WARFIELD

Warfeld (xi cent.); Werrefeld (xiii cent.).

The parish of Warfield contains 3,435 acres of land, (fn. 1) consisting for the most part of permanent grass (2,184 acres). There are 871 acres of arable land and 120 acres of woods and plantations. (fn. 2) The subsoil is mainly London Clay; the land is very level, lying about 200 ft. above the ordnance datum, but it rises a little in the south, reaching 268 ft. at New Bracknell. (fn. 3) The Ball Brook enters the parish in the south-east and, flowing north, forms the lake in the grounds of Warfield Grove. The road from Reading to Windsor crosses the parish from east to west and is called Warfield Street after it has passed Bott Bridge. There are various other roads connecting the different hamlets in the parish. No railway line crosses the parish, and the nearest station is at Bracknell, on the London and South Western railway, 2 miles from Warfield village. The village is small, and the parish includes many hamlets, Warfield Street, Moss End, West End, Hawthorn Hill, Nuptown, Hailey Green and Reishwood. New Bracknell in Warfield parish and Old Bracknell in Winkfield parish have been formed into a special drainage area and a district of the Easthampstead Union. For ecclesistical purposes New Bracknell was separated from Warfield in 1851. The occupation of the inhabitants is mainly agricultural, but there are brick-yards and a large wheelwright's business in the parish. New Bracknell, which lies on the road from Reading to London, has developed into a small town, near which is the hamlet of Bullbrook. The Victoria Hall, built in 1887, is used as a public hall for various purposes.

Warfield Park, which lies south of the Windsor and Reading road, was the residence of Sir John Benn Walsh, bart., whose son, the first Lord Ormathwaite, was Sheriff of Berkshire in 1823, a member of Parliament and an ardent advocate of Parliamentary reform. He was raised to the peerage in 1868. (fn. 4) His son the present Lord Ormathwaite now owns Warfield Park, which is the residence of the Hon. Sir Arthur Walsh.

In the 18th century Warfield Grove belonged to Sir John Coxe Hippisley, (fn. 5) a member of Parliament and an active supporter of Catholic emancipation. (fn. 6) He sold Warfield Grove to the Earl of Mountnorris early in the 19th century. (fn. 7) At the close of the century it belonged to Mr. Lansdowne Beale, whose executors sold it in 1906 to Sir George Pigot, bart. (fn. 8)

Warfield Hall is the residence of Field-Marshal Sir Charles Brownlow, G.C.B., and Newell Hall of Mrs. Calvert-Jones. Hawthorndale belonged to the late Mrs. Hulbert, who left it to her nephew.

The oldest house of any importance in the parish, however, belonged to the Staverton family, and was called Heathly Hall in the 17th century, when it had passed to Henry Neville. (fn. 9) Early in the 19th century it was known as the Manor House. (fn. 10) It is now a farm-house and is called Hailey Green Farm, but the irregular moat still surrounds it. There are traces of another moat to the south-east of Winkfield Lane, south-west of its junction with Bishop's Lane. (fn. 11) Battle or Bott Bridge, near the Binfield border, may commemorate some forgotten fight. (fn. 12) Hawthorne Hill is connected with a family named Hawthorne, who were settled at Warfield in the 16th century. (fn. 13) Jeulots Hill may perhaps be identified with Joyliff's Hill, which was a common in 1606. (fn. 14) More than two centuries earlier 'Roger alias Jolyf' was a landowner in the neighbourhood. (fn. 15) Scotland, an old farm-house, now used as a cottage, apparently owes its name to a family named Scot. John Scot occurs in the reign of John, while Robert Scot and his son Ralph were living in 1304. (fn. 16) Scotland was a freehold belonging to the manor of Winkfield, and in the 18th century its tenant, — Baker, claimed turbary rights in that manor, and described his own estate as the manor of Scotland, (fn. 17) but no manorial rights were attached to it during the early 19th century.

The rectory stands on the site of much older buildings supposed to have been built by the monks of Hurley Priory, the impropriators of the rectory, and Warfield Priory presumably was connected with the possessions of Hurley in the parish. The rectory is the residence of Sir William James Herschel, bart., son of the distinguished astronomer Sir John Herschel, first baronet. He is the inventor of the modern system of identification by finger-prints. The old Church House, now used as a parish room, stands in the churchyard; it dates back to Tudor times, and in it there is an old iron chest containing parochial deeds and churchwardens' accounts from 1589.

