaded doorway of about 1400. Both the north-west
window and the north doorway now open into the
vestry. There are two lockers in the chancel, one on
the north and the other on the south, and at the
south-east is a double trefoiled piscina, probably of
the 14th century, with a restored circular bowl, while
below the south-east window are two restored sedilia
of the 13th century under one segmental arch with a
moulded stone seat and dividing arm, the arm being
enriched by an attached shaft. The low-pitched
moulded roof is of the 16th century.
The ground stage of the tower communicates on
all sides with the chancel, nave, and transepts respectively by wide pointed arches of late 15th-century
date, each having three orders springing from chamfered responds with moulded capitals and bases. The
north transept, which now contains the organ loft, has
a restored 14th-century window of two lights with
tracery in the north wall, and a small round-headed
window of the mid-12th century over a modern doorway in the east wall. A 14th-century pointed arch,
the south respond of which has been replaced by the
north-west pier of the tower, communicates with the
north aisle on the west. The south transept is of
similar character but with slightly different detail;
in the east wall is a small 12th-century window,
now blocked, while an early 14th-century window
of two trefoiled lights with tracery has been inserted
in the south wall. The transept opens to the south
aisle on the west by a 14th-century arch, which
has been treated in the same manner as that on the
north. There is a locker on the south, and a rich
12th-century capital has been built into the wall at
the north-east.
The nave has north and south arcades of four bays
with pointed arches. The south arcade, which dates
from the end of the 12th century, is supported by
circular piers with crudely formed capitals and square
abaci. The north arcade is of about 1350, and the
arches rest on octagonal piers with moulded capitals
and bases. Both arcades have been repaired. The
eastern arches on both sides have been encroached
upon by the piers of the tower, which have entirely
replaced the east responds. At the west end of the
nave is a pointed doorway of the 14th century and
above it is a large 15th-century window of five
cinquefoiled lights under a four-centred head, both of
which have been extensively repaired. The clearstory
is lighted from the north by three plain windows of
two trefoiled lights, and from the south by three
pointed two-light windows with tracery, all of which,
though considerably restored, date from the 14th
century.
In the north wall of the north aisle are three
traceried two-light windows of about 1350 and a
moulded doorway, now blocked, of the same period;
all the windows have been restored. In the west
wall is a modern two-light window. The details of
the south aisle are similar in character to those of the
north. There are three 14th-century windows of
two lights in the south wall, which have also been
repaired, and a modern window at the west end.
The south doorway is also modern.
The tower rises two stages above the church roof
and is surmounted by an embattled parapet; the stair
turret at the north-east, which is continued above the
parapet, is also embattled. The turret was originally
entered by a doorway in the north transept, but this
has been blocked and a new doorway opened from
the vestry. There is a window of three lights, one
glazed and two blind, in each of the north and south
walls of the intermediate stage, and the bell-chamber
is lighted from all sides by two-light windows with
four-centred heads, all being of the late 15th century.
On the east and west walls are the weatherings of
earlier high-pitched roofs.
The font, which has an octagonal panelled bowl,
dates from the 15th century. In the chancel are
two slabs, one with a brass inscription to Thomas
Thurleby, rector (d. 1432), and the matrix for his
figure, and the other with the matrices for a figure
and inscription. There is also a marble monument
with arms to Sir Edmund Ashfield (d. 1577) and
Eleanor his wife. The monument consists of a recess
containing a white marble sarcophagus and framed by
Corinthian columns supporting an entablature and
broken pediment. In the north aisle is a large monument to Thomas Stafford of Tattenhoe (d. 1607),
with a reclining alabaster effigy in armour of the
period. On the front of the tomb are the kneeling
figures of his wife, their four sons and three daughters,
each of the sons bearing the arms of Stafford, and the
daughters those of their respective husbands, Bernard,
Thakeston, and Savage, each impaling Stafford. On
the wall above the effigy is an inscription in an
architectural setting surmounted by the arms of
Stafford of Tattenhoe, quartering Hastang, Burdett
and Aylesbury. Some 17th-century carved panels
are incorporated in the pulpit, and the legs of the
communion table in the south transept are of the
same period.
The tower contains a ring of six bells; the treble
is modern, while the second and third are by Newcome, 1615 and 1616 respectively, and the fourth
and fifth by Bartholomew Atton, 1593 and 1610.
The tenor, which bears the inscription 'Missi De
Celis Abeo Nomen Amen Gabrelis,' was probably
cast by Robert Burford in the early 15th century. (fn. 160)
There is also a small bell with no inscription, but
probably of the 17th century.
The plate consists of an 18th-century chalice and
paten, and a modern flagon.
The registers begin in 1653.
Advowson
The advowson of the church
of Shenley, mentioned in 1223, (fn. 161)
descended with the manor until
about the middle of the 19th century, since then it
has been held by a succession of owners, incumbents
of Shenley. (fn. 162) The church was valued at £12 yearly
in 1291 (fn. 163) and at £23 in 1535. (fn. 164)
Rents amounting to 11s. 4d. were applied to the
keeping of obits and maintenance of a lamp, (fn. 165) and
the property from which they issued was granted to
Sir Edward Bray in 1553. (fn. 166) Hugh Earl of Chester
bestowed the tithes of Shenley on the abbey of
St. Evroul, Normandy, to which Ralph Earl of
Chester confirmed them in 1121–9. (fn. 167)
Charities
The almshouses, erected about
1615, under the will of Thomas
Stafford of Tattenhoe, consist of six
cottages endowed with a rent-charge of £35 issuing
out of an estate at Great Linford; they are regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of
17 March 1882. By the scheme the inmates are limited
to three in number, the remaining cottages being let
and the rents applied in augmentation of the income
of the charity.
The Bread Charity.— Robert Seeling, by his will
proved in the P.C.C. 8 November 1681, devised £3
yearly to the poor in bread. The annuity is paid
out of land formerly called Nether Lawn, now the
property of Mr. Richard Selby-Lowndes.