PANGBOURNE
Pandeborne (xi cent.).
The parish of Pangbourne contains 1,940 acres,
of which 718 are arable land, 517 permanent pasture
and 339 woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The River Thames
forms part of the northern boundary, and near it the
land lies little over 100 ft. above the ordnance datum.
At Bowden Green, however, it rises above 300 ft.
The subsoil is alluvium and chalk. The Pang flows
through the parish for some distance, joining the
Thames at the village of Pangbourne, and the Maidenhatch Brook joins the Pang in the south of the parish
near Maidenhatch. The chief roads run east from
Pangbourne to Reading, west to Bradfield and south
to Tidmarsh. The village lies in the north of the
parish on the banks of the Thames, with a bridge
connecting it with the Oxfordshire parish of Whitchurch. The right of common of pasture on
Shooter's Hill was mentioned
in the 16th century. (fn. 2) The
chief houses near the village
are the rectory and Courtlands, the residence of Miss
Baker. Bowden Green is
the property of Mrs. Spagnoletti, niece of the late
owner, Sir Benjamin Baker,
K.C.B., the designer of the
Forth Bridge and the Metropolitan railway. To the
south is Maidenhatch the
property of Col. Walter
Thornton, and Bere Court
belongs to Mr. George Booth
Tate, the lord of the manor.
Bere Court is first mentioned
in a charter of Bishop Robert
Bingham (1229–48) (fn. 3) confirming to Reading Abbey
the tithes from it. It was used
as a country house for the
abbots, who had a chapel
there. Tradition says that
Hugh Cook, the last Abbot
of Reading, was hiding in a secret chamber at Bere
Court when he was taken prisoner. The house is
mentioned in most of the 16th-century documents
relating to the manor (q.v.). In one, dated 1573, the
manor of Pangbourne is called the 'manor of Beare.' (fn. 4)
The present mansion is a square red brick house of
the early 18th century, two stories in height, with a
tiled hipped roof. The entrance doorway, which is
placed in the centre of the south front, is flanked by
small Doric columns supporting their proper entablature, and opens into a large hall communicating
with the principal apartments and with the staircase. The offices are contained in a wing on the
east side of the house. Some heraldic glass of the
17th century, including the arms of a Stuart Prince
of Wales and of Prince George of Denmark, the
consort of Queen Anne, are preserved in the staircase window, but of the glass in the chapel which
once existed here, described in 1563 as 'painted
with images,' (fn. 5) and noticed in detail by Ashmole in
the following century, (fn. 6) nothing now remains.
Bere Court, Pangbourne, from the South-west
Clayesmore School is a large private school for boys.
The Great Western railway runs through the
north of the parish, with a station at Pangbourne
village. Roman remains have been found at Shooter's
Hill, drift implements in the Thames, and miscellaneous Anglo-Saxon weapons have also been dug up. (fn. 7)
There are chapels belonging to the Congregationalists and Methodists and a Friends' meeting-house in
the parish of Pangbourne.
The following place-names occur in different
documents: Pangbourne Bove Down, (fn. 8) Burymarsh,
Monken Meade and Hornheath. (fn. 9)
MANORS
Before the Norman Conquest PANGBOURNE was divided into two portions.
The smaller of these, assessed at 2
hides, was said in the Domesday Survey to have
'belonged to the ferm' in the reign of Edward the
Confessor, but later was held by Alwold the Chamberlain. Under William the Conqueror it was again
attached to the king's ferm by Froger the sheriff. (fn. 10)
The larger portion of Pangbourne also belonged to
Edward the Confessor, his under-tenant being Baldwin. (fn. 11) Miles Crispin held it in 1086, (fn. 12) and, like all
his lands, it afterwards formed part of the honour
of Wallingford. (fn. 13) In 1086 one William held it of
Miles Crispin. (fn. 14)
There are no records of Pangbourne for nearly a
century, but in 1166 the name of Richer of Pang
bourne (fn. 15) appears amongst the knights of the honour
of Wallingford as holding one knight's fee.
In the 13th century Reading Abbey was said to
hold Pangbourne in frankalmoign by the gift of
Henry I, (fn. 16) and between 1190 and 1199 Ellis son of
Hereward of Pangbourne granted part of his holding
in Pangbourne to William Englefield in the court of
the Abbot of Reading. (fn. 17) Hence it seems clear that
the first holding of 1086 had come to the abbey.