Three fairs were held at New Bracknell in the 18th century, on 25 April, 22 August, 1 October. (fn. 18) They were continued as late as 1888, but are now almost extinct. There was a lock-up near the Crown Inn, from which the prisoners were supplied with food.

A market for cattle and poultry is held every Thursday at the Hind's Head Inn.

There is a mission chaple at Chavey Down.

The Roman Catholic church of St. Joseph at New Bracknell was built in 1898, and there are chapels belonging to various Nonconformist bodies, the Wesleyans, Baptists, Congregationalists and Primitive Methodists. At Moss End in Warfield there is an undenominational chapel. A Gospel hall has been built in Warfield village on land owned by Sir George Pigot. The churchyard near Warfield parish church was permanently closed against all interments in 1867. A cemetery at Bracknell of 2½ acres, with a mortuary chapel, is under the control of the Warfield and Winkfield Joint Burial Committee.

MANORS

The manor of WARFIELD was held in the time of Edward the Confessor by Queen Edith, and after the Norman Conquest William I held it in demesne. (fn. 19) In the 13th century it was in the hands of the Bishop of Winchester, (fn. 20) and had probably been granted by the Crown to the see of Winchester at the same time as Wargrave Manor (q.v.), although it is not actually mentioned until the grant of Edward I in 1284, (fn. 21) probably because Warfield was considered parcel of Wargrave. (fn. 22) It has followed the descent of the Wargrave Manor (fn. 23) (q.v.) with practically no break until the 20th century. The manor is now the property of Lord Braybrooke, who retained it after the sale of Wargrave Manor.

A so-called manor in Warfield is mentioned in the 18th century called STAVERTON'S MANOR, but, although the Staverton family held land in the parish for many years, it seems to have been a copyhold estate belonging to Warfield Manor. (fn. 24) A James Staverton was living in Warfield before 1479, (fn. 25) but in the pedigree, made in 1623, of the Stavertons, whose main property was in the parish of Bray, (fn. 26) the first member of the family who was called 'of Warfield' was Richard Staverton, who lived in the early part of the 16th century. (fn. 27) He was succeeded by his son Richard, one of Queen Elizabeth's pensioners, who was killed in 1577 (fn. 28) by a white fallow deer that he kept in his garden. A third Richard Staverton inherited his father's estate (fn. 29) and was buried in 1617 at Warfield, as was his successor Edward Staverton, who died in 1639, 'The last heire male of all his ancient race, whose brother's daughter now succeeds his place.' (fn. 30) The 'brother's daughter' was Elizabeth daughter of his brother Richard, who had predeceased him. (fn. 31) She married Henry Neville, brother of the then lord of Warfield Manor. (fn. 32) Henry Neville petitioned the king for leave to cut down certain trees on his estate within the forest of Windsor, (fn. 33) since the house, which had come to him by his marriage with Elizabeth Staverton, needed rebuilding and there was a heavy fine to pay on succeeding to a copyhold estate. Neville sided with the Parliamentary party during the Civil War. (fn. 34) He wrote several pamphlets in support of republican government, but his best known work, Plato Redivivus, or a Dialogue concerning Government, was not published until 1681. (fn. 35) He died in 1692, and his wife having died before him, the Staverton estate passed to his nephew and heir Richard Neville, (fn. 36) so that Staverton's Manor afterwords passed with the main manor of Warfield.

Staverton. Argent a cheveron between three sleeves vert.

