LETCOMBE REGIS with EAST CHALLOW and WEST CHALLOW
Ledencumbe (xi cent.); Leddecumbe, Ledecumba
(xii cent.); Ledecumbe, Dunledecumbe (xiii cent.);
Ledecombe, Ledcombe, Letecombe, Ledecombe
Regis, Dunledcombe (xiv cent.); Letcombe (xvi
cent.); Nether Letcombe (xvii cent.).
The village of Letcombe Regis lies at the foot of
the Berkshire downs, though part of the township
extends over the ridge and a mile down the southern
slope. Exclusive of Challow the parish contains
2,155 acres, of which more than half are arable. (fn. 1)
The soil is chiefly chalk, with greensand towards
the north, and the principal crops are wheat, barley
and oats. The Letcombe Brook, which rises in the
adjoining parish of Letcombe Bassett, forms for a
short distance the boundary between these parishes,
then crosses this township and finally divides it from
that of East Challow. The highest point on Greenhill Down at the south of the parish is 737 ft. above
the ordnance datum, and the lowest, where the brook
leaves the parish, about 300 ft. There are four
training stables here which employ a number of men
and boys, and water-cress is cultivated in the brook.
The population is otherwise agricultural.
In the village is a timber and plaster house dated
1698 and bearing the initials HkM. The old
manor-house is an 18th-century building near to
the church, the house now known as the Manor
being a modern building embracing some ancient
features. (fn. 2) Antwicks Manor, sometimes known as
the Moat House, from its rectangular moat recently
filled in, is comparatively modern, but stands on the
site of a much older edifice. (fn. 3)
Letcombe Castle or Segsbury Camp is a large
earthwork of the hill-top type, on the top of the
downs above the village. (fn. 4) British and Roman coins
and the remains of a Roman villa have been found. (fn. 5)
The Ridgeway runs along the ridge of the downs
south of the camp, and the Icknield Way crosses East
and West Challow on its way to Wantage.
The township of Challow (Ceueslaue, xi cent.;
Chaulea, Chaulauhe, Chawelawe, Shawelawe, xiii
cent.) lies to the north of Letcombe Regis in the
Vale of White Horse, and is now divided into two
civil parishes, East and West Challow, each with its
own church, but forming together since 1852 one
ecclesiastical parish. (fn. 5a) The parish of East Challow
contains 1,657 acres, of which the greater part is
permanent grass, 5 acres only being woodland. West
Challow contains 1,070 acres, of which 109 are
arable and 272 permanent grass. (fn. 6) The subsoil is
Gault and the greater part of East Challow is dairy
land, while the principal crops on the remainder
are wheat, beans, oats and turnips. The Letcombe
Brook bounds the parish on the south, but the greater
part of the area is drained by the Childrey and
Woodhill Brooks. The highest point, near the south
of the parish, is 469 ft. above the ordnance datum,
while in the north the land falls to about 200 ft. The
Great Western main line has a station at West
Challow. The Berkshire Canal crosses the parish,
as do the high roads from Ashbury and Faringdon
to Wantage. The population is mainly agricultural,
though there is a factory in East Challow.
Acts for inclosing the common fields in Letcombe
Regis and East and West Challow were passed in 1801
and the award is dated 5 October 1804. (fn. 7) Letcombe
Field was transferred from Letcombe Regis to Childrey
in 1887 and at the same date part of Sparsholt was
transferred to West Challow. (fn. 8)
Joan wife of Richard Vokins of West Challow, a
Quakeress, and daughter of one Bunce of Charney,
went on a missionary journey to America and the
West Indies in 1680. She died in 1690, and
her brother-in-law, Oliver Sanson, published her
writings under the title of 'God's Mighty Power
Magnified.' (fn. 9)
Manors
The manor of LETCOMBE REGIS
was held by King Edward the Confessor
and passed to King William, who was
holding it in 1086. (fn. 10) The overlordship has remained
with the Crown ever since.
