WEST WYCOMBE
Wicumbe (xi cent.); West Wycumb (xiii cent.);
Haveringedune alias West Wycombe (xiii–xvii cent.).
West Wycombe is a large parish on the Oxfordshire border, having an area of 6,542 acres. Of this
acreage 2,999 acres are arable and 1,262½ permanent grass. (fn. 1) The slope of the land varies from
290 ft. above the ordnance datum in the valley of
the Wye, in the middle of the parish, to 600 ft. in
the north and east. The soil is chiefly chalk and the
principal crops produced are wheat, barley and oats.
The parish is well wooded, having some 1,100 acres
of woods and plantations, (fn. 2) mostly consisting of beech.
West Wycombe is watered by the River Wye, a
tributary of the Thames, which rises in Lang, or Long,
Meadow on the West Wycombe estate and flows east
through the park to High Wycombe.
The village of West Wycombe is approached from
the south-east by the Oxford road from High
Wycombe, the northern side of which is becoming
rapidly built over with small modern houses, so that
the distance between the suburbs of High Wycombe
and the village of West Wycombe is rapidly lessening.
On the south side of the road the scenery is rural.
The River Wye pursues a winding course through
meadow and pasture land interspersed with an occasional old farm-house or cottage with beech-clad
ridges in the rear. Almost on leaving Wycombe the
landscape ahead of the long, straight road is dominated
by the huge circular earthwork inclosing the church
and churchyard of West Wycombe, and surmounted
by the large 18th-century mausoleum of the Dashwood
family. (fn. 3) South-west of the road is another important
earthwork, Desborough Castle, popularly known as
the Roundabout. This is a well-preserved example
of a prehistoric ring-work, inclosing an area of 1 acre. (fn. 4)
Since it gives its name to the hundred, it probably
marks the meeting-place of the early hundred court
or folk-mote. Little additional information to what
is already known has been found; its site was included
within the manor, and is occasionally mentioned in
manorial rent rolls. Thus in 1350 'John atte Castel'
died from the pestilence, (fn. 5) and in 1389 tenements
called 'Dustleburgh,' formerly held by his father Hugh,
were entered into by William de Wydindon on payment of a fine of 105s. 2d. (fn. 6) Occasional mention is
found besides of such place-names as Chasteleye,
Castle Field, Castel Garden, Dusteburgh Meadow.
On Naphill Common, in the north-east of the
parish, are the remains of an earthwork, probably a
plateau fort, and at the west corner of West Wycombe
Park, south of the village, is a mound which is possibly
a tumulus.
The Great Western station stands on the north of
the road as we approach the village from the east.
Beyond the station an interesting 18th-century signpost (whose statement that the distance 'from the
City' is 30 miles, 'from the University' 22 miles and
'from the County Town' 15 miles, is corrected by a
modern signpost near by) marks a fork in the road, a
branch of which here runs north to Bradenham. The
main road skirts the foot of the hill, turning in a
westerly direction into the straggling street which
composes the village of West Wycombe. On the
north side is the vicarage, built in the late 18th
century by Lord Le Despenser in the Italian style. On
the south side the houses back on to the grounds of
West Wycombe House. In Chapel Street is a good
early 18th-century house and in Church Lane stands
the old vicarage, afterwards used as a National school
but now in private occupation. Returning to the
main street, on the north side of the road is the Church
Loft, a good example of a late 15th-century timber-framed building with a projecting upper story and a
gateway at the west end leading into Church Lane.
It has a turret with a bell and clock, the latter projecting into the street over the gateway. Inside, the
fine open timber roof on the first floor is worth notice.
On the same side of the road is a good 18th-century
house of some size, approached from either side by a
flight of stone steps. The 'George and Dragon,' an
important-looking hostelry, and the 'Black Boy'
(which has recently been restored) on the opposite
side of the road, are both old houses, the latter being
of the 17th century.
At the west end of the village, on the south side of
the road, are the entrance gates to West Wycombe
House, the seat of Sir John L. Dashwood, bart.,
situated on rising ground in a park of 300 acres, and
commanding a fine view of the surrounding valley.
