EAST GARSTON
Esegarestun (xii cent.); Hesegerton, Esegareston
(xiii cent.); Esgarston (xiv cent.); Estgarston,
Argaston (xvi cent.); locally pronounced Argasson.
This parish consists of a strip of land 5 miles in
length extending from the Lambourn Downs on the
north to a point a little south of Ermine Street in the
south. It lies on chalk, and there are many chalkpits, some disused. The principal industry is agriculture, and 2,556 acres are under cultivation. (fn. 1) Wheat,
barley, oats and turnips are grown.
The boundaries of the manor of East Garston,
which was conterminous with the parish, are thus set
forth in 1581: 'Begin at Catstone on the north-east
. . . . thence by the meere stones unto Littell Downe
yeatt, from whence on the east side unto Shorcumbe (fn. 2)
meere stone and so to Okedge (fn. 3) lane leading to the
gate between Great Shifforde and Maydencott; . . .
from which yeatt to Henncrofte corner thence overthawrte London waie to fishers uttmoost hedge on the
south-east; thence to Dame Isabells coppice (fn. 4) on the
south-moost parte and so to Streat hatch on the west
side to Cobro, (fn. 5) thence to Catstone.' (fn. 6)
The parish is cut in two by the valley of the River
Lambourn, and East Garston is one of a series of
villages on the banks of that stream. By the side of
it, and parallel with its course, run the road from
Lambourn to Newbury and the Lambourn Valley
branch of the Great Western railway, which has a
station here. The village was described in the 16th
century as standing 'in the middest with a propper
river running thorough the same verie commodyous to
then habitaunts.' (fn. 7) The river was dry from Michaelmas
to Candlemas, but full for the rest of the year even in
the driest summer. It still has this peculiarity.
At the west end of the village street is the church
of All Saints. Near it is the Manor Farm, perhaps
on the site of the capital messuage which existed here
in the 14th century. (fn. 8) It contained in 1614 a brewhouse, 'le folks chambre' and the 'new building,' (fn. 9)
and was still in existence in 1677. (fn. 10) Goldhill Farm,
also in the village street, represents the 'tenement called
Goldhill' within the manor mentioned in 1469,
and granted to the Estbury Almshouses in Lambourn
by the founder. (fn. 11) One of the two manorial mills included in the Domesday Survey (fn. 12) existed till the
late 17th century, (fn. 13) and probably even later. (fn. 14) Maidencourt Farm lies on the river between East Garston
and West Shefford. Poughley, the only other house of
importance, is in the south of the parish.
East Garston was inclosed in 1771. (fn. 15)
Manors
The name of EAST GARSTON (fn. 16)
identifies it with the 30 hides in
Lambourn which belonged in the reign
of the Confessor to his staller Esgar. (fn. 17) It passed
with his other lands to Geoffrey de Mandeville, who
was the tenant in 1086. (fn. 18)
Before the middle of the 12th
century East Garston became
the property of the family of
London of Kidwelly in Wales.
It was held as a member of
the manor of Kidwelly by the
serjeanty of leading the vanguard of the king's army
whenever he or his justices
went to Wales. (fn. 19)
Mandeville. Quarterly or and gules.
Maurice de London, son of
William, was lord of Kidwelly
at the end of the reign of
Henry I, and was in possession of East Garston about
1141. (fn. 20) His son William (fn. 21) succeeded him and was
ordered to make a grant of tithes in East Garston to
Hurley Priory in accordance with a grant of Geoffrey
de Mandeville. (fn. 22) This he did in a charter witnessed by
his son Maurice. (fn. 23) Maurice probably was a younger
son or predeceased his father, who was succeeded by
his son William. (fn. 24) The latter's heir was his brother
Thomas, (fn. 25) who was dead in 1219, when his widow
Eva de Tracy survived, and his daughter and heir
Hawise was a minor. (fn. 26) Eva paid a fine three years
later for marrying her daughter without licence. (fn. 27)
In 1223 Hawise was married with the king's permission to Walter de Braose. (fn. 28) He was dead in
1234, (fn. 29) and she appears to have married Henry de
Turberville, Seneschal of Gascony, who was in possession of East Garston in 1238. (fn. 30) Dower in Devonshire was assigned to Henry de Turberville's widow
Hawise in 1240, (fn. 31) and in 1251 Hawise de London
was the wife of Patrick de Chaworth. (fn. 32) He was dead
in 1259 (fn. 33) ; Hawise survived him for about thirteen
years. (fn. 34) Her son and heir Payn de Chaworth died
without issue in 1279. (fn. 35) His brother Patrick (fn. 36)
succeeded him and left in 1283 a daughter and heir
Maud, an infant. (fn. 37) His widow Isabel had East
Garston in dower. (fn. 38) Maud married Henry afterwards Earl of Lancaster, (fn. 39) who granted the manor
of East Garston to Richard de Rivers for life in
1323. (fn. 40) In 1337 he granted it to his daughter Isabel
and her feoffee for her life. (fn. 41) His son Henry, who
succeeded him in 1345, (fn. 42) also made life grants of
the manor. (fn. 43) The younger Henry was succeeded
in 1361 by his daughters Blanche the wife of John
of Gaunt and Maud wife of William Duke of
Holland. (fn. 44) The manor of East Garston was assigned
to Maud, (fn. 45) on whose death without issue in 1362 it
was inherited by Blanche. (fn. 46) With the rest of the
duchy of Lancaster it was vested in the Crown on
the accession of her son Henry IV.
