SHERINGTON
Serintone (xi cent.); Sirinton, Schirinton (xii cent.);
Shyriton (xiii cent.); Shringtone, Scringtone, Sheryngton (xiv cent.); Shryngton (xiv–xv cent.).
This parish covers 1,805 acres, of which 605 are
arable, 944 permanent grass and 45 woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is various, the subsoil limestone
and clay, the principal crops grown being wheat,
barley, beans and roots. The ground falls from
about 300 ft. above the ordnance datum in the north
to about 200 ft. in the west and south, where the
River Ouse and Chicheley Brook form the boundary.
The river is here crossed by Sherington Bridge, a
structure of three large and two small arches (fn. 2) which
carries the main road from Onley to Newport Pagnell.
This road is joined about a quarter of a mile east of
the river by the high road to Bedford.
The village of Sherington, which is large and
straggling, lies along the road from Newport Pagnell
to Olney, here called High Street. Gun Lane (which
ends as Parson's Lane) and Perry Lane branch off to
the east and south-east from the High Street, and
with it almost encircle the village, the northern and
higher end of which is called Church End, this name
appearing early in the 16th century. (fn. 3) Here the
church of St. Laud the Martyr stands on elevated
ground, with the rectory about 300 yds. to the south.
The latter is a 17th-century stone house of two stories,
built probably about 1607, the date inscribed upon a
stone set in the south wall; additions and alterations
have been made in modern times. Some original
panelling still remains in the hall. Near it is the
school. Yew Tree Farm, in the village, is a stone
house of the late 16th century, with subsequent additions; a panel on the north front bears the date 1595.
Further to the south is another stone house of about
the same date, now called the Laurels. It retains
some original fittings, including the staircase. At the
south end of the village is the Manor House, now
occupied by Mrs. Taylor. The present house, which
was built probably in the 18th century, is surrounded by a moat. It is uncertain to which manor
this house belonged, but as the Umneys, who owned
Caves Manor, apparently resided here, (fn. 4) it may have
been the manor-house of that manor. The principal
manor-house, which was occupied by the Linfords,
Ardes, Lowes, Adams and Chesters, was situated north
of the church, according to Browne Willis. (fn. 5) Another
manor-house in the parish, which is now known as
the Mercers' Farm, is situated to the north of the
Manor House.
There is a Methodist chapel north-west of
Mercers' Farm, and a Congregational chapel is
situated north-east of the Manor House and south of
Crofts End.
In the west of the parish are parts of an abandoned
railway.
About a quarter of a mile south of the village
is a district called Chicheley Hill. The northeastern angle of the parish is occupied by Sherington
Wood.
The parish was inclosed by Act of Parliament in
1796, (fn. 6) the award being dated 4 July 1797. (fn. 7)
Among place-names have been found: Wallecot
Furlong, Godescote, Crosfurlong (undated deed) (fn. 8) ;
Longcroft Hale, (fn. 9) Pirifurlong, Grenedig, Barndbeg (fn. 10)
(xiii cent.).
Manors
In 1086 SHERINGTON was included
among the lands of the Bishop of Coutances, and was assessed at 10 hides.
Six hides of this manor had previously been held as
one manor by Edwin son of Borret, 1 hide had
been held as one manor by Alwin his man, and
3 hides as one manor by Osulf, a man of King
Edward, the last two being able to assign and sell. (fn. 11)
This land owed the service of two knights, (fn. 12) each of
the three manors, later distinguishable in this parish
as Sherington, Cockfield and Fitz Johns, being afterwards answerable for that proportion of the original
estate which they represented. This arbitrary division
of responsibility seems, however, to have resulted in
some confusion, for, though one-third of the whole
two fees went to form Fitz John's Manor, (fn. 13) the
remaining two estates were still said to owe one fee
each. (fn. 14) The tenants of the more important of these,
Sherington Manor, owed suit twice yearly at
Northampton and at the hundred court, and paid
40d. for ward of La Ho (? Cainhoe Castle, Bedfordshire) and for ward of Northampton Castle. (fn. 15) The
other fee at that date (1276) was said to be held of
the king in chief, but the Abbess of Fontévrault, by
gift of the king's ancestors, took the 32s. due. (fn. 16) In
1284 the service was unknown, while Sherington
Manor was held by the service of two armoured
horses in the king's army. (fn. 17) The service for the two
fees is duly recorded all through the 14th century,
but in the 15th the Cockfield portion is returned as
owing one-fortieth of a fee only (fn. 18) and the chief
manor one-third of a fee. (fn. 19) An inquisition of 1637,
stating that the principal manor was held of the king
in chief, (fn. 20) corrects a former one of that year whereby
the overlordship was ascribed to Newport Pagnell
Manor. (fn. 21)
The Rectory, Sherington
After the forfeiture of the lands of the Bishop of
Coutances in the reign of William Rufus, Sherington
passed to the family of Carun (Karon, Caroun), known
also as Sherington. William
de Carun, or de Sherington,
son of Ralf de Carun or de
Sherington, bestowed the
church of Sherington on
Tickford Priory before 1150. (fn. 22)
He paid 4 marks scutage in
1160–1, (fn. 23) and was paying
scutage from that date to
1171–2. (fn. 24) He was succeeded,
probably in 1188, by his son
Richard de Carun, (fn. 25) who owed
100 marks fine for land in
Sherington in that year. (fn. 26)
Felicia, widow of William son
of Ralf, who claimed a hide of
land in Sherington in 1194, (fn. 27)
was probably the widow of
William de Sherington.