In 1136 King Stephen granted this manor to the
church of St. Peter at Cluny, (fn. 12) and this gift was confirmed by Pope Innocent II in 1142 (fn. 13) and by King
Henry II. (fn. 14) The monks of Cluny rendered £66
13s. 4d. yearly in respect of this manor, (fn. 14) but in
1204 it was taken into the king's hands owing to
the revolt of the Normans, when a full extent of it
was made. (fn. 15) It was temporarily granted in 1205
to the abbey of Chertsey, (fn. 16) but the Cluniacs had
recovered possession before 1209, when this manor
was attached to their cell at Thetford. (fn. 17) The
manor was confirmed to Cluny by Henry III in
1238, (fn. 18) and in 1240 the abbey was excused from
all suits to hundreds and counties and other services,
paying only 100s. yearly at Michaelmas to the
Exchequer. (fn. 19)
The Abbot of Cluny leased this manor in 1261 to
the priory of Montacute, and it had apparently
before that time been leased to the priory of Bermondsey. (fn. 20) In 1277 the Prior of Montacute was
distrained for arrears of rent due to the Exchequer
which had accrued during the tenancies of the Priors
of Thetford and Bermondsey. (fn. 21) The lease to the
priory had probably terminated before 1316, (fn. 22) and
in 1337 the manor was being farmed by Robert of
Worcester. (fn. 23)
In 1341, owing to the war with France, the manor
was taken into the king's hands, (fn. 24) and the fee farm of
80 marks was granted to John de Offord in 1342, (fn. 25)
Robert giving up his lease in the same year. (fn. 26) On
the death of John in 1349 the manor was granted to
Nicholas de Oterbourne, (fn. 27) but on the
conclusion of the war the manor was restored to the abbey of Cluny in 1355. (fn. 28)
War broke out again between
England and France in 1359, and this
manor was once more taken into the
king's hands. The abbot had previously leased it for life to Sir Nicholas
de Tamworth and his wife Joan, and
it was confirmed to them by the king
in 1361, (fn. 29) and they received a grant
of free warren here in 1367. (fn. 30) After
the death of Sir Nicholas Joan married
Warin de Lisle, (fn. 31) and later she took as
her third husband Sir Gilbert Talbot.
She died in 1392, (fn. 32) when the manor
was confirmed to Gilbert, (fn. 33) who
appears to have died before 24 April
1399, as the manor was then granted
to Simon Felbrigg. (fn. 34)
Simon was dead in 1412, when
William Porter, the king's esquire, had
licence to cross the sea to bargain
with the Abbot of Cluny for the
purchase of this manor. (fn. 35) William seems to have
failed in his object, but as hostilities broke out again
in 1413 the manor was granted to him during the
continuance of the war. (fn. 36) William Porter was
confirmed in his possession in 1423, (fn. 37) but pursuant
to the provisions of the will of King Henry V the
manor was granted in 1445 to the abbey of Westminster. (fn. 38)
In 1542 it was granted by King Henry VIII to
the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, (fn. 39) , and was
confirmed to them by Queen Elizabeth in 1559–60. (fn. 40)
It remained in their hands until in 1869 it passed to
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, (fn. 41) who sold it in
1885 to Mr. Llewelyn Jotcham. Mr. Jotcham conveyed it in 1886 to Mr. Stephen William Silver, who
died in 1905, leaving all his property to his wife
Sarah Constance Silver. She died in 1908, and
the devisees under her will sold the manor in 1910
to trustees for Mrs. Fair, the wife of Captain Arthur
Edward Balfour Fair. (fn. 42)
Abbey of Westminster. Azure a chief indented or with a crozier and a mitre there in both gules.
Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The arms of St. Edward and a chief or with a pale of France and England therein between two roses gules.
Woodhill Farm, East Challow
Court Rolls of the manor of Letcombe Regis exist
from 1265 to 1271. (fn. 43)
Five mills, worth £4, are mentioned in the Domesday Survey. (fn. 44) One belonged in the 14th century to
the Babelak family, (fn. 45) and one called Hodammes Mill
occurs in the 15th century. (fn. 46) Richard Goddard died
seised of a water-mill here in 1614. (fn. 47) The present
Letcombe Regis Mill is to the north of the village
on Letcombe Brook. Near it is a fulling-mill, and
Windmill Hill, on the border between Letcombe
Regis and East and West Challow, probably marks the
site of a former mill.