The manor of NEWENHAM or WARFIELD was a sub-manor in the parish held of the Bishop of Winchester by fealty and suit of court at Wargrave, (fn. 37) but its early history is obscure. In 1349 William son of Sir John de Newenham held lands, (fn. 38) meadows, pastures, woods and rents in Warfield, possibly identical with this manor. Before 1451 John Norreys of Yattendon held the manor of Newenham, which he settled in that year on himself, his wife Margaret and his heirs male. (fn. 39) He died in 1467, his wife surviving him, and the manor eventually descended to his son and heir Sir William Norreys. (fn. 40) The latter died in 1506–7 and was succeeded by his grandson John, (fn. 41) who settled it in 1542 (fn. 42) on his heir Henry Norreys, afterwards the first Lord Norreys of Rycote. (fn. 43) Its descent cannot again be traced till early in the 17th century, when it came into the possession of Richard Staverton of Bray. (fn. 44) It appears to have passed with the Staverton holding to Henry Neville, (fn. 45) and from him to his nephew Richard Neville, the lord of Warfield Manor, who held it in 1705. (fn. 46) From that time it has passed with Warfield Manor, (fn. 47) and is now the property of Lord Braybrooke.

Norreys of Yattendon. Quarterly argent and gules fretty or with a fesse asure over all.

CHURCHES

The church of ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS consists of a chancel 41 ft. 10 in. by 20 ft. 2 in., a north chapel 29 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft. 10 in., nave 53 ft. 10 in. by 20 ft. 2 in., north aisle 14 ft. 3 in. wide, south transept 15 ft. 5 in. by 11 ft. 10 in., west tower 12 ft. 3 in. by 12 ft., and a timber south porch. These measurements are all internal.

The oldest part of the building is the north aisle, which dates back to the 13th century, when the plan was probably somewhat similar to the present one, but on a smaller scale at the east end. About 1350 the north chapel was added, and not long afterwards the chancel was rebuilt and probably enlarged to its present size. The nave with the transept was entirely rebuilt about the middle of the 15th century. The tower may be of this date, but possibly only the west doorway with the window over and the tower arch were renewed at this time. A restoration by Street in 1872 included the rebuilding of the transept, the stone screens in the bays of the north chancel arcade and behind the high altar, and the upper part of the chancel stair turret; at the same time the roofs of the chancel and south porch were renewed and the floors were relaid. Before the restoration there was a gallery at the west end, in which was a barrel organ.

The east window of the chancel is of five cinquefoiled lights with tracery of a flamboyant type in a two-centred head; the moulded external label is continued as a string-course at the springing level and the jambs are elaborately moulded internally and externally and at the sill and springing levels are internal string-courses, the upper carried as a label over the window heads. The north window and four south windows of the chancel are of two lights with feathered cinquefoiled heads and pierced spandrels, that at the south-west being a transomed low-side with cinquefoiled sub-heads. The jambs are similarly moulded to those of the east window. The north chancel arcade is of three bays with piers, responds and arches continuously moulded with a double ogee and casement; the moulded labels are returned at the ends but stop on carved heads over the piers. The stone screens and seats in each bay are modern, but a little 14th-century carved pinnacle work remains on each pier; there does not appear, however, to have been any screen originally in the western bay. Between the east respond of the arcade and the north-east window is a large 14th-century recess with a vaulted soffit, of which only a fragment remains, and a canopy which has been hacked flush with the wall. Above the arcade are three smaller canopied niches similarly mutilated. In the south-east corner of the chancel is a small doorway to a stair turret leading to the roof. Only the lower part of the stair is original. The stone screen behind the altar is modern, but indications exist of one of 14th-century date in the same position. West of it, on the south side, is a piscina in range with three sedilia of 14th-century date, divided by moulded mullions with pinnacled buttresses, and having cinquefoiled ogee arches with carved spandrels and foliated crockets and finials. These run up into a moulded cornice originally surmounted by a cresting or parapet enriched with running tracery, of which only a small piece of the eastern return now remains. The spandrels of the arches are carved with beautifully executed four-leaf foliage. The piscina basin is foiled, but the projecting portion is missing. Immediately beneath the sill is a small pocket in the wall, which was probably made in the 17th or 18th century to house the end of a communion rail.

The chancel arch, which is like those of the chancel arcade, has a label on the east side only. The present stone chancel screen, which has upper lights with cinquefoiled ogee heads and pierced and foliated spandrels, is modern, but two blank panels with similar tracery on the eastern face of the jamb of the chancel arch suggest the original existence of a 14th-century stone screen of somewhat similar character. To the south of the chancel arch is a squint commanding a view of the high altar and cutting into the splay of the south-west window of the chancel. On the north side is a second squint cut straight through the wall and giving a view of the north-east corner of the chancel, where perhaps relics may have been displayed.