Richard must have been dead
before 1201–2, when Robert
Vipount gave the king 20
marks and a palfrey to have
the wardship of the lands of Richard de Sherington, (fn. 28)
for which lands he paid £4 farm in 1202. (fn. 29) Richard
left a son Ralph, (fn. 30) who was succeeded after 1210 (fn. 31)
by his son John, who, as John de Carun, in 1232
claimed two separate properties of 10 acres of land
and 2 acres of wood each against John son of Hawise
and John de Coveleigh and his wife Scholastica,
daughter of John de Carun's grandfather Richard. (fn. 32)
Some arrangement was concluded in the following
year, (fn. 33) and John de Carun was in possession in
1234–5. (fn. 34) He was succeeded after 1237 (fn. 35) by his
son Ralph, who died without issue. (fn. 36) Martin,
brother and heir of Ralph, (fn. 37)
complained that in 1272
several persons, including
Roger Fitz John of Hanslope,
probably identical with the
Roger Fitz John to whom
Martin gave one-third of the
manor, had carried off his
corn at Sherington. (fn. 38) He is
returned as lord in 1276 (fn. 39)
and in 1284. (fn. 40) A comparison
between an extent of the
manor taken in 1289 (fn. 41) and
another taken in 1295, after
Martin's death, (fn. 42) shows a decrease in the number of acres of land, &c., which
may be due to the alienation of the third to Fitz John.
Martin was succeeded by his son Roger, (fn. 43) against
whom complaint was brought in 1298 by David le
Graunt that, after demising the manor to him for a
term of years, Roger de Carun had entered with Simon
Spigurnel, before the term was expired, had ejected
Graunt's men and carried away corn and other goods. (fn. 44)
Roger de Carun died before June 1301 seised of the
manor, and leaving a daughter Sibyl, then under two
years, (fn. 45) who, as the heir of Roger de Carun, was returned
as holding Sherington in 1302. (fn. 46) Three years later
Reynold de Grey successfully claimed against her
guardian, Richard Golde, one-third of six messuages,
2½ virgates of land, 40 acres of wood, and 6s. 1½d. rent
in Sherington as dower of her mother Joan. (fn. 47) The
custody of the person and lands of Sibyl had been first
granted by the king to Edmund Earl of Cornwall,
whose executors sold it to Richard Golde. He granted
it to his brother Thomas Golde, by whom it was in turn
granted to Roger de Pateshull (? Pattishall, Northamptonshire), parson of Bletsoe (co. Beds.). (fn. 48) While in
his custody Sibyl was in 1311 carried off by John de
Burgh, who, with a crowd of armed supporters, broke
the hearthstone and windows of the manor-house, and
married her against the will of her guardian. (fn. 49) Complaint of forcible entry was made in 1313 (fn. 50) ; in the
following year John de Burgh and Sibyl, then his
wife, having proved her age, had seisin of her father's
lands. (fn. 51) Her husband had apparently acted with
the king's consent, (fn. 52) and Sibyl, being deaf and
dumb, was unable to hear or to give evidence (fn. 53) ;
the case against John de Burgh was still unconcluded in 1315. (fn. 54) In 1316 he was holding the
manor, (fn. 55) but before 1327 Sibyl was apparently
married to Richard Linford, then described as Richard
Linford of Sherington. (fn. 56) He was returned as lord in
1346, (fn. 57) and in 1348, with his wife Sibyl, settled the
manor on themselves and their heirs. (fn. 58) Richard
Linford was succeeded by his son John, who in
1355 acquired a carucate of land in Sherington, (fn. 59)
and died in 1360, (fn. 60) when the wardship of his lands
and son and heir John was granted to Roger Grote
(or Groton). (fn. 61) During the minority of this John
Linford a rent of 18 marks was paid out of the manor
to Henry Sterky, who assigned this annuity first to John
Fitz Richard of Olney and then to Sir Ralph Basset
of Drayton. (fn. 62) John Linford proved his age on