The house was originally built by Sir Francis Dashwood (d. 1724), but greatly enlarged and embellished a little after the middle of the 18th century by
his son Lord Le Despenser, who employed Borgnis, an
Italian artist, to paint the ceilings. (fn. 7) The house is
built in the Palladian style with a Doric portico on
the entrance front and at the side a colonnade in two
stages of the Tuscan and Corinthian orders, slightly
broken forward in the middle and crowned by a pediment. Lord Le Despenser also laid out the gardens
by a curious arrangement of streams, bushes and
plantation to represent the female form, (fn. 8) as can be
seen in the engraving of them by William Woollet. (fn. 9)
The present arrangement of the grounds is by Repton.
The Wye as it passes through the grounds has been
widened into a lake.
Besides those in the main street already mentioned
there are several old houses elsewhere in the parish,
as, for example, Myze Farm, three-quarters of a mile
to the south-west of the village, probably built in the
second half of the 17th century, and Ham Farm,
1½ miles west of the village, an L-shaped house of
about the time of Charles I, much altered and partly
rebuilt. Chorley Farm, half a mile north-west of
the village, is a two-storied brick and timber house
on a flint base. It was probably erected in the earlier
half of the 17th century. The two-storied house of
the same period at Wheeler End Common, known as
Laurel Cottage, has been much altered externally, but
in one of the rooms there still remains some plaster-work of the 17th century with the crest of the
Drakes. Huckenden Farm, to the west of this
common, is a refaced late 16th-century house. At
Sands on the road to Lane End is Bottom Farm, a
rectangular house of the earlier part of the 17th
century, and an example of a brick house of the end
of the same century may be found in Mill End
Farm, which lies east of the village midway between
High Wycombe and West Wycombe.
The isolated position of the church of St. Lawrence with the mausoleum (which is described elsewhere) has given rise to much comment, including
the spiteful remark of John Wilkes, who writes
(c. 1765), 'I returned by West Wycombe and passed
a day in viewing the villa of Lord Le Despencer, and
the church he has just built on the top of a hill, for
the convenience and devotion of the town at the
bottom of it. I must own the noble lord's gardens
gave me no stronger idea of his virtue or patriotism
than the new built church did of his piety.' (fn. 10) This
statement was based on a misconception, for Lord
Le Despenser built his church on the site of an older
one. Perhaps some solution of the curious position
chosen may be found if it is remembered that the
church was originally built not to supply the needs of
the present village only, but of the numerous tithings
(of which the village was only one) into which the
widely scattered manor was divided. (fn. 11) The hill
which was chosen for the site of the church was not
in the tithing of Wycombe, but in that of Haveryngdon, as is proved by a patent of 1393 in which
Robert Hemyngford makes complaint that William
Saunderton and others came armed to West Wycombe,
lay in wait to kill him, and assaulted and threw him
down from the top of a hill called 'Haveryngdoune' (fn. 12) ;
and here it is not out of place to note that Haveryngdon, whose use as an alternative name to West
Wycombe has been much discussed by local historians,
is only used in documents relating to the church or
matters ecclesiastical. (fn. 13)
West Wycombe House
Just below the east end of the church is the great
mausoleum erected in 1763 by Lord Le Despenser as
a burial place for his family. It is hexagonal in plan
and has columns of the Tuscan order supporting an
entablature. Inside are niches which contain monumental urns to the memory of various members of
the Dashwood family and others.
Half-way up the hill is a cave excavated by the
same Lord Le Despenser; it penetrates for nearly a
quarter of a mile into the chalky cliff, and the entrance
is marked by an artificial ruin. (fn. 14) In this cave, which
attracts many curious sightseers, it is said some of the
Medmenham mysteries and orgies were held after the
dissolution of the club at the abbey. (fn. 15)
There are a number of outlying districts in this
parish which are discussed under the manor (q.v.).
