KING'S LANGLEY
Langelei (xi cent.); Langele or Childes Langley
(xiii. cent.); Langele Cheyndut or Childernelangele
(xiv cent.); Chilternelangley (xv cent.); King's
Langley or Langley Regis (xiv and xvii cent.).
The parish of King's Langley lies on the western
side of the River Gade and the Grand Junction
Canal; the land rises from the valley of that river from
about 230 ft. above the ordnance datum in the south-east to about 500 ft. on the north-west. It is well
wooded, and fine views from it can be obtained over
the valley of the Gade to the south-east. The area
of this parish is 3,481 acres, and in 1905 comprised
1,932 acres of arable land, 862 acres of permanent
grass, and 230 acres of woodland. (fn. 1) The soil is mixed
clay, sand, and gravel, and the subsoil chalk.

Gate of Manor House, Chipperfield
There is an extensive park at Shendish, the seat of
Mr. A. H. Longman, in the northern extremity of
the parish, and a smaller one at the manor-house in
Chipperfield belonging to Mrs. Robert Blackwell. The
River Gade and the Grand Junction Canal pass
through the parish on the east, the former being
the boundary between King's Langley and Abbots
Langley.
King's Langley Station on the London and North-Western Railway, formerly known as the Home Park
Station, lies in the parish of Abbots Langley about three-quarters of a mile from
the village. The Home Park Paper
Mills of Messrs. John Dickinson and Co.,
near the station, afford occupation to
many of the inhabitants of King's
Langley. The village lies along the
road from Watford to Berkhampstead,
which here runs north and south at some
little height above the river. At the
south end of the village a road runs
eastward down the hill, on the south
side of which stands the church. In
the village the main road broadens out
to a considerable width and has a wide
footpath on the west side which is
divided from the road for the greater
part of the way by a few feet of turf.
The houses are mostly of brick and
slated, and the village is now extending
southwards towards the railway station,
where villa residences are being built.
To the north of the road to Chipperfield, which branches off westward at the vicarage, lies
Langley Common, on which is the cricket ground,
and a little further along the road on the south side
are the ruins of Langley Priory and Langley Palace.
Going westward along this road, on the south side is
Ballspond Farm, a substantial red-brick house now
occupied by Mr. John Arnold Betts. Nearer to
Chipperfield is the Whippendell Hill Estate, which is
being cut up into building plots, and houses are being
erected. Whippendell House is the residence of
Miss Brunker.
Chipperfield was formed into a district out of parts
of this parish and those of Abbots Langley and Watford
in 1838, (fn. 2) and constituted an ecclesiastical parish in
1848. (fn. 3) In 1883 portions of Abbots Langley and
Langley Bury were ecclesiastically annexed to King's
Langley, and in 1872 parts of the parish were transferred to the consolidated chapelry of St. Mary,
Apsley End. (fn. 4)
Chapel Croft is a small hamlet a short distance
outside Chipperfield on the same road, and is composed of some modern brick houses of an uninteresting
character. Chipperfield lies to the south near to
Chipperfield Common, which is an extensive piece of
open land covered with furze and heather. There
are a few interesting old half-timber houses, particularly that at Pale Farm. Chipperfield manor-house,
the residence of Mrs. Robert Blackwell, lies on the
north-east side of the common and contains some
good panelled rooms. Some paintings were discovered
on the walls here in 1850. The church stands on
the common and was built by subscription in 1837.
It consists of a chancel which was enlarged in 1889,
and a nave and transepts of thirteenth-century style. The west window was
erected as a memorial to the Rev. Henry
Dennis who died in 1863, and the organ
was presented by Mrs. Blackwell in
memory of her husband Mr. Robert
Blackwell. A lichgate was erected to the
memory of Capt. Charles Clayton who
died of wounds at Hong Kong in 1863.
The schools are opposite the church.
The Baptist chapel, built of red brick
and slated, lies near Dunny Lane on
the road from Chesham to Chipperfield.
Chipperfield House, the residence of
Mr. Sands Clayton, about a quarter of
a mile eastward on the same road, is
of red brick. Barnes Lodge to the
north of King's Langley village is the
residence of Mr. Edward HorsmanBailey; other important houses are
Manor House, the residence of Mr. Brice
Beaton; the Rectory House, in which
Mr. Arthur Green lives; Langley Hill
House, the residence of Mr. Arthur Hughes; and
Priory House, the residence of Mr. Robert F.
McClintock.