2 October 1372, (fn. 63) and obtained seisin of his lands on
2 February 1373–4. (fn. 64) In 1383 he acquired licence
to settle the manor on himself and his wife Katherine
in tail, with remainder to Roger Groton of Calverton
in tail and final remainder to himself in fee simple, (fn. 65)
the settlement taking place in 1386. (fn. 66) In the following year John Linford incurred a debt to John Hende,
to whom the manor, of which an extent was taken at
that time, was afterwards assigned in security. Linford re-entered the manor and ejected Hende, who
thereupon sued him, obtaining a verdict in his favour. (fn. 67)
John Linford died seised of Sherington in 1401, when
he was succeeded by his son, a third John Linford. (fn. 68)
About 1429 either the same John or a successor of
the same name conveyed the
manor in fee simple to Walter
Fitz Richard and other
feoffees, (fn. 69) and in 1450 it was
settled by Walter Fitz Richard
on John Ardes and his wife
Isabel, (fn. 70) the daughter and heir
of John Linford. (fn. 71) According
to Browne Willis, the last
John Linford was buried in
the church with his wife Isabel,
under a monument bearing
the date 1468 (fn. 72) ; but it is
more probable that the tomb
was erected to John Ardes, the husband of the
Linford heiress Isabel, who may have taken the
name of Linford. John Ardes was succeeded by
his son Michael, lord in 1491. (fn. 73) Michael Ardes
was succeeded before 1527 (fn. 74) by his son Anthony, (fn. 75)
from whom the manor passed before 1545 (fn. 76) to
his son Edward. (fn. 77) In 1570 Edward Ardes settled
the manor on his wife Katherine, daughter of
Thomas Lowe of Clifton Reynes, with remainder in
tail-male to his sons Richard, Thomas, Israel, Francis,
Edward, Andrew, Sherington, Philip and Humphrey
respectively. (fn. 78) Edward Ardes died in November of that
year, (fn. 79) and in 1571 his widow was holding the manor, (fn. 80)
which she and her second husband Raphael Pemberton conveyed in 1588 to her son Richard Ardes. (fn. 81) In
the following year Richard Ardes conveyed to Thomas
Tyringham and Anthony his son, LINFORDS alias
ARDES MANOR, with the exception of ten messuages, one dovecot and nearly three quarters of the
land. (fn. 82) The manor descended with Tyringham (q.v.)
until sold in 1682 by Sir William Tyringham and
others, apparently trustees for Elizabeth Tyringham
and her husband John Backwell, to Roger Chapman, (fn. 83)
attorney of Newport. On his death in 1702 it passed
to his eldest son Thomas Chapman, (fn. 84) who was holding
it in 1734, when, according to Browne Willis, though
reputed the principal manor, the demesnes were worth
only £50 per annum. (fn. 85) It was purchased by Barnaby
Backwell, who, by his will dated 24 December 1753,
left the manor to the use of his wife Sarah for the
education of his eldest son. (fn. 86) It has since descended
with Tyringham, (fn. 87) the present owner being Mr. F. A.
Konig of Tyringham.
Carun. Argent a lion vert holding a cross formy fitchy gules.
Ardes. Argent a bend between six molets sable.
The land excepted from the sale of Linford's
Manor in 1589 appears to have passed to Reynes
Lowe, who with John Coles,
sen., and John Coles, jun.,
was holding a manor of LINFORD or LINFORDS in
Sherington in 1611. (fn. 88) From
Reynes Lowe it passed before
1634 (fn. 89) to a kinsman Thomas
Lowe of Sherington, (fn. 90) who
was dealing with it in 1650. (fn. 91)
In 1660, with his wife Anne,
Thomas Lowe conveyed it to
John Adams, (fn. 92) the husband of
his daughter Anne. (fn. 93) It remained in the Adams family,
by whom it was conveyed in
1725 to Sir John Chester, bart., of Chicheley (fn. 94)
(q.v.), with which manor it was still held late in the
19th century. (fn. 95)
Lowe. Argent a bend azure with three wolves' heads argent thereon.
