LALEHAM
Leleham (xi cent.); Lalham, Lelham (xiii-xv
cent.); Laneham (xvi cent.).
The parish of Laleham lies on the level ground
between the road from Staines to Kingston and
the River Thames. It is long and wedge-shaped,
the point of the wedge lying towards the south,
and the Thames forms almost the whole of the
western boundary. There is no railway line in
the parish, and the nearest stations are at Staines,
2½ miles to the north-west, and at Shepperton,
2½ miles to the east. The main road from Staines
to Kingston runs just within the northern boundary, and roads from Staines, Ashford, and Shepperton converge on the village. The parish is
sparsely wooded, and is laid out almost entirely
in fields. The village lies near the Thames, about
midway between the northern and southern extremities of the parish. It is a typical river village
of the kind that is found on the lower reaches of
the Thames. The pleasant street, very quiet
except in the summer months, winds among
private houses and shops, and after passing round
the church, widens out into the road to Ashford,
and the houses continue northwards. A new street
of small villas has been built towards the river,
and there are a few houses of the bungalow type
facing the tow-path. The Thames is here comparatively wide, and a fine open stretch affords
good mooring for the house-boats which lie along
its banks in the summer. There is no bridge over
the Thames in this parish, Chertsey Bridge lying
just beyond the boundary, but a ferry (punt) plies
from a point near the village to the opposite
Surrey bank.
A triangular piece of ground of about 200 acres
on the Surrey side of the river is known as Laleham Burway. It is part of an island formed by
an offshoot of the main stream, and is divided
from the Abbey Mead of Chertsey on the south by
a stream called the Burway Ditch, and by another
stream from the meadow of Mixnams on the
north. This land is included in Chertsey parish,
and belongs to the manor of Laleham. It is mentioned as the Island of Burgh in the original endowment of Chertsey Abbey between 666 and
675, (fn. 1) and is described as separated from Mixtenham by water, which formed part of the boundary
of the abbey lands, (fn. 2) but it is not clear which of
the two lay within the bounds of the abbey.
Tradition says that the Burway originally belonged
to Chertsey, and that in a time of great scarcity
and famine the inhabitants of Laleham supplied
the abbey with necessaries which those of Chertsey
could not, or would not provide, in return for
which the abbot granted them the use of this
piece of ground. (fn. 3) Whatever the truth of this
story, it is certain that the abbey of Westminster
when lord of the manor of Laleham held land on
the Surrey side of the river, and that in the time
of Edward I it held part of the meadow called
Mixtenham also, for in a dispute with the abbey
of Chertsey in 1278, Westminster agreed to release their right in this meadow in return for
4 acres of pasture contiguous with that which
they already held (fn. 4) In 1370 they still held some
pasture in Mixtenham. (fn. 5) Laleham Burway appears
in a grant of the manor during the 18th century. (fn. 6)
At the beginning of the 19th century it is described as paying no tithes or taxes to either
Chertsey or Laleham parish. (fn. 7) It belonged to
owners of estates within the manor of Laleham,
and the pasture was divided into 300 parts called
'farrens,' the tenants of which were entitled some
to the feed of a horse, others to the support of a
cow and a half. A horse-farren would let for
£1 17s. 6d. a year, and pasture for one cow for
£1 5s., and when sold a farren was worth about
£40. (fn. 8) This land was not inclosed under the Act
of 1773 for inclosing the common fields of Laleham Manor in Chertsey, (fn. 9) and was specially exempted from the Act of 1808 for inclosing
Laleham and Middlesex. (fn. 10) It was finally inclosed
under an Act passed in 1813, (fn. 11) when the Earl of
Lucan, lord of the manor of Laleham, acquired by
allotment and purchase about 70 acres. Before
its inclosure many cricket matches were played
here 'by ennobled and other cricketers.' (fn. 12)
Laleham House, the seat of the Earl of Lucan,
stands to the south of the village in well-wooded
grounds of about 23 acres. It was built by Richard,
the second earl, who bought the manor in 1803.
Maria, Queen of Portugal, who spent her minority
in England, lived here from 1829. George, the
third earl (1800-88), served in Turkey and in
the Crimea, and attained the rank of field-marshal.