The manor of ANWICKS, now ANTWICKS,
held of the manor of Letcombe Regis, appears for the
first time in 1508. (fn. 48) It must have originated in land
held by the Anwick family, who held part of the
neighbouring manor of Letcombe Bassett. Land
in Letcombe Regis was held of Thomas Anwick
(Avenwyk) in 1332 and 1335. (fn. 49) At the beginning
of the 16th century John Isbury, farmer of the
manor of Letcombe Regis, (fn. 50) held Anwicks. (fn. 51) He
sold the manor to John Daunce, but retained the
capital messuage, which he bequeathed to his widow
Elizabeth. She afterwards married John Swaynes and
outlived Isbury some thirty years. (fn. 52) Meanwhile John
Daunce sold the manor to John Audlett, who gave
it to William Hyde on his marriage with Margery
Cater. 'a near kinswoman' of Audlett. (fn. 53) William
Hyde died in 1557, leaving it to his wife Margery. (fn. 54)
His son William ultimately succeeded, dying seised of
the estate, which he left to his wife Alice, in 1567. (fn. 55)
His son William conveyed the site of the manor in
1571 to Anthony Hyde and Thomas Lyons, (fn. 56) probably as trustees for William's uncle Hugh Hyde, who
held it three years later (fn. 57) and was still living there in
1581. (fn. 58) The site probably reverted on his death to
his nephew William, and Sir George Hyde, son of
William, (fn. 59) sold the whole estate in 1611–12 to
Edmund Fettiplace, (fn. 60) of whom it was purchased in
1627–8 by Richard Aldworth (fn. 61) of Wargrave. He sold
the manor in 1629 to John Shard and William Ley. (fn. 62)
After this the history of this manor becomes
obscure. It was held in 1716 by Richard Cartwright, (fn. 63) and in 1724 Thomas and Richard Cartwright
sold it to Peter Sayer (fn. 64) of Letcombe Regis, at whose
death it passed to his nephew Joseph Sayer. He sold
it in 1759 to John Hughes of Ashbury. (fn. 65)
Again there is some obscurity, but in 1810 the
manor was held by William Heading and Elizabeth
his wife. (fn. 66) William died in 1832 and his widow in
1839 (fn. 67) ; their sons William and John Heading sold
this estate in 1841 to the Rev. Edward Hussey of
East Hendred, who sold it in 1857 to John and
Edward Rowles.
John Rowles became sole possessor of the manor
in 1861 and died in 1883, leaving all his property
to his wife Maria. After her death in 1890 her
trustees sold the manor in 1891 to Frederick Lynam.
Mr. Lynam rebuilt the house here and sold it with
the manor in 1895 to Charles Anthony Mills, of
whom it was purchased about 1900 by Richard Croker
of New York. Mr. Croker filled up the moat that
had surrounded the house and sold the estate in 1905
to James Hill, the trustees under whose will are the
present owners. (fn. 68)
Land at the north-west of the township of Challow,
afterwards known as the manor of PETWICK or
WEST CHALLOW, was granted at an early date to
the nuns of Amesbury, who were holding it in 1086. (fn. 69)
This manor followed the descent of North Fawley (fn. 70)
(q.v.), and at the time of the dissolution of the priory
in 1541 the farm of the manor with the chapel of
West Challow was worth £27 12s. and the perquisites
of the court were valued at 13s. 4d. (fn. 71)
The manor of Petwick was granted in June 1541
to Sir Thomas Seymour, who had licence on 4 July
that year to sell it to the tenant, Richard Plott. (fn. 72)
Richard died not long afterwards, and his son
Bartholomew died in 1571, leaving a son Richard, (fn. 73)
who sold the manor in 1600 to Henry Martyn, LL.D. (fn. 74)
There is now some obscurity in the history of this
manor, but it had passed before 1635 to Ralph
Pigott, (fn. 75) and remained in that family until 1802, (fn. 76)
when it was sold by John Pigott, clerk, to Thomas
Hatton and others.