The east window of the north chapel has three cinquefoiled lights with interlacing tracery. The internal jambs of all the chapel windows are plain and they have chamfered rear arches and moulded labels. Of the three windows in the north wall, that in the centre is a modern copy, while the others are original; each is of two cinquefoiled lights with quatrefoiled spandrels. Below them are the upper portions of three fine 14th-century shallow arched recesses, the apices of the arches with trefoiled spandrels and foliated crockets and finials, and the crocketed and pinnacle of a dividing buttress between the second and third arches remaining intact, but the lower part has been hacked off flush with the wall face. The two-centred arch between the chapel and the north aisle has semicircular attached jamb shafts with small moulded bases and capitals, probably recut when the rood-loft was reconstructed in the 15th century.

Plan of Warfield Church

The 15th-century nave arcade is of five bays and has two-centred arches supported by octagonal columns with moulded bases and capitals. The eastern arch is built with the apex out of centre and the eastern springing stilted so as to give head room to pass along the rood-loft. The two-centred arch to the transept has an east jamb with a semicircular attached shaft much restored, while the other is simply splayed. Both have moulded capitals and bases. The east and south windows of the transept are modern and of 15th-century type, the first of two and the other of three lights. Of the two south windows of the nave the easternmost is of 15th-century date and of two cinquefoiled lights with a small pierced spandrel under a two-centred head with a moulded label. The other window is of rather later 15th-century date and has three cinquefoiled lights under a plain square head without a label. Between these windows is the south doorway, which is of late 15th-century date, and has moulded jambs and a four-centred arch under a square head, the spandrels having roughly cut ornament.

The easternmost window of the north aisle is a late 15th-century insertion of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery under a three-centred head. On either side of this window, showing externally only, are the remains of two blocked 13th-century lancets. The second window is like the two-light window in the south nave wall, but beneath the inside sill are parts of the jambs of a 13th-century window. The third window of the north aisle is a small 13th-century lancet. In the west wall is a large window of 16th-century date, of five cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a plain square head. The upper part of the wall appears to have been thinned when this window was inserted. Between the first two north windows of the aisle is an early 13th-century doorway with plain chamfered jambs, arch, and label, and moulded abaci. At the east end of the north wall of the aisle is the rood-stair, which has a much damaged lower entrance, and an upper doorway with an ogee head under a square lintel and foiled spandrels. The latter appears to be contemporary with the chancel and chapel.

The tower is of three stages with diagonal buttresses at the western angles, a south-east stair turret, an embattled parapet, and a low octagonal shingled spire. The tower arch has wide chamfered and hollow jambs with moulded capitals and bases to the inner order. The arch is similar in section, with the exception that the inner order has wave mouldings instead of plain chamfers. The west doorway has moulded jambs and a two-centred arch under a square head with foliated spandrels. The window over is of four cinquefoiled lights, with vertical tracery and casement moulded jambs and a two-centred head without a label. On the south side of the west door are the remains of a recessed holy water stoup. In each side of the beil-chamber, and in the west face of the middle stage, is a window of two trefoiled lights with moulded jambs and a quatrefoiled spandrel in a twocentred head. The walls of the tower are roughly plastered and have badly-weathered chalk dressings. All the other walls are of a dark-coloured conglomerate. The stair curret at the south-east of the chancel is of stone with chalk steps and lining to the old part and the buttresses have stone dressings. All the old internal work is of chalk.

The roofs are tiled, the chancel and north chapel having modern parapets and the rest projecting eaves. The original eaves line to the chancel shows below the parapet. The chancel and chapel roofs are modern. The nave roof is a fine piece of 15th-century work. The tie-beams of the principals rest on projecting wall-plates and are stiffened from below by curved braces, while the collars are strutted from the tie-beams and between the principals are curved wind braces. The aisle roof is of the same type, but on a smaller scale.