The charge of the heavy brigade at Balaclava was
made under his direction, and he was himself
wounded by a bullet in the leg. Lord Raglan
blamed him for the advance of the cavalry on that
occasion, and in consequence
he returned to England and
vindicated his conduct in
the House of Lords (19
March 1855). (fn. 13) He was
succeeded by the present
earl in 1888.
Bingham, Earl of Lucan
Azure a bend between cotises and six crosses formy or.
Thomas Arnold lived
at Laleham from 1819 to
1828. He settled here
to take as private pupils
a small number of young
men preparing for the universities, and besides his own studies and those
of his pupils he spent his time in assisting in the
care of the parish. (fn. 14) After his appointment to the
head-mastership of Rugby he still hoped to return
to Laleham after he should have retired from
public life. (fn. 15) His house, which stood at the end
of the village, was pulled down in 1864. (fn. 16) His
eldest and most distinguished son, Matthew Arnold,
was born here in 1822. (fn. 17) After the family had
removed to Rugby, he returned to Laleham as
pupil of his maternal uncle, the Rev. John Buckland (1830-6). (fn. 18) He lies buried in the churchyard here, together with Thomas Arnold his
eldest son.
Among the present residents are Mr. Adolphus
Govett, J.P., of High Elms, whose family has
long been connected with this parish, and Gen.
Sir Frederick Maunsell, R.E., K.C.B., who lives
at the Boreen.
The inhabitants of Laleham are chiefly dependent on agriculture, and the population returns of
the last forty years show a decrease of over twenty
per cent. The soil is light, and the subsoil
gravel. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats,
turnips, and mangold-wurzel. There are 1,301
acres in the parish, of which 550½ acres are
arable, and 465 acres are laid down in permanent
grass. Woods and plantations cover 36 acres. (fn. 19)
The following names of pastures occur in
mediaeval times: Le Cottes, Watcroftes, Hotlowe, Henland, Charston, Chikenes, Middelwellethorn, Tuccemede. Churchwynnesland was originally held by a John Cherchwynn early in the
14th century. (fn. 20)
MANORS
LALEHAM is mentioned as one
of the four appurtenances of Staines
in the charter of Edward the Confessor granting and confirming lands to Westminster Abbey. (fn. 21) At the time of the Domesday
Survey, the abbey still held Staines and four unnamed berewicks, (fn. 22) and it is likely that Laleham
was one of the latter, as the abbey held a large
amount of land there in 1291, (fn. 23) and about the
same time Laleham is described as one of those
members of Staines which had belonged to Westminster from time immemorial. (fn. 24) The abbey
continued to hold it until the Dissolution, (fn. 25) when
the manor was ceded to the king, who caused it
to be annexed to the newly-formed honour of
Hampton Court. (fn. 26) Laleham remained in the
hands of the king throughout the 16th century.
The site of the manor had been leased by
Westminster Abbey in 1538 to John Williams for
seventy-six years, and in 1588 the site was leased
on the same terms to Thomas Kay, (fn. 27) and in 1608
to Sir Thomas Lake. (fn. 28)
Spiller
Sable a cross voided between four pierced molets or.
In 1612 James I granted the manor to Henry
Spiller, (fn. 29) who was knighted in 1608. (fn. 30) He leased
the site of the manor to a
widow, Jane Thompson,
and to Thomas Stapley,
and litigation took place
in 1630 touching the arrears of twelve years of
rent and waste and spoil
on the part of the defendants, Jane Thompson and
others, (fn. 31) when it was alleged
that the latter had neglected
to give entertainment to
the steward and surveyor
of the manor and their servants, and had not provided 'fitt and competent
meat drink and lodging for them.' Amongst other
charges they were accused of not holding the
manor courts, and of taking a new toll of 2d. for
every team of large horses passing through the
land of the Old Farm adjoining the river. (fn. 32)
Reynell
Argent masoned and a chief indented sable.