According to Browne Willis the manor-house did
not pass with the manorial rights to the Tyringhams,
but descended with this property. (fn. 96)
A property known from the 13th century as a
manor of Sherington, and from the 15th as a manor
of CAVES or SHERINGTON, was held of the
principal manor by fealty and rent of 1d. (fn. 97) It appears
to have originated in the amalgamation of numerous
small estates in Sherington acquired by John de Cave,
from whose family it took its distinctive name. In
1253 William le Curt and his wife Amphyllis granted
him a messuage and 11 acres in Sherington. (fn. 98) In
the year before he had received a grant of 6½ acres
from William Vintner of Stratford and his wife
Emma, (fn. 99) who in 1255 granted to him a messuage,
with the reversion of all the lands in Sherington which
Sarah, wife of William le Franceys, and Olive, wife
of Ranulph le Franceys, held in dower of the inheritance of Emma, and all other lands belonging to
Emma in Sherington, John de Cave paying 60 marks
for this grant. (fn. 100) In 1257 John le Blake and his wife
Felise (apparently one of four co-heirs of a branch
of the Sherington family) granted to John de Cave
half a messuage, 20 acres of land, and one quarter of
a moiety of three mills in Sherington, which they
held in right of Felise, together with the reversion
of all lands Felise might inherit in Sherington, and
one-fourth of all the lands which Beatrice widow of
William de Sherington held in dower of her inheritance there, John paying 20 marks for this grant. (fn. 101)
John de Cave acquired more land from Simon son
of Gervase and his wife Agatha in 1260, (fn. 102) and in
1261 from Jane daughter of Richard de Newenton,
a messuage, one-eighth of a mill, and all Jane's pasture
between the Ouse and the arable lands. (fn. 103) He was
probably dead before 1275, when Geoffrey Kaldsweyn
and Lucy his wife, and Eustace le Carpenter and
Hawise his wife, granted two parts of a messuage and
18 acres of land in Sherington to Robert de Cave. (fn. 104)
All this property, now first called a manor, was
demised by Robert de Cave for ten years to William
de Cave. The latter assigned his term to John de
Thorntoft, whose executors in 1291 complained that
in spite of this demise, Robert, with his sons John
and Nicholas, among others, had entered the manor
and ejected them. (fn. 105) It was probably the son John
here mentioned who in 1318 granted a messuage,
land, and rent in Sherington to Richard de Cave,
with remainder to Thomas, Robert, and Roger,
brothers of Richard, and to his own right heirs. (fn. 106)
Richard, who appears to have been John's eldest son,
was appointed sheriff on 30 May 1319, (fn. 107) and in 1322
obtained the restoration of his lands in Sherington
which had been forfeited on information that he was
in the company of rebels against the Crown at
Kingston, though in matter of fact he had been with
the Bishop of Ely in the Isle of Ely for its protection.
At the same time Roger de Cave, probably his brother,
who had been arrested as a rebel, was delivered by the
sheriff. (fn. 108) There is mention of Richard Cave of Buckinghamshire two years later, (fn. 109) and of John Cave in
1363, (fn. 110) 1364, (fn. 111) 1378 and 1381, (fn. 112) and the manor probably remained for some time in the Cave family, since,
when it next appears in 1491, it was designated Cave's
Manor. Richard Maryot died seised of it on 18 July
of that year, leaving a daughter and heir Joan, wife
of Humphrey Catesby. (fn. 113) The manor appears to
have been held by Katherine, widow of Richard
Maryot, still alive in 1526, (fn. 114) since 15 acres of pasture
was all that Humphrey Catesby held in Sherington
at his death in 1503, (fn. 115) and Katherine was sued for
detaining the deeds of the manor of Sherington by
Margaret Horsington. She claimed as daughter and
eventual heir of Hugh Horsington, after the death
of his son John and of the latter's son Randolph
without issue. (fn. 116) For more than a century all trace
of this manor is lost, but in 1627 it was conveyed by
Sir Francis Clarke to Sir Richard Norton, bart., and
others, (fn. 117) probably trustees for William Norton, who
was living at Sherington in 1634. (fn. 118) His widow
Anne, daughter of Sir John Brett, joined with their
son Brett Norton and his wife Sarah in a conveyance
of the manor in 1655. (fn. 119) In 1689 it had passed to
Owen Norton, (fn. 120) who was holding it in 1697 with
Robert Norton and his wife Sarah. (fn. 121) It appears to
have passed by marriage from the Nortons to the
Pargiters, and again by marriage, circa 1710, from the
Pargiters to the Smiths, being in the hands of John
Smith of Passenham (co. Northampton) in 1736,
according to Browne Willis, whose account of
Sherington, however, is very confused and by no
means reliable. (fn. 122) At the passing of the Inclosure Act
for the parish in 1796 it was held by Dryden Smith, (fn. 123)
son of Dryden Smith, shipwright of Wapping. (fn. 124) He
was succeeded by his son James, who in 1813 barred
the entail on the manor (fn. 125) as a preliminary to its
conveyance to Dr. Cheyne, (fn. 126) whose trustees in 1857
sold it to Alfred Umney. (fn. 127) Mrs. Umney held the
manorial rights for about thirty years, but before
1895 they had passed to George Alfred U. Nelson,
whose trustees have held since 1907.