Possibly most of the larger holding was also given to
the abbey, for there seems to be no other fee in
Pangbourne which could represent the whole of this
holding. The manor of La Hide, which lay partly
in Pangbourne and partly in Purley, (fn. 18) may have
originated in the hide in Pangbourne held in 1086
under William the tenant of Miles Crispin by a knight,
whose descendants possibly were the family of La Hide.
This hide may therefore presumably be excluded from
the possessions of the abbey.
The manor of Pangbourne was held by Reading
until the Dissolution, when it came to the Crown. (fn. 19)
Edward VI appears to have granted it first to the Protector Somerset, (fn. 20) and afterwards, in 1550, to the Earl
of Warwick, (fn. 21) afterwards Duke of Northumberland.
After his execution Pangbourne again came to the
Crown. It was granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1563
to Thomas Weldon, cofferer of the household, and
his son Francis, subject to a lease of twenty-one years
made by Queen Mary to Sir Francis Englefield. (fn. 22)
The latter assigned his lease to Humphrey Burdett,
when he fled from England, but the remainder of
the lease was taken into the
hands of the queen. (fn. 23) Francis
Weldon sold Pangbourne in
1613 (fn. 24) to Sir John Davis, a
follower and associate of the
Earl of Essex. Davis was
present at the taking of Cadiz
in 1596, and was there
knighted by the earl. (fn. 25) In
1600–1 he was implicated
in his patron's plot against
Queen Elizabeth. He held
a post at the Tower, and
it was to have been his part
to guard the hall in Whitehall Palace so soon as the
conspirators had overpowered the queen's guard. (fn. 26)
The rebellion was betrayed, and Sir John Davis was
tried and sentenced to death in 1600–1. (fn. 27) He was,
however, pardoned, and afterwards settled at Pangbourne. He died in 1625, and the manor passed to
his son and heir John, who was still a minor. (fn. 28) The
second John Davis, who was knighted in 1662, (fn. 29)
served as a captain with the Royalist army during
the Civil War, but obtained leave to retire from the
army in 1644, and compounded for his estate with
the Parliament. (fn. 30) He married twice, his first wife
being Anne daughter of Sir John Suckling, and his
second wife Susan the daughter of Edward Gansell. (fn. 31)
He sold the manor in 1671
to John Breedon, (fn. 32) who left
it by his will (dated 1685) to
his nephew, another John
Breedon, (fn. 33) Sheriff of Berkshire in 1700. (fn. 34) The latter
died in 1710–11, and was succeeded by his kinsman John
Breedon, the son of the Rev.
Thomas Breedon, rector of
Pangbourne (fn. 35) The last-named
John died in 1776, (fn. 36) and the
manor passed to his son John
Breedon, M.D. (fn. 37) Dr. Breedon
died without heirs male, and
by his father's will the Rev.
John Symonds became the next lord of the manor. (fn. 38)
He assumed the name of Breedon, and was living at
Bere Court in 1803. (fn. 39) Before 1821 he was succeeded by another John Symonds Breedon, (fn. 40) and in
1847 Edward Augustus Breedon was lord of the
manor. (fn. 41) He died before 1883, when Mrs. Breedon
owned the manor. It was bought from the Breedons
by Reginald de la Bere, who sold it in 1904 to
Mr. George Booth Tate, the present lord of the
manor. (fn. 42)
Davis of Pangbourne. Azure a griffon or.
Breedon. Sable a lion argent with eight passion nails or in the border.