Thomas Hatton, by his will proved in 1804, left
the manor to be sold for the benefit of his sons
Richard Belcher and William, and his daughters,
Anne wife of John Reade and Rebecca. They sold
the manor in 1820 to Daniel Agace of Ascot. On
his death in 1828 the manor passed to his relative
Daniel Ferard, who died in 1837, leaving it to his
eldest son Charles Cotton Ferard. (fn. 77) He left the
manor at his death in 1886 to his sons Charles Agace
Ferard and Arthur George Ferard, who sold it in 1888
to William Schoolcroft Burton. William, with Mary
Judith his wife, mortgaged the manor in 1888,
and the mortgagees sold it on 25 March 1899 to
Lord Wantage, (fn. 77a) on whose death in 1901 it passed
to his widow, the present owner of the manor.
Another estate, also in West Challow, usually called
the manor of CHALLOW, was granted by King
Henry I to Robert Achard between 1107 and 1118. (fn. 78)
It was held of the king in chief, and followed the
same descent as Aldermaston (q.v.) until the death of
Sir William Forster in 1618. (fn. 78a) His son and successor
Humphrey sold land here to Margaret White in 1620, (fn. 79)
but no further reference has been found to this
manor, and it seems probable that all the copyholds
were redeemed. Most of the land in West Challow
was purchased at different times by members of the
Pigott family, and the remainder by Daniel Agace, (fn. 80)
and is now the property of Lady Wantage.
The manor of WOODHILL (Wodhull, xiv cent.)
appears for the first time in 1554, when it belonged
to Alexander Fettiplace (fn. 81) of Rampayns in Childrey.
The owners of Rampayns had been in possession of
land at Petwick as early as 1326. (fn. 82) Woodhill followed
the descent of Rampayns Manor until 1676, (fn. 83) when
it is mentioned for the last time.
Churches
The church of ST. ANDREW
consists of chancel 28 ft. by 18 ft. 6 in.
with north vestry and organ chamber,
nave 46 ft. 6 in. by 22 ft., south porch 7 ft. square,
and west tower 12 ft. 6 in. by 13 ft., all these measurements being internal.
The two lower stages of the tower date from
c. 1195. The priest's doorway on the south side of
the chancel is 14th-century work, but with this exception the whole of the remainder of the building,
where not modern, appears to belong to the 15th
century. Some portion of the chancel walls may be
contemporary with the doorway, but the moulded
plinth suggests an entire rebuilding of the chancel in
the 15th century, at which time also the upper stage
of the tower was added and probably the nave entirely
reconstructed. The extent of the original 12th-century church can only be surmised. In the 14th
century a new chancel appears to have been built,
and the jambs of the chancel arch may belong to this
rebuilding. In the 15th-century reconstruction the
priest's doorway only survived, and the building then
assumed more or less of its present aspect. There
were the usual internal changes in the 18th century,
a west gallery containing an organ (fn. 84) being erected.
The pulpit and desk were in the south-east corner of
the nave and the squire's pew on the north side of
the chancel. A leaded roof was erected in 1737. (fn. 85)
In 1863 the church was restored, new roofs of higher
pitch erected, the gallery and fittings removed, and
the porch constructed.
The church is built of coursed rubble, originally
rough-casted, and the roofs are covered with red tiles.
The rough-cast has been stripped from the chancel
and the south wall of the nave, but remains on the
north side and on the tower.
The chancel has a four-centred east window of
three cinquefoiled lights. In the north wall is a
square-headed window of three cinquefoiled lights
near the east end with four-centred rear arch, and in
the south wall two similar windows, one on each side
of the doorway. The doorway has a pointed arch
with plain chamfered head and jambs. The west
end of the north wall is open to the organ chamber
by a modern arch and there is a doorway to the
vestry. The chancel arch is modern, resting on
older jambs of two chamfered orders. The walls are
plastered inside and the roof is a modern boarded
one of three bays. The lower part of a 15th-century
chancel screen standing 3 ft. 10 in. high, with fourcentred traceried panels on each side of the opening,
has been preserved.