In 1640 proceedings for recusancy were instituted against Sir Henry's wife, Lady Anne Spiller,
and she was pronounced guilty on 5 May of that
year. (fn. 33) Sir Henry took the king's side in the
Civil War, and after being taken prisoner and
confined in the Tower, (fn. 34) he proposed to compound for his estates for the sum of £8,611. (fn. 35) He
died, however, in the early part of 1650, leaving
half the fine unpaid, and James Herbert, who had
married Jane Spiller, the granddaughter and heirat-law of Sir Henry, and Sir Thomas Reynell of
Weybridge, who had married Sir Henry's daughter
Katherine, between them
paid the remainder of the
composition, and were admitted to the lands on
12 March 1652. Laleham was apparently assigned
to Reynell, and was inherited by his son, also
named Thomas. (fn. 36) It passed
to the latter's daughter and
heiress Elizabeth, (fn. 37) who, as
her second husband, married Sir Richard Reynell, son of Sir Richard Reynell of East Ogwell, Devon. (fn. 38) The manor was
held jointly by Richard and Elizabeth, and by
Richard after his wife's death. (fn. 39) On his own death
in 1723 it was inherited by his son Sir Thomas
Reynell. (fn. 40) The latter's son died unmarried in 1735, (fn. 41)
and in the following year Sir Thomas conveyed the
reversion to Sir Robert Lowther of Whitehaven, (fn. 42)
sometime governor of Barbados. (fn. 43) Sir Thomas
Reynell seems to have continued to hold the manor
at any rate until 1741, (fn. 44) but by 1768 it was in
the hands of Sir James Lowther, (fn. 45) who was the
second son of Sir Robert, and was created Earl of
Lonsdale in 1784. The year after his death in
1802 (fn. 46) it was bought by the Earl of Lucan, in
whose family it remains at the present day. (fn. 46a)
The grange belonging to the abbey of Westminster was apparently built about 1278. (fn. 47) It
contained a room for the use of the monks. (fn. 48) A
house was built about 1290, with stables for cattle
and sheep, piggeries, and a garden. (fn. 49) The abbey
already possessed one garden, (fn. 50) and apparently a
good deal of fruit was grown in Laleham, for fruit
to the amount of 23s. was sold to Roger the
fruiterer of Wraysbury in 1385-6. (fn. 51) A smithy
was built before 1300, but ceases to be mentioned
after 1354. (fn. 52) There was a dovecote on the estate
in the 13th century, (fn. 53) and as many as 189 doves
were sometimes sold in the year. (fn. 54) The dovecote
fell into disrepair in 1302, (fn. 55) and was still neglected
in 1306, (fn. 56) after which there is no further mention
of it.
There was a windmill and a grain-mill in the
14th century, (fn. 57) and pastures on Windmill Hill
and Grundmullhull are occasionally mentioned. (fn. 58)
The abbey had a water-mill on the Thames, (fn. 59)
which was considerably repaired in 1276, (fn. 60) and
which appears to have been moved to a fresh place
in 1302. (fn. 61) A mill is mentioned in a grant of the
site of the manor in 1608, (fn. 62) and a water-mill
belonged to the manor when it was held by
Sir Henry Spiller. (fn. 63)
A weir called 'Depewere' lay between Staines
and Laleham, and was given to the Abbot of
Westminster in the 13th century by Gilbert son
of John de Monte, together with the fishery, and
also with three cart-loads of timber and two of
brushwood from the Abbot of Chertsey's wood,
for its upkeep. (fn. 64) Weirs are mentioned in a grant
of the site of the manor in 1600, (fn. 65) and there is
now a weir just beyond the parish boundary in
Staines, and a second weir at the southern boundary
opposite Chertsey.
A sailing boat was made for the bailiff of Laleham in 1290, at a cost of £7 4s. (fn. 66)
From about 1294 to 1304 the manor courts
seem to have been held almost monthly, and generally on a date towards the end of the month. (fn. 67)
After 1331 they were held three times a year, the
court held with view of frankpledge falling always
near the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. (fn. 68)
The reeve (prepositus), who was responsible to
Westminster for the manor, appears to have been
elected by the homage, (fn. 69) and to have been usually
a native tenant of the manor. Though the manor
was generally managed by a reeve, the abbey occasionally appointed a serjeant, (fn. 70) or a collector of
rents. (fn. 71) There are four court rolls extant of the
reign of Henry VI, (fn. 72) and twelve are preserved at
the Public Record Office which date from 1690
to 1721. (fn. 73)
LA HYDE or BILLETS.
