ASPLEY GUISE
Aspslea (x cent.); Aspleia (xi cent.); Asperele,
Aspel (xiii cent.); Aspelegise (xiv cent.).
Aspley Guise is a parish lying on the Buckinghamshire border, on the extreme west of the county.
The total area is 3,299 acres, 600 of which form
Aspley Heath, constituted a civil parish in 1883,
and 800 Woburn Sands, which has been a separate
ecclesiastical parish since 1867.
Two small streams in the north, which rise near
Glebe Farm and unite at Holcot Mill Pond, are
joined there by another stream forming part of the
north-eastern boundary of the parish.
The slope of the land is from the north—where
the altitude is 230 ft.—to the south. The village of
Aspley Guise is 400 ft. above ordnance datum, while
the average heights of Aspley Heath and Woburn
Sands are respectively 500 ft. and 330 ft.
The subsoil is clay, and the surface soil sand on
the hills and clay in the lower parts. There are
382 acres of arable land, 758 acres of permanent
grass and 665½ acres (fn. 1) of woods and plantations, the
whole of the southern part of the parish being covered
by Aspley Heath and Aspley Wood, with fine pine
trees. In the northern part crops of barley, wheat,
oats and beans are raised.
Plan of the 'Old House,' Aspley Guise
The village of Aspley Guise in the east of the
parish is well situated at four cross roads. Although
much modernized, a few half-timber and thatch
cottages still remain. The parish church of St.
Botolph is in the north of the village, the churchyard of which is entered from the south by a lychgate. Aspley House in the centre is the residence
of Mrs. C. V. S. Downes, and was built c. 1690.
Most of the rooms are panelled, and the house contains many fine portraits of the Hervey and Chernock
families. Other houses in Aspley Guise are The Old
House, the residence of Dr. G. H. Fowler, a halftimber house of about 1575, with oak-panelling and
fine plaster-work, and Oaklands, the residence of
Mrs. Dymond, from which an excellent view over
Woburn Park and the surrounding district is
obtained.
In Aspley Guise are Wesleyan and Primitive
Methodist chapels.
West of Aspley Guise are Aspley Heath and
Woburn Sands, of comparatively modern growth.
Their development is due to the dry and salubrious
climate, which, combined with the picturesque nature
of the scenery in this district, with its large plantations
of fir and pine, has made them much sought as health
resorts. Woburn Sands contains many fine modern
houses, and has a station on the Bedford and
Cambridge branch of the London and North-Western
railway, which runs through this parish. There are
large brick works, but the fuller's-earth works here
have been almost abandoned, as they prove unremunerative.
The parish church of Woburn
Sands is at Aspley Heath near Edgebury, the residence of Mr. Alfred
Alnutt. The Knoll, in the south,
now used as a preparatory school
for boys, stands in well-wooded
grounds. At Daneswood is a Jewish
sanatorium for consumptives.
There are Wesleyan, Primitive
Methodist and Baptist chapels and a
Friends' Meeting-house in Woburn
Sands.
The following place-names occur
in documents relating to this parish:
Allumbridge, Swansnestemeade (xvii
cent.). (fn. 2)
Camden in his Britannia of 1620
refers to 'Aspley Gowis,' where there
was 'said to be an earth that turns
wood to stone, in proof of which
they show in the monastery (Woburn) a wooden ladder, which after lying some time
in it was dug up all stone.' (fn. 3)
Benjamin Barron Wiffen, the biographer of early
Spanish reformers, was born and educated in Woburn.
He belonged to a Quaker family in this district, and lies
buried in the Woburn Sands Friends' burial-ground. (fn. 4)
An Inclosure Act for Aspley Guise was passed
in 1761. (fn. 5)
MANOR
The first record of ASPLEY occurs in
969, when land there comprising 15 hides
was granted by King Edgar to his thegn
Alfwold. (fn. 6) Under Edward the Confessor Aspley was
held of Earl Waltheof by Leveva, and in 1086 it
was assessed at 10 hides and formed part of the fief
of Hugh de Beauchamp. (fn. 7) With other of his possessions
it afterwards formed part of the barony of Bedford,
of which it was held till the beginning of the 16th
century. (fn. 8)
At the time of the Survey Acard de Ivri was
Hugh's tenant in Aspley Guise. (fn. 9) More than a
century later it is found in the possession of Guy de
Valery, (fn. 10) to whom it may have passed by inheritance,
as he was great-grandson of
Ralph de Ivri, a contemporary
of the Acard of Domesday. (fn. 11)
He was lord of the fee in
1203, (fn. 12) and was succeeded
by his son Reginald, from
whom Aspley was held at
farm for a certain term of
years by Falkes de Breauté.