The 15th-century screen to the north chapel retains a considerable portion of the fine original rood-loft. This was saved from total destruction by being used for a private pew for the Staverton family until it was restored to its original position at the restoration of the church. The screen is of four bays with a doorway in the centre. The lower part has traceried panels and the moulded rail dividing it from the upper portion is ornamented with small foliated circles. Each bay of the upper portion has four cinquefoiled lights with elaborate tracery over. The loft itself is supported by vaulting which springs from the moulded mullions between the bays and is mostly modern, but several of the old ribs are re-used on the east side. The loft has elaborate panelled and traceried fronts with Tudor cresting, the eastern face being original but the western a modern copy. There are five pieces of tracery similar to that in the loft attached to the pews in different parts of the church, which obviously belong to the old west front of the loft.

On the third pier from the east of the nave arcade are traces of old painting with the words 'CHRST SAVR REDEM,' probably for 'Christus Salvator Redemptor.' In the tracery of the east window of the chancel are some excellent pieces of late 14th-century glass representing the principal events of our Lord's life. The two lower subjects are the archangel Gabriel on the north, bearing a scroll inscribed 'Ave Maria,' which looks like a restoration, and the Blessed Virgin on the south, who holds a book, while at her side is a pot of lilies. In the light above the archangel Gabriel is the Resurrection with our Lord rising from the tomb, an angel kneeling near, and small figures of the sleeping soldiers below. In the centre light, nearly corresponding in level with the Resurrection, is our Lord preaching to the souls in hell, which is represented in the usual manner by the gaping jaws of a monster with a small figure between them. On the right side of our Lord is Satan. In the light above the figure of our Lady is the Ascension, only the feet of our Lord being visible at the top of the design. In the apex of the window our Lord is represented in majesty, the right hand raised in benediction, and an orb in the left hand. In the other principal lights of the tracery are censing angles. All the subjects have been considerably restored, but the main portions of the designs are original. (fn. 48) In the lights of the tracery of the modern south window of the south transept is some 15th-century glass, consisting of six figures (two 50 restored as to be practically modern) originally in the corresponding lights of the north-east window of the north aisle, and removed from there to make way for modern glass. The easternmost, which is almost entirely original, represents St. Osyth, and is inscribed beneath 'Sij Osit …', the last letter being worn away. She wears a white dress with a blue robe, and holds a pastoral staff and a book, and the ground, like that of the other subjects, is composed of squares of yellow and black, representing a pavement, with the flanking buttresses of canopy work, for which the small size of this light allows no room. The next figure, that of St. Barbara, appears to be nearly all restoration; she holds a palm-branch and a tower. The inscription 'Sij Barbara' below is modern. The third light contains a kneeling figure of a female saint, which appears to be mainly original. The hands look as if they were clasped in prayer, but this portion is now rather difficult to decipher. They may be holding a dish, possibly containing eyes, for St. Lucy. The next figure, which is also without inscription, is that of St. Margaret, with the dragon under her feet; her head, which is crowned, appears to be modern, and she holds a book and a cross. In the next light is a modern figure of St. Agnes, while the sixth and last light has an original figure of St. Katherine, inscribed beneath 'Sij Katerina,' with the wheel on her right and a sword in her left hand; her head is crowned. In one of the upper lights of the west window of the north aisle is a figure of St. Blaise with a label inscribed with his name. This is probably of c. 1500 and contemporary with the window, the border fitting the head of the light. In the head of the second window from the east in the south wall of the chancel is the shield of Old France and England, contemporary probably with the building of the chancel.

On the south wall of the chancel is a small Renaissance monument to Thomas Williamson, who died in 1611. Above the inscription, which states that he had eight sons and seven daughters, are the kneeling figures of himself and his wife with their children in the background. Eight daughters are represented by an error of the sculptor. In the south-east corner of the north chapel is a small early 17th-century wall monument without inscription or date with the kneeling effigies of a man and his wife with three sons and two daughters. In the pediment is a shield of the arms of Staverton. Above the prayer desk is another shield with the above coat impaling apparently the arms of two wives placed fessewise, the upper Checky or and sable a chief gules with three crosslets argent therein, the lower Argent a sword bendwise sable. On the opposite side of the window is a similar monument of slightly later date, also without inscription, with the same arms and figures of a man and two women kneeling. On the floor of the chapel are the indents of two brasses, one of a figure and a shield and the other of a figure and an inscription. There are also a few floor slabs in the chapel, one of the 17th century to John Hill and Alice his wife, with an inscription almost obliterated. Another is to Richard Staverton, who died in 1632, and Elizabeth his wife, who died in 1614. A third slab is to Richard Staverton, second son of Richard Staverton, who died in 1636. Another almost hidden by the organ is dated 1632. Near the west end of the aisle is a floor slab to Mrs. Phoebe Hopkins, who died in 1688, and there are many other monuments of later date.