To these may be added Wheeler End Common in
the west and Naphill Common in the north-east. In
1832 a small part of the parish in the south was
taken to form Lane End, since 1867 an ecclesiastical
parish. (fn. 16)
Mention has been found of 'the men of West
Wycombe' in 1382, when
they received pardon for allowing two thieves, 'lately arrested
and delivered into their custody,' to escape. (fn. 17)
Among the names of persons connected with West
Wycombe may be mentioned
those of Joseph Brookbank,
the author of many religious
and pedagogic works, who
was minister here in 1650, (fn. 18)
and of Charles Lloyd, Bishop
of Oxford from 1827, who
was born at Downley in this
parish in 1784. (fn. 19)
The following place-names
have been found in documents
connected with this parish:
Borwey, Childebury, Chornore, Coleshort, Laburweye,
Portweye (xiii cent.); Asherugg, Chasteleye or Castelfield, Swetyng (xiv cent.); Bradenhamstret, Castlefeld, Impeheys, Padeby, Pillesdich, Portwey (xv cent.);
and Alfrenches, Harewardisland, Sweynlond, Young-thurstons land and Yngeslond (xvi cent.).
MANORS
Under Edward the Confessor WEST
WYCOMBE MANOR, assessed at 19
hides, was held by Stigand, (fn. 20) probably as
Bishop of Winchester, and not after he became
archbishop, for it remained with the Bishops of
Winchester until 1551. (fn. 21) In this year Bishop
Poynet surrendered West Wycombe Manor and
other property to the Crown in return for lands
elsewhere. (fn. 22) A royal grant was made in the same
year to Sir Henry Seymour, (fn. 23) and Sir Robert
Dormer appears as his tenant here in 1552. (fn. 24) In
1558 the name of West Wycombe appears in a list
of manors restored by Philip and Mary to the see of
Winchester, (fn. 25) but the grant was never carried into
effect as far as this manor was concerned, and the
Seymours continued to hold, having as their tenants
the Dormer family, who for long had held under the
Bishops of Winchester. (fn. 26) In 1598 Sir John Seymour
and Susan his wife transferred West Wycombe to
Thomas Flemynge, solicitor-general, (fn. 27) and he in
1600 again alienated it to Robert Dormer. (fn. 28) His
grandson Robert Dormer was created Earl of
Carnarvon in 1628, (fn. 29) and his family (whose descent
will be found traced under Wing) continued to hold
West Wycombe until the year 1670. (fn. 30) In that year
Charles Earl of Carnarvon transferred the estate to
Thomas Lewis, (fn. 31) an alderman
of London, who married Elizabeth daughter of Francis
Dashwood, a Turkey merchant. (fn. 32) Thomas Lewis retained it till 1698, (fn. 33) when
he alienated it to his brothersin-law Samuel and Francis
Dashwood. (fn. 34) In 1706 in
return for £15,000 paid to
George son of Sir Samuel
Dashwood, kt., and 5s. paid
to his widow Anna, Francis
Dashwood acquired complete
control of the manor. (fn. 35) He
was created a baronet in the
following year (fn. 36) and built West Wycombe House,
where he died in 1724. (fn. 37) He was succeeded by his
son Francis, by his second wife Mary eldest daughter
of the Earl of Westmorland. (fn. 38) The name of this
Francis Dashwood has been handed down as the
founder of the Dilettante Club and the ringleader in
a series of blasphemous orgies, the scene of which was
Medmenham Abbey, near Marlow. (fn. 39) He held office
under the Bute Ministry in 1762–3 as chancellor of
the exchequer and on the death of his maternal
uncle John seventh Earl of Westmorland and Lord Le
Despenser succeeded to the latter barony. (fn. 40) In the
same year he was made lord-lieutenant of the
county. He was much in residence at West
Wycombe House, which he greatly enlarged and
embellished and whose grounds he designed and laid
out in the classical style. (fn. 41) He died here in 1763,
aged eighty-three, leaving no legitimate issue, (fn. 42) and
West Wycombe then descended to his brother and
heir male, Sir John Dashwood-King, bart., who was
the son of the first baronet by his third wife and had
assumed his mother's surname of King by Act of
Parliament in 1742. (fn. 43) He died in 1793 and was
succeeded by his eldest son Sir John Dashwood-King, bart., (fn. 44) and West Wycombe has since descended
in the male line. (fn. 45) The lordship of the manor at
the present time is vested in the trustees of the late
Sir George Henry Dashwood, bart., who hold on
behalf of the present baronet, Sir John Lindsay
Dashwood, who succeeded to the title in 1908.