A palaeolithic implement and Roman remains have
been found here. At Little London, in a field to the
south between the high road and the village, have been
found traces of a mediaeval house. (fn. 5)
Place-names which occur are Whippenden, Newecroft, Wernelond, Petcroft and Winchcroft, Lacheres,
Herteslane, Shayles, Brookend, Layhull and Ryhull,
le New Chepynge and Chiperville, le Vyneacres,
Dedemanesfeld, Bricepol, Maydensbour, Wapendams,
and there was a gate or lodge in the park called
Little London.
Ralph Kettell, the third son of John Kettell of
King's Langley, (fn. 6) was born in 1563. He was elected
president of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1598–9, and
was the builder of Kettell Hall, in Broad Street,
Oxford. (fn. 7)
William Jenkyn, a Nonconformist divine, who was
ejected from the vicarage of Christ Church, Newgate,
on the passing of the Conventicle Act in 1664, lived
for some time at King's Langley, where he continued
to preach every Sunday. (fn. 8)
Colonel Martin Petrie was born at the manor house
of King's Langley in 1823. He was attached to the
topographical staff of the War Office from 1859 to
1864, and was the author of several works on military
subjects. He was an enthusiastic Freemason, and took
an active interest in philanthropic and religious work. (fn. 9)
MANORS
A manor of KING'S LANGLEY
was granted to the church of St. Albans
by Egelwin le Swarte and Aelfleda his wife
in the time of Leofstan, twelfth abbot. (fn. 10) It was lost
to the monastery in the disorderly times which
preceded and followed the Norman invasion, and
Paul, who was abbot from 1077 to 1093, made
fruitless efforts to recover it. It may have been
acquired, in whole or in part, by Thuri and Seric,
two men of Earl Lewin who held in Langley in the
time of King Edward the Confessor, (fn. 11) or by those whom
they succeeded. William I appears to have gained
possession of all the lands of Langley, and he included them in the fee of Mortain and the honour of
Berkhampstead which he bestowed on Robert count
of Mortain. (fn. 11a) A manor in Langley would seem to
have been held by Robert in demesne, and thus to
have lapsed to the crown with the overlordship of
Langley when William of Mortain was dispossessed
for rebellion in 1104, (fn. 12) and to have followed the
early descent of Great Berkhampstead. This, the
capital manor of Langley, was held by Eleanor, queen
of Edward I, until her death in 1290, of the earl of
Cornwall, and by the service of five knights' fees and
two parts of a fee, and of suit at the court of Berkhampstead every three weeks. (fn. 13) The manor returned
to the crown in 1300 with the honour, (fn. 14) and was
granted to Edward prince of Wales in 1302. (fn. 15) In
1327 Edward III gave it to Queen Isabella for her
life, in consideration of the part she had taken in
suppressing the rebellion of the Despensers; (fn. 16) and he
confirmed her tenure in 1331 (fn. 17) and in 1334. (fn. 18) The
issues of 'Childerlangele' were bestowed on the friars
preachers who dwelt there in 1343, to be held at
the king's will and conditionally on the repair of the
houses and buildings of the manor and of Little
London. (fn. 19) In 1395–6 the manor is first called Langley
Regis in the court rolls. (fn. 20) It formed part of the
dowry of Queen Joan of Navarre, (fn. 21) and in 1469
was granted by Edward IV to his mother Cicely,
duchess of York, for her life. (fn. 22) Her tenancy was
confirmed by Richard III, (fn. 23) and continued until her
death in 1495, when the manor was acquired by
Elizabeth queen of Henry VII, who had held
reversionary rights in it since 1491–2. (fn. 24) Henry VIII
conferred King's Langley on three of his queens;
on Katherine of Arragon in 1509, (fn. 25) on Anne Boleyn
in 1535, (fn. 26) and on Jane Seymour. (fn. 27) On the death of
Jane he gave it for life to Sir Edward Nevill. (fn. 28)

Old House, Chipperfield
In 1558 it was annexed to the duchy of Lancaster. (fn. 29) James I bestowed it on his son Henry,
prince of Wales, in 1610, (fn. 30) and in the same year
granted a lease of the demesne land of the manor
and certain tenements in the outer court to George
and Thomas Whitmore for sixty years, and in this
grant it is mentioned that the demesne had previously
been demised to Sir Charles Morrison. (fn. 31) Prince
Henry died in 1612, and in 1616 the manor was
granted to Sir Francis Bacon, Sir John Daccombe,
Thomas Murray, and others for ninety-nine years, in
trust for Charles, prince of Wales. (fn. 32) In 1628 the
survivors of these trustees transferred their interest for
the rest of the term to William Williams, Robert
Michell, Walter Markes, and Robert Marshe. (fn. 33) The
reversion after this term was included in 1628–9 in
the well-known grant to Edward Ditchfield, John
Heighlord, and others, in payment of the king's
debts and those of his father to the City of London.