On the confiscation of Falkes'
estates in 1225 the remainder
of the term was confirmed
by the king to Henry
Capella. (fn. 13) The manor was
in the hands of Reginald
de St. Valery in 1227, when he released the
whole of the fee to Hubert de Burgh, who
obtained a confirmation of the alienation for himself
and Margaret his wife and their heirs in the same
year. (fn. 14) Hubert de Burgh fell
into disgrace and Aspley
Manor was confiscated, being
granted in 1233 (fn. 15) to Robert
Passelewe. The estates of
Hubert were restored in the
following year, (fn. 16) and he was
returned as lord of the Aspley
fee in the Testa de Nevill. (fn. 17)
He died in 1243, (fn. 18) and on
the death of his widow
Margaret Countess of Kent
in 1259 the property passed
to his son John by a former
wife Beatrix. (fn. 19)
Beauchamp of Bedford. Quarterly or and gules a bend sable.
De Burgh. Gules seven lozenges vair.
John de Burgh obtained a grant of free warren in
his demesne lands in Aspley in 1260, (fn. 20) but before
1267 he had subinfeudated the manor to Anselm de
Gyse. (fn. 21) The tenants in fee continued to hold Aspley
from John de Burgh by knight service, (fn. 22) and on his
son's death without male issue from the latter's
daughter and co-heir Hawise wife of Robert de
Gresley. (fn. 23) Joan daughter and heir of Hawise and
Robert de Gresley married John de la Warr, and
Aspley Manor was held of them in the middle of
the 14th century. (fn. 24) After this date the interest
of the heirs of Hubert de Burgh in Aspley seems to
have lapsed, and the manor was held directly of the
barony of Bedford.
Anselm de Gyse held the manor for one-twentieth
part of one knight's fee in 1276 (fn. 25) and 1284, (fn. 26) and
dying in 1295 left as heir a
son John, then aged seventeen, (fn. 27) who was returned as
lord of Aspley in 1302–3. (fn. 28)
In 1313 John settled the
manor—one-third of which
was still held by his mother
Beatrix as dower—on his son
John by his wife Margaret,
Robert Lovet being appointed
trustee. (fn. 29) The younger John
apparently succeeded
his father shortly afterwards, for in 1316 he was
lord of Aspley, (fn. 30) and in
1346 he and his tenants were returned as holding it
for one-third of a knight's fee. (fn. 31) He died some time
before 1363, (fn. 32) leaving as heir a grandson Anselm,
then a minor, in the wardship of William Tyrington
and Joan his wife. (fn. 33) Anselm entered into possession
of the property—from this time known as Aspley
Guise Manor—in 1375, (fn. 34) possibly on attaining his
majority, and died in 1412, when he was succeeded
by a son Reginald, aged twenty-four. (fn. 35) He settled
the manor and advowson by a charter of 1420 on
trustees to the use of himself and his heirs (fn. 36) and died
before 1428, when Aspley Guise was in the hands
of Giles Bridges, (fn. 37) who had married Catherine widow
of Reginald Gyse. (fn. 38)
Gyse. Lozengy gules and vair a quarter or.
