WEST HENDRED
Hennarithe (x cent.); Henret, Henreth (xi–xvi
cent.).
West Hendred is a parish of 2,000 acres. It is
about 5 miles in length, extending from a point on
the downs half a mile south of the Icknield Way to
the bottom of the Vale of the White Horse. Its
breadth varies from half to three-quarters of a mile.
The soil is Chalk and Loam on a subsoil varying from
Chalk on the high land to Gault and Kimmeridge
Clay in the north of the parish. Nearly two-thirds
of the total acreage is arable land, (fn. 1) and various cereal
and root crops are raised. Water-cress is grown in
the streams.
As in the case of the neighbouring parishes which
run parallel with this, the village stands half-way
down the slope a little to the south of the Portway.
It is built on the banks of a small stream, which flows
through Lockinge, Ardington and both Hendreds,
and bears the name of each in turn. The irregular
village street, containing several half-timber cottages,
some of them with thatched roofs, runs north and
south and has at the south end the ancient church of
the Holy Trinity with the vicarage near by. An
old custom survives by which the church bell is rung
every Sunday morning at eight so that the villagers
may set their clocks to the church time. The only
building of interest besides the church is a farm-house
called Sparsholt's Court at the north end of the village.
It was built in the early 18th century, when the old
manor-house bearing that name was pulled down by
Mr. Wiseman Clarke. A 'capital messuage' in the
Sparsholt Court Manor existed before 1362, (fn. 2) and the
house destroyed in 1721 was probably that home
of the Sparsholt family. The descriptions which
remain show that it was of considerable size. (fn. 3) A
short lane connects the modern house, which is at
some distance from the old site, (fn. 4) with the manorial
mill (fn. 5) on the banks of the stream. The village
contains a small Wesleyan chapel.
From the vicarage a road runs southward up the
hill to the manor-house of East Ginge. This is
perhaps on the site of the capital messuage which
Alan Plukenet held here in 1299. (fn. 6) It was the residence in the 17th and 18th centuries of the Tubb
family, (fn. 7) who added the Queen Anne wing. (fn. 8) There
was in the early 17th century a second manor-house
in East Ginge, which belonged to the family of
Greenway. (fn. 9) It was pulled down before 1824. (fn. 10) A
small stream rises near the hamlet and flows down to
meet the Hendred Brook just outside the village.
A water-mill on this stream was attached to the
Greenway estate. (fn. 11) Ginge House, to the north of
Ginge Manor, is a square red-brick building with a
hipped roof of early 18th-century date. A newlyerected farm-house at East Ginge is mentioned in a
deed of 1747. (fn. 12)
The parish was inclosed in 1877. (fn. 13)
Manors
The manor of WEST HENDRED
is probably to be identified with the
10 hides at 'Hennarithe' which were
granted to the thegn Brihtric by Edwy in 955 and
by Edgar in 964 to Abingdon Abbey. (fn. 14) During the
following century, however, the abbey lost its hold
upon this land. In the reign of Edward the Confessor it was held by three thegns, who were at liberty
to go to what lord they wished. (fn. 15) At the Conquest
it became the property of Niel Daubeny, a Bedfordshire baron, who granted it before 1086 to the abbey
of St. Albans. (fn. 16) At the Domesday Survey a freeman
Ernuzon held 2 hides of the abbot. (fn. 17)
Paul, the Abbot of St. Albans who had received
the grant, (fn. 18) founded before 1093 a cell of the abbey
at Wallingford. (fn. 19) To this cell his successor Richard
gave the manor of West Hendred, (fn. 20) and it remained
the property of the house till its dissolution. (fn. 21) This
took place in 1528, when the priory with its possessions, including this manor, was granted to Cardinal
Wolsey for his new college at Oxford. (fn. 22) On his fall
it was given to the President and scholars of Corpus
Christi College, Oxford, in exchange for the manor of
Molesey (Surrey). (fn. 23) They are still lords of the manor.
St. Albans Abbey. Azure a saltire or.
Corpus Christi College, Oxford. A pale argent charged with the arms and mitre of the See of Winchester between Azure a pelican or, for Bishop Fox, and Sable a cheveron or between three owls argent and a chief with three roses gules therein, for Bishop Oldham.
SPARSHOLT'S COURT, which consisted of 5 hides,
a third of the vill of West Hendred, had its name from
its owners of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. It
was held in the reign of the Confessor by a freeman
Achi, and in 1086 was in the hands of Grimbald. (fn. 24)
Unless Grimbald is identified with Grimbald the
goldsmith elsewhere mentioned, (fn. 25) he may probably
be regarded as the ancestor of the family of Hendred,
which held this manor by the serjeanty of buying the
king's beer. (fn. 26) A Richard de Hendred witnessed an
Abingdon charter in the late 12th century. (fn. 27) William
son of Richard de Hendred, who gave land to Poughley
Priory, (fn. 28) must have been his successor and identical
with the William de Hendred who held land in Berkshire in 1201 by a serjeanty of the buttery. (fn. 29) He
had a son Richard, (fn. 30) who succeeded about 1213 to
his lands here and at Barton, Northants. (fn. 31) Richard
was living in 1235, (fn. 32) but died before 1242, when
the custody of his lands and heirs was granted to
Henry de Bathe. (fn. 33) The heir was another Richard
de Hendred, who granted his manor here to William
de Lisle. (fn. 34) In 1273 William de Lisle granted it to
William de Sparsholt, (fn. 35) the head of a family which
owned land in a neighbouring parish. He was to
pay to William de Lisle and his heirs a penny at
Michaelmas and do the service belonging to the
manor. (fn. 36) In 1278, however, an order was given
that Roger de Lisle, son of William, should do the
serjeanty and that William de Sparsholt should do
him homage. (fn. 37) The Lisle family still held their
mesne lordship in 1362. (fn. 38)
William de Sparsholt was succeeded by John, evidently his son. (fn. 39) In 1316 Olimpia de Sparsholt,
evidently John's widow, was holding West Hendred. (fn. 40)
His son William (fn. 41) was in possession of his land elsewhere. (fn. 42) In 1331 William settled the manor on
himself for life with remainder to his son John and
Maud his wife and the heirs of their bodies. (fn. 43) After
the death of John in 1360 (fn. 44) Maud held the estate
for life and was succeeded by her son William. (fn. 45) The
successor of William was Edmund de Sparsholt, who
was Sheriff of Berkshire in 1395, (fn. 46) and a commissioner
of the peace in 1413. (fn. 47) He died in 1416, leaving a
daughter and heir Alice, who married Bernard Delamare (fn. 48) and had a daughter and heir also called Alice. (fn. 49)
The latter became the wife of John Barker (fn. 50) and was
succeeded by her daughter Margaret, who married
Thomas Sankey. (fn. 51) A settlement of the manor on
Margaret's heirs was executed
in 1519. (fn. 52) Her son and heir
Edward was the next lord of
the manor. (fn. 53) He had a son
Thomas, (fn. 54) who succeeded him
and sold Sparsholt's Court in
1613 to Charles Wiseman. (fn. 55)
Wiseman. Sable a cheveron ermine between three coronels argent.
The Wisemans remained in
possession for several generations. Charles was succeeded
by his son Edmund (fn. 56) and
Edmund by a son of the same
name who died without issue. (fn. 57)
His younger brother William
inherited the estate (fn. 58) and had
a daughter and heir Mary, who married Edward
Clarke of Ardington. (fn. 59) William Wiseman Clarke,
her son, sold the manor to William Towsey of Wantage, (fn. 60) who was in possession in 1802. (fn. 61) Before
1824 he had sold the estate in small parcels. (fn. 62) The
manorial rights came into the hands of a Mr. Coventry
who sold them in 1816 to Mr. Dearlove. (fn. 63) In 1881
the grandson of the latter sold them to Mr. Townsend
of Abingdon, whose widow is the present owner. (fn. 64)
The virgate in West Hendred which was given by
William de Hendred to Poughley Priory (fn. 65) was
granted after the Dissolution to Westminster Abbey (fn. 66)
and subsequently became the property of the dean
and chapter. (fn. 67)
EAST GINGE (fn. 68) is not mentioned by name in the
Domesday Survey. In the early 12th century it
appears to have belonged to two Normans, Geoffrey
son of Hamo Brito and Bertram son of Alantre. (fn. 69)
It was seized into the king's hands during the wars
in Normandy, and from 1157 onwards was granted
out to various tenants to hold for fixed terms or
at pleasure. Rollo de Dinan held it in 1158 (fn. 70) and
till 1186. (fn. 71) In 1187 it was granted to Alan de
Viteri. (fn. 72) In 1203 Richard Morin had a grant of
half the vill, (fn. 73) the other half being granted in 1210
to Peter Bertram or son of Bertram. (fn. 74) Richard and
Peter seem to have held the vill (fn. 75) till 1221, when
the whole of it was granted to Bertram de Guarcli in
order that he might maintain himself in the king's
service till the time of the king's majority. (fn. 76) In
1233 the sheriff was ordered to allow Bertram to
hold the manor peaceably till the king should command otherwise. (fn. 77) Two years later Bertram pledged
it for three years to William de Waltham in aid of
his journey to the Holy Land. (fn. 78) He was dead in
1236, when the custody of his lands and heirs was
granted to his brother Peter. (fn. 79) East Ginge, however, was granted almost immediately to two new
tenants. One half was given to Urian de St. Peter
to hold for life 'unless the land of England and
Normandy should become one.' (fn. 80) The second was
granted in 1237 to William Gernun to hold for half
a knight's fee 'until the king should restore it to the
right heirs of his free will or by a peace.' (fn. 81)
From that date the two moieties of the manor were
never reunited. Urian de St. Peter was succeeded
in his share by Ralph le Visconte of Dynham, (fn. 82) who
was holding it in 1275 (fn. 83) and 1285 (fn. 84) and had evidently
received a grant in fee. Before 1300 he granted his
estate in East Ginge to Alan Plukenet and his wife
Joan in tail. (fn. 85) They had a son Alan, (fn. 86) who died
without issue. (fn. 87) His sister and heir Joan Bohun (fn. 88)
granted her land here to Godfrey Morice, first for
life (fn. 89) and afterwards in fee. (fn. 90) In 1335 he had a further
release of it from Richard de la Bere, (fn. 91) a kinsman of
Alan Plukenet, who had succeeded to his estates. (fn. 92)
Maud, widow of Godfrey Morice, who held jointly
with him for life, died in 1360, (fn. 93) and the estate was
inherited by William Morice, nephew of Godfrey. (fn. 94)
He died fifteen years later, (fn. 95) leaving a daughter and
heir Alice wife of Walter Frome. (fn. 96) She had seisin
of East Ginge on her father's death, (fn. 97) but must have
died without issue, for the estate reverted to members
of the Morice family. In 1401–2 Walter Morice
was in possession, (fn. 98) and William Morice had succeeded him in 1428. (fn. 99) Evidently the line ended in
an heiress, for Alice wife of
Walter Giffard was the next
owner. (fn. 100) She died in 1431,
leaving a son and heir William
Giffard. (fn. 101) The Giffard family
was seated at 'Rodenhurst,'
Wilts., (fn. 102) and remained in
possession of this moiety of
the manor for a considerable
time. William Giffard 'the
elder' put it into settlement
in 1454. (fn. 103) He was probably
succeeded by the Walter
Giffard who heads the heraldic
pedigree of the family. (fn. 104) Walter
had a son Edward and Edward
a son Morris, who was in possession in 1521. (fn. 105) He
was married three times, and by his first and third
wives had sons both called Thomas. (fn. 106) The elder
Thomas died without issue in 1539, (fn. 107) and was succeeded by his step-brother. The latter died in 1575,
when his heir was his son John. (fn. 108) In 1588 John
Giffard settled the manor in tail male on his son
William. (fn. 109) The latter sold it in 1609 to Philip
Allen, (fn. 110) who conveyed it twelve years later to William
Eyston and others. (fn. 111) They conveyed it to Richard
Tubb in 1626. (fn. 112)
Giffard of Rodenhurst. Azure three stirrups or and a border engrailed argent with roundels sable thereon.
The Tubb family held the manor for a century.