The manor was to be held of the king at fee-farm as
of his manor of Enfield. (fn. 34) In 1630 these grantees
conveyed the manor to Richard Smith, Walter Smith,
and Sidenham Lukins, in trust for Thomas Houlker
of the Middle Temple. (fn. 35) It passed from Thomas
Houlker to his son William, who sold it in 1667 to
Henry Smith of Tring. (fn. 36) Henry by his wife
Elizabeth had one son Henry, and three daughters,
Anne, Elizabeth, and Mary. On the death of Henry
the son without issue the manor came to his three
sisters, Anne wife of Thomas Hanslapp, Elizabeth
who was not married, and Mary wife of Thomas
Barker. (fn. 37) In 1732 Thomas Barker and Mary conveyed half the manor to John Thomas, (fn. 38) but this
conveyance was probably made for the purpose of
some settlement, for John son of Anne Hanslapp
succeeded to the whole manor on the death of his
aunts Elizabeth and Mary, (fn. 39) and in 1745 he sold it
to John Marriott. (fn. 40) On the death of John in 1766
it came to his nephew Thomas Marriott, who
devised it to his sister Dorothy, wife of John Parsley,
with remainder to her son John. (fn. 41) This last-named
John died in 1850, (fn. 42) and by his will the manor passed
to his cousin Mr. Robert Blackwell, (fn. 43) and it is now
held by his widow Mrs. Mary Blackwell.
In the court rolls and in the surveys of the manor
there is evidence of many ancient customs. Certain
free tenants held their lands in 1291 for the service
of scutage and suit at court every three weeks, and
others rendered 8s. 6d. by the year. There were
eighteen villeins who held four and a half virgates
(four score acres to the virgate), and rendered 10s. a
year, besides doing service of ploughing. They also
paid a rent of one hen at Christmas called 'Wodehen.'
Every virgate in the manor owed the service of mowing for twenty days with four men, and also owed
three 'bederipa' with eight men at the food of the
lord. The cottars (cotterelli) owed the service called
'Wodehen' and were obliged to raise the lord's hay. (fn. 44)
There were three bridges in the manor which the
lord was bound to repair, viz. Longebrygg, Sheffordbrygge, and le Mullebrygge, and he was also responsible
for the mill dam at Quenemill. (fn. 45) The duty of
repairing three other bridges seems to have fallen
upon the lord of the manor of Shendish, namely,
Cheynedut brigg, Watkins brugge, and a bridge at
Nashmill. (fn. 46) The lord had to provide stocks, gallows,
pillory, and 'cokkyngstole' for the punishment of
transgressors. (fn. 47) There appears to have been only one
tithing in the manor. (fn. 48) We find frequent presentments in the court rolls of hamsoken, breaking the
palings and taking the coneys in the park, and trespassing upon the king's fishing rights. Trout seem
to have been specially reserved for the king, for in the
reign of Henry IV we have a presentment by the
bailiff against Thomas Fisshere, farmer of the river
with the fishing, held of the friars, for a trespass on
the king, because he took certain fish called 'trowghtes'
by putting 'lepes' with the stream of the water and not
against, as of right he should, because the fish were
reserved to the king. (fn. 49) In the reign of Henry VI
gold and silver was found in the manor as treasure
trove, and fell to the lord. (fn. 50)
At the time of the Domesday Survey there were
two mills in the manor worth 16s., (fn. 51) and in the court
rolls we have mention of Apsleymill, Quenemyll, 'le
Asshmull' or 'Naysshemyle,' now Nashmill. (fn. 52) In a
survey of the time of Edward I two water-mills are
mentioned, one for corn and the other for fulling
cloths. There was also a fishery worth 2s. (fn. 53) Besides
Apsley Mills and Nash Mills in the north of the
parish there is now a corn-mill in the village on the
River Gade.