Preserved in the parish room is a fine iron chest, probably foreign work of the 16th century, with the lock on the underside of the lid and a false key-hole in the front. The key turns fourteen bolts, and the case of the lock is of burnished steel with an elaborate design of Tritons, the outlines being formed by perforation.

In the tower is a ring of five bells. The treble bears the inscription 'Prayes the lord, 1629.' The second is a pre-Reformation bell with an inscription in black letter with crowned capitals, 'Sancta Katerina Ora Pro Nobis.' There are also three marks and a coin. The third has 'Prays God' in black letter, the date 1597, and the initials 'R.E.' The fourth is otherwise the same as the third, but the inscription reads, 'Our hope is in the Lorde.' The tenor was cast by Richard Phelps, 1718.

The communion plate is modern and consists of a rather small silver-gilt set made in 1878 and presented to the church about that date.

All the old registers were greatly damaged in a fire which burnt down the vicarage-house in 1839. (i) contains baptisms, marriages and burials 1599 to 1685, and there are also copies of baptisms, burials and marriages from 1618 to 1749, which were found in the chimney of the parish room; the last thirty pages are much damaged by fire.

The modern church of HOLY TRINITY at Bracknell is designed in the 13th-century style, and consists of a chancel, nave of three bays, north-east tower, the ground stage of which is used as a vestry, north aisle, an unusually wide south aisle, a south chapel, a shallow south transept, and a north-west porch; the tower is surmounted by an octagonal shingled spire. All the fittings in the church are modern. There is a large prayer-book of 1770 which originally belonged to the Prince Regent (afterwards George IV) and was finally bequeathed to this church.

ADVOWSON

One hide of land in Warfield was held in 1086 by a priest from Geoffrey de Mandeville (fn. 49) and had always before belonged to the manor of Warfield, but the priest had transferred it to a manor of his lord. (fn. 50) It seems almost certain that this land formed part of the 1½ hides of land, (fn. 51) appurtenant to the church of Waltham St. Lawrence, which Geoffrey de Mandeville granted to Hurley Priory (fn. 52) on its foundation about 1086, (fn. 53) since from a confirmatory charter of Henry II it appears that the land was situated in Warfield parish. (fn. 54) The chapel of Warfield had certainly been built before the close of the 12th century, (fn. 55) and was dependent on Waltham St. Lawrence, as at the appropriation of the rectory there to Hurley before 1217 (fn. 56) all the tithes arising from the chapel of Warfield were assigned to the perpetual vicar. The parish seems to have been formed before 1287, when Thomas le Gras, rector of Warfield, is mentioned, (fn. 57) but the vicarage was not ordained until 1397. (fn. 58) According to the ordination, the Prior and convent of Hurley were to celebrate the yearly obit of King Richard after his death and that of the late Queen Anne, to distribute 5s. a year at Easter to the poor of the parish, and three yearly pensions were reserved, (fn. 59) viz., 40d. to the Bishop of Salisbury, 2s. to the dean and chapter, and 16d. to the Archdeacon of Berkshire. (fn. 60)

The rectory of Warfield was held by the priory of Hurley at its dissolution, (fn. 61) and was then worth £10 a year, but it does not appear to have been included in the grant of the site and possessions of Hurley to Westminster Abbey in 1536. (fn. 62) Edward VI, following the instructions contained in the will of Henry VIII, granted the rectory and advowson, in June 1547, to Charles Cecil (Scycill), excepting certain rents, (fn. 63) but they changed hands at once, since a few months later John Bowyer died seised of the rectory of Warfield. (fn. 64) By John Bowyer's will he appears to have left one-third to his son and heir Thomas, a minor, and two-thirds to his widow Margaret for life, for the payment of his debts and the bringing up of their children. (fn. 65) In 1554–5, however, Thomas Bowyer and his wife Katherine sold their interest in the rectory and advowson to Humphrey Harte, (fn. 66) who entered into possession apparently of the whole estate. Lawsuits with Margaret and her second husband John White followed. (fn. 67) Harte died in 1556 seised of property described as the rectory and advowson, which was presumably only a third and the reversion of the remaining two-thirds, (fn. 68) and was succeeded by his son Owen, a child five years old. (fn. 69) Owen died before he came of age, (fn. 70) and his inheritance passed to his two uncles William Harte and John Harte (fn. 71) in succession. The latter obtained seisin in 1595, (fn. 72) but he sold the rectory the next year to William Price. (fn. 73) It passed before 1608 to John Green and his wife Susan, (fn. 74) who sold it in that year to John Marden. (fn. 75) The advowson is not mentioned in either of these sales, but Marden held both rectory and advowson at his death in 1620, when his son William, a minor, was his heir. (fn. 76) He had settled them, however, on his wife Susan and their children. (fn. 77) They seem to have come into the possession of his daughter Dorothy, the wife of Henry Braborne, (fn. 78) who sold them about the year 1628 (fn. 79) to John and Stephen Terry. After coming of age William Marden obtained the livery of the rectory and advowson of Warfield from Charles I, (fn. 80) but presumably he immediately ratified the sale that had taken place some years previously, (fn. 81) since the family of Terry have been in possession of the rectorial estate till the present day, (fn. 82) Mr. C. Terry being now the impropriator of the great tithes. (fn. 83)

The advowson of the vicarage of Warfield followed the same descent as the rectory until the 18th century. (fn. 84) In 1687, however, it should be noticed that the king presented to the vicarage. (fn. 85) In 1704 William Freeman was the patron, having secured the patronage for one presentation only, (fn. 86) and afterwards the Terrys again owned the advowson. (fn. 87) It was purchased, again for one presentation, by Thomas Earle before 1768, (fn. 88) in which year he presented his son. Mr. Terry made the following presentation, probably in 1773. (fn. 89) In 1793 Benjamin Hammersley is said to have been patron of the living, (fn. 90) but this does not seem reconcilable with the information given in 1802 (fn. 91) by the Rev. Robert Faithful, then vicar, who said that he succeeded Mr. Earle and was presented by Mr. Terry. Before 1822 (fn. 92) Benjamin Hammersley was again patron, but before 1829 the advowson had passed into the possession of Maxwell Windle, who was patron until 1850. (fn. 93) In the following year the patrons were the executors of the Rev. Robert Faithful, (fn. 94) not probably the vicar of 1802, but a second Robert Faithful, who was vicar about 1830. At the end of the 19th century the advowson was bought from the executors by the late Rev. B. C. Littlewood, whose widow is the present owner of the benefice. (fn. 95)

In 1399 John Cranmore, a servant of Richard II, obtained a licence to found the chapel or oratory of St. John Baptist and St. Nicholas on his estate in the parish of Warfield. (fn. 96) Cranmore's estate was said to be at 'Cortenale,' to which there seems to be no other reference existing. Possibly the chapel was at Bracknell, which was spelt Brackenhale or Brakhenale at that time. (fn. 97) At the time of the dissolution of the chantries there was a free chapel in the parish worth 4s. yearly. (fn. 98) It was granted, with the lands belonging to it, by Edward VI, in 1548, to Sir John Thynne, kt., and Lawrence Hyde (fn. 99) ; the grantees presumably pulled down the chapel, since there is no further mention of it. There was formerly a Roman Catholic cemetery at Wick Hill (fn. 100) ; the last interment was made about sixty years ago.

Part of the parish of Warfield has been separated from the church of St. Michael and All Angels, Warfield, and was included in 1851 (fn. 101) in the new ecclesiastical parish of Bracknell. The church of the Holy Trinity in New Bracknell was built in 1851, but has since been enlarged. The living is a vicarage in the gift of the Bishop of Oxford and was endowed out of the Common Fund in 1862 and 1871. (fn. 102)

CHARITIES

The following charities have by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners 8 January 1892 been consolidated under the title of the Warfield Parochial Charities, namely:—

The charities of Humphery Staverton, founded by deed 3 October 1591, consisting of an annuity of 8s. issuing out of Hawthron Hill, Bray, received from Colonel Victor Van de Weyer.

Lucia Ive, rent-charge of £1 issuing out of Grubbs Plot, copyhold of the manor of Warfield. Earliest entry, 1615; received from the secretary of the Garth Hunt.

Hugh Bowyer, rent-charge of 10s. issuing out of 4 acres in Pidwell's, copyhold of the manor. Earliest entry, 1623; received from Mrs. Henderson.

Edward Staverton, by will proved in the P.C.C. 10 December 1639, rent-charge of £2 issuing out of land called Priest Innings; recieved from Lord Braybrooke.

Charity of Thomas Winder, founded by will proved in the P.C.C. 12 February 1651. (fn. 103) The stock representing the endowment of this charity has been apportioned, the share of this parish consisting of £459 Great Northern Railway 3 per cent. stock, producing £13 15s. 4d. a year.

The official trustees also hold a sum of £132 9s. 5d. consols, representing a legacy of £60 bequeathed by will of Captain William Clarke, 1699, an unknown donor's gift of £15, and the balance known as the Parish Stock, forming part of the sum of £686 6s. consols mentioned below.

Leonard Peade, by will proved in the P.C.C. 4 January 1654, an annual payment of £5, received from the Cook's Company, London.

Samuel Hipwood, who died in 1728, by will gave a rent-charge issuing out of land called Sanders' Pightle, Bray, now the property of Mrs. Henderson.

Richard Bowyer, will 1717, gave a rent-charge of £5 issuing out of land in Bray known as Thistley's Close.

Rebecca Bowyer, wife of the preceding donor, by her will, 1729, gave 5s. a year out of land called Woodwells and Gastons in Bray; paid by Mr. J. W. R. Tutton.

Thomas Vaughan, by will proved in the P.C.C. 12 October 1728, directed £200 to be laid out in land, the rent to be distributed among the poor. The trust fund now consists of £493 16s. 7d. consols arising from the sale in 1865 of land originally purchased with the legacy, forming part of the sum of £686 6s. consols mentioned below.

The Freeholders' Gift, consisting of a grant in 1765 by John Walsh of a rent-charge of £17 issuing of lands at Edmond's Green, now forming part of the Warfield Park Farm, in consideration of the consent of the lord of the manor and the freeholders to inclose part of the said green, and of a grant in 1767 by the said John Walsh of a rentcharge of £3 issuing out of the same lands in consideration of leave to inclose lands at Windsor Lane. The rent-charges, amounting to £20, are now paid by Lord Ormathwaite.

The Fuel Fund: The official trustees hold £2,122 13s. 11d. consols, representing the proceeds of sale in 1863 of 61 a. 3 r. of heath land in Sandhurst, acquired in 1821 for the benefit of the poor of Warfield with moneys received from Sir John Benn Walsh, bart., in consideration of his inclosing certain waste land at Edmond's Green. The annual dividends amount to £53 1s. 4d.

Thomas Pitt, by a codicil to his will proved at Oxford 14 December 1867, bequeathed £50 consols, the income to be given to the poor every three years, subject to his tombstone being kept in proper order. The legacy with investment of accumulations is represented by £60 consols, forming part of a sum of £686 6s consols held by the official trustees, who also hold the other sums of stock above mentioned.

Under the provisions of the scheme above referred to, the net income of the Fuel Fund is applicable in aid of the funds of any provident club in or near Warfield established for the supply of coal.

The income of the Freeholders' Gift, amounting to £20 a year, is directed to be applied as to fourfifths in aid of the poor's rate and one-fifth for the benefit of the poor residing near Edmond's Green.

The income of the remaining charities, amounting to about £45 a year, is carried to a general account, out of which in 1908 £12 was applied in school prizes, £10 as a grant to the fuel fund, £4 4s. to a convalescent hospital, £2 to a nursing fund, £1 9s. 6d. in providing girls with outfits for service, £3 18s. 10d. in assisting poor persons in sickness, and tickets for goods for the poor to the amount of £3 7s. 6d.

The school: A legacy of £200 (date unknown) was left by General Harvey, which was expended in the erection of a school on land given by Lord Braybrooke. The site and buildings were by an order of 4 September 1866 vested in the official trustee of charity lands and the vicar and churchwardens were appointed the trustees.

Footnotes