DATCHET
Deccet (x cent.); Daceta (xi cent.); Docket,
Dotchett, Dachet (xiii–xiv cent.); Daget (xiv–xv cent.).
Datchet is a low-lying parish sloping on the southwest towards the River Thames, whose mid-stream
here forms the boundary between Buckinghamshire
and Berkshire. The land in the neighbourhood of
the river is only 56 ft. above ordnance datum and is
liable to inundation. The area of Datchet is 1,385
acres, including 497 acres of arable land, 638 of
permanent grass and 18 of woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
The soil is very fertile loam, the subsoil gravel, while
the chief crops raised are wheat, oats and barley.
The village is prettily situated on the main road in
the west of the parish, opposite Windsor Castle, and
on the left bank of the Thames, which is here spanned
by two modern iron bridges, the Victoria and the
Albert. The church stands in the centre of the
village, near Datchet House, with the vicarage to the
north of it. Leigh House, the residence of the Lady
Mabel Cholmondeley, is further to the east. The
Manor House, opposite the church, is a timber-framed house of the latter part of the 16th century.
It retains a good deal of its original fittings, but has
been much restored and is now divided into two
houses. On the west side of the churchyard is the
Royal Stag Inn, a 17th-century building of timber
and brick, and at the opposite end of the churchyard
is a house of the same date with a painted and plastered
front. Noticeable in the village are a drinking fountain
and trough, presented in 1886 by Lady Georgiana
Needham, and a stone cross, 25 ft. high, erected in
commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
in 1897 by Mrs. John Crake. Near the station, which
is on the Windsor branch of the London and South
Western railway, is an endowed Baptist chapel, built
in 1841. (fn. 2) North-east of the village, approached from
the Slough road, is Riding Court Farm, a 17th-century
house refaced with modern brick and containing several
rooms with 17th-century panelling; further north of
the same road are the Slough Water Works. The
cemetery, south of the Ditton road, covers 2 acres of
land and was given in 1896 by the late Dowager
Duchess of Buccleugh. In it is a chapel used for
divine service. Southlea, bounded on the south and
west by the Thames, is mentioned in the 13th
century as being in this parish, (fn. 3) and Southlea Farm,
near the Albert Bridge, still marks its position. In
the same vicinity are the remains of the estate
formerly held here by the priory of St. Helen.
Datchet has long been known as a resort for anglers.
In the 17th century Sir Henry Wotton, Provost of
Eton, built a fishing-house about a mile above the
village, where he was often visited by his friend
Izaak Walton. (fn. 4) The painter Verrio later built a
summer-house on the site of Wotton's house, where
Charles II was in the habit of coming as Pope has
pictured him:—
'Methinks I see our mighty monarch stand,
The pliant rod now trembling in his hand.
. . . . .
And see he now doth up from Datchet come,
Laden, with spoils of slaughter'd gudgeons, home.'
This house has long been destroyed, but the place
(known as the Black Pots) is still a favourite fishing
pool. (fn. 5)
Datchet Mead, on the opposite side of the river
and in the parish of Windsor, is associated with
Falstaff's adventures in the Merry Wives and with
the horse races founded by Charles II. (fn. 6) The road
from London via Datchet Ferry has had an important
history as furnishing a short route from London to
Windsor Castle, and was frequently used by royal
personages and others. In the privy purse expenses
of Elizabeth wife of Henry VII two payments are
entered to the ferryman of Datchet in 1502. (fn. 7) Ashmole, describing a grand procession of the order of
the Garter on 22 April 1520, states that the queen
(Catherine of Arragon) and her ladies, after seeing
the procession pass from the field at the end of
Colnbrook, 'rode to the fery next way to the
castle.' (fn. 8) In 1522 payments are entered in the
household expenses of the Princess Mary for taking
her across the ferry, and between the years 1530 and
1532 similar items occur in the privy purse expenses
of Henry VIII. (fn. 9) In September 1594 six persons
were accidentally drowned at Datchet Ferry, as
appears from the register of Windsor, in which
parish they were buried. (fn. 10)
The ferry tolls were claimed by the lord of the
manor. (fn. 11) The money for 'a great barge' was originally provided by the Crown in 1278, (fn. 12) and in the
next century Sir William de Moleyns was dispossessed of
the tolls by the king's ministers. (fn. 13) His widow Margery
in 1387 asserted the manorial rights and obtained an
inquiry into the matter. (fn. 14) The Crown granted
various leases of the ferry during the 15th century. (fn. 15)
It was included in the Harbord grant of 1631, (fn. 16) and
so passed to the Wheeler family with the manor.