The inhabitants of King's Langley had to repair the
road between Nash Mill and George Weedon's Mill
(Apsley Mill), which in 1671 was in such a bad state
as to be hardly passable without danger. (fn. 54)
In 1649–50 the inhabitants of King's Langley
complained that no court leet had been held there
for two years. The court used to be held yearly,
and the constables were then elected; the want
of such court had caused the present officers to
'suffer much' and to perform their offices for two
years. (fn. 55)
In 1347 a proclamation was made of a market to
be held on Thursdays and a fair on Midsummer Day
at the king's town of King's Langley. A market and
fair had been held there before that date, but had
been discontinued 'by carelessness and negligence, to
the king's manifest detriment.' (fn. 55a) A fair is now held
on 24 and 25 June, and the market has been discontinued.
A royal PALACE and PARK had their site in
King's Langley. A very early origin has been ascribed
to the former, (fn. 56) but the first authentic evidence of
its existence occurs in 1299. (fn. 57) The park was probably
made as an appurtenance to the chief manor, possibly
about 1282, for in that year an order was given to
take a white roe-doe and five white roe-bucks in the
chace of Rugleye or Longboys to stock the queen's
park of Langley. (fn. 58)
Later evidence discovers the park and the palace as
crown possessions, sometimes temporarily granted to
individuals. (fn. 59) The palace was often visited by Edward I,
Edward II, (fn. 60) Edward III, (fn. 61) and Richard II. (fn. 62) In
1299 Edward I summoned the bishop of Norwich,
the abbot of St. Albans, and the count of Savoy, to
celebrate the day of All Saints at King's Langley. (fn. 63)
The park formed part of the grant to Queen Isabella in
1327. (fn. 64) In 1341 the palace was the birth-place of Prince
Edmund, who was called Edmund of Langley and
baptized by Abbot Michael of St. Albans; the abbot,
and the earls John of Warren and Richard of Arundel,
were his sponsors. (fn. 65)
When the plague was devastating London in 1349
the king held his court at Langley Palace. (fn. 66) In 1392 (fn. 67)
Richard II kept Christmas there; also in 1396, when
he received 'with honour but not with love' the duke
of Lancaster, who had been recalled from Aquitaine. (fn. 68)
A grant of a fishery and a weir in the royal park was
confirmed to the friars preachers of Langley in 1424. (fn. 69)
The palace appears to have been granted to Queen
Joan with the manor, and repeated evidence of her
presence in King's Langley makes it probable that she
lived there for several years. In or about the year 1425,
on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, she
received the duchess of Holland, who, after hearing
vespers at St. Albans, rode to Langley with an escort
of forty horses. (fn. 70) In 1427 Joan was again at the
palace; (fn. 71) and in this year the duke of Gloucester
went from King's Langley to St. Albans to make
thankofferings on his recovery from an illness. (fn. 72) The
queen dowager entertained, in the palace, the cardinal
bishop of Winchester, Henry Beaufort, who visited
her with much state in 1428. In 1431 the building
was injured by a fire. (fn. 73)
The park was bestowed on the duchess of York,
with the manor, in 1469. (fn. 74) In 1476 William Wallingford, abbot of St. Albans, made a banquet at
the palace for the bishop of Llandaff, from whom he
had lately received consecration. (fn. 75) This seems to have
been the last occasion on which King's Langley Palace
was the scene of stately ceremonies or the dwelling of
dignified personages; probably it fell into decay.
The gatehouse and parts of the main building are
said to have been standing in 1591. (fn. 76) In his History
of Hertfordshire, published in 1728, Salmon says of
King's Langley, 'Here the rubbish of royalty exists.'
A fragment of the ruined palace is still to be seen.
The park had a longer history. In 1495–6 the
office of forester of Langley was granted to Edmund
de la Pole, in consideration of
his good services, and in spite
of the attainder of John earl
of Lincoln, his elder brother. (fn. 77)

De la Pole. Azure a fesse between three leopards' heads or.
The park was surveyed in
1556, and it was ascertained
to contain 697 acres, of which
six belonged to the demesne,
while fourteen had been part
of the possessions of the late
priory. The surveyors considered that it might well
be disparked. (fn. 78) A lease for
twenty-one years of the agistment and pannage, and of the 'little hunt, called
small game, of coneys,' had been granted in 1543
to John Lord Russell. (fn. 79) In the following year
he was made keeper of the park. (fn. 80) The park was
granted with the manor to Prince Henry in 1610, (fn. 81)
and in 1616 to trustees for Prince Charles, on
the terms which had determined the lease of the
manor. (fn. 82) In 1626 the trustees granted the remainder
of their lease to Sir Charles Morrison, (fn. 83) who had
already acquired or secured a possession of the rights
of herbage and pannage. (fn. 83a) The reversion of the
lease was given to Sir Baptist Hicks in 1626, (fn. 83b) and
he in 1628 conveyed his interest to Sir Charles
Morrison, with the exception of a fee-farm rent.