Chaworth. Burelly argent and gules an orle of martlets sable.
Lancaster. England with a label of France.
East Garston remained the property of the Crown
till the reign of James I. It was generally granted
out on lease for terms varying in length. (fn. 47) James I
sold it in 1614 to Peregrine Gastrell and Ralph
Lowndes, (fn. 48) who were trustees for Peregrine's father
Henry. (fn. 49) The manor was settled in 1631 on the
marriage of Peregrine with Jane Knightley. (fn. 50) Peregrine died in possession six years later, (fn. 51) leaving a
son and heir Henry, (fn. 52) who with John Tompson,
clerk, second husband of Jane Gastrell, (fn. 53) sold East
Garston in 1658 to Philip Earl of Pembroke and
Montgomery. (fn. 54) In 1677 it was in the possession of
Benjamin Andrews, (fn. 55) who sold it to Sir William
Jones, attorney-general. (fn. 56)
Sir William, whose eldest son was accidentally killed
when a child, (fn. 57) died in 1682 leaving only one surviving son Richard. (fn. 58) The latter died three years later. (fn. 59)
Another Richard Jones was in possession of East
Garston in 1699. (fn. 60) William son of William Jones,
who died in 1766, was the last male of his line, (fn. 61)
and his estates here afterwards followed the descent
of Avington (fn. 62) (q.v.). Sir Francis Burdett is the
present lord of the manor.
Free warren in his demesne land here was granted
to Henry de Turberville and his heirs in 1238. At
the same time he received a grant of a market on
Friday and a fair on the eve, day and morrow of
All Saints. (fn. 63) The market and fair are not again
mentioned.
MAIDENCOURT (Meidencote, xii cent.; Maydencot, xiii cent.; Maydencotte, xvii cent.) is not
mentioned by name in the Domesday Survey, but must
have been included in East
Garston (q.v.), for it was
subject to Geoffrey de Mandeville's grant of tithes in all
his lands to Hurley Priory. (fn. 64)
Before the end of the 12th
century the overlordship passed
to the Earls Marshal, (fn. 65) of
whom the manor continued
to be held till the 14th century. (fn. 66) View of frankpledge
here was subsequently attached
to the manor of Benham
Valence. (fn. 67)
Marshal. Party or and vert a lion gules.
The tenant in demesne in the time of Henry II
was Osbert de la Herloteria, (fn. 68) who was dead before
1190. (fn. 69) The next tenant was Alice de Colville, who
made a grant of 6 quarters of wheat here to the priory
of Sandleford for the souls of John le Marshal and his
son William Earl of Pembroke. (fn. 70) She evidently had two
daughters and co-heirs, of whom one, Sibyl, married
a Birmingham and the other married Robert Beauchamp of Hatch, Somerset. (fn. 71) Robert Beauchamp,
nephew of Sibyl, and William de Birmingham held
Maidencourt in the middle of the 13th century. (fn. 72)
Robert Beauchamp had a son John, (fn. 73) his heir, who
died in 1283. (fn. 74) John's son John succeeded him, (fn. 75)
and seems to have made grants of this manor for
a term of years, for in 1316 Robert de Viall was
holding it (fn. 76) and in 1325 John de Hurtrigge. (fn. 77) John
Beauchamp, however, paid subsidy in 1327 and 1333. (fn. 78)
He died in 1336, leaving a son and heir another
John. (fn. 79) John son of the latter (fn. 80) was succeeded
on his death in 1361 by his sister Cicely and
John Meryet, son of another sister Eleanor (fn. 81) John
Meryet held the manor of Maidencourt in 1372, (fn. 82)
but seems to have conveyed it
with half of Silverton in
Devonshire (fn. 83) to Matthew
Gurney and Philippa his wife.