The manor of FITZJOHNS or SHERINGTON
had its origin as abovesaid in a grant for life made by
Martin de Carun to Roger Fitz John of Sherington
of one-third of his manor, this third being quitclaimed
for ever to Roger Fitz John in 1297–8 by Martin's
son and successor Roger de Carun. (fn. 128) Roger Fitz John,
the grantee, died before June 1313, when his son
Robert was his heir. (fn. 129) Robert held in 1316, (fn. 130) and
in 1351 there is reference to John son and heir of
the late Robert Fitz John of Sherington. (fn. 131) John
Fitz John of Sherington in 1369 claimed a toft, 30 acres
of land, and 2 acres of meadow, as heir of his grandfather Roger, and great-grandfather Roger Fitz John,
against Emma, daughter of Thomas Fitz John, and
three other ladies (? apparently co-heirs with her of
Roger Fitz John, John's great-grandfather) and their
husbands. (fn. 132) John Fitz John, or a successor of the same
name, died seised of the manor on 31 March 1413. (fn. 133)
His son John, who then succeeded, appeared in pleas
of debt in 1425 (fn. 134) and 1426. (fn. 135) In 1436 John Fitz
John granted half of a messuage, many acres of land,
a rent of 6s. 5d. (in all apparently a moiety of this
manor) to John Chamberlain and Margaret his wife
for life (fn. 136) ; and in 1440 granted the reversion of this
moiety together with the other half to Nicholas
Wymbyssh, clerk, and others, (fn. 137) apparently feoffees.
In 1491 the manor, then for the first time called
Fitz Johns, was held by Richard Maryot with his
other property in Sherington, (fn. 138) but after this date its
history becomes obscure for more than a century.
In 1599 the site of the manor of Fitz Johns was
held by William Mountgomery and his wife Margaret, (fn. 139) who two years later conveyed this manor, then
called Sherington, to their son Sherington Mountgomery. (fn. 140) This was possibly the property which in
1623 Sir Anthony Chester, bart., held in Sherington, (fn. 141) and which was called the manor of Sherington
in 1638, when he obtained leave for his son Henry
to levy a fine with him for the purpose of making a
twenty-oneyears' lease. (fn. 142) The messuages in Sherington
held by Sir Anthony Chester, bart., and his son John
in 1687 (fn. 143) may represent this estate, which may later
have merged into the Chesters' manor of Linford in
this parish.
One fee, or half of the original estate in Sherington,
was obtained in the 13th century by the Cockfield
family, by whose name this manor was later distinguished. Though the Caruns do not appear to
have subinfeudated this fee, which was held by the
Cockfields of the king in chief, yet they evidently had
some interest, since it reverted in the 14th century to
their successors the Linfords, of whom tenements in
the manor were afterwards held. (fn. 144) Robert de Cockfield
(Cocfeud, Kockefeud) was in possession c. 1235. (fn. 145) He
was probably identical with the Robert de Cockfield
who in 1223 granted a messuage and 5 acres in Sherington to Simon son of Adam in exchange for another
messuage and a virgate quitclaimed to himself and to
Denis de Cockfield and William de Sherington by
Simon. (fn. 146) Early in 1240–1 Robert de Cockfield and
William de Sherington owed arrears of rent for the
mill-pond to Robert le Blund and his wife Mabel,
who renounced their claim to the arrears and all
future rent. (fn. 147) Robert de Cockfield, still alive in
1260, (fn. 148) appears to have been succeeded before 1276
by John de Cockfield, (fn. 149) probably his son, who by
1284 had subinfeudated this estate to Adam de
Cockfield. (fn. 150) It was probably the same Adam and
his wife Lucy whose confirmation of the gift of
2 virgates of land in Sherington by Robert de Tinchelray and Aveline his wife to the Abbess and nuns
of St. Mary (Delapré Abbey), Northampton, was
inspected and confirmed in 1328. (fn. 151) No later member of the Cockfield family is recorded as tenant,
and this fee reverted to the Linfords, who had succeeded the Caruns in the principal manor. It must
be this manor which in 1374 was bestowed by John
Linford on Henry Lord Grey de Wilton, for although
it was then said to be held of the king in chief for 3s.
