THE HUNDRED OF DESBOROUGH
BRADENHAM
Bradeham (xi cent.).
Bradenham is a small well-wooded parish in the
neighbourhood of the Chilterns. Its area is 1,101
acres, of which over 600 acres are arable land and
135 permanent grass. (fn. 1) There are 300 acres of woodland. Munt's Wood, in the north-west, is of some
size; the Coppice (with Pimlocks Wood and Falconers
Hill), Park Wood, Beaman Green Wood and Bradenham Wood are in the north-east. The soil is light,
with a subsoil of chalk and flint. The principal
crops are wheat, barley and oats. The ground lies
high, especially in the north and east, where it varies
from 660 ft. to 638 ft. above ordnance datum. In
the south and west the level is from 365 ft. to
320 ft. above ordnance datum. The main road runs
north-west from Princes Risborough to Wycombe.
The village is situated in the west of the parish,
off the main road. It is built round a green on the
north side of which are a house and some scattered
cottages of the 17th century or earlier but much
restored and altered. At the upper or east end of
the green are the large iron gates leading to Bradenham House, the residence of Mr. John Hicks Tempest.
The house is E-shaped and probably follows the plan
of that built by the second Lord Windsor, who died
in 1558, but foundations of what was possibly a
south-west wing have recently been discovered. The
present building is of brick, and externally is modern
except a part of the west front, which dates from the
latter part of the 17th century. It was enlarged and
modernized by Isaac D'Israeli in the first half of the
19th century, but contains some panelling and two
staircases of the 17th century and a fireback dated
1626.
West of Bradenham House, surrounded by pines,
is the church. The rectory, a comparatively modern
house of red brick, stands some distance south-west
of the church. It marks the site of an earlier
'parsonage-house,' which is described in a terrier
of 1607 as consisting of '5 bays of timber, part
thatched and part tiled, disposed into seven rooms.' (fn. 2)
Two sections of Grims Ditch, each about 500 yards
long, can be traced running in a south-easterly
direction through Beaman Green and Park Woods, in
the north of the village.
Charles Lloyd the divine (1784–1829) lived at
Bradenham, which was also the birthplace of William
Forster Lloyd the mathematician. (fn. 3)
MANOR
One mention occurs of BRADENHAM
MANOR in the Domesday Survey, when
it appears under the lands of Lewin of
Newenham, whose tenants Suarting and Herding are
said to hold 'of the king.' They had been preceded
in their tenure by two brothers, men of King
Edward, who could sell to whom they would. (fn. 4) In
the 13th century the Earl of Warwick held this land
by socage. (fn. 5) In 1333 Simon de Fawsley (cf. mesne
descent) was said to hold it of the lord of Daventry
by the service of a pair of gloves valued at 1½d. (fn. 6) One
further reference has been found to the overlordship
in 1506, when Bradenham Manor was said to be
held of Edward Duke of Buckingham. (fn. 7)
The 2 hides held by Suarting and Herding in
1086 escheated later to the Crown, and were granted
some time during the 12th century to the de Bohuns,
later Earls of Hereford and Essex. As appears from
an inquisition of 1262–3, Humphrey de Bohun,
whose death took place in 1183, (fn. 8) granted it to his
sister Maud on her marriage with Henry Doyley. (fn. 9)
She left a son Henry, who died without issue,
and two daughters. (fn. 10) Of these latter Margaret, the
elder, married Henry Earl of Warwick and died
some time before 1208. (fn. 11) Her son Thomas Earl of
Warwick next held Bradenham, (fn. 12) which on his death
in 1242 passed to his sister Margaret, at this time
wife of John du Plessis, her second husband, who
was created Earl of Warwick. (fn. 13) She died without
issue, and her husband obtained seisin of the manor
in right of his wife, (fn. 14) but on his death in 1262–3
it was declared to revert to Walter de Daventry,
who represented Joan, younger sister and co-heir
of Margaret Doyley. (fn. 15) Robert son of Walter de
Daventry succeeded his father some time before
1272, in which year he obtained a grant of free
warren in Bradenham. (fn. 16) He appears to have transferred the property to his younger son Simon, who is
returned for Bradenham in the assessment of 1316, (fn. 17)
and who made a settlement of the manor in 1330–1. (fn. 18)
Bohun. Azure a bend argent cotised or between six lions or.
Newburgh, Earl of Warwick. Checky or and azure a cheveron ermine.