The nave has two pointed windows in the north
wall, one at each end, of two cinquefoiled lights with
quatrefoil in the head, of early 15th-century date,
and above each is a square-headed two-light window
high up in the wall. Parker, in 1849, describes the
nave as having 'two tiers of small windows, (fn. 86) but this
feature now exists only on the north side. The
windows in the south wall are modern. Externally
the nave is divided into three bays by buttresses of
two stages, and the walls are plastered inside. The
north doorway has a four-centred moulded arch
without label, but is now built up, though the old
oak door remains externally, where there is a mutilated
stoup on the east side. The south doorway is modern.
The porch has a timber front and gable with stone
side walls. There were formerly seven steps down
to the nave.
The tower is of three stages with diagonal buttresses at the western angles and square ones facing
north and south on the east side. There is a string
below the later belfry stage, but the two lower stages
are externally unmarked. The parapet is embattled
and has iron ornaments at the angles and gargoyles
north and south. In the middle stage there are
original windows on the north, south and west sides,
each of two pointed lights divided by a shaft with
carved capital and moulded base. The windows
facing north and south have continuous chamfered
heads and jambs, but that on the west has an impost
moulding at the spring of the arch. The west window
in the lower stage consists of a single lancet without
label, widely chamfered outside. The acutely-pointed
tower arch is of a single order chamfered towards the
nave and springing at a height of 9 ft. 6 in. from
chamfered imposts. (fn. 87) There is no vice, access to the
belfry being by a ladder.
The font is of 12th-century date and consists of a
circular tub-shaped bowl with scalloping round the
top between two round mouldings and stands on a
circular moulded base without stem. It has a flat
17th-century wooden cover. The pulpit and other
fittings are modern.
Some old coloured glass remains in the east window,
but there was formerly more. It was described in
1849 as 'nearly perfect,' (fn. 88) but it suffered greatly in
the restoration of 1863. At the top of the middle
light is a small figure of our Lord seated, His body
bare and a yellow garment thrown over His shoulders
and lower limbs. His hands are raised and blood is
flowing from the wounds in His hands and side. A
rich nimbus is shown up by a background of blue and
gold. The feet are on either side of a circular
object and there is a groundwork of black and white
pavement below. The figure, which is within a
quatrefoil partly made up with later materials, is
older than the window and may be of 14th-century
date. Above it is the inscription Inri on a scroll,
probably from a late and now vanished crucifixion.
Lower down in the middle light are a pair of cross
bones and a yellow four-leaved flower or star, and
below these again a shield partly made up, with
some of the tinctures and bearings gone, but with
the names Langley and Tame above. Below the
shield again is a blazing sun within a circle. In the
dexter or north light is a large shield with the arms
of Montagu Earl of Salisbury (Argent a fesse indented
of three points gules), and at the bottom a made-up
shield with one lozenge and part of a black and
white pavement, together with the word '(g)audium,'
all that remains of a black-letter inscription. The
south light has a shield near the top, Or a bat vert,
which is said to be the arms of the Mermylle family,
and at the bottom a made-up shield corresponding
to that in the north light, with part of another
inscription, 'ohn Mermylle uxor sue.' (fn. 89) In
each of the three lights are small diamond-shaped
quarries with six-leaved flowers of 15th-century date
and borders of roses and crowned M's and S's. In
the smaller upper lights are a crowned female head
and the head and part of the body of another figure,
with M's and S's in circles and portions of borders.
The glass is of different dates, but most of it may be
ascribed to the 15th century.