yearly at Northampton Castle and 5s. hidage to the
king, a service associated with the principal manor of
Linfords, and although it was expressly stated that
John Linford had nothing except this manor, (fn. 152) yet
the Linfords continued to hold the principal manor,
and the Greys certainly afterwards owned the manor
once held by the Cockfields. In 1380 Henry Lord
Grey de Wilton made a settlement on himself and
his wife Elizabeth of Sherington Manor, (fn. 153) a third of
which, at his death in 1396, was said to be held for
life by Joan Basset in dower, of the gift of her
husband Ralf Basset. (fn. 154) The Greys of Wilton also
held Water Eaton Manor in Bletchley, but after the
death of Richard Grey in 1442 (fn. 155) the two manors
appear to have diverged, the renunciation of claim by
Margaret, Richard's widow, in 1448 (fn. 156) evidently not
taking effect, since property in Sherington, amongst
which were closes called Jurdens and Heynes, was
included among Margaret's dower at her death in
1452. (fn. 157) It had passed to Edward Grey of Bletchley
by 1491, when it was called COCKFIELD MANOR, (fn. 158)
and at his death in 1504 came to his cousin and heir,
Edmund Lord Grey de Wilton. (fn. 159) It was possibly
this property which was acquired by Dean Colet and
given to the Mercers' Company in trust for the
endowment of St. Paul's School in 1510, (fn. 160) and in
which the company claimed manorial rights in 1796. (fn. 161)
It is still held by the company, being known as the
Mercers' Farm.
The Bassets of Drayton held lands in Sherington
as part of their manor of Olney, and in 1326 (fn. 162) and
1331 (fn. 163) Ralph Basset of Drayton complained that his
free warren, etc., in Sherington had been broken into
by Richard Linford and others. These lands descended
with the manor of Warrington in Olney. The
Bassets about 1359 obtained Newton Blossomville
Manor (q.v.), with which this property, described as
50 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, and 10s. rent, (fn. 164)
descended through the Earls of Stafford and Dukes
of Buckingham, and with which it was granted to
Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers, in 1524. (fn. 165)
A property mainly in Sherington, but extending
into the neighbouring parish of Lathbury and comprising four messuages, 100 acres of land, 20 acres of
meadow, 10 acres of pasture, 6 acres of wood called
le Hoo, 15s. assize rent, (fn. 166) was known in the 17th
century as LE HOO MANOR. (fn. 167) A Margery Del
Hoo is mentioned in connexion with Lathbury in
1278, (fn. 168) and about that date Joan Dakeney, lord of
the principal Lathbury Manor, claimed warren and a
new park at le Hoo. (fn. 169) The Tyringhams held rights
over this estate in 1405 (fn. 170) and probably earlier, for
Sir Roger Tyringham and Simon his brother were
among those who broke Ralph Basset's closes in 1331. (fn. 171)
It descended with their manor of Tyringham (q.v.),
with which it was held in 1614 by Sir Antony
Tyringham. (fn. 172)
Two virgates in Sherington were granted to
Tickford Priory with the church, to which one of
them belonged, (fn. 173) and at the dissolution of the priory
were bestowed in 1526 on Cardinal Wolsey for the
college founded by him in Oxford. (fn. 174)
A mill worth 26s. was held with the manor in
1086. (fn. 175) The mill pond passed into the possession
of Robert de Cockfield and William de Sherington
early in 1240–1, (fn. 176) and the former had evidently a
right to the mills in Sherington in 1260. (fn. 177)
An extent of the principal manor of 1301 included
two-thirds of a fishery in the Ouse. (fn. 178) The remaining
third was evidently granted to the Fitz Johns with
their third of the manor of Sherington, as the moiety
of a third of a fishery in the water of Sherington was
held with a moiety of Fitz Johns Manor in 1436. (fn. 179)
Free fishing in the Ouse and waters of Sherington was
attached to the principal manor in the 18th and 19th
centuries. (fn. 180)
Free fishery in the Ouse was held with the manor
of Caves in 1813. (fn. 181)
A several fishery in the Ouse was granted with
Cockfield Manor to Henry Lord Grey de Wilton by
John Linford in 1374. (fn. 182)
Church
The church of ST. LAUD consists of
a chancel measuring internally 30 ft.