Dashwood, baronet. Argent a fesse between two gimel bars gules with three griffons' heads or on the fesse.
A view of frankpledge (fn. 46) was held twice yearly at
Easter (Hock tide) and Martinmas. (fn. 47) No rolls have
been preserved earlier than the reign of Henry VII.
At a court held in 1505 Robert Rokemyng of
Bokar tithing and Thomas More of Brookend, both
aged twelve years, were presented and took the
oath. (fn. 48) This is interesting in connexion with the
custom prevalent in the adjacent borough of High
Wycombe of admitting inhabitants to sell lands and
serve on juries at that age. (fn. 49)
Preserved among the Bishop of Winchester's
documents (now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners) are rent rolls of this manor dating
from the year 1207 onwards and forming from their
continuity a valuable addition to economic history.
The wool from the sheep and lambs pastured on the
downs is an important item on most of the accounts.
In 1251 an entry occurs of 53s. 9d. for sheep's wool
and 6s. 6¾d. for lambs' wool, (fn. 50) and in 1502 the
manor was stocked with 313 sheep and eighty-four
lambs. (fn. 51) The pannage for pigs, worthless in the
16th century, was a valuable asset in the earlier
accounts. It was worth 50s. 5d. in 1251, in which
year occurs an entry of 72s. for cheese which appears
to have been largely made both in this manor
and Morton. (fn. 52) Other entries in the rolls concern
the upkeep of the house and dairy, the wages of the
various bailiffs, shepherds and warreners employed,
the profits from the dovecot (which in 1324
contained 200 doves), (fn. 53) from the courts held there,
and such items as are usually found on manorial
accounts. The annual value of the manor remained
at about £40 up to the 15th century, but rose to
£64 at the beginning of the 16th century. (fn. 54)
The Black Death appears to have visited West
Wycombe severely, for in 1350 appears a special
section in the rental of the manor inscribed 'deficit of
rent on account of the pestilence,' under which
upwards of forty names occur. (fn. 55) Here as elsewhere
the pestilence appears to have effected a permanent
loss of rent to the lord, for in 1389 the same reason
for a deficit is still recorded. (fn. 56)
The manor and parish were coterminous, and from
the earliest time the estate was divided for administrative purposes into ten tithings as follows:
The tithing of Bokar, still marked by Booker
hamlet and common in the south of the parish, is
named in the early 13th century and also in the
transfer of the manor in 1706. (fn. 57) The tithings of
Brook and Brookend have disappeared, but probably
lay adjacent to one another, and may be identified
with Mill End, the ancient seat of the Darells, for
Thomas Darell, miller, of Brook, was fined at the
bishop's court in 1505. (fn. 58) A fourth tithing is that of
Downley, still existing in the north-east of the parish.
A fifth, and one of the most important, is Haveryngdon, for here the church was built. (fn. 59) It lay adjacent
to the tithing of Wycombe, and Averyngdown Farm
still preserves the memory of the old name at the
present day. Sheahan suggests that there was a manor
of this name, (fn. 60) identifying it with the land held in
this parish by the Bishop of Bayeux, (fn. 61) but nothing
has been found to support his statement. Here as
in most of the tithings a family took the name of
de Haveryngdon in the 13th and 14th centuries. (fn. 62)
In 1505 Morton is given as a tithing of the manor,
but it has a separate manorial history which is discussed below. The tithing of Totirigg, now known
as Toweridge, north of Booker, is mentioned in very
early surveys. Sheahan again suggests a small manor
or farm held for many generations by the family of
Darell. (fn. 63) They certainly held land in various parts
of this parish as early as the 14th century, for in
1350 Hugh 'Daierel' paid a fine of 2s. for land here
belonging to his mother Alice. (fn. 64) Joanna daughter of
William Darell paid a small fine for a toft and land
in Haveryngdon in 1450. (fn. 65) Thomas Darell the
miller's name occurs between 1505 and 1540 (fn. 66) and
John Darell's about the same date. (fn. 67) In 1550 Hugh
Darell and Elizabeth his wife owned 'Yngesland' in
Wycombe tithing. (fn. 68) In West Wycombe Church
there is a tablet to the memory of Hugh Darell of
Mill End, who died in 1667, which states that
Hugh's ancestors had held Mill End for upwards of
400 years. (fn. 69) Thomas Darell, high sheriff for the
county in 1771, (fn. 70) is said to have sold Toweridge
Farm, now part of the manor, to Sir John Dashwood-King, bart., in 1794. (fn. 71)
Chapel Lane, Outer Boundary of West Wycombe Park
Of the remaining tithings, Wyning or Vyning
Major and Minor are not found mentioned after the
16th century, and were probably in the south of the
parish, for in 1540 tithing-men from Vyning had to
repair the eastern hedge of Wydindon Park. (fn. 72) The
tenth tithing found in West Wycombe Manor was
Wycombe, and is represented by the village of to-day.
Included in the bishop's manor of West Wycombe
was WYDINDON PARK, of considerable area,
situated in the extreme south of the parish, where it
is still marked by Widdington Park Wood. Pasture
from this park is mentioned in a rent roll of 1350, (fn. 73)
and in 1540 Robert and John
Hobbs, from the tithings of
Bokar and Vyning, were summoned to repair the hedges
on the east side of the park. (fn. 74)
It is mentioned in the transfer
of the manor from the Earl of
Carnarvon to Thomas Lewis
in 1670 and also in the transfers of 1698 and 1706. (fn. 75)
A family calling themselves
de Wydindon, who were
tenants in West Wycombe
Manor from the early 13th to
the late 14th century, are
worthy of note. In 1223
Ralph de Wydindon acquired
lands and rent here from
William de Morton. (fn. 76) In
1241 William de Wydindon's
name first appears, (fn. 77) and in
1252 he demised to Philip
Basset his land and wood of
'Okregge' for seven years. (fn. 78)
In return Philip Basset
promised to keep William in his service if he wished,
or procure him service in the house of 'some good
man' for that time, providing him with food and
clothing as one of his own esquires and supplying
him with another horse if his own died. (fn. 79) This grant
was made perpetual in 1254, Philip Basset rendering
a sore sparhawk in return for the quitclaim. (fn. 80) In
1286 the name of Richard de Wydindon is found in
suits concerning land in West Wycombe, (fn. 81) and in
1334 John de Wydindon amongst others received
pardon for the death of Richard Batyn, who was
arrested for counterfeiting the privy seal, as he acknowledged, and was pursued and slain at Abingdon. (fn. 82)
During this period the name of Wydindon frequently
appears among the bishop's tenants, and has been last
noted in 1389, when William de Wydindon recovered
tenements late of Hugh his father. (fn. 83)
In 1086 the bishop's manor included three mills
worth 20s. and a fishery of 1,000 eels, (fn. 84) and mention
is subsequently found of mills attached to the manor.
In 1251 a mill called 'Wythdich' was farmed for
66s. 8d. (fn. 85) and in 1307 for £4 6s. 8d. (fn. 86) In 1311
Robert son of Robert le Clerk (possibly the bishop's
bailiff) acknowledged the right of Geoffrey le Dusteburgh (Desborough) and Christina his wife to a messuage and two mills in West Wycombe. (fn. 87) In 1400
mention is found of the fish-pond of 'Pitmill,' (fn. 88) and in
1457 a mill called 'Margery Mill,' rented by John
Pusey for 44s. 7d. in this parish, was stated to be
in a very ruinous state. (fn. 89) This mill is mentioned
again in 1502, 1520 and 1550. (fn. 90)
There appears to have been a paper-mill attached
to the manor from the 17th century, mention being
found of such in extents of the manor between 1686
and 1745. (fn. 91)
In 1086 William held half a hide of the Count of
Mortain, later to be known as MORTONS MANOR. (fn. 92)
Under Edward the Confessor a sokeman of Stigand
held the land as part of West Wycombe Manor
without power to sell or alienate. (fn. 93) It appears to
have reverted shortly after to the Bishop of Winchester
as appurtenant to his manor of West Wycombe, for
its name is found in the earliest rolls of his possessions. (fn. 94)
It follows the same descent as West Wycombe (q.v.),
but no separate mention of it has been found after
the middle of the 16th century, (fn. 95) neither has any
trace of its name been retained in the parish.
Mortons held no separate court of its own, but was
included in the view of frankpledge held at West
Wycombe. The value of the manor from the 13th
to the 16th century remained fairly stationary and
was about £20. (fn. 96) In the year 1350, that of the Black
Death, it is recorded that the pannage for pigs at
Mortons was worthless and that there was no fruit
in the garden. (fn. 97)
A third holder of land in West Wycombe at the
time of the Survey was the Bishop of Bayeux, of
whom Roger held half a hide. (fn. 98) No further mention
has been found of it, but as it was attached to the
manor without licence to sell or alienate it seems
likely that it became absorbed in it.
CHURCHES
The church of ST. LAWRENCE
was formerly the parish church, but
since the erection of the modern church
it has only been used during the summer. It consists
of a chancel 46 ft. by 18 ft., nave, and a west tower
14 ft. by 12 ft., these dimensions being internal. It
is built of flint, with modern brick dressings to the
chancel and nave and stone dressings to the tower. The
tower is coated with cement and the roofs are tiled.
The 18th-century alterations have almost entirely
obscured the evidence of the historical development
of the building, but it is probable that the walls of a
13th-century chancel and nave with aisles and a 14th-century tower yet survive. In 1763 Francis Lord
le Despencer destroyed all the old details of the church
and reconstructed it in the classical style of the day.
He completely altered the chancel and converted the
nave into a large room by taking down the arcades
and heightening the walls of the aisles. He also
added the present bell-chamber to the tower.
In the east wall of the chancel are traces externally
of a 15th-century window and a circular light over it.
The jambs of an early south doorway can also be seen.
The nave is lighted by five round-headed windows on
each side, and is treated internally in the classical style
of the 18th century with pilasters having Corinthian
capitals. The chancel and nave ceilings are decorated
with paintings by Borgnis, that in the former representing the Last Supper. The floors are paved with marble.
The tower is supported by diagonal buttresses at
its western angles and is surmounted by a large ball
which is said to be capable of seating ten people.
The doorway in the west wall and the west window
above it are both insertions of 1763. Part of the
original tower arch taken down at that date has been
reset in the ringing chamber. This chamber is
lighted by small windows in the west and south
walls, the internal jambs of which may be of the
14th century. The north, south and west walls of
the same story have each, high up, an original pointed
opening from which the tracery has been removed.
The uppermost stage, an addition of 1763, is lighted
by tall unglazed openings.
All the fittings belong to the 1763 alterations, the
font having an oak stand, around which is carved a
serpent. There is a brass to John Syot, a former
vicar (about 1475), and a slab with inscriptions to
Richard East and Emma his wife (d. 1583) and their
four sons; a shield in the same slab with three
horses' heads razed is probably of a later date.
There are also monuments to Hugh Dayrell of Millend (d. 1667) and Elizabeth his wife (d. 1655); to
Francis Lord le Despencer (d. 1781) and Antonina
his daughter; Sir John Dashwood King (d. 1793);
to George Dashwood (d. 1801), by Nollekens, and
to other members of the Dashwood family.
There are six bells: the treble by Lester & Pack,
1756; the second by Henry Knight, 1621; the
third by Joseph Carter, 1581; the fourth by Henry
Knight, 1620; the fifth by Lester & Pack, 1762;
and the tenor by Thomas Mears, 1828.
The plate consists of two chalices, two small and
one large paten, all given to the church by Sir Francis
Dashwood in 1717.
The register begins in 1581.
The church of ST. PAUL, which stands in the
village, consists of a chancel and nave, and was built
in 1875 by Elizabeth Lady Dashwood.
The church of ST. JAMES, Downley, was erected
in 1872 and enlarged in 1876, and is in the hands of
trustees.
There are in West Wycombe three Wesleyan, one
Congregational and three Primitive Methodist chapels.