Elizabeth Morrison, daughter and heiress of Sir
Charles, married Arthur Capell, Lord Capell of
Hadham, (fn. 84) who forfeited the park for his delinquency in 1645, and was beheaded in 1648–9. It was
granted to Robert earl of Essex, captain-general of the
Parliamentary forces, (fn. 85) but it was restored to Arthur
Capell, son of Lord Capell, who later became earl of
Essex, with his other honours on the accession of
Charles II. The rent retained by Sir Baptist Hicks was
afterwards acquired by the earl of Essex. The park
continued in the possession of his family (fn. 86) till the present Lord Essex sold it in 1900 to Mr. E. N. Loyd
of Langley Bury.

Morrison. Or a chief gules with three wreaths or.

Capell. Gules a lion between three crosslets fitchy or.
The HOUSE OF THE FRIARS PREACHERS
does not appear to have been established in the building whose ruins still exist at King's Langley until the
reign of Edward II. (fn. 87) That king, in fulfilment of a
vow, built a house for the friars in his park of Langley
in 1312, (fn. 88) and granted to them that they might, until
it was completed, dwell in Little London, a lodge in
the royal park. (fn. 89) In 1428 the friars held one knight's
fee of the king in Childerlangley in pure and perpetual alms. (fn. 90)
After the Dissolution the site of the priory was
granted, in 1540, to Richard, bishop suffragan of
Dover, the grant to be void if the bishop was
advanced to ecclesiastical benefices worth £100. (fn. 91)
The farm of the priory was granted in 1546 to
John Lord Russell, who still held it in 1556. (fn. 92) In
1557 Queen Mary restored this house to nuns of the
order of St. Dominic, and granted them certain lands, (fn. 93)
but this nunnery was dissolved by Queen Elizabeth in
1558–9, (fn. 94) and the site of the priory was granted in
1573–4 to Edward Grimston, senior, and Edward
Grimston, junior. (fn. 95) They transferred their interest
to Robert Cresswell, and he in 1574 to Francis earl
of Bedford. (fn. 96) In 1580 Francis settled it upon his son
Francis and his heirs male, with remainder to his other
son William. Both the earl and his son Francis died
in 1585, within a day of one another, and Edward
son of Francis the son succeeded his grandfather. (fn. 97) In
1607 the site was granted to Edward Newport and John
Compton at the petition of William Baron Mounteagle. (fn. 98) At this time it consisted of seven acres, and
there had been a church there which was then completely ruined. The site was in tenure of Thomas
Ewer and Peter Edlin. (fn. 99) Edward Newport and
John Compton granted it to Robert Dixon, from
whom it came to his daughter Theodosia wife of
Sir Richard Braughin. (fn. 100) After his death she sold
it to Joseph Edmonds, who conveyed it to William
Houlker, owner of the manor (q.v.). (fn. 101) He granted
it to Sir Richard Combe, (fn. 102) who held it in 1678, (fn. 103)
but afterwards reconveyed it to William Houlker,
who demolished the house and buildings belonging to
it. (fn. 104) The conventual church was built shortly before
1312; for in that year John Dalderby bishop of Lincoln
granted a commission for the consecration of the 'newly-constructed' church of the friars preachers. (fn. 105) It was
the burial-place of Piers Gaveston, (fn. 106) and of Isabella
daughter of Pedro the Cruel, king of Castille and Leon,
and wife of Edmund of Langley. (fn. 107) Edmund directed
in his will, 'Et moun corps a giser a Langelee pres
de ma tresame Isabele jadys ma compaigne qe Dieux
assoille'; and accordingly he was buried in the
church of the friars. (fn. 108) In 1400 the body of Richard
II was brought thither after it had been embalmed,
and exposed to view in St. Paul's, (fn. 109) but it was
removed to Westminster in 1414. (fn. 110) The body of
Edmund of Langley was placed in the chancel of the
parish church after the destruction of the priory
buildings. (fn. 111)
The only building now remaining of the Dominican friary, popularly known as King John's Bakehouse,
stands on the hill to the west of the village. It is a
long narrow building of flint and stone, and is at
present used as a dwelling-house. It stands almost
due north and south, and the greater part of it appears
to date from the fourteenth century. In its original
position it must have stood practically by itself, as
there are early doors or windows on all the four sides,
though it is evident that a wall abutted on the south
side. It measures, externally, 76 ft. 8 in. from north
to south, and 18 ft. 1 in. from east to west; and, internally, it is divided into two nearly equal portions
by a thick cross wall, on the south side of which are
old fireplaces. The north portion, on the ground
floor, now used as a store, has three large open arches
on the west side, with buttresses between, the arches
dying against the sides of the buttresses. The arches
have a plain splay on the outside, and both they and
the buttresses, which are very much decayed, seem
to be fourteenth-century work. At the north end of
this store is a narrow doorway, with splayed arch and
jambs, belonging to the same period. In the east
wall are three small windows, splayed within, and
with arched heads and rear-arches on the inner side,
with hollow chamfered edges dying against the wall.