In 1086 Robert
Blund (Blunt) held 8 hides as a manor. (fn. 74) This
land is ascribed to Laleham only, but it probably
extended into the neighbouring parish of Littleton
also, as the Blunts certainly held land there. (fn. 75)
Littleton is not mentioned by name in the
Domesday Survey, but as Westminster Abbey held
the more important estate in Laleham, there
would hardly be room in so small a parish for
another manor estimated at as much as 8 hides.
In the time of Edward the Confessor Robert
Blunt's manor had been held by Achi, the
king's servant, and it had then lain within the
jurisdiction of Staines. (fn. 76) It was held of Robert
Blunt by one Estrild, a nun. (fn. 77) Laleham is not
mentioned again among the lands of the Blunt
family, whose chief property lay in Suffolk, and
who were barons of Ixworth in that county. (fn. 78)
The last of this branch of the family, William
Blunt, was killed at the battle of Evesham, and
his estates were divided between his sisters, Agnes the
wife of Sir William Criketot
of Ovisdone, and Rose wife
of Robert de Valoigne. (fn. 79)
Eglesfeld
Argent three eagles gules.
In the reign of Edward III Robert de Eglesfeld held the manor of La
Hyde in Laleham. (fn. 80) He
held it by gift from his
father, John de Eglesfeld,
who was one of the heirs
of John de Crokedayk. (fn. 81)
The Eglesfelds and the Crokedayks were Cumberland families, (fn. 82) and it is possible that the latter
represents a branch of the Criketots, and that the
manor of La Hyde was part of the 8 hides held
by Robert Blunt in 1086. There is, however, no actual proof of the connexion, nor is
Laleham mentioned among the lands inherited by
John de Eglesfeld from John de Crokedayk. (fn. 83)
Robert de Eglesfeld son of John was chaplain to
Queen Philippa, the consort of Edward III, and
the founder of Queen's College, Oxford. (fn. 84) His
manor of La Hyde apparently gave its name to a
pasture known as the Hyde Acre. An extent
taken in 1327 shows that it lay in Laleham,
Littleton, and Staines, and that it had a house and
garden, stables, a grange, and that there were in
demesne 36½ acres of arable, and 9 acres of pasture; (fn. 85) the whole being worth £6 14s. 10½d. (fn. 86)
In 1328, Robert de Eglesfeld granted the manor
to Edward III in exchange for Renwick or
Ravenswyk, a hamlet in Cumberland. (fn. 87) The king
added La Hyde to the manor of Kempton, in
Sunbury parish, and gave it into the custody of
John de L'Isle, the constable of Windsor Castle. (fn. 88)
The capital messuage and garden and demesne
lands were then held by Roger Belet, the pantler
(panetarius) of the queen's household, (fn. 89) an office
which seems to have been hereditary in the Belet
family since the reign of John. (fn. 90) In 1337 these
lands were granted to Roger to hold in fee by the
services due, (fn. 91) though the estate still remained
in the manorial jurisdiction of Kempton. (fn. 92) In
1366 Belet conveyed these and the reversion of all
his lands in Staines, Littleton, and Laleham to the
abbey of Westminster. (fn. 93) From this time it seems
to have been merged in the abbey's manor of Laleham, and to have been distinguished under the
name of Beletes tenement. (fn. 94) At the Dissolution
it was probably represented by the 'manor' of
BILLETS, which was valued separately from that of
Laleham at the sum of £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 95) It was
surrendered with the rest of the abbey's lands to the
Crown, and was annexed to the honour of Hampton
Court. (fn. 96)
The site of the manor was leased in 1538 to
Thomas Cawarden, and later to Roger Rogers.
In 1585 it was leased to John Keye (being
described as 'Billets in Laleham' (fn. 97) ), and in 1606
to Henry Spiller, (fn. 98) to whom it was finally granted,
with the manor of Laleham, in 1612. (fn. 99) The
history of the two manors from that time was
identical, and they were generally described as the
manor of 'Laleham and Billets,' otherwise 'Laleham
Billets.' The name of Billets is not to be found
now in the parish, but land known as the Billet
estate lies on the borders of the neighbouring parish
of Staines, and perhaps represents that part of the
manor which originally lay in that parish.