Tighe and Davis state that Colonel Wheeler sold it
to William III. (fn. 17) The Treasury accounts show that
this was before 1700. (fn. 18) A public bridge free of toll
was erected in 1706 and the ferry was in consequence
discontinued. (fn. 19) The bridge was replaced about 1770
by a wooden one of ten arches resting on stone piers.
This bridge partially fell in and became impassable
in 1795, (fn. 20) when the Crown provided a temporary
ferry. It was thought that Buckinghamshire and
Berkshire, whose interests were chiefly affected, ought
to contribute to the erection and maintenance of a
new bridge. Each county tried to fix on the other
the burden, which had been previously borne by
the Crown, and much litigation ensued. A curious
structure was erected in 1811, built half of wood by
Buckinghamshire and half of iron by Berkshire. (fn. 21)
This was replaced by the Victoria Bridge in 1851.
At the same time the Albert Bridge was built to keep
pace with the increasing traffic. (fn. 22) Both counties
bore their share in the expense of erecting these
bridges and mutually contribute to the cost of
maintaining them.
In the parish register of Datchet there is a reference
to the plague of 1603, known as one of the great
plagues. (fn. 23)
Among notable residents in this parish may be
mentioned Isaac Penington, the Puritan and religious
writer, who occasionally lived here before settling
down at Chalfont St. Peter in 1658. (fn. 24) In 1780
Richard Clark the musician was born in Datchet. (fn. 25)
William Herschel also was living there with his sister
in 1782 (fn. 26) in a large dilapidated house. (fn. 27)
Prehistoric antiquities have been found in the
parish. (fn. 28)
Datchet was inclosed by Act of Parliament in
1810. (fn. 29)
The following place-names have been found:
Gatebruge, Gateweye (fn. 30) (xiii cent.); Balmerescroft,
Bousemed, Chelt. Wilbaldesham, (fn. 31) Dodeshangre,
Grunbardeslol, Wateryhale, (fn. 32) Skynnerslane, (fn. 33) Sondermeade or Sumpter Mead (fn. 34) (xiv cent.); the Forty
Common (fn. 35) (xix cent.). References to the Fleet
Meadow (fn. 36) and lands in the Well or Welly (fn. 37) have
been found from the 15th century.
MANORS
The earliest mention of Datchet
occurs between 990 and 994, when
King Ethelred made some small grants
of land here. (fn. 38) In 1086 DATCHET MANOR was
held of the king in chief by Giles de Pinkney. (fn. 39) It
formed a knight's fee (fn. 40) of the barony of Pinkney
(the caput of which was at Weedon, Northants), (fn. 41)
and owed ward to Windsor Castle (fn. 42) of two armed
footmen for forty days in time of war. (fn. 43) In 1335
the Crown made a fresh grant of the manor for the
service of a rose yearly. (fn. 44) This grant was renewed in
1337 'quit of the service of 2 marks to the castle of
Windsor.' (fn. 45) References to it occur in 1346 and
1381. (fn. 46) In the first half of the 15th century
Datchet is described as being held in socage of the
king (fn. 47) ; later as Crown land it belonged to the
honour of Windsor. (fn. 48)
Giles de Pinkney, the Domesday tenant, held
13½ hides of land in Datchet, (fn. 49) part of which is to be
identified with Fulmer (q.v.). His predecessor, Seulf,
a man of Earl Lewin, held 6 hides 3 virgates as one
manor. (fn. 50) The Pinkney family maintained their connexion with Datchet for two centuries and a half.
Gilbert grandson of Giles (fn. 51) was Sheriff of Berkshire
in 1157. (fn. 52) He was assessed on his barony in 1166, (fn. 53)
and a payment of 15s. is registered against his name
in 1171. (fn. 54) His son Henry de Pinkney was in possession under Richard I and John and died about
1210, when his son Robert succeeded. (fn. 55) In consequence of Robert's opposition to King John his
estates were seized in 1216, (fn. 56) but on the accession of
Henry III he was pardoned. (fn. 57) Henry de Pinkney
succeeded his father Robert, (fn. 58) and was followed in
1232 by his son Henry, (fn. 59) who married Alice sister
and heir of Gerard de Lindsey. (fn. 60) He died seised
of the manor of Datchet (fn. 61) before July 1254, leaving as
heir his son, another Henry. (fn. 62)
Robert son of Henry de Pinkney succeeded to Datchet
about 1276, (fn. 63) and obtained a
grant of free warren in his
manor in 1294 in recognition
of his services in Gascony. (fn. 64)
His death occurring within
two years, the manor passed
to his brother Henry. (fn. 65) Some
time before 1300 Henry de
Pinkney granted the manor to
Hugh le Despencer the elder
without royal licence, for which
offence Hugh received a pardon. (fn. 66) A formal release in
Hugh's favour was also made in 1303 by Edmund de
Pinkney. (fn. 67) Hugh continued in possession, (fn. 68) but on his
banishment in 1321 Edmund de Pinkney occupied
Datchet in opposition to the king's officers. (fn. 69) After the
victory at Boroughbridge in 1322 (fn. 70) it took Despencer
two years to be reinstated. (fn. 71) On the final downfall
of Despencer in 1326 Edmund de Pinkney again
entered the manor and held it for five years in
opposition to Thomas Earl of Norfolk, (fn. 72) to whom it
was granted as part of the forfeited lands of Hugh
le Despencer. (fn. 73) Finally it was taken into the king's
hands in 1331 and granted to Edmund de Pinkney
for life. (fn. 74) He died in 1332, (fn. 75) and in the same year
John de Moleyns received a lease of Datchet for
£24 13s. 10½d. yearly. (fn. 76) Three years later William
Montagu Earl of Salisbury obtained a grant of the
manor, (fn. 77) and almost immediately relinquished his
rights to John de Moleyns. (fn. 78) From this time the
descent of Datchet Manor is the same as that of
Ditton in Stoke Poges (q.v.) until 1631, (fn. 79) when it
was granted by Charles I in trust to Charles afterwards Sir Charles Harbord, his surveyor-general, (fn. 80)
who sold it to William Wheeler (fn. 81) whose family had
been connected with Riding Court for some time. (fn. 82)
He owned Datchet Manor at his death in 1649 (fn. 83)
and left it to his son William, then under fifteen,
with remainder to his kinsman William Wheeler of
Westbury, (fn. 84) who was made a baronet in 1660. (fn. 85) No
later reference to the boy William has been found,
and Sir William Wheeler, bart., died without direct
heir in 1666. (fn. 86) In 1678 the seven daughters of
William Wheeler of Datchet had an equal claim in
the manor, and of these Ann was the wife of Charles
Pitcarne. (fn. 87) Andrew Pitcarne alias Wheeler, their
son or grandson, owned the manor in 1680, (fn. 88) and
the next year, according to Lysons, conveyed it to
Budd Wase. (fn. 89) Anne, the only child of his brother
and heir Henry, (fn. 90) married John Whitfield of Canterbury in 1723. (fn. 91) They were in possession of the manor
in 1726, (fn. 92) and conveyed it in 1730 to John Smith
and others. (fn. 93) They sold it in 1742 to John second
Duke of Montagu. (fn. 94) After the death in 1790 of his
son-in-law, George Earl of Cardigan, created Duke
of Montagu in 1766, (fn. 95) Datchet Manor passed to the
latter's daughter Elizabeth wife of Henry third Duke
of Buccleugh. (fn. 96) From 1802 it follows the same descent
as Ditton in Stoke Poges (fn. 97) (q.v.), and the manorial
rights are now vested in John Walter Edward, second
Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
Pinkney. Or a fesse indented gules.
Licence to make a park at Datchet and to hold
a fair yearly on the feast of the Assumption, its vigil,
and the day after the feast (14, 15, 16 August) was
granted to John de Moleyns in 1335. (fn. 98) The last
reference to this fair that has been found occurs
in 1438. (fn. 99)
Two fisheries pertained to the manor in 1086,
producing 2,000 eels. (fn. 100) Later references mention one. (fn. 101)
Another manor in the parish, that of DATCHET
ST. HELEN, was owned by the priory of St. Helen,
Bishopsgate. From a dispute about a meadow in
1362 there is evidence to show that this priory
owned lands in Datchet in 1263. (fn. 102)
In 1538 the manor of Datchet St. Helen was
farmed from the priory by Thomas Shroveller at a
yearly rent of £8 7s. (fn. 103) In 1540 it was taken into the
king's hands and annexed to the honour of Windsor. (fn. 104)
Various leases, or reversion of leases, of this manor
were granted later in the century. (fn. 105) St. Helen was
included in the Harbord grant of 1631, (fn. 106) and its later
descent follows that of Datchet Manor (fn. 107) (q.v.).
There was a view of frankpledge and court leet. (fn. 108)
A third manor appears in Datchet in the 14th
century, that of RIDING or RUDING COURT. (fn. 109)
It came to John de Moleyns through his wife Gille
at the same time as Stoke Poges (fn. 110) (q.v.). He obtained
a grant of free warren in Riding in 1331. (fn. 111) Riding
was closely connected with Ditton in Stoke Poges and
in 1340, when John de Moleyn's manors were in the
king's hands, the Riding accounts are placed under
those of Ditton. (fn. 112) Frequent references occur to Datchet
Manor as that of Datchet with Riding. (fn. 113) It became
part of the Crown lands in 1472 at the same time as
the manors of Datchet and Ditton, and was farmed as
the manor of Riding Court for £12 8s. 4d. yearly,
as shown by the bailiff's accounts for the other manors
from 1487 to 1493. (fn. 114) In later documents it is called
merely Riding Court Farm in Datchet. A lease was
granted in 1544 to Maurice afterwards Sir Maurice
Berkeley, (fn. 115) renewals of which were obtained in
1557 and in 1576. (fn. 116) The next lessee was Richard
Hanbury, who renewed in 1586. (fn. 117) He appears to
have obtained a grant in fee later, and at his death
in 1608 the estate passed to his daughter Elizabeth (fn. 118)
wife of Sir Edmund Wheeler. (fn. 119) It was their son
William who purchased Datchet Manor (fn. 120) (q.v.). One
of Lysons's correspondents states that Riding Court
was severed from the Wheeler estates, (fn. 121) and, after
passing through various hands, was finally conveyed
to John Duke of Montagu in 1742, (fn. 122) and so once
more came under the same ownership as Datchet
Manor.
The estate of SOUTHLEA in Datchet originated
in a parcel of land belonging to the manor of Datchet
St. Helen (fn. 123) and conveyed in 1583 to Christopher
Barker, queen's printer, by Thomas and Dorothy
Crane. (fn. 124) On Christopher's death in 1599 (fn. 125) his son
Robert paid a fine of 2s. to the manor, (fn. 126) and shortly
after was granted additional land on payment of 6d. (fn. 127)
Southlea was mortgaged in 1620 to Bonham Norton, (fn. 128)
father of Sarah wife of Robert Barker's eldest son
Christopher, (fn. 129) and further mortgaged in 1627. (fn. 130) In
1631 it was sold to Richard Beringer of Iver, who
conveyed it in 1639 to Thomas Willis. (fn. 131) Thomas
Browne purchased this property in 1662 for £520, (fn. 132)
and left it by will dated 6 December 1673 to Dr. Isaac
Vossins, with reversion to Abigail only daughter of
Lady Mary Heveningham. (fn. 133) Abigail married John
Newton, son of Sir John Newton, bart., of Barr's
Court, in 1676, (fn. 134) and before
1681 Southlea had come into
their possession. (fn. 135) In 1706
they quitclaimed this property
for £900 to Edward Lascelles. (fn. 136)
His daughter Mary married
Daniel Lascelles, (fn. 137) and through
this marriage their grandson
Edward, created Lord Harewood in 1796 and Earl of
Harewood in 1812, (fn. 138) succeeded
to the property, which he
owned in 1810. (fn. 139) This estate
has remained in the possession of the Earls of Harewood, (fn. 140) the present owner
being Henry Ulick Lascelles, the fifth earl, who
succeeded in 1892. (fn. 141)
Lascelles. Earl of Harewood. Sable a cross paty and a border or.
During the 13th century the Windsor family held
some land in Datchet. In 1232 Geoffrey de Cruce
brought a law-suit against Robert de Pinkney, claiming the custody of Andrew son of John de Windsor.
The plaintiff pleaded that his father Reginald had
enfeoffed John de Windsor, the defendant that his
ancestor, Henry de Pinkney, had enfeoffed John's
father, Peter de Windsor. (fn. 142) A few years later Andrew de
Windsor was holding part of a knight's fee of Henry
de Pinkney. (fn. 143) No further connexion of the Windsors
with Datchet has been traced except in 1364, when
only 2 acres of land were in question. (fn. 144)
An estate in Datchet known as Fishers' Land had
its origin in a purchase of 8 acres of land in 1195
by Salamon the fisherman from Walter de Raundgrave. (fn. 145) Simon, tenant under Henry de Pinkney, (fn. 146)
was the son of William the Fisher, otherwise le
Passour. (fn. 147) Land at Southlea was acquired by Robert
son of Robert the Fisher in 1315. (fn. 148) His wife Agnes
was still living in 1343 (fn. 149) and his son John in 1349. (fn. 150)
In 1413 (fn. 151) and 1439 (fn. 152) William Aylwin had a claim
on the land, which was sold in 1441 to William
Tulle by Robert son of William Fisher. (fn. 153) It was
purchased in 1448 by Roger Hunt, (fn. 154) and resold by
him in 1460 to David Selby and William Est. (fn. 155)
Another small property known as Lincoln's lands
can be traced to a grant in 1375 of lands and tenements in Datchet by John Milcombe and John Shepherd of Harrow to William Lincoln of Datchet. (fn. 156)
Other purchases were made by William Lincoln in
1378 (fn. 157) and between the years 1389 and 1397. (fn. 158)
He left his property by an indenture dated 1399 in
trust for his children, John, Roger and Alice. (fn. 159) A
small grant to John Lincoln was made in 1409, (fn. 160)
and in 1434 he sold all his property in Datchet to
John Hill and others. (fn. 161) It passed in 1447 to John
Hampden and others. (fn. 162) William Wyot and his wife
Elizabeth held land of Datchet Manor in 1414. (fn. 163) In
1417 Sir William Molyns granted them the farm of
the manor of Henley-on-Thames for life (fn. 164) in exchange. (fn. 165) Wyot's Farm was part of the property
bequeathed to Isaac Vossins in 1673. (fn. 166)
Eton College at the Dissolution owned a small
rent-charge on land in Datchet. (fn. 167)
No later mention occurs of 59 acres of land in
Datchet which Ankerwycke Priory claimed after the
accession of Edward III on the plea that it had
been wrongfully deprived by Hugh le Despencer. (fn. 168)
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY consists of
a chancel, nave, north and south aisles,
north transept, south porch, and northeast octagonal tower with spire.
With the exception of the chancel, the church was
entirely rebuilt in 1857–60 in the 'decorated' style.
The walls of the chancel, though much restored,
retain part of their original facing, but the windows
and other details have been renewed. Many old
monuments, however, remain. On the south wall
of the chancel is a brass inscription and shield of
arms to Katherine daughter of William Blount
and wife of Sir Mores Berkeley, who died in 1559.
A tablet on the north wall has a rectangular brass
plate with the kneeling figures of Richard Hanbury,
citizen and goldsmith of London, the date of whose
death (1608) is not filled in, Alice his wife (d. 1593),
and two daughters, one married to Sir William
Combe and the other to Sir Edmond Wheler. There
are also two shields of arms, and on the pediment
above are the arms of London between two
Tudor roses. In the chancel are mural tablets
to Christopher Barker, (fn. 169) who died in 1599, and
Rachel his wife, 1607; to Mary wife of Edmund
Wheeler, 1626, with arms; to Hanbury Wheeler,
1633, with bust and shield of arms; and to John
Wheeler, 1636, also with bust and shield and tablets
to the Gore family. In the floor are slabs to Hanbury
Wheeler and to Thomas Brinley, who died in 1661,
auditor of revenue to Charles I and Charles II, and
his father-in-law William Wase, who died in 1642.
In the north aisle is a floor slab to George Cooke, who
died in 1687, and Alice his wife, 1692; in the south
aisle are slabs to Rose wife of Richard Budd, auditor
of the king's revenue, who died in 1624, and other
members of her family, and to Robert Conway, who
died in 1673 (?). In the vestry is a mural tablet to
Katherine, wife of John Balch, who died in 1679.
Three of the stained glass windows were erected as a
memorial to Albert Prince Consort.
There is a ring of five bells: the treble and third
by Thomas Mears of London, dated 1795 and 1804;
the second by Henry Knight, 1615; the fourth
was recast in 1845 by C. & G. Mears of London,
and the fifth, by Henry Knight, 1607, is inscribed,
'Sancta Johanis (sic) Ora Pro Nobis.'
The communion plate includes a cup and cover
paten of 1569.
The registers begin in 1559. (fn. 170)
ADVOWSON
About the middle of the 12th
century Datchet Church was given
to St. Albans Abbey by Gilbert de
Pinkney and Eustachia his wife, (fn. 171) and confirmed by
Henry de Pinkney in 1238. (fn. 172) In 1291 it was taxed
with the chapel at Fulmer at £13 6s. 8d. (fn. 173) The
advowson was retained by the abbey (fn. 174) until 1350,
when, on condition of exemption by the Crown from
the charge of a pension on the new creation of an
abbot, (fn. 175) it was alienated to the Dean and canons of
Windsor. (fn. 176) At the same time a licence was granted
enabling them to appropriate the church, (fn. 177) and a
vicarage was ordained in 1353. (fn. 178) The advowson of
the vicarage has since remained in their possession. (fn. 179)
Datchet rectory, valued at £6 13s. 4d., was sold
in 1659 by trustees for Parliament to William Stanbridge and Thomas Roberts. (fn. 180)
Windsor Collegiate Church regained possession
after the Restoration and let the property on long
leases. (fn. 181) The lessee in 1810 was John Richards, (fn. 182)
who married the eldest daughter of Mrs. Arnold, a
former tenant, (fn. 183) and nearly forty years later the lease
remained in his family. (fn. 184)
In 1548 Richard and John Hale were trustees for
the payment of a yearly rent of 5s. for nineteen years
for an obit for Thomas Hethend. (fn. 185)
CHARITIES
The Bridge House Trust was
founded by Robert Barker by deed
10 February 1644 (enrolled), whereby
certain lands and a tenement known as the Bridge
House were conveyed to trustees in trust that the
rents and profits should be applied in erecting a
bridge across the street in the middle of the town
over certain waters that stagnated and lay there to
the great annoyance of the inhabitants. The trust
was the subject of certain proceedings in Chancery
in a cause wherein the attorney-general at the
relation of the minister, churchwardens and overseers and others was plaintiff and Vigerius Edwards
and John Meale were defendants. In the result a
scheme embodied in the master's report, bearing date
25 January 1726, was confirmed. The trust is now
regulated by schemes of the Charity Commissioners of
1864, 1888 and 1907. The trust property now
consists of the Stag Inn, let at £170 a year, 6 a. 2 r.
of land at Southlea allotted under the Inclosure Act (fn. 186)
in lieu of other lands belonging to the trust, let at
£40 a year, and £100 consols, arising from accumulations of income. The income is applied in lighting,
in keeping in order the village greens and the church
paths, and in keeping the causeways, water-courses,
&c., in repair.
The Poor's Land and Money, mentioned in an
inscription on a board in the parish church, received
additions under the Inclosure Act above referred to,
and the property now consists of 4 a. 2 r. 27 p. at
Southlea and 1 a. 1 r. at Westfield, producing £27 a
year, and a sum of £50 consols given by a donor
unknown. The charity is regulated by a scheme of
the Charity Commissioners of 18 October 1901.
It was also recorded on the same board that in
1767 Mary Arnold by will bequeathed £100 consols,
the income to be distributed to poor housekeepers on
Christmas Day; also that in 1772 Francis Marshall by
will left £100 consols, the dividends to be distributed
yearly on Easter Day to poor housekeepers; also that
in 1785 Rosamond Marshall by will left £100
consols, the interest to be distributed among the
poor.
The distribution of the income of the several
charities for the poor is made on St. Thomas's Day.
It further appeared from the same board that
Daniel Marsh gave £2 yearly to be given in bread
the first Sunday in January. The annuity is payable
out of a farm-house in Datchet and land in Marsh-field and is duly applied.
In 1822, as appears from a separate tablet in the
church, James Randall in his lifetime gave £380 7s.
consols, producing £9 10s. a year, one-third of the
income to be applied in the distribution of bread,
one-third in coal and one-third in money.
Edward Mason, who died in 1863, by a codicil to
his will bequeathed £164 10s. consols, producing
£4 2s. 3d. a year, to be distributed in bread to the
poor on Christmas Day, preference to be given to
those of fifty years and upwards who have not received
parochial relief.
In 1839 Thomas Hancock by his will left a legacy,
now represented by £58 7s. 10d. consols, the dividends, amounting to £1 9s. yearly, to be distributed
to poor persons not in receipt of parochial relief.
The Rev. Isaac Gossett, a former vicar, in his lifetime gave £100 consols, the dividends to be paid to
a coal club.
The Vane Church of England Prize Fund, founded
by a declaration of trust 27 December 1886, consists
of £33 6s. 8d. consols, the dividends, amounting to
16s. 8d., to be applied in the advancement of religious
education in accordance with the doctrines of the
Church of England. Books are given as prizes.
Baptist Meeting House.
In 1824 John Fleetwood
Marsh by his will bequeathed a legacy for the
minister, now represented by £1,001 1s. 7d. consols,
producing £25 0s. 4d. yearly.
The Almshouse Trust.
There is a house and shop
at Datchet let for £34 yearly, which is applied in aid
of the poor rate.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.