They in 1403 conveyed both
manors to William Oterhampton and others, (fn. 84) who granted
them five years later to John
Upford, subject to the lifeinterest of Philippa and her
second husband Sir John Tiptoft. (fn. 85) The reversion subsequently passed to the king, (fn. 86)
and was assigned by him to
the duchy of Cornwall in 1421. (fn. 87) Maidencourt
was granted in 1511 by Henry VIII to Sir Henry
Wyatt (fn. 88) ; his son Sir Thomas (fn. 89) sold it in 1542 to
Richard Bridges, (fn. 90) who also acquired the second
moiety of the manor. His widow Joan had a life
interest in it, (fn. 91) the reversion belonging to his son
Anthony. (fn. 92) Anthony Bridges conveyed it in 1583 to
the use of his daughter Eleanor on her marriage with
George Browne. (fn. 93) Eleanor died without issue and
George Browne sold the manor in 1611 to Sir Francis
Moore of Fawley. (fn. 94)
Beauchamp of Hatch. Vair.
Maidencourt followed the descent of Fawley (q.v.)
till 1755, when it was sold by Sir John Moore (fn. 95)
to Robert and John Butler of Wantage, whose heir
Joseph Butler was in possession in 1803. (fn. 96) The manorial
rights had already lapsed in
1755.
The second moiety of the
manor was inherited by several
generations of Birminghams,
all called William. (fn. 97) In 1325
John de Birmingham was
holding the manor for life by
grant of his brother William, (fn. 98)
whose heir was his son Fulk.
Fulk in 1368 borrowed £100
on the security of this manor
from Thomas Lacock. (fn. 99) Twelve years later it was in
the hands of trustees, against whom it was claimed
by John son and heir of Fulk. (fn. 100) The trustees must
have conveyed it in fee to Thomas Lacock, whose
son John was in possession in 1420. (fn. 101) By 1428,
however, the manor was in the hands of Reginald
Kentwood, (fn. 102) from whom it passed (fn. 103) to James Fettiplace. (fn. 104)
Richard son of James succeeded him and died seised
in 1503. His heir was his son John. (fn. 105) William
Fettiplace of Maidencourt is mentioned in 1523. (fn. 106)
In 1542 Edward Fettiplace, apparently acting for
William, conveyed the estate to Richard Bridges. (fn. 107)
It was thus united to the first half of the manor.
Birmingham. Azure a bend indented or.
POUGHLEY (Pogley Ryvers, Poklerevers, (fn. 108) xvi
cent.; Poffley, xvii–xix cent.), a mansion or farmhouse within the manor of East Garston, is called a
manor as early as 1366, (fn. 109) but had no independent
existence as such. The 'site of the manor' was
leased several times during the 16th and early 17th
centuries. (fn. 110) In 1581 the lessee was John Seymour, (fn. 111)
and John Seymour surrendered a lease in 1608. (fn. 112)
Poughley was sold with East Garston to Peregrine
Gastrell and Ralph Lowndes, (fn. 113) and was perhaps sold
by them to the family of Seymour, which was resident
in the neighbouring parish of Lambourn and had a
chapel in the church of East Garston. Thomas Seymour
died in possession about 1664, and his posthumous
son Thomas inherited the estate. (fn. 114) In 1697 Thomas
Seymour the younger agreed to sell it to Thomas
Garrard, but it was claimed, apparently with success,
by William Seymour, a mortgagee. (fn. 115) In 1729 William
Seymour charged part of the premises with a payment
of £4 for the education of the poor children of the
parish. (fn. 116) Before 1803 the estate was purchased from
'some person in London' by James Herbert, who
paid the rent-charge in 1819. (fn. 117) It subsequently
came into the possession of Major Aldridge, from
whom it was purchased in 1905 by Mr. H. C.
Gooch. (fn. 118) There are no manorial rights.
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS consists of a chancel 31 ft. by 15 ft. 1 in.,
north chapel 17 ft. 2 in. by 16 ft. 3in.,
a crossing below the central tower 13 ft. 7 in. by
13 ft. 5 in., north transept 15 ft. 9 in. deep by 15 ft.
2 in. wide, south transept 16 ft. 2 in. deep by 15 ft.