10 in. in length with a mean width of
16 ft., north vestry, central tower 11 ft. 4 in. by
11 ft., nave 54 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft. 4 in., north and
south aisles each 10 ft. wide, and south porch. It is
built of large rubble; the roof of the chancel is
covered with tiles and those of the remainder of the
church with lead.
A church existed here in the 12th century, (fn. 183) but
the earliest parts of the present building, consisting
principally of the north arcade and the lower stage
of the tower, date from about 1250, when the church
appears to have consisted of a chancel, central tower,
nave and narrow north aisle. Both the chancel and
north aisle were rebuilt early in the 14th century, and
it is probable that the completion of the tower was
contemplated at the same time, (fn. 184) but little beyond the
insertion of the turret stairway was completed at this
time. About 1350 the south aisle and the twostoried porch were added, and the nave was widened
towards the north, its west wall being rebuilt. The
bell-chamber and buttresses were added to the tower
late in the 15th century, when the nave clearstory
was also added or remodelled, new tracery was inserted
in the large west window, and the nave and aisles were
re-roofed. In 1870 the whole fabric was restored and
a modern vestry has been added.
The chancel widens out towards the east, and was
probably begun at that end before the original structure
was removed. The head and jambs of the pointed
east window, enriched internally with a continuous
edge-roll, are of the 14th century, but the tracery is
modern. On the south are two three-light windows
with vertical tracery, both of which were inserted in
the late 15th century, and a moulded doorway of
the 14th century with a segmental head, while a small
low-side window of one trefoiled light pierces the
tower buttress at the south-west. There is now no
piscina, but on the south are three sedilia of the 15th
century, all under one head with chamfered mullions
and unpierced vertical tracery. A large recess has
been formed at the north-west for the organ, and there
is a modern aumbry at the north-east.
Plan of Sherington Church
The tower is of three stages, with diagonal buttresses
extending to the foot of the bell-chamber, and is surmounted by an embattled parapet and slender spirelet.
The ground stage opens to the chancel and nave by
pointed arches of about 1250, each of three chamfered
orders supported by large responds of trefoil plan with
moulded capitals and bases. When the bell-chamber
was added in the 15th century it was evidently found
desirable to reinforce the north and south walls of
the tower, in order that the structure should be more
accurately square; this was done from the inside.
At the south-west is a pointed doorway to the turret
stairway, and above it is a four-centred doorway, now
blocked, which led to the rood loft. There is no
external division between the two lower stages, and
they are quite plain except that the second stage has
a small pointed window on the south. The bellchamber is lighted from all sides by twin windows,
each of two cinquefoiled lights under a four-centred
head; the contrast with the plain walls below is
greatly enhanced by the projection of the bellchamber on all sides on four-centred arches which
spring from the upper parts of the buttresses, and,
except where interrupted by the stair turret, span the
walls between them.
The nave has arcades of four bays with pointed
arches on either side. The north arcade, which is supported by circular columns with moulded capitals and
bases, dates from about 1250, but it appears to have
been reconstructed about 1 ft. further to the north
in the mid-14th century, when the south arcade
was built. The west respond is formed by a semicolumn, but the east respond is of the same plan as
those of the tower arches. The south arcade is supported by octagonal piers and responds with moulded
capitals and bases. There is a large pointed window
of five cinquefoiled lights on the west, with jambs
and head of the 14th century, but the tracery is
of the late 15th century; the nave is further lighted
by a clearstory with four windows on either side,
each of three uncusped lights under a four-centred
head.
The eastern part of the north aisle is lighted by
two four-centred windows which were inserted about
1500, one of these, of three lights, being on the east
and the other, of two lights, on the north. At the
south end of the east wall is a 13th-century piscina,
with a trefoiled head and round bowl, now partially
covered by the north wall of the nave. The north
doorway has a pointed head and elaborate continuous
mouldings, but only the east jamb and part of the arch
are original. Near the west end of the north wall is
an original pointed window of two trefoiled lights with
flowing tracery.