The Abbots of Reading presumably held in Pangbourne the very extensive rights that were granted to
them by Henry I and the succeeding kings for all
their possessions. In the 17th century the lords of
the manor exercised the rights of free warren and free
fishery, and they also held the view of frankpledge
and had the wardships and marriages, escheats, the
goods and chattels of felons and waifs and strays that
fell to them in the manor. (fn. 43)
MAIDENHATCH
MAIDENHATCH (Maydehethe, Maydenheth,
xiii cent.) was held of the abbey of Reading as of the
manor of Pangbourne. (fn. 44) It is first mentioned in the
13th century when Hereward of Maidenhatch and
his two brothers Peter and William were witnesses of
a charter contained in a cartulary of Reading. (fn. 45) The
manor may be identified with the land held by
Walter of Maidenhatch, who in 1281 paid a subsidy
of 22s. on his goods. (fn. 46) In 1289 he settled tenements in
Maidenhatch, Bradfield and Pangbourne on himself
and his wife Alice. (fn. 47) William of Maidenhatch was
living in the reign of Edward III, (fn. 48) but no subsequent
owner of the property appears till 1410–11, when
Gilbert Holloway held the manor of Maidenhatch, (fn. 49)
and his name appears in the list of gentry in the
county in 1434. (fn. 50) He was succeeded by his son
Thomas, (fn. 51) whose son Alexander was in possession in
1497–8. (fn. 52) Alexander settled the manor on himself
and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 53) The latter survived her
husband and held the manor at the time of her death
in 1539. (fn. 54) It passed to their grandson and heir John,
a minor, whose wardship was granted by Henry VIII
in 1541 to John Stafford, together with an annuity
of £8 from the manor and other tenements. (fn. 55) Over
forty years later John Holloway, on an occasion
subsequent to the marriage of his son Thomas with
Margaret daughter of John Buttes, settled Maidenhatch Manor on himself and his wife Helen for life,
with reversion to his son and daughter-in-law and
their heirs male. (fn. 56) He died at Pangbourne in 1593, (fn. 57)
and his widow claimed the manor in 1596 against
Francis Weldon, then lord of the manor of Pangbourne, (fn. 58) who had seized it on the death of John on
the ground that the heir was a minor holding of him
by military service. A rental of the manor of
Pangbourne of earlier date
describes Maidenhatch as held
freely of the lords of Pangbourne by knight service. (fn. 59)
Pottinger. Vert an Eastern crown or between three pelicans argent and a quarter argent with a cross gules therein.
In 1595 Margaret Buttes,
relict of Thomas Holloway,
married Richard Pottinger at
Burghfield. Thomas Holloway having predeceased his
father, the manor passed on
the death of John Holloway
to his grandson John Holloway, justice of the peace
for Berkshire in 1601. (fn. 60) In
1615, however, John sold it
to his mother and her second
husband Richard Pottinger of
Burghfield. (fn. 61) They were succeeded by their son
and grandson, both Richard Pottinger (fn. 62) by name.
The third Richard Pottinger was holding the manor
in 1686, (fn. 63) and in 1716 it was still in his hands or
had passed to a fourth Richard Pottinger. (fn. 64) Another
estate in Maidenhatch was held by the Breedons, lords
of Pangbourne, who are said to have held the manor
uninterruptedly from 1671 to 1894, when Colonel
Walter Thornton, J.P., the present owner, bought
the property. (fn. 65)
On the king's holding in Pangbourne in the Domesday Survey there was a mill worth 20s. a year, (fn. 66) and
on that of Miles Crispin another worth 10s. a year. (fn. 67)
One mill came with the manor to Reading Abbey.
It was held in the early 13th century by John son
of Hugh de Bendinge, but after his death before
1230–7 its possession was disputed between the
children of his first and second wife. (fn. 68) The mill was
afterwards held by the lords of Tidmarsh Manor
(q.v.), John Tidmarsh dying seised of it in 1382. (fn. 69)
In the 15th century Robert Leynham and his wife
Margaret held the manor and mili and were succeeded by their son Hugh. (fn. 70) Tidmarsh came into
the possession of Sir Peter Vanlore in the 16th
century, (fn. 71) and it is possible that the mill at Pangbourne may have been one of the three water-mills
which were divided between his son and daughters
and their descendants. (fn. 72) Another of these mills may
have been Maidenhatch Mill, which stood in the
meadows by the dairy. (fn. 73) At the present day there
is one mill at Pangbourne.
CHURCH
The church of ST. JAMES THE
LESS consists of a chancel, nave, with
north vestry and organ chamber, north
aisle, west tower and south porch.
The church was entirely rebuilt in the Early
Decorated style in 1868 with the exception of the
brick west tower erected in 1718. The material is
flint with stone dressings.
The west tower is of brick with cut-brick quoins
and is divided by string-courses into three stages.
The tower arch is semicircular, and the west window
of the ground stage is a plain square opening with
unmoulded mullions and transoms of wood. In the
ground stage of the tower are hung a large number
of hatchments of the Davis family with various
alliances. The ringing chamber has small circular
windows on the north, west and south. The belfry
is lighted on all four sides by windows with depressed
three-centred heads divided into two pointed lights
by a central mullion of wood.