10 in. wide, nave 41 ft. 5 in. by 15 ft. 8 in., south
aisle 9 ft. 4 in. wide, and a south porch. These
measurements are all internal.
The building was modernized in 1876, when the
chancel was pulled down and rebuilt and other work
done. That there was a church here at the end of
the 12th century is proved by the north and south
doorways. Probably the church of this period was a
cruciform one of the present size, or, if the doorways
are in their original positions, with a shorter nave,
as these doorways are further east than usual. The
south aisle appears to have been added at the end of
the 14th century and perhaps the nave was lengthened
at the same time. The north chapel is evidently contemporary with the aisle, as the arch between it and the
north transept is like that opening from the south
transept into the aisle. The arch between the chancel
and the chapel was probably not inserted till the 15th
century. The window in the north wall of the
chapel was probably moved from the east wall of the
transept. The curiously designed east window of
the chapel was apparently inserted in 1684. Of the
rest of the building, the chancel, the four arches of
the central crossing, nearly the whole of the nave arcade,
and many of the windows, are of modern stonework.
South of the altar is a small pillar piscina, dating
from about 1200; it is set in the wall, and has a
moulded base and a foliated capital. The slab with
the basin is modern. A moulded trefoiled arch spans
the recess. The archway into the chapel is twocentred and has no capitals; it is moulded in two
orders. On its north face, over the responds at the
springing level, are projecting shields; the western
shield has remains of a painted charge, Bendy
wavy. The arches of the central tower are modern
and are designed in the style of the 12th century.
The east window of the chapel already mentioned is
of three cinquefoiled lights under a pointed head;
the middle light rises into the apex, while the side
lights have free heads at the springing level of the
main head, cusped on their upper and under sides,
the heads of the open spandrels above being multifoiled. The stone bearing the date, which is set in
the wall externally, is inscribed, 'IWTK 1684 TL.'
In the south wall is an old piscina, probably of the
15th century, with a segmental head of a single chamfered order; on either side of it is a small ogee-shaped
shield, and over it a corbel head of a crowned king.
The north window of the chapel is of two trefoiled
ogee-headed lights with a quatrefoil above in a twocentred head, and is of 14th-century date. There is
a straight joint with large quoins between the earlier
transept and the chapel. The archway between
them is of two continuous ovolo-moulded orders with
a pointed head. The north transept has a 14thcentury north window of two trefoiled lights with
quatrefoil tracery in a pointed head. The window in
the south wall of the south transept is of two trefoiled
lights with a plain spandrel in a pointed head. Set
in the wall outside, below this window, is the head of
a 14th-century coffin-lid, on which is cut a floreated
cross-head with eight arms. The archway opening
into the south aisle is of the same detail as that
between the north transept and the north chapel.
In the north wall of the nave are three windows;
the first is a modern single light, the second is a
15th-century insertion of two cinquefoiled lights
under a square head, and the third is a modern copy
of the second. Between the first and second windows
is the north doorway, which is now blocked; it has
a plain round head of a single chamfered order, and
may have been cut down from a larger 12th-century
doorway. The arcade on the south side is of three
bays. All the stonework is modern excepting the
outer order of the west respond. The west window
of the nave is of two trefoiled lights under a pointed
traceried head of the 14th century. In the gable
above is a small trefoiled light.
The first of the south windows of the south aisle is
a single trefoiled light under a square head; under it is
set an early coffin-lid with a plain cross upon it having
a spade-shaped base. Next to it is the south doorway,
which dates from about 1200. Its jambs have engaged
shafts with moulded bases and enriched scallop pattern, and capitals; the
eastern capital has an enriched scallop pattern, and
the other has foliage carving. The arch, which is
round, is moulded, and the label has billet ornament
cut on its hollow chamfer. To the east of the doorway
inside is a small plain holy-water stoup. The second
window is of three ogee trefoiled lights under a square
head; the jambs are old, but the rest is modern. The
third window is all of late 14th-century date; it has
two trefoiled ogee-headed lights with semi-quatrefoils
in a square head. The west window is a modern
single light. The south porch, which is of 16thcentury date, has a round-headed outer doorway.
The tower rises above the roof in three stages; the
lowest stage appears to be old and the upper two rebuilt modern work. Round-headed windows light
the second stage, in which is the clock. The third,
or bell-chamber, stage has windows of two trefoiled
lights under square heads. The parapet string is
carved with grotesques and square flowers; the
parapet itself is embattled.
All the roofs are modern and are covered with slates.