The south aisle is lighted by three large windows
on the south and one on the east. The east window,
with the exception of the label, has been entirely
renewed externally, and modern tracery has been
inserted in the south-east window, but the adjacent
window on the west, with its fine flowing tracery,
dates entirely from about 1350; the pointed south
doorway, enriched with continuous mouldings, is also
of the same period. To the east of the doorway is a
low plain recess with a depressed head, and to the west
of it is a pointed doorway to the parvise stairway. The
south-west window, which has uncusped lights and
restored geometrical tracery, dates from the 13th
century, and was probably reset here from the nave
wall when the aisle was built. At the south-east is
a trefoiled piscina of the 14th century with a broken
quatrefoil bowl, and on the face of the east respond
of the arcade is a trefoiled image niche.
The ground stage of the porch is carried by a
stone quadripartite vault with chamfered ribs, and has
wall arcades on the east and west, each consisting of
three trefoiled arches with traceried spandrels, that on
the west being modern; at the north-east is a plain
stoup, the bowl of which has been broken away. The
entrance archway has been extensively repaired. The
parvise has small pointed windows and a straight
parapet.
The nave has a low-pitched moulded roof of about
1500, with shields at the feet of the intermediate
rafters. The aisles have lean-to roofs of the same
period, that of the north aisle having figures at the
feet of the principals, one holding a scroll and the
others shields.
The font, which dates from the late 14th century,
is octagonal and has a panelled bowl and stem, and
a moulded base. On each side of the bowl is a
defaced figure of a saint under an ogee crocketed label.
The figures of St. Paul, St. Andrew and St. Catherine
can be easily recognized. On one of the stalls is a
leather bound book of Common Prayer 'Printed by
the Assigns of John Bill Deceased and by Henry Hills
and Thomas Newcomb, Printers to the Kings most
excellent Majesty. 1683'; on it is written 'Thomas
his Book 1686'
The tower contains a ring of five bells; the second,
inscribed 'Gabrel' but not dated, the fourth and the
tenor, both dated 1591, were all cast at Bedford by
one of the Watts family; (fn. 185) the fourth and tenor are
inscribed with the letters of the alphabet, the former
in Gothic smalls and the latter in Gothic capitals.
The treble is by Pack & Chapman of London, 1773,
and the third by Henry Bagley, 1672.
The communion plate consists of a chalice and
cover paten of 1733, dated 1735; a flagon of 1769;
a spoon of 1806; and a chalice and standing paten,
both of 1843.
The registers begin in 1695.
Advowson
The advowson was held by the
Caruns or Sheringtons with the principal manor until granted by William
de Sherington to Tickford Priory at some date before
1150. (fn. 186) An attempt made in 1229 by John de
Carun, William's great-grandson, to recover possession
of the advowson, in spite of the confirmation of his
father Ralph, was unsuccessful, (fn. 187) and it remained in
the possession of the priory (fn. 188) until granted by it in
1293 to the Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 189) It remained the
property of the bishops (fn. 190) till 1852, when it was transferred to the Bishop of Oxford. (fn. 191)
The church was taxed at £13 6s. 8d. in 1291, (fn. 192)
and at £20 10s. 8d. in 1535. (fn. 193)
A rent of 8d., issuing from land in Sherington held
by Gervase de Carun, was devoted by his brother
Richard (temp. Richard I) to the maintenance of
a lamp before the altar in the church. (fn. 194) At the
dissolution of the chantries it was found that land
worth 6d. yearly was given for an obit, and other
land, worth 11d. yearly, for a lamp. (fn. 195)
Charities
Edward Fuller, by his will, 1705,
devised £5 yearly, to be applied
on 27 March as follows: 20s. to the
minister for a sermon, 10s. to be expended on the
minister and churchwardens, 5s. to the parish clerk,
and £3 5s. to be distributed in half-crowns to twentysix poor. The rent-charge is paid as to £2 10s. out
of the Latimer estate belonging to Lord Chesham,
£1 5s. out of Gregory's Field, and £1 5s. out of
Umney's Close, both in Sherington.
Stonepits Land.— There is a piece of land in the
parish containing 2 a. 2 r. 31 p., let at £8 10s. 6d.
yearly, which is applied by the Parish Council in
lighting the village with street lamps.
Unknown donor's charity or Midsummer Holm
consists of a yearly rent-charge of £2 issuing out of
Waypost Close, now belonging to Mr. George Fleet,
which is applied in aid of church expenses.
Alfred Umney's charity, founded by will proved at
London 25 November 1863, consists of £371 14s. 4d.
India 3½ per cent. stock with the official trustees, the
dividends of which, amounting to £13 yearly, are
applicable in aid of the religious and moral instruction
of poor children of the parish.