John Gyse, son and heir of Reginald, was living in
1470, (fn. 39) and his son John, created a knight by Prince
Arthur, died seised of Aspley Guise Manor in 1501, (fn. 40)
leaving as successor a son, also called John, then a
minor, aged sixteen. (fn. 41) John Gyse was still seised in
1540, when by negotiation with the Crown he
exchanged his estate at Aspley Guise for lands nearer
to his large property of Elmore in Gloucestershire. (fn. 42)
In 1541 the manor of Aspley Guise was annexed
to the newly-formed honour of Ampthill, (fn. 43) which in
1551 was granted to Princess Elizabeth for life. (fn. 44)
In 1560 Sir Richard Lee, the great military engineer,
obtained the whole property, with rights of court leet,
free warren, rent of assize worth £14 13s. 11½d.,
&c., by royal grant. (fn. 45) In the same year he received
licence for its alienation to Edward Greves and John
Kettell as trustees (fn. 46) for himself and his wife Margaret
daughter of Sir Richard Greenfield. (fn. 47)
On the marriage of Anne elder daughter of Sir
Richard Lee with Edward Sadleir Aspley Guise was
settled on her and her issue,
with remainder to the heirs
of Sir Richard Lee. (fn. 48) Anne
survived her husband, and
married as her second husband
Ralph Norwich, (fn. 49) with whom
in 1591 she alienated Aspley
Guise Manor to Francis Bury
and his heirs. (fn. 50) The latter,
by an indenture of 1596,
vested the estate in trustees
to hold for his only daughter
and heir Frances, who afterwards married Thomas
Lee Sadleir, grandson of
Edward Sadleir and Anne, (fn. 51) and by this alliance
brought back the manor of Aspley Guise to the
Sadleir family. Frances succeeded her father in
1597, (fn. 52) and in 1645 was still seised of the manor, (fn. 53)
her husband having died the previous year. (fn. 54) On
her death in 1676 (fn. 55) Aspley Guise passed to her third
but second surviving son William. Ralph Sadleir,
son of William, made a settlement of the manor in
1684, (fn. 56) and the estate passed down from him in the
direct line to Richard Vernon Sadleir, who died
without issue in 1810. (fn. 57) His sister Ursula married
Edmund Moody, and Aspley Guise passed to their
son Robert Sadleir Moody, who died in 1825, and
whose descendant, Mr. F. Moody, is the present
owner.
Sadleir. Or a lion parted fessewise azure and gules.
The rights claimed by Anselm de Gyse in 1287
as pertaining to his manor of Aspley were view of
frankpledge, free warren granted to him by Henry III
in 1267, and rights of gallows and tumbrils, which
Hubert de Burgh had in the manor in the early part
of the 13th century. (fn. 58) John de Gyse also claimed to
have similar rights with pillory in 1331. (fn. 59)
A mill worth 10s. belonged to Aspley Guise Manor
in 1086, (fn. 60) and an extent of the manor in 1560
mentions two windmills, (fn. 61) but none exist in the parish
at the present day.
In 1267 Anselm de Gyse obtained a grant of a
Friday market and a yearly fair on the vigil and feast
of St. Botolph, (fn. 62) the patron saint, and the two following days. His grandson Anselm claimed these
privileges in 1331. (fn. 63) Lysons, writing at the beginning
of the 19th century, (fn. 64) states that both market and fair
had long since been discontinued.
CHURCH
The church of ST. BOTOLPH has
been so much altered and repaired in
modern times that its architectural
history is in large measure uncertain. The chancel,
27 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft., is entirely modern, parts of
the nave and of the north aisle are old, and the
tower contains old masonry; but the south aisle and
chapel are new. The nave is 46 ft. by 18 ft. 5 in.,
and the north aisle 11 ft. 10 in. wide, overlapping
the tower at the west.
The nave arcades are of four bays, in two chamfered orders, with moulded capitals; the arches of
the bays at each end of the north arcade are cut
through the responds and have piers of different
section from the rest. The clearstories on both sides
consist of four square-headed windows, each consisting of two trefoiled lights.
The north aisle is divided externally by buttresses
into five bays, the two eastern of which are built of
old walling. The roof is new, but with one old
moulded king-post truss. In the east end is a window
of three cinquefoiled lights, now opening into the
organ chamber, and in the second bay from the east is a
doorway with a four-centred head and over it a squareheaded window of two lights. There are a piscina
and an image corbel at the east end of the aisle.
The west tower is divided by strings into three
stages, with diagonal buttresses at the western angles.
In each face of the belfry stage is a square-headed
window of two cinquefoiled lights with a gargoyle in
the cornice above it. The tower comes up to the
west boundary of the churchyard, and in the lowest
stage on both sides is a pointed doorway of two chamfered orders meant for use in processions. The west
doorway is modern, with tracery over it; the tower
arch is also modern, and has feathered cusping and
widely splayed jambs with traceried panels. On the
west front of the tower are dates of restorations—
1665, 1765 and 1855.