The altar table is modern; the former table, of
the 18th century, is now in use in the vestry. The
north chapel also has a small 18th-century altar
table. A modern oak screen fills the archway from
the chancel to the chapel.
The font is modern; a small 17th-century font
stands in the chapel.
The pulpit, which dates from about 1620, is six-sided,
each side having rounded panels in the upper half
and square panels below; it formerly had a flat canopy.
The back which supported it is now fixed against the
west wall of the north transept. In the transept
is an old plain chest with three locks. The organ
stands in the south transept, in which there is also a
wood stair to the tower.
There is a peal of six bells, besides a small bell
inscribed 'O. Cor 1727.' The treble bears the date
only, 1741; the second is inscribed 'Francis
Garrard 1677'; the third has no inscription or
mark; the fourth is by T. Mears, 1842; the fifth
is by Edward Read of Aldbourne, 1752, while the
tenor bears the date 1763 and the initials R. W.,
probably for Robert Wells of Aldbourne.
The communion plate comprises a silver cup and
cover paten of 1576; a silver cup of 1675, but
bearing the inscription, 'Thomas Garrard natus 4° die
Septembris 1660' (perhaps a christening cup originally); and a flagon and two standing patens of
base metal.
The registers before 1812 are as follows; (i)
baptisms 1554 to 1563, marriages 1554 to 1662,
burials 1554 to 1562, after which comes a grap, then
baptisms 1664 to 1757, marriages 1669 to 1733,
with a few odd ones of later date, burials 1669 to
1753; (ii) marriages 1754 to 1812; (iii) baptisms
and burials 1758 to 1802; (iv) baptisms and burials
1803 to 1812.
Advowson
A charter of Maurice de London
granted the church of East Garston
to the priory founded by him at
Ewenny. (fn. 119) Nevertheless, the advowson remained in
the possession of the lords of the manor, (fn. 120) and was
unsuccessfully claimed against Eva de Tracy in 1221
by the Abbot of Gloucester, to which house Ewenny
was a cell. (fn. 121) Between 1337 and 1345 it was granted
by Henry Earl of Lancaster to the priory of Amesbury in Wiltshire, of which his sister Isabel was then
prioress. (fn. 122) Licence for the appropriation of the church
was granted in 1345, (fn. 123) and the vicarage must have
been ordained shortly afterwards. (fn. 124) After the Dissolution the rectory and advowson were granted to the
Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, who
have retained the right of presentation. (fn. 125)
A chantry here seems to have been founded by
Walter de Braose, the husband of Hawise de London.
In 1407 John the chaplain had 2 virgates of land
and a dwelling-house with a yearly sum of 20s. for
the support of a chaplain celebrating for the souls of
Walter de Braose and the ancestors of the lords of
the manor. (fn. 126) In 1469 there was a free chapel, to
the incumbent of which this payment was made. (fn. 127)
The chapel was granted for life by the king,
with all its rights and privileges, to successive
chaplains. (fn. 128) In the reign of Edward VI it was
'wholly decayed.' (fn. 129)
Charities
The church charity.—The churchwardens have from time immemorial
been in possession of two cottages and
2½ acres of land in Southfield, as stated on the benefaction table, for beautifying the church. The cottages are now let as one at £4 yearly and the land at
£1 yearly, and these rents are applied towards the
general church expenses. The churchwardens also
held two cottages, known as Marsh Cottages, which
were sold in 1884 for £25, which was deposited in
the Newbury Savings Bank.
Educational charities.—The National school, comprised in deed 27 October 1841, is endowed with
£4 a year, under the will of William Seymour, 1729,
which is paid out of the Poughley estate in this
parish; also with 35s. payable out of land in Southfield and 5s. out of a house and two cottages, the
annuity of £2 being devised for education by will of
Joseph Eldersfield, 1791.
Eleemosynary charities.—The above-mentioned
William Seymour also devised out of the same property an annuity of £1 for poor widows, and in
1761 John Barratt by his will gave an annuity of 5s.
out of land in West Field for poor widows. These
charities are duly applied.
In 1883 Thomas Palmer, by his will proved at
Bristol 9 August, directed that £500 Bank annuities
should be purchased and the dividends distributed on
St. Thomas's Day yearly equally among thirty poor
inhabitants and that a tablet should be placed in the
church setting forth that the gift was that of Thomas
Palmer and Mary his wife.
The legacy is represented by £500 consols with
the official trustees, and the annual dividends,
amounting to £12 10s., are distributed in accordance
with the trusts.