A modern window has been inserted in this wall.
The ceiling of the store is an ordinary lath-and-plaster one. At the south-east corner of the store is
a recess, now used as a cupboard, but which must
have formerly been a short passage to the kitchen
beyond, as it has been lighted by a small window,
similar to the others, but now built up. This wall,
which separates the present store from the kitchen, is
built of flint on the ground story like the external
walls. The room south of the store is used as a
kitchen, and probably had a similar use in ancient
times, as the cross wall contains a large fireplace, 8 ft.
wide, with splayed stone jambs and low four-centred
arch. The fireplace is lighted by a small window in
the west wall. In the east wall is a wide, comparatively modern window, and beside it is a small
arched window, now built up, similar to those in the
store.

KING'S LANGLEY. Remains of Dominican Friary
To the south of the kitchen is a modern staircase.
The outer doorway in the west wall is modern, but
the one opposite to it, in the east wall, is the original
one. A circular cutting in the old west wall shows
that a newel stair must have existed there at one
time.
It is not easy to explain the former use of the small
room, now used as a pantry, at the south end of the
house. In the old wall between it and the staircase
is a late fifteenth-century doorway, now built up,
with splayed jambs and flat four-centred arch, and a
similar doorway, also built up, in the opposite wall,
seems to have led to a walk or perhaps a covered passage
outside, part of the walling of which still remains.
There is also a small arched window in the south
wall, similar to those already described, which seems
to show that the old wall outside, stretching south-wards, must have been a boundary wall or a covered
passage, and not part of a contiguous building. In
the west wall of the pantry is a plain recess with
pointed arch of early date which does not appear ever
to have been a doorway. The east wall, opposite
this recess, projects about a foot beyond the east wall
of the main building, and is finished outside with a
steep gable. At the south-east angle are the marks
where the boundary wall abutted, all the other angles
of the building being buttressed.
The upper floor of the building, which was reached
by the newel stair, must have been divided into two
nearly equal apartments by the central wall. In the
north wall of the northern portion is a square-headed
doorway with splayed jambs and stops on the outside,
evidently part of the old building. It may have been
reached by wooden steps on the outside. In the east
wall are three small arched windows, and in the west
wall a modern doorway made for farm use. There is
a doorway of communication between the two ends
of the building, exactly over the blocked doorway
below. The door frame is of oak, with flat fourcentred arch.
The room over the kitchen has a large fireplace of
stone set in the north-west angle, with three-centred
arch and splayed edges. It appears to belong to the
beginning of the seventeenth century, and as the
chimney-breast on the upper floor is of brick it may
be assumed that it was partly rebuilt about the above
period. There are several old windows in the three
external walls of this end of the building similar to
those in the northern part.
A very good and substantial roof of oak runs the
whole length of the building, and, from its appearance,
is probably the original one. The tie-beams, which
are placed about 11 ft. apart, are 9 in. wide, with
splayed and stopped lower edges. The roof is
covered with tiles, and the chimney above is of
modern brick.
The building above described seems to have formed
part of the western boundary of a large inclosure,
of which portions of the walls on the west, north,
and south sides still exist. The total width between
the north and south walls is about 300 ft., but no
trace of any building within this area is now visible.
The walling remaining on the west and south sides of
the inclosure are mere fragments, but that on the
north side has been incorporated into a modern farmhouse, and contains a built-up doorway or gateway,
about 8 ft. wide, with three-centred arch and continuous moulding round arch and jambs.
It is difficult to say which portion of the old
priