BUSCOT
Boroardescote (xi cent.); Burewardescote or Borewardescote, Burewardsci (xii cent.); Burghwardescote
(xiii–xv cent.).
The parish of Buscot has an area of 2,887 acres,
of which more than half is grass land and only 866 acres
are arable, while woods and plantations cover 495
acres. (fn. 1) The soil is alluvium with a subsoil of Oxford
Clay. The whole parish lies rather low, the highest
point (310 ft.) being reached at Gorse Hill, in the
south-east, while at the Thames, on the northern
boundary, the level falls to 234 ft.; the western
boundary is marked by the River Cole, and here the
land is liable to floods.
The village stands at the junction of Snowswick
(Sneusweswyke, xiv cent.) (fn. 2) Lane with the road to
Lechlade, the church and rectory being situated near
the river. The latter is a well-designed two-storied
rectangular stone building with barred sash windows,
cornice, and hipped roof, apparently of 17th-century
date. (fn. 3) At the back are portions of a still older
building, which was probably erected at the end of
the 15th century.
There is a village reading room, built in 1897 by
Sir Alexander Henderson, bart., and a Baptist chapel,
built in 1880.
Buscot Park, the residence of Sir Alexander Henderson, bart., lies to the south-east of the village. The
house was erected in or about 1780 by Edward
Loveden, and is a plain stone building of two stories
above a rusticated basement with barred sash windows
and balustraded parapet. (fn. 4) It was much improved and
enlarged in 1889, when a new wing was added at
the west end. It contains several paintings by Sir
Edward Burne-Jones. There are two lakes of considerable size in the park, the larger crossed by a
bridge of three arches.
Manors
The manor of
BUSCOT was
held by Earl
Harold in the reign of Edward
the Confessor and in 1086 by
Earl Hugh (fn. 5) of Chester, son
of the Conqueror's half-sister. (fn. 6)
The overlordship always followed the descent of the earldom of Chester. (fn. 7) The tenant
under Earl Hugh in 1086
was called Robert; it has
been suggested that this may
have been Robert Doyley, (fn. 8) but probably it was
Robert son of Hugh, as the lordship afterwards
formed part of the honour of Malpas (co. Chester) (fn. 9) ,
held by the descendants of this Robert. William
Patrick, one of his co-heirs, is mentioned in con
nexion with Buscot as early as 1130, (fn. 10) and it is
probable that the whole manor had been included in
his share of the honour of Malpas, as the descendants
of the other co-heirs are not mentioned in connexion
with it. (fn. 11)
Earldom of Chester. Azure three sheaves or.
In 1086 two under-tenants, Drew and Ranulf, were
enfeoffed under Robert; the former held 8 hides and
the latter 4. (fn. 12) It was perhaps Ranulf's holding that
belonged in 1130 to William Gerbert, who contributed
the smaller part of the sum paid in that year by the
joint owners of Buscot that the manor might thenceforth be assessed at 6 hides only. (fn. 13) By 1199 his share
had passed to Robert Gerbert, (fn. 14) who died before 1243.
His widow Galiena and his son William granted
3 carucates of land in Buscot in that year to Roland
de Oddingseles and Alice his wife to hold of William
and his heirs for the life of Alice, with reversion to
Galiena, who had claimed the land as her dower. (fn. 15)
In 1277 William Gerbert settled the manor of Buscot
except the advowson
and the lands then
held by John Gerbert and Walrand de
Brienne, on his son
William Gerbert, together with the reversion after his own
death of the advowson and excepted
lands. (fn. 16) The manor
was held partly of
Isabel Patrick and
partly of Ralfde Welyngton, whose lordship possibly came
to him by descent
from Reynold de
Whitchurch, second
husband of Emma
widow of William
Patrick. (fn. 17) The
younger William
Gerbert was described as tenant of
the whole at the
time of his death in
1283. (fn. 18) He left as
his heir an infant
son, from whom presumably the property afterwards
passed to the Drokensfords.
Michael Drokensford and his brother John, Bishop
of Bath and Wells, are said to have held half a fee in
Buscot early in the 14th century. (fn. 19) The former
must certainly have had lands there in 1316, for he
granted 3 carucates in that year to the hospital of
St. John Baptist at Lechlade (co. Glouc.) for the
foundation of a chantry in his chapel at MICHAEL'S
COURT in Buscot. (fn. 20) The Chantry, however, was
apparently not kept up after 1370, (fn. 21) and it seems
probable that on this account the land reverted to the
Drokensfords. (fn. 22) John Drokensford, the son and heir of
Michael, died early in 1341, leaving as his heir his son
Thomas. (fn. 23) In 1347 Thomas was beyond the seas in the
king's service with Sir Walter Mauny, (fn. 24) and it was perhaps while he was abroad that the manor of Michael's
Court was held by Nicholas Drokensford and his brother
Edward, who were said in 1428 to have been the
tenants about 1350. (fn. 25) Sir Thomas Drokensford died
in 1362, leaving as his heir his daughter Anne, (fn. 26)
afterwards the wife of Sir Thomas Mandeville the
younger, who sold the manor in 1375 to Thomas
Catewy. (fn. 27)
Thomas Catewy died before 1396, when his heir
Walter Catewy was seised of the reversion of Buscot (fn. 28) ;
the manor itself was then held by Joan widow of
Thomas Catewy and wife of John Mene, (fn. 29) who
granted her interest to Thomas atte Watre, the
grandson and heir of Walter Catewy, in 1404. (fn. 30)
Three years later Thomas atte Watre settled Michael's
Court on himself, his wife Joan and their issue, with
reversion, should they die childless, to their trustees
Richard Wyot and John Scot and the heirs of Richard. (fn. 31)
In 1428 the manor was in the possession of John
Gardiner, perhaps a tenant for life, (fn. 32) but it passed
before 1474 to Thomas Stonor, (fn. 33) and subsequently
followed the descent of Didcot (q.v.) until 1557, (fn. 34)
when Francis Stonor conveyed it to Walter Loveden
and Dorothy his wife. (fn. 35) Walter died in 1580, his
son and heir Walter in the following year, (fn. 36) and the
manor passed to a younger son John, (fn. 37) who held it
till at least 1623, (fn. 38) and was followed by a son Walter,
who dealt with it in 1649. (fn. 39) Edward Loveden,
perhaps a cousin of Walter, (fn. 40) was in possession in
1653. (fn. 41) His son Roger, who succeeded in 1659,
only survived him for two years, leaving a son Edward,
then aged six. (fn. 42) Edward died in 1713 leaving two
sons John and Edward who held the manor in turn. (fn. 43)
The latter, dying unmarried in 1749, bequeathed his
estates to his great-nephew Edward Loveden Townsend, directing that he should take the name Loveden. (fn. 44)
This Edward died in 1822. (fn. 45) His son Pryse Loveden,
who had taken the name of Pryse Pryse in 1798,
on inheriting his mother's estates, died in 1849.
Pryse son of Pryse assumed the name of Loveden and
died in 1855. The manor was sold by his son Pryse
(Sir Pryse Pryse, bart.), to Robert Campbell, who
died in 1887. In 1889 Sir Alexander Henderson,
the present owner, purchased the manor from Robert
Campbell's trustees. (fn. 46)
Buscot Park
Stonor. Axure two bars dancetty or with a chief argent.
Loveden. Gules a bend between four left hands argent cut off at the wrist.
The estate which belonged in the early 14th
century to John Drokensford, Bishop of Bath and
Wells, appears to have been the part of Buscot which
was under the mesne lordship of the Welyngton
family and their successors
the lords of Stalpits (fn. 47) (q.v.).
Philip Drokensford, brother
and heir of John, (fn. 48) succeeded
him in 1329, (fn. 49) but was in
possession of his land in Buscot two years earlier. (fn. 50) This
holding seems to have been
called after him the manor of
Philip's Court, corrupted to
PHILPOT'S COURT. Philip
had a son Philip, who was his
heir-apparent in 1337. (fn. 51) and
was probably the Philip Drokensford who died seised of the
manor of Buscot in 1355, (fn. 52)
leaving a son and heir John. (fn. 53) John was dead by
1370, (fn. 54) when his lands had passed to Margaret wife
of Walter Mildecombe, (fn. 55) perhaps his daughter. (fn. 56)
Margaret and Walter conveyed the manor in 1372
to Adam Louches, (fn. 57) who made a conveyance of the
advowson eight years later. (fn. 58) In 1381 George Louches
conveyed Philpot's Court to John de Estbury and
others. (fn. 59) From them it passed to Thomas Childrey,
who died in possession in 1407, (fn. 60) his wife Elizabeth
having a life interest. (fn. 61) It then followed the descent
of Upton Russels (q.v.) in the Beckingham family. (fn. 62)
Mary (Beckingham) (fn. 63) widow of Thomas Windsor
died seised of it in 1574, (fn. 64) and her son and heir
Andrew obtained a grant of the right to hold courts
in Buscot in 1614. (fn. 65) Andrew Windsor was succeeded
in 1622 by his brother Peter, (fn. 66) whose son and heir
Thomas died in 1631, leaving a son Andrew, (fn. 67) who
only survived him by a few months. (fn. 68) Robert, the
infant son of the latter, died in 1633, (fn. 69) and the estate
then devolved upon his uncle Richard, younger brother
of Andrew. (fn. 70) Richard Windsor sold the manor in
1639 to Sir Edward Yate, bart., of Buckland, (fn. 71) whose
granddaughter Mary married Sir Robert Throckmorton, the holder in 1744. (fn. 72) and 1762. (fn. 73) The latter
sold it in 1788 to Edward Loveden Loveden, (fn. 74) then
owner of Michael's Court, with which it was thus
amalgamated.
Henderson, baronet. Or three piles vert issuing from the sinister and a chief ermine with three roundels gules therein.
The land held in demesne by Robert son of Hugh
in 1086. (fn. 75) passed with part of the barony of Malpas
to his descendants the family of Patrick. (fn. 76) Robert
Patrick granted to Emma widow of William Patrick
all her late husband's demesne in Buscot as dower in
1199, (fn. 77) and the manor of Buscot and all services
were confirmed to her by Robert's son William in
1225 after her marriage to Reynold de Whitchurch. (fn. 78)
After her death it reverted to the Patricks, and in
1293 Isabel the widow of Robert Patrick held a messuage and 2 carucates of land in Buscot of the gift
of Isabel daughter and heir of William Patrick. (fn. 79) The
younger Isabel, after the death of her first husband
Philip Burnel in 1282, married Richard de Sutton, (fn. 80)
who held the manor by courtesy in 1316. (fn. 81) John
the son and heir of Isabel and Richard succeeded
before 1322; he demised the manor for life to
Richard Paynel, upon whom, together with his wife
Sibyl, 7 virgates of land in Buscot had already been
settled. (fn. 82) Subsequently a grant in fee was made to
the Paynels, and in 1338 Richard obtained a grant
of free warren in Buscot for himself and his heirs. (fn. 83)
The manor, which became known as PAYNEL'S
COURT, was held in succession by John (fn. 84) and
Thomas Paynel, (fn. 85) the latter of whom sold it in
1381 to Thomas Catewy. (fn. 86) It followed the descent
of Michael's Court (q.v.) until 1407, (fn. 87) but was
afterwards separated for a time, the tenant in 1428
being Simon Reilegh. (fn. 88) Before 1474 both manors had
come into the hands of Thomas Stonor, (fn. 89) and since
that date they have followed the same descent.
One-sixth of this manor was held in socage of
Simon Reilegh in 1428 by William Perkyns, (fn. 90) who
had succeeded to the lands of the Paynels in Ufton
Robert (q.v.). His descendants continued to hold
lands in Buscot. (fn. 91) In 1627 this property, described
as a manor belonging to Francis Perkyns, recusant,
was leased for twenty-one years to William Eyston. (fn. 92)
It was sold by James Perkyns, who died in 1755, (fn. 93)
after which date the descent is lost.
Four hides of land in Buscot, probably representing part of the land held by Drew in 1086 and
by Robert Grevesac in 1130, (fn. 94) were held in the
13th century by the Martel family, whose holding
extended into Coleshill and Watchfield. Gilbert
Martel, who was living at least as late as 1208, (fn. 95)
bequeathed his body, together with a virgate of
land in Buscot which he had bought from Robert
Trame to the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. (fn. 96)
His charter was witnessed by Sir Geoffrey Martel,
probably the Geoffrey who granted half a hide in
Watchfield to William Martel in 1206 (fn. 97) and 1 hide
in Buscot to Geoffrey the son of Samson in 1218;
he retained in the latter year 3 hides in Buscot held
of Geoffrey son of Samson. (fn. 98) By 1252 his lands had
passed to his nieces Wentlian (? Gwenllian) and
Emma, daughters and co-heirs of William Martel, and
in that year Wentlian quitclaimed her share in Coleshill and Watchfield to her sister, then the wife of
William Lumbard. (fn. 99) It seems probable that the land
in Buscot followed the same descent, for in 1254
William Lumbard and Emma his wife granted
3 virgates there to William Gerbert, (fn. 100) who gave
them before 1264 to the hospital of St. John
Baptist at Lechlade. (fn. 101) The prior's holding, which
was valued at £3 2s. 6d. in 1291, (fn. 102) seems to have
been let to various tenants. About 1450 Prior John
Wyham demised a tenement called Prior's Court in
'Beruscot' to John Patyn, Joan his wife and Richard
their son for their lives, (fn. 103) but its descent after this
date is obscure. (fn. 104)
Tenements in Buscot were held of the Patrick
family by Peter Achard before 1225. (fn. 105) In 1331
Robert Achard settled two messuages and a carucate
on Richard de Coleshill. (fn. 106) This land was probably
absorbed into the manor of Coleshill, with which it
was granted to Edington Priory in 1366. (fn. 107)
A fishery is mentioned in the Domesday Survey,
to which there are some later references. (fn. 108)
Church
The church of ST. MARY consists of
a chancel 29 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft. 3 in., nave
46 ft. 10 in. by 20 ft. 6 in., south porch
and west tower 10 ft. square, all these measurements
being internal. There is also a modern vestry at the
east end of the north wall of the nave.
The walling throughout is of rubble with ashlar
dressings, but the chancel, porch and the south side
of the nave are rough-casted; the roofs are eaved and
covered with stone slates. With the exception of the
tower and porch the plan would appear to represent
substantially a building of c. 1200, the east wall of
the nave, including the chancel arch, being of that
date, and perhaps part of the chancel. The outer
order of the chancel arch is, however, part of a 12thcentury arch with double zigzag ornament re-used, (fn. 109)
and indicates that a building of that date preceded
the present one. The chancel windows and other
details belong to the first quarter of the 13th century,
but the presence of two piscinae and aumbries of
different types argues a lengthening or alteration of
the chancel in the latter half of the century. The
porch and tower were added in the 15th century,
at which time the nave may have been refashioned,
the south doorway and the only ancient window now
remaining being of that period. The two windows
on the south of the nave date from 1854, when the
church was restored, but do not reproduce ancient
work. In 1849 there was one lancet in the nave,
the other windows being 'perpendicular.' (fn. 110)
The chancel has an east window of a single light,
which appears to have been a wide lancet mutilated
in the 18th century, when plaster ceilings were
erected. It has now a rounded arch flat at the top,
but the pointed chamfered rear arch remains. The
window is now filled with stained glass by BurneJones representing the Good Shepherd. Near the east
end of the north wall is an original narrow lancet,
and at the west end of the south wall is a similar
one. Opposite to these on either side are wider
pointed windows with foliated rear arches, which
may originally have been of two lights. The priest's
doorway, now built up, is square-headed and is a
later insertion or restoration. On the south side is a
trefoiled piscina with foliated bowl, and in the east
jamb of the window an aumbry of similar type
rebated for a door. The sill of the window forms a
sedile. A second piscina (fn. 111) has a shouldered head and
foliated bowl. The second aumbry, which is also
shouldered, is in the middle of the east wall behind
the altar. The chancel arch is pointed and of three
orders towards the nave and two to the chancel.
On the nave side the middle and outer orders
spring from angle shafts with carved capitals and
moulded bases. The detail of the carved capitals is
of the 13th century with stiff-leaf foliage. A small
nail-head ornament occurs in two of the capitals and
the inturned volute in another, and the imposts have
a hollow moulding. The north jamb leans considerably outwards. The chancel has a barrel-vaulted
plaster ceiling with a single tie-beam, and all the
walls are plastered internally.
The nave is of little architectural interest. The
old window on the north side is a square-headed
opening of two rounded lights high up in the wall,
with external hood mould terminating in heads. At
the north-east and south-east angles are flat double
buttresses of c. 1200, but the four buttresses on the
north side are probably of 15th-century date. The
south doorway has a four-centred moulded arch with
square hood mould and plain spandrels, but the semicircular outer doorway of the porch is modern or a
restoration. The gable coping and finial are old. The
line of the old nave roof on the east side of the tower
shows the ridge to have been slightly higher and the
roof of flatter pitch than at present, the walls having
been apparently reduced in height when the existing
roof was erected. It has a curved plaster ceiling.
The tower is externally of two stages, the lower
being about two-thirds of the total height, and has
diagonal buttresses, moulded plinth and embattled
parapet. The belfry windows are square-headed
and of two trefoiled lights, and the pointed west
window is of three cinquefoiled lights with perpendicular tracery. The four-centred west doorway
has a square label terminating in heads, and there is a
mural sundial near the south-east angle. The north
and south sides of the lower stage are blank, except
for a small opening to the ringing stage. The tower
arch is of two orders, the outer moulded and dying
into the wall, and the inner chamfered, springing
from shafts with moulded capitals and bases.
The font consists of a plain circular bowl moulded
on the lower and upper edges, standing on a modern
shaft and square 13th-century base moulded at the
angles.
The pulpit was given by Sir Alexander Henderson,
bart., in 1908, and is constructed from a carved
Flemish triptych of early 16th-century date, with
painted panels said to be by Mabuse, representing
the Adoration of the Kings, (fn. 112) the Annunciation and
the Virgin and Child, the two latter being on the
shutters.
On the south wall of the chancel are two late
15th-century brasses of a man and woman with hands
in prayer, each 2 ft. in length. There is no inscription, and the head of the man is missing. The
chancel also contains two elaborate mural monuments
to the two wives of Edward Loveden Loveden of
Buscot Park, Elizabeth Pryse (d. 1784) and Elizabeth
Darker (d. 1788). In the floor is a blue armorial
slab to Walter Hungerford, D.D. (d. 1681). The
nave contains memorials to Mrs. Susanna Place,
eldest daughter of Roger Loveden (d. 1686), and to
Edward Loveden (d. 1713).
There is a ring of three bells. The second is of
pre-Reformation date, and bears the inscription
' † Sandta (sic) Maria W.', the treble was cast by
Edward Neale of Burford in 1661, and the tenor
by William & Robert Cor of Aldbourne in 1708. (fn. 113)
The plate is all silver gilt, and consists of a cup of
1711–12, inscribed 'Burwescott Parish in Berkshire.
Geo. Browne, John Nash, Churchwardens, 1712.
Gilt at the Expence of Edward and Margaret Loveden
1779'; a breadholder of 1710–11, inscribed 'Ex dono
Thomae Kingston hujus ecclesiae Rectorisanno domini
1711. Gilt at the expence of Edward and Margaret
Loveden 1779,' with the maker's mark RY below a
crown; and a cover paten and flagon of 1779, both
inscribed 'The Gift of Edward and Margaret Loveden
for the Use of the Parish Church of Buscott 1779.'
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries from 1676 to October 1744; (ii) from July
1745 to December 1798; (iii) from January 1799
to November 1812.
The churchyard is entered at the south-east through
a lych-gate erected in 1897 by Sir Alexander Henderson.
Advowson
In 1291 the church of Buscot
was valued at £15. (fn. 114) The advowson was attached to the Gerberts'
manor in the 13th century. (fn. 115) From the 14th to the
18th century the lords of Michael's Court, Philpot's
Court and Paynel's Court all claimed a share in the
advowson. (fn. 116) The shares were united by Edward
Loveden in 1788. Sir Alexander Henderson is the
present patron. The living is a rectory.
There was a chapel attached to the manor of
Michael's Court in 1316, when Michael Drokensford
founded the chantry there already mentioned, for the
upkeep of which he granted 3 hides of land in Buscot
to the Prior of St. John's Hospital, Lechlade. (fn. 117) The
chantry was, however, said to have been disused for
twenty years as early as 1392. (fn. 118)
Charities
In 1749 Edward Loveden by his
will gave an annuity of £2 4s. out
of his property at Weston, to be laid
out in buying four coats yearly for four poor men.
The annuity is received from the Buscot estate.
In 1801 Mrs. Elizabeth Nash, by her will proved
in the P.C.C. 15 December, bequeathed a sum
to purchase stock the interest of which would buy
annually twenty coats for twenty poor men and the
same number of gowns and petticoats for twenty poor
women. The trust fund consists of £1,166 13s. 4d.
consols, now producing £29 3s. 4d. yearly, which is
duly applied.
In 1833 Jane Gill by a codicil to her will
bequeathed £100, the dividends to be applied in
coals for heating the parish church. The legacy, less
duty, is represented by £102 15s. 3d. consols, the
annual dividends of which, amounting to £2 11s. 4d.,
are applied as directed.
In 1861 the Rev. Samuel Heckford, by his will,
bequeathed (after the death of his widow, which event
happened in 1867) £100 consols, the dividends,
subject to the repair of his daughter's tomb in the
churchyard, to be applied for the benefit of poor
widows and widowers. The trust fund consists of
£99 12s. 8d. consols, producing £2 9s. 8d. yearly
which is distributed in coal.
In 1863 the Rev. Christopher Cleobury, by his
will proved at Salisbury 31 December, bequeathed
£50, the income to be applied in bread, fuel or
clothing. The trust fund consists of £56 9s. 11d.
consols. The annual dividends, amounting to £1 8s.,
are duly applied.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.