ADVOWSON
The church of West Wycombe or
Haveryngdon was attached to the
manor and was held by the Bishops
of Winchester till the beginning of the 15th century. (fn. 99)
In 1415 Henry Bishop of Winchester obtained a
licence to grant the advowson of the church to the
Prior and convent of Bisham, who were to appropriate the church in mortmain. (fn. 100) A perpetual
vicarage was to be reasonably endowed and money to
be distributed yearly to the poor parishioners according to statute. (fn. 101) This appropriation finds further
confirmation in the Lincoln Episcopal Register in
1520. (fn. 102) At the dissolution of the religious houses
West Wycombe became Crown property, although
almost immediately a scheme was formed to refound
Bisham Priory (with West Wycombe as part of the
new endowment), which proved abortive. (fn. 103) A life
grant of both rectory and advowson was made to
Anne of Cleves in 1540–1. (fn. 104) After this date the
history of the rectory and vicarage ceased to be
identical. The vicarage was included in the grant of
the manor to Sir Henry Seymour in 1551, (fn. 105) and
follows the same descent till the middle of the 17th
century. (fn. 106) It then reverted to the Crown, who is
found as patron between 1660 and 1723. (fn. 107) At this
latter date Sir Francis Dashwood, bart., exchanged
the living of Abberton, Essex, for that of West
Wycombe. (fn. 108) The living has since followed the descent
of West Wycombe Manor (q.v.), and is at present in
the gift of the trustees of the late Sir George
Henry Dashwood, bart. (fn. 109)
Returning to the rectory, it is found to be the
subject of various temporary grants at the close of the
16th and beginning of the 17th century; in 1576 it
was granted to Richard Easte, (fn. 110) with a renewal in
1584. (fn. 111) In 1590 a further grant was made to
Thomas Easte, (fn. 112) and yet another in 1606–7 to
Francis Anderson. (fn. 113) Shortly after it appears to have
passed to the lords of West Wycombe Manor, who
owned it in 1647, (fn. 114) and with which property its
history is henceforward identical.
In 1251 the expenses of the manor included those
entailed by enlarging the 'chapel' by 10 ft., putting
in new windows, whitewashing, &c. (fn. 115) West Wycombe
Church, here called 'Haveringdune' only, was
assessed with Morton at £26 13s. 4d. in 1291 (fn. 116) and
at the Dissolution at £12 0s. 0¾d. (fn. 117)
In 1389 a licence was granted by the Bishop of
Lincoln to build a chapel either at Morton or at
Grove 'for the ease of the inhabitants.' (fn. 118) When in
possession of West Wycombe Church it was the custom
of Bisham Priory to lease the parsonage, as appears
from a suit between William Este and Thomas
Wodford, whose father Robert had acquired a lease
in 1510, which he transferred to the plaintiff for a
sum of money and 10 quarters of barley. (fn. 119)
CHARITIES
Eleemosynary charities.
In 1589
Thomas Huntt gave £1 yearly,
issuing out of land at Plomer Hill,
for the poor.
In 1670 Hugh Hobbs by his will charged
2 acres of land at West Wycombe with 40s. a year
for poor widows and aged people.
In 1866 Edmund Lambert, M.D., by his will;
administration to which was granted in 1878, gave
£100 Great Western Railway ordinary stock, now
held by the official trustees, the dividends to be
distributed in bread, coals and other necessaries
every Christmas. The income from this charity,
which in 1910 amounted to £5 10s., together with
that of the two preceding charities, is distributed
in money in equal amounts to about one hundred
recipients.
The official trustees also hold 11s. 4d. consols in
respect of Dr. Lambert's charity, arising from sale of
letter of allotment.
For charity of Katherine Pye see under Princes
Risborough. (fn. 120) The sum of £4 is received from the
trustees annually and divided equally between two
poor widows or superannuated maids, and a sum of
from £7 to £8 a year as the share of the net residue
applicable for educational purposes in this parish.
See also under Bradenham.
The Primitive Methodist chapel at Wheeler End,
comprised in deed of 22 June 1861, is regulated by
a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 18 December
1908.