John Tubb was lord in 1684 (fn. 113) and another John in
1735. (fn. 114) In 1743 Mary widow of John Tubb and
her son John Tubb, jun., conveyed the manor to
Edward Towsey of Wantage. (fn. 115) The latter was still
in possession in 1769, (fn. 116) but in 1774 it was settled
on the marriage of Elizabeth daughter and heir of
John Bishop of Wallingford with Charles Toovey of
Wallingford. (fn. 117) Charles and Elizabeth Toovey sold
it in 1789 to his brother-in-law William May, who
by will in 1797 devised it to his son William. (fn. 118) On
the death of the younger William's widow East
Ginge passed to his nephew Mr. May-Ellis, whose
widow Eliza Ellis died in 1864, leaving the manor in
trust for sale. Her trustee having predeceased her,
Ann wife of Stephen Hemsted, her only sister,
inherited. (fn. 119) Ann died in 1876, and her son Stephen
Hemsted sold the manor in the next year to John
Allin. (fn. 120) His representatives conveyed it in 1897 to
the late Lord Wantage, (fn. 121) on whose death without
issue in 1901 it passed to his widow. Lady Wantage
conveyed it in March 1912 to Mr. A. K. Loyd. (fn. 122)
The second moiety of the manor remained for some
time in the Gernun family, (fn. 123) from whom it passed to
the Benhams of Edmundsthorp Benham in Kingsclere,
Hants. (fn. 124) In 1316 John Benham was returned as one
of the landowners of the vill, (fn. 125) but he held at his death
nothing in East Ginge but a rent of 6 marks from
tenements held of Sir John Gernun, kt. (fn. 126) His son
Richard, (fn. 127) however, held the whole of the Gernun
estate here in fee. (fn. 128) It followed the descent of
Edmundsthorp Benham till the death of Richard's
great grandson William Benham in 1466. (fn. 129) He left
five daughters and co-heirs, by his first wife Joan wife
of William More, Alice wife of John Brown and
Margaret wife of William Cooke, and by his second
wife another Joan who married Ellis Gold, and
Elizabeth who married an Edwardes. (fn. 130) The moiety
of the manor was divided among the five co-heirs, (fn. 131)
and not all of their shares can subsequently be traced.
That of William More and Joan was inherited by
their son John and sold by him to Thomas Halys, (fn. 132)
who died in possession in 1520. (fn. 133) He had two
daughters and co-heirs, Agnes wife of Clement Rede
and Mary wife of James Halys. (fn. 134) Agnes, who subsequently became the wife of Thomas Gold, (fn. 135) had a
release from her sister of her share in the estate, (fn. 136)
which she granted in 1555 to Edward Mordaunt in
trust for her son-in-law William Barnes and his son
Thomas. (fn. 137) William Barnes died in 1561, (fn. 138) and
Thomas granted his lands in East Ginge to William
Greenway and Peter Greenway. (fn. 139) John Greenway,
father of William and Peter, (fn. 140) had already purchased
another of the five shares from Mary Hunsdon, the
daughter of Joan Benham and Ellis Gold. (fn. 141) Twofifths of the estate thus became the possession of the
Greenway family. It is possible that they purchased
also the share of Alice wife of John Brown, which
had been conveyed to Richard Fettiplace in 1503 and
belonged to John Fettiplace in 1569. (fn. 142) Peter
Greenway died in possession of a capital messuage, a
water-mill and 8 virgates of land here in 1608. (fn. 143) His
son and heir, also named Peter, was then eleven
years old. (fn. 144) Another Peter Greenway died in 1630
seised of one messuage and one virgate in East Ginge. (fn. 145)
The family was still living here in the reign of Queen
Anne, when Sir Oliver Greenway was a churchwarden. (fn. 146) Their lands afterwards came into the
possession of the Curzon family of Waterperry, Oxfordshire. (fn. 147) On the sale of the Curzon estates in the early
19th century East Ginge was purchased by a farmer
named Belcher. (fn. 148) He subsequently sold it in small
parcels. (fn. 149)
Church
The church of the HOLY TRINITY
consists of a chancel 29 ft. 6 in. long,
nave 39 ft. 4 in. by 18 ft. 9 in. with side
aisles making a total width of 38 ft. 6 in., a west
tower 9 ft. square and a south porch. All the
measurements are internal.
The church appears to have been entirely rebuilt
during the 14th century, the south aisle being
probably the latest portion, and little alteration has
been made in the structure since that date. It has
been little restored, but there is a row of modern
buttresses on the north of the nave.
The chancel has a pair of one-stage buttresses at
each eastern angle, finished with very tall gables.
The 14th-century east window is of three lights
under a pointed head with net tracery and an internal
hood. In the north wall is a two-light pointed
window of the same date, and further west is a singlelight window with a trefoiled head. In the south
wall is a two-light window like that in the north,
and at the west end a square-headed 14th-century
window also of two lights; between them is a
pointed priest's doorway. All the larger windows have
chamfered rear arches. The chancel arch is pointed
and of two chamfered orders with semi-octagonal
responds having moulded capitals and bases.
The nave has late 14th-century north and south
arcades with octagonal piers and responds having
moulded capitals and bases of the same detail as the
chancel arch. The roof is of the trussed rafter
type, ceiled and having three massive tie-beams. The
north aisle has a late 14th-century east window of
two lights under a square head. The east bay was
screened off to form a chapel, and traces of cutting
for the screen are visible on the east respond and pier
of the arcade. In the north wall are two late 14thcentury windows of two lights and between them is
a blocked north doorway, pointed and chamfered and
having a pointed segmental rear arch. In the east
wall is a stone bracket, and there is another at the
east end of the north wall. The south aisle has a
square-headed 15th-century east window of two
lights, and flanking it are two semi-octagonal stone
brackets. In the south wall are two pointed early
15th-century windows, both of two lights, and
between them is the plain pointed south doorway. At
the east end of this wall is a piscina with a shelf and
a four-centred head.
The west tower is three stages high, of late 14thcentury date, and has diagonal western buttresses of
ashlar rising to the base of the bell-chamber; it is
finished with a plain ashlar parapet having a moulded
string-course. The tower arch is pointed and of two
hollow-chamfered orders dying into the side walls.
The west window is of two lights under a pointed
head. The second stage is lighted by loops in the south
and west walls and the bell-chamber has a two-light
pointed window in each face. The south porch has
a four-centred outer archway with a wide hollow
chamfer and has a two-light trefoil-headed window
in each side. The gabled roof of stone slabs is
supported by a chamfered rib forming a pointed arch.
The exterior of the church is covered with cement,
that on the tower bearing the initials and date
'W.T., I.G. 1744' on the south side; the south aisle,
porch and tower have a deep moulded plinth, but
the plinth of the remainder of the building is a plain
chamfer. The nave roof is lead covered and that of
the chancel tiled.
The good Jacobean communion table has turned
legs and a carved rail; the rails are also of the
17th century and have turned balusters. The pulpit
of the same date is hexagonal from the ground up
and has panelled faces with good conventional flowers
and foliage. The clerk's desk adjoining it is made
up of similar panelling. In the nave are some bench
fronts, probably of the 16th century, with four-centred
panels in front with intersecting ribs. There is also
one good bench end, possibly of the 14th century,
with window tracery panelling and a wheel in the
head. Other benches are plain and solid.
The font has a plain octagonal bowl and stem and
an octagonal pyramidal cover capped with an acorn
and having carved panels, one being inscribed 'A.D.
1630 I.P, TS.' At the west end of the north aisle
is a vestry screened off by Jacobean panelling, including
some carved frieze-work, but all much displaced.
The east window contains a considerable amount of
14th-century grisaille glass with a head of Christ in
the upper part. Some similar glass remains in the
head of the first north window, and there is some old
glazing in the south window opposite. Fragments
of old glass also remain in the heads of the north
aisle windows, and in one of them the crowned
initials E.S. occur twice. The east window of the
south aisle has old yellow glass in the head. Numerous
ancient slip tiles of simple design remain in the
chancel and many others, much worn, are set in the
paving of the centre and south nave aisles.
There are six bells: the treble, second and fourth
by Mears & Stainbank, 1886, 1887 and 1889; the
third is inscribed, 'Love God 1610' (?); the fifth,
'Prayes ye the lord 1623, EK'; and the tenor, 'R.
Wells Aldbourne fecit 1790,' with the churchwardens'
names.
The plate includes a cup (London, 1787) apparently
a copy of the 17th-century shape; a flagon (London,
1674) inscribed on the bottom, 'This flagon belongeth
to ye parish church of West Hendreth Berks'; and a
paten (London, 1662 or 1664) with a similar
inscription.
The registers previous to 1812 are as follows:
(i) mixed entries 1558 to 1604; (ii) mixed entries
1599 to 1727; (iii) all entries 1727 to 1812,
marriages to 1754 only; (iv) marriages 1755 to 1812.
Advowson
There was a church in West
Hendred at the time of the Norman
Conquest. It was granted with the
manor by Niel Daubeny to St. Albans Abbey, (fn. 150) and
has followed the descent of the manor ever since. (fn. 151)
The patrons at the present day are the President and
scholars of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The
church was appropriated before 1291, (fn. 152) and probably
a vicarage was already ordained at that date.
Charities
In 1818 Robert Hayward by will
bequeathed £100 for the benefit of
the poor. The legacy is now represented by £90 10s. 11d. consols with the official
trustees, the annual dividends of which, amounting to
£2 5s., are applied as a nucleus of a coal club fund
for persons of the labouring class.
The Wesleyan Methodist chapel trust property,
comprised in an indenture dated 21 July 1830, consists
of the chapel and a cottage adjoining occupied by the
caretaker.
By an order of the Charity Commissioners, 12 June
1885, the premises were vested in trustees upon the
trusts of the Skircoat Wesleyan chapel model deed,
1832.