About this date he purchased the property of
Fawsley in Northants, and his family is henceforward called 'de Fawsley.' (fn. 19) He died in 1333,
when Bradenham was extended at a capital messuage
with a garden worth 2s., 100 acres of land worth
33s. 4d., 3 acres of meadow
6s., pasture worth 6s. 8d.,
underwood worth 2s., and rent
of free tenants worth 3s. 4d. (fn. 20)
From inquiry it appeared that
the lord of Daventry, whilst
resigning the tenancy in fee,
had acquired the dues of overlordship, which were no longer
paid direct to the Crown. (fn. 21)
Thomas son of Simon de
Fawsley was ten years old at
his father's death. He is found
presenting to the church,
whose advowson was attached to the manor, as late
as 1350, (fn. 22) soon after which date Bradenham was
alienated to Thomas Frisel. He made a settlement
on Simon Fraunceys and Maud his wife in 1357–8. (fn. 23)
Ten years later a further change of ownership had
been effected, the manor having passed to the family
of Wiltshire, members of which are found presenting
to the parish church between 1368 and 1416. (fn. 24)
For the next fifty years nothing has been discovered
regarding this manor. It was then acquired by John
Scott, (fn. 25) whose family held Dorney (q.v.), with which
manor its history is identical until the beginning of
the 16th century.
Fawsley. Gules two cheversons or.
In 1505 John Scott of Dorney made a settlement
of Bradenham preparatory to a sale which took place
shortly after to Andrew Windsor, (fn. 26) son of Thomas Windsor
of Stanwell. Andrew Windsor,
who was created Lord Windsor
in 1529, died in 1543, and was
succeeded by his son William
second Lord Windsor, (fn. 27) who
built a manor-house at Bradenham, where he resided, and
also added a chapel to the
parish church. His death took
place on 20 August 1558, and
he was buried at Bradenham
'very splendidly according to
his quality.' (fn. 28) His son Edward,
who succeeded to Bradenham under his father's will,
is said to have entertained Queen Elizabeth in 1566
on her return from visiting the University of
Oxford. (fn. 29) He died in 1574 in Germany, and by
a codicil in his will desired his body to be buried
at Liége and his heart to be inclosed in a leaden
casket and buried in the chapel of Bradenham
beneath the tomb of his father. (fn. 30) He further left
directions to his eldest son Frederick, who succeeded
to Bradenham and other of his father's estates, to
build and endow almshouses in this parish for a
master and six poor men, which bequest was never
carried out. (fn. 31) Frederick Lord Windsor died in 1585
and was succeeded by his brother Henry. (fn. 32) Thomas
son and heir of the last-named made a settlement
of Bradenham on his wife in 1615. (fn. 33) He made a
further settlement in 1641 on Thomas Windsor
Hickman, son of his sister Elizabeth, conditional on
his adopting the name of Windsor. (fn. 34) He died in
1642, (fn. 35) and the manor appears to have changed hands
almost immediately, passing to Sir Edmund Pye, bart.
He, who was an ardent Royalist, was compounding as
a delinquent in 1646, (fn. 36) and had already then acquired
Bradenham, for his offence is stated to have been that
he left his house there and went to reside in the
enemy's quarters. (fn. 37) At his death in 1673 Bradenham
passed to his elder daughter and co-heir Martha, wife
of John Lord Lovelace of Hurley, and her issue. (fn. 38)
Martha Lovelace, her daughter, who as granddaughter
and heir of John Lord Lovelace was suo jure Baroness
Wentworth, married Sir Henry Johnson. (fn. 39) She died
in 1745 without issue and Bradenham passed under
her will to her cousin and heir Edward (Noel) Lord
Wentworth, created a viscount in 1762. (fn. 40) He died
in 1774, and in the following year his son Thomas
Viscount Wentworth suffered a recovery of the manor (fn. 41)
and finally sold it in 1787 to John Hicks of Plomer's
Hill, Bath. (fn. 42) On the death of John Hicks in 1825
the title to the manor and advowson was contested
and remained for a long time in Chancery. (fn. 43) It
eventually passed to Mrs. Hearle as sole surviving
daughter of John Hicks, (fn. 44) with remainder settlement
on the Rev. John Graves, her nephew and grandson
of John Hicks. He took possession of Bradenham in
1854, (fn. 45) and his representative John Hicks Tempest at
present owns the manor.