At the time of the Domesday Survey, the Count
of Mortain held two hides in Laleham. (fn. 100) This
land had been in the time of Edward the Confessor in the possession of the abbey of Westminster, under whom it was held by the bailiff of
Staines, who could not sell it out of the soke of
Staines without permission from the abbey. (fn. 101)
The Count of Mortain gave it to the abbey of
Fécamp, and the abbot still held lands and rent
in Laleham in 1134, which he exchanged for other
lands in France with Nigel son of William, nephew
(nepos) of Robert, Earl of Gloucester. (fn. 102) There is
no further trace of this land, but it is probable
that it came again into the hands of Westminster
Abbey, and that it was then merged in the manor
of Laleham.
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS, a
little ivy-grown brick-faced building,
though containing some 12th-century
work in the nave, has been so altered and rebuilt
that little really old work is left; at the present
time it consists of a brick-faced chancel 21 ft. 6 in.
by 15 ft. 4 in., a north chapel belonging to the Earls
of Lucan, 21 ft. by 13 ft. 9 in., faced with 17thcentury brickwork, a nave 34 ft. by 15 ft. 4 in. of the
12th century, which had north and south aisles, of
which the latter has been pulled down and the
former rebuilt in modern times, and at the west
end of the north aisle an 18th-century brick tower,
covered with ivy, having a west doorway and
round-headed windows.
There is no east window to the chancel, the
space being occupied by a large picture of our
Lord walking on the water with St. Peter; this is
lit by a skylight above. On the north side the
wall has been cut away towards the Lucan chapel,
which is lit on the north and east by square-headed
cut brick windows of three four-centred lights.
On the south side of the chancel is a modern
Gothic doorway.
The chancel arch is slightly pointed, of one
chamfered order, with a chamfered abacus, all so
covered with colour wash that it is impossible to
be sure of its age. The nave has arcades of three
bays of late 12th-century date, with edge-chamfered pointed arches on massive round columns
with scalloped capitals; all the arches have chamfered labels, except the east arch of the north
arcade. The label of the middle arch of this
arcade has billet ornament on its label, re-used
material from an arch of different radius. In
the blocking of the south arcade are two
modern two-light windows in 15th-century style,
and in the western bay a doorway which looks
like 14th-century work, leading into a red brick
porch. At the west end of the nave is a gallery
containing an organ, which hides a modern threelight window.
The north aisle has three modern two-light
north windows like those on the south of the nave;
at the west end is a gallery, and the east end opens
to the Lucan chapel by a plain chamfered pointed
arch.
In the chancel is a monument to George Perrott,
baron of the Exchequer, who died 1780, and his
wife Mary, 1784, and there are others of the
19th century. The font, at the west end of the
north aisle, is modern, in 12th-century style.
There are three bells by William Eldridge,
1663 and a set of eight tubular bells.
The plate consists of modern chalice, paten and
flagon, and a standing paten, the gift of Samuel
Freeman, 1767.
The registers date from 1538. Book (i) contains
baptisms 1538 to 1690, burials 1538 to 1682, and
marriages 1539 to 1643; (ii) baptisms 1690 to
1692, marriages 1682 to 1683, 1643 to 1690;
(iii) printed marriages 1754 to 1789 and 1801 to
1812; (iv) burials 1804 to 1812, baptisms 1804 to
1812; (v) marriages and baptisms 1789 to 1801, and
burials 1789 to 1802, having threepenny stamps.
ADVOWSON
Laleham was from the earliest
times a chapelry of Staines, (fn. 103) with
which it was probably appropriated, but until the 15th century it was served
by a separate vicar appointed by the Abbot
and Convent of Westminster, patrons of the
mother church. (fn. 104) By an order made by William,
Bishop of London, however (probably between
1426 and 1431), the vicar of Staines was in
future to appoint curates to the chapels of that
church, but it was provided that if there were any
vicar who had been canonically appointed to any of
the chapels, he should remain there during his lifetime. (fn. 105) Apparently the order came into force at
Laleham during the latter half of the 15th century,
for the last institution to the vicarage took place in
December 1439, and in 1492 Laleham is mentioned as a chapel in the institution to the vicarage of
Staines. (fn. 106) At the Dissolution the patronage of the
latter fell to the Crown. In 1542 the advowson of
Laleham was separated from that of Staines, and was
granted to the dean and chapter of the Cathedral
Church of Westminster, (fn. 107) but there is no mention of
an institution to the vicarage, and in 1550 Laleham
appears again as a chapel of Staines in the presentation of that living which was then the gift of the
Crown. (fn. 108) In 1560 the queen granted the vicarage
and free chapel of Laleham to the newly-founded
Collegiate Church of Westminster, (fn. 109) but again
there is no record of any institution. (fn. 110) In 1612
the advowson was given with the manor to Sir
Henry Spiller, (fn. 111) from whom it descended to Sir
Thomas Reynell, (fn. 112) who presented immediately
after the Restoration and again in 1662 and 1663. (fn. 113)
It descended with the manor (q.v.), and thus came
by purchase to Sir Robert Lowther in 1736. (fn. 114) In
1773 and 1778, however, Laleham is again
mentioned as a chapel of Staines, (fn. 115) and during the
early part of the 19th century it continued to be
served by a curate of the mother church. At that
time services were held on alternate Sundays with
Ashford, although it is mentioned in 1826 that
'the inhabitants have the benefit of other preachers,
who officiate occasionally.' The living was a
perpetual curacy in the gift of the Earl of Lucan
from 1858 to 1865, (fn. 116) after which it is called a
vicarage. The advowson still remains with the
Earl of Lucan.
In the 14th century 10 marks from the church
of Oakham were paid yearly to the Abbot of
Westminster's household. (fn. 117) These were given up
by Abbot Littlington to the convent, and 10 marks
from the church at Laleham were granted instead,
for the supply of plate.
The rectory, which was held by Westminster
Abbey till the Dissolution, was granted in 1602
to Guy Godolphin and John Smythe. (fn. 118)
Godolphin sold his interest to Smythe, who conveyed the rectory to Urias Babington. (fn. 119) The
latter died seised of it in 1606, having demised it
to his younger son William. (fn. 120) Under the
Commonwealth it was held by George and Robert
Holmes, who in 1650 and 1657 conveyed their
respective shares to William Powell or Hinson. (fn. 121)
Before 1682 it came into the hands of Robert
Gibbon, (fn. 122) in whose family it continued until Mrs.
Elizabeth Joddrell, daughter of Phillipps Gibbon,
sold it to Mrs. Mary Jeffreson, who in 1733
alienated to Samuel Freeman. (fn. 123) The latter's
daughter Martha married Captain John Coggan, (fn. 124)
who held the rectory in 1782, and as late as
1800. (fn. 125) In 1836 Mr. Conosmaker, Mr. Hartwell,
and Mr. John Irving are mentioned as the impropriators, (fn. 126) but after this nothing can be learnt
about the rectory.
CHARITIES
Charity of Ann Reeve for bread:
see under Ashford.
In 1819 Mrs. Mary Hodgson,
by will dated 4 September, bequeathed a sum of
stock, now represented by £95 consols with the
official trustees, the income to be given to the poor
of the parish by the vicar and his successors to
whom and in what manner he should think
necessary.
The Poor's Land consists of 17 a. 2 r. acquired
under the Inclosure Act, let at £22 10s. a year,
the administration of which was regulated by a
scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 4 August
1865.
In 1896 Dr. John Hearn Pinckney, by a
declaration of trust dated 10 February, settled a
sum of £120 London, Chatham and Dover Railway
4½ per cent. stock for the benefit of the National
School.
By a scheme of the Board of Education, the
Poor's Land and Dr. Pinckney's Charity were consolidated with the National School under the title
of the 'Laleham School Foundation,' whereby the
trustees were authorized to raise a loan of £300 by
mortgage of the trust property, and to sell the
railway stock for the purpose of the enlargement of
the school buildings, at a cost of £500. A sum of
£150 19s. 6d. was realized by the sale of the
railway stock. The loan is subject to replacement
within thirty years, and within the same period
a sum of £174 consols has to be funded with the
official trustees in lieu of the railway stock.
In 1906-7 the income of the charities (other
than Ann Reeve's Charity) was used as a contribution to the School Enlargement Fund.