The font is circular, dating from the 14th century,
with shafts at the angles with moulded capitals and
bases.
In the north aisle is a plain 15th-century screen of
square-headed lights containing tracery, with an embattled cornice. The pulpit is a good piece of modern
work with finely carved panels of foreign workmanship. On the north side of the chancel is a brass
inscription to William Stone, undated, and near the
east end of the north aisle is a fine raised tomb, with
panelled tracery on one side and one end, evidently
moved from its original position; it bears the arms of
Tyrington: on a bend three scallops in a border
engrailed. On the tomb is a figure of a knight,
c. 1400, with his feet resting on a lion, supposed to
represent Sir William de Tyrington. On the floor of
the north aisle are two brasses to the Gyse family:
a man in plate armour, and shields in each of the
angles, those in the top left and bottom right-hand
corners being charged with the arms of Gyse with a
pierced molet in the quarter: the other two bearing Quarterly: (1) Gyse, as above; (2) a cheveron
between ten crosses formy in a border for Berkeley of
Stoke; (3) a fesse between six martlets, for Wishaw,
impaling a fesse between six billets for Beauchamp
of Powicke; (4) a saltire engrailed for Botetourt.
Aspley House: Entrance Front
Aspley House: Garden Front
There are six bells, all by Taylor of Loughborough,
1883.
The plate consists of a communion cup and footpaten, inscribed with the name Aspley Guise, 1755.
The date letter is 1754, maker's mark F. W. There
are also a modern cup and a paten.
The registers previous to 1813 are in four books:
(1) contains sundry entries of baptisms from 1563,
and of marriages and burials from 1564, and is continuous, baptisms and marriages 1612 to 1705 and
burials 1612 to 1695; (2) contains burials 1707 to
1758; (3) has marriages 1755 to 1812; (4) has
baptisms and burials 1773 to 1812.
Aspley Guise Church from the South
ADVOWSON
The church and two parts of the
tithes of Aspley Guise were granted
to Newnham Priory by Simon de
Beauchamp, which grant was subsequently confirmed
by the Bishop of Lincoln and Henry II. (fn. 65)
In 1223 Falkes de Breauté, who then held the
manor at farm, unsuccessfully contested on behalf of
the Prior of Dunstable the Prior of Newnham's
right to the advowson, (fn. 66) and in 1227 the grant of
Aspley to Hubert de Burgh included both manor and
advowson. (fn. 67) In 1240, in a settlement of Hubert's
estate in Aspley Guise, the church is specially excepted, (fn. 68) and in 1317 a further confirmation of Simon
de Beauchamp's grant of the church and two parts of
the tithes was made in favour of Newnham Priory. (fn. 69)
During the following century, however, the advowson
actually passed from the monks to the Gyse family,
and was held by successive lords of the manor (fn. 70) until
1544, when both were released by John Gyse and
Anselm his son and heir to the Crown. (fn. 71) It was the
subject of various grants, and at the beginning of
the 17th century was held by the Lukes of Arlesey
Bury. (fn. 72) Before 1682 it had passed to Martin Hill, (fn. 73)
and in 1718 William Booth was patron. (fn. 74) The
advowson was purchased of the Rev. Edward Hall
by the Duke of Bedford in 1752, and his successors
have since then always presented to the living. (fn. 75)
The church was valued at £4 13s. 4d. in 1291, (fn. 76)
and in 1535 at £15 16s. 10d. (fn. 77)
The rectory of Aspley Guise was consolidated with
the vicarage of Husborne Crawley in 1796, (fn. 78) and
the two were held by the same incumbent until the
middle of the 19th century, when they were again
separated.
At the dissolution of chantries 1 acre of land in
Aspley Guise, of the annual value of 2s., went to
endow a light in the parish church. (fn. 79)
CHARITIES
The Town Close, containing 4 a.
3 r., awarded under the Inclosure Act
1761 for providing furze and faggots
for the poor, is let in allotments producing £8 18s.
a year, which is accumulated and expended from time
to time in labour in connexion therewith.