Reset in the north wall of the organ chamber is
the elaborate monument of Sir John Davis, who died
in 1625, containing the effigies of himself and his two
wives within a pedimented recess cut back into the
wall, while below them, in a niche in the base, are
the kneeling effigies of a son and daughter. On either
side of the recess, which has a four-centred arch with
straight sides, are coupled Tuscan columns with their
appropriate entablature, the frieze of which is ornamented with strap work. The cornice, frieze and
architrave are continued over the arch of the recess,
the cornice of this portion of the entablature being
supported by carved brackets. In the pediment is
a blank shield. An oval tablet over the centre of the
recess bears the inscription: 'Under | part of this
Monumt lieth | ye bodie of Sr John Davis Kt who |
received ye honour of Knighthood | and Bannerett at
ye taking of | Cales in Spain in ye reigne | of Q:
Aeliz: He died May ye | 14. 1625 in ye 63 yeare |
of his Age.' Another slab commemorates Martha
(mar. (1) Sir George Southcott, (2) William Clagett,
d. 1661), Anne (mar. Sir John Davis, d. 1659) and
Mary (d. 1658), daughters of Sir John Suckling.
There is a ring of five bells, all by Abraham
Rudhall of Gloucester, 1720.
The plate includes a cup of 1677 with cover paten
inscribed 'The gift of Mrs. Mary Stavely,' a large
paten of 1698, a cup of 1737 and a flagon of 1692.
The registers begin in 1556.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
Pangbourne was probably granted to
Reading Abbey with the manor, as
it is first mentioned in a confirmatory charter of Archbishop Hubert Walter (1189–1205). (fn. 74) In a papal
dispensation of 1257, however, the church was said
to be attached to one of the prebends of Salisbury
Cathedral, (fn. 75) but there is no mention of this in any
later document. After the Dissolution the advowson
came to the Crown. Queen Elizabeth granted it to
Thomas and Francis Weldon in 1563. (fn. 76) The new
patrons seized the whole rectorial estate in 1578, but
after two years Thomas Shilborne, the then incumbent, complained to the Privy Council, and the
Bishops of London and Salisbury and Dr. Hamon
were ordered to summon the parties to the dispute. (fn. 77)
The advowson of the rectory passed until lately
with the manor of Pangbourne. (fn. 78) In 1626, however, during the minority of the younger Davis,
John Sanders presented, (fn. 79) and in 1647 (fn. 80) the Crown
exercised the right instead of John Davis. In 1688
Thomas Brumsted and Zacharias Sedgwick presented, (fn. 81)
and in 1726 Anthony Blagrave shared the presentation
with John Breedon, (fn. 82) the lord of the manor. It was
apparently sold by the Breedons, and Mr. C. Minchin
is now the patron of the living.
No vicarage was ever instituted at Pangbourne, but
part of the tithes in the parish were assigned to the
abbey of Reading. Bishop Bingham confirmed to the
monks both great and small tithes from Bere Court
and a pension of £1 12s. 8d. (fn. 83) This pension, payable
by the parson, is again mentioned in 1291, (fn. 84) and was
assigned to the support of the sacrist of the abbey. (fn. 85)
Edward VI granted it to the Earl of Warwick in
1550, (fn. 86) although he reserved the advowson, but it is
not mentioned in Queen Elizabeth's grant to the
Weldons of the manor and advowson.
CHARITIES
Breedon's School, founded by will
of John Breedon, dated 24 March
1685, is regulated by a scheme established by an order of the Charity Commissioners
30 October 1900. The trust estate consists of the
school buildings and master's house, a house let at
£35 a year, the sum of £1, 904 10s. consols, producing
yearly £83 3s., representing the redemption in 1896
of a rent-charge of £40 originally devised by the
founder and certain arrears and accumulations.
In 1826 the Rev. John Symonds Breedon, by will
proved in the P.C.C. 27 September, bequeathed £150
in trust that the income be distributed in coal to
twenty of the poorest housekeepers about Christmas.
The trust fund with accumulations consists of
£178 11s. 8d. consols, producing £4 9s. a year.
Each recipient receives about 5 cwt.
In 1856 William Downing by deed gave £166 10s.
consols, and declared that the interest thereof should
be applied in the distribution of coals among those
receiving outdoor relief and of the age of sixty years
and upwards. The charity is regulated by a scheme
of the Charity Commissioners of 29 April 1890.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.