Windsor, Lord Windsor. Gules a saltire argent between twelve crosslets or.
Whilst the estate was in Chancery Bradenham
House was leased to various tenants. Sir William
Lawrence Young, governor of Tobago, resided here
until his death in 1824. (fn. 46) Another and better known
tenant is Isaac D'Israeli, author of The Curiosities of
Literature, who removed here in 1829. The boyhood
of his famous son Benjamin was passed at Bradenham
House. Isaac D'Israeli died in 1848, and there is a
tablet to himself and his wife in the parish church. (fn. 47)
CHURCH
The church of ST. BOTOLPH consists of a chancel measuring internally
22 ft. 6 in. by 13 ft., north chapel 22 ft.
by 18 ft., nave 39 ft. by 16 ft., south porch, and west
tower 11 ft. by 10 ft.
The earliest part of the church is the nave, built
probably about 1100; the west tower is of the end of
the 15th century, and the north chapel was built by
William second Lord Windsor in 1542. (fn. 48) A new
chancel was built in 1863. The porch on the
south side was added and the nave restored during
the last century. The walls are of flint rubble with
stone dressings, and the north chapel is coated with
rough-cast. The roofs are all tiled.
On the north side of the chancel is a modern arcade
to the chapel, and inset in the wall is an ancient stone
bracket. The chancel arch is modern. The 16th-century east window of the north chapel is of three
lights and contains some heraldic glass of the 17th
and 18th centuries with some earlier fragments.
The two-light windows in the north wall and the
door in the west wall with a four-centred head are
contemporary with the east window.
The nave is lighted by two windows in each side
wall; that at the north-east is modern, while the others
are restored 14th-century two-light windows with
tracery in pointed heads. In the south wall is an
original Norman doorway, which is unusually small.
It has a round head with plain tympanum and flat
lintel, the latter being enriched with lozenge pattern
over a cable moulding and supported on brackets.
The inner order of the head is relieved by an edge
roll which is continued down the jambs, and the outer
order is formed by a large roll moulding springing
from attached shafts with chamfered capitals, the
eastern of which has been restored. Both capitals
have cable neck mouldings and that on the west is
enriched by a lozenge pattern.
The west tower, of two stages, has a turret on the
north side and diagonal buttresses. The tower arch,
which is of one plain order, has been coated with
cement. The lower part of the west doorway with
the moulded jambs is of the latter part of the 15th
century, but the head and label are probably of a
later period. The three-light west window is also
of the 15th century. The bell-chamber has late
15th-century windows.
There is a brass on the south side of the chancel
to Richard Redberd, rector of the parish, who died in
1521. It consists of a small figure of a priest in
mass vestments with an undated inscription.
In the tower is a 17th-century panelled oak
chest.
On the south wall of the north chapel there is a
monument to Charles West (d. 1684), eldest son of
Charles Lord De la Warr. It is of black and white
marble, and has two figures supporting a cornice with
arms and an inscription. There is also an inscription to his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edmund
Pye. There is also a tablet to Isaac D'Israeli (d. 1848)
and his wife.
There are three bells; the second and third have
the inscription 'Michael de VVymbis me fecit.'
They are of about 1300 and unusually well preserved,
and are interesting as being two of the very few
remaining bells by this founder.
The plate consists of a silver paten, chalice and
flagon remodelled from the old service in 1863.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms and burials 1627 to 1812, marriages 1627 to
1756; (ii) marriages 1754 to 1812.
The churchyard walls contain some 17th-century
brickwork and some coping stones of earlier date.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of Bradenham
Church has always followed the
same descent as the manor (q.v.),
the first mention being found in 1235, when the
Earl of Warwick presented. (fn. 49)
In 1354 William atte Coumbe left by will one
sheep to the church of Bradenham. (fn. 50)
Richard Fletcher, D.D., afterwards Bishop of
London, was appointed rector here in 1575. (fn. 51)
CHARITIES
Charity of Katherine Pye, founded
by deed 1713. (fn. 52) The annual sum
of £12 is divided between this
parish, Towersey and West Wycombe, the sum of
£4 received by each parish being given to two poor
widows or superannuated maids.
The residue of the net rents, applicable for educational purposes, is divisible equally between the same
three parishes and the parishes of Hughenden and
Princes Risborough, amounting to £7 to £8 a year
for each parish.