In the vestry is a small brass of a lady, the head
gone, bearing the inscription, 'Hic jacet Alicia
Estbury filia Johis Estbury et Agnetis . . .,' (fn. 90) and
there are also mural tablets to Anne Grove (d. 1669)
and Martha (d. 1694) and Margaret (d. 1698),
daughters of the Rev. John Hunsdon, vicar. In the
nave is a mural monument erected in 1731 to Alexander Fettiplace (d. 1712), his wife, two sons and a
daughter, with the arms of Fettiplace impaling Head,
and another to Francis Pigott (d. 1756) and other
members of the Pigott family. There are also a
number of early 19th-century tablets, one exhibiting
a pedigree of the Goodlake family. (fn. 91)
There are remains of paintings on the walls of the
nave, including the figures of a man with a scythe
and a woman with a sheaf.
There is a ring of six bells: the oldest (fifth) was
cast by Joseph Carter of Reading in 1599; the third
and tenor are by Henry Knight of Reading, 1620
and 1621 respectively; the fourth by Oliver Cor of
Aldbourne, 1726; and the treble and second by
James Wells of Aldbourne, 1805. The bells were
rehung in 1905. (fn. 92)
The plate consists of an Elizabethan cup and
cover paten, the former inscribed 'Letcombe Regis
in Com. Berks,' and a flagon of 1720 given by
Mrs. Theodosia Fettiplace.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: the first
volume, which was for a long time lost, contains
baptisms and marriages from 1547 to 1697 and
burials to 1698; there are also some entries of
baptisms and marriages in 1536; the second contains
baptisms 1697 to 1794, marriages 1697 to 1754,
and burials 1698 to 1798; and the third baptisms
and burials to 1812. (fn. 93)
To the south of the church are two fine yew trees
and a monument to George King Hipango, a Maori
chieftain, who died at Letcombe Regis in 1871, aged
nineteen years.
The church of ST. NICHOLAS, East Challow,
consists of chancel 22 ft. 3 in. by 11 ft. 6 in., nave
47 ft. by 15 ft., south aisle 11 ft. wide, and south-west
tower 11 ft. square, all these measurements being
internal.
In 1858 the building underwent a very drastic
restoration, the west end and aisle being rebuilt and
lengthened and a new roof erected to the nave. Its
external appearance was further changed for the worse
in 1884 by the erection of the tower, a low embattled
structure of poor design at the west end of the aisle. (fn. 94)
Views of the building before 1858 (fn. 95) show a lowpitched leaded roof to the nave with two squareheaded clearstory windows on the south side, a bellcote containing two bells over the west gable, and
a round-headed 12th-century west doorway with a
pointed 15th-century window above. The aisle had
been rebuilt in brick in the 18th century (fn. 96) and had a
plain porch with lean-to roof covering a 12th-century
doorway. (fn. 97) In the rebuilding of the west end all the
ancient features were destroyed, as well as the south
doorway, and with the exception of the font no trace
of 12th-century work now remains. The old nave
was, however, probably of that period, and such of the
old masonry as remains, including the greater portions of the north and east walls, may be late 12thcentury work. The north wall is, however, now
covered with rough-cast and the windows are of sub
sequent date. Early in the 14th century the chancel
was rebuilt or reconstructed, the aisle added, and the
bellcote erected. The chancel arch and nave arcade,
together with the arch on the south side of the
chancel, are all of this period, but the chancel
windows are largely restored. The roofs are covered
with stone slates, except that of the aisle, which is
leaded, and the chancel is built of rubble and is without buttresses. There is now no south doorway, and
the clearstory and aisle windows are all modern.
The east window of the chancel is of three pointed
lights with early geometrical tracery, and the chancel
is further lighted on the north side by two squareheaded windows of two trefoiled lights and on the
south by one of similar character, all partially restored.
No ancient ritual arrangements remain and the walls
are plastered internally. The south wall is open at
the west end to the aisle, which extends half the length
of the chancel, forming a vestry, but whether this is
the original plan or whether the arch opened to a
chapel separate from the aisle is uncertain. The arch
is of two continuous orders with moulded label on
either side, the inner order having a wave moulding
and the outer a hollow chamfer. The chancel arch
is of two chamfered orders with hood mould towards
the nave, the outer order continuous and the inner
springing from half-round responds with moulded
capitals and bases. The oak rood screen with rood
and attendant figures dates from 1905.
The nave arcade consists of three pointed arches of
two chamfered orders with hood mould towards the
nave, springing from square piers with a half-round
shaft on each face and from half-round responds at
each end, all with moulded capitals and bases. At
the east end of the north wall is a single-light
trefoiled window and another with a square head
near the west end of the old wall, and midway a
square-headed 16th-century window of three rounded
lights. The west window and doorway and a window
at the west end of the north wall all belong to the
modern extension. Built into the wall south of the
doorway is an early 14th-century stoup with trefoiled
head and projecting basin. The tower is open to
the nave and aisle by pointed arches.
The font consists of a plain cylindrical barrel-shaped
bowl with chamfered plinth standing on a modern
circular step. It is 30 in. in height and is lined with
lead. The communion table is of 17th-century date
with four turned legs, but the top is new. The pulpit
is of wrought-iron on a stone base, and with all the
other fittings is modern.
There is some old glass in two of the nave windows,
including part of a female figure, the head of which is
missing, a representation of the Holy Trinity in yellow
stain and some later heraldic glass.
The tower contains two undated bells, the smaller
inscribed, 'R. Wells, Aldbourne, Fecit,' and the larger
without inscription, but apparently cast at the same
time. (fn. 98)
The plate consists of two cups of 1784–5 and two
patents of 1787–8, all inscribed, 'The gift of John
Craven 1788,' and a chalice of 1902–3.
The register of baptisms begins in 1813, marriages
in 1837, and burials in 1867.
The church of ST. LAURENCE, West Challow, is
in plan a plain rectangle, measuring internally 59 ft.
by 14 ft. 6 in., with north porch and bell-turret over
the west gable containing two bells.
The walls are covered with rough-cast and have
stone dressings and the roof is of stone slates. The
ridge is continuous, but the wall-plate of the chancel
is slightly higher than that of the nave, the eaves
being tilted. The chancel is 23 ft. in length and is
separated from the nave by a 15th-century oak screen.
The nave dates from c. 1190, the north doorway
being of this period, but the two windows on the
south side are nearly a century later. The west
window and the bell-turret are of 14th-century date,
and the south doorway, which is now built up, the
chancel windows and the porch belong to the 15th
century: probably the chancel was rebuilt or added at
that period. The church was restored in 1892. (fn. 99)
The east window of the chancel is of two cinquefoiled lights and there is a square-headed window of
two cinquefoiled lights in each of the side walls near
the west end. In the usual position on the south
side is a piscina recess with plain pointed head and
two modern bowls, and in the east wall on the south
side of the window a plain rounded corbel, or bracket,
at a height of 4 ft. above the floor. On the north
side of the window, 3 ft. above the floor, is a stone
shelf 2 ft. long, chamfered on the underside. The
walls are plastered internally and the roof consists of
coupled rafters with a plain tie-beam above the screen.
The floor is tiled.
The nave has square buttresses of a single stage at
the west end and on the north side a square-headed
two-light window to the east of the doorway. The
two windows on the south side each consist of two
plain lancets with a trefoiled circle above, but without label or containing arch. The north doorway
has a semicircular arch of a single order with a round
moulding on the edge, springing from moulded imposts and attached shafts with carved capitals of
Transition type. The door has old ironwork. The
south doorway is four-centred below a square label
with carved spandrels and moulded jambs and head.
The west window consists of a single cinquefoiled
light with moulded label, the jambs and head having
the characteristic 14th-century wave moulding outside. The bell gable is of stone with ogee-headed
openings.
The porch is of timber on a stone base, but the
sides, which have six cinquefoil-headed openings,
have been restored. The carved oak barge-board,
four-centred doorway with sunk spandrels, and the
general timber work of the front remain a very good
example of 15th-century work.
The chancel screen has a plain square-headed
central doorway with five cinquefoiled openings on
either side. The screen has been restored, and the
embattled cornice and plain boarding below the
mid-rail are new. The uprights are moulded, and
the height to the top of the cornice is 8 ft. The
sill forms a low step to the chancel.
The font is of late 12th-century date and consists
of a tub-shaped unmounted bowl with a moulded
and ornamented rim, set on a modern base, and
single original step. The bowl is lined with lead
and has a flat modern cover.
The pulpit is of 17th-century date, a simple but
good example of Jacobean oakwork, with two panelled
sides and moulded ledge, open at the back to the
walls and screen. The communion table is of the
same period and stands on five turned legs. The
rest of the fittings are modern. There are some fragments of old glass in the east window.
In the floor of the chancel are a number of 18thcentury blue stone slabs to members of the Pigott
family, and there are mural tablets to Elizabeth Pigott,
wife of John Hobbs (d. 1757), and the Rev. John
Holmes, vicar (d. 1730).
The plate consists of a cup of 1605–6, with the
maker's mark A. B. linked, (fn. 100) and a paten without
marks.
The registers begin in 1653, but there are no
marriages till the following year, and the first entry
of burial is in 1680.
Advowson
A church is mentioned at Letcombe Regis in 1086 as belonging
to the nuns of Amesbury. (fn. 1) It was
granted with that abbey in 1179 to the nuns of
Fontevrault, (fn. 2) and had been appropriated before 1291,
when the vicar's portion was £5. (fn. 3)
The priory of Amesbury was dissolved in 1541,
when this rectory was worth £13 (fn. 4) ; it with the
advowson was granted in the same year to the Dean
and Chapter of Winchester. (fn. 5) They exchanged this
living for that of Stoke Charity, Hampshire, in 1893
with the President and Fellows of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford, (fn. 6) who are the present patrons, but
the dean and chapter retained the rectory, which now
belongs to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
In 1541 the rectories of both East and West
Challow belonged to the nuns of Amesbury. (fn. 7) That
of East Challow passed with the rectory and advowson
of Letcombe Regis to the Dean and Chapter of
Winchester. (fn. 8)
The chapel and rectory of West Challow were
granted in 1541, with the manor of Petwick, to Sir
Thomas Seymour, (fn. 9) and have since followed the descent
of that manor.
The advowson of the united living of Challow
was transferred in 1877 by Charles Cotton Ferard of
Ascot Place, Winkfield, to the Bishop of Oxford, (fn. 10) in
whose gift the living remains.
Charities
In 1720 Mrs. Theodosia Fettiplace gave £100 for the poor. This
is now represented by £106 19s. 1d.
consols with the official trustees, the annual dividend
of which, amounting to £2 13s. 4d., is divided
among six or seven of the poorest labourers having
the largest families. The charity is known locally as
'Dorsey's,' meaning Theodosia's, charity.
George Fettiplace, by his will about 1730, gave a
rent-charge of £8, for teaching twenty poor children,
issuing out of Watt Mead, East Challow. The
annuity is being accumulated.
The official trustees also hold a sum of £24 2½ per
cent. annuities, representing the redemption in 1900
of a charge of 12s. a year for bread on a certain acre
in White Mead, which was formerly recorded on a
wall of the church as being the gift of the ancestors
of John Head. One shilling's worth of bread is
given at Easter to each of six poor widows and as
much at Whitsuntide to six large families.
It was recorded on the same inscription that
Dr. Richard Aldworth gave an annuity of £4 for the
poor, charged on the Moat House estate. This is
distributed at Christmas to about seven recipients.
The charity is regulated by a scheme of 21 October
1902.
By the inclosure award of 1804 3 a. 3 r. 33 p. in
Warborough in this parish were awarded for the
tithingman. The land is let at 30s. a year, which is
applied by the churchwardens for church expenses.
By the same award an allotment containing 3 acres
in Letcombe Regis and 1 acre in Warborough was
awarded for the repair of the roads; also 3 roods in
White Mead for similar purposes for the benefit of
the tithing of East Challow. These allotments are
now the property of the Wantage Urban District
Council, producing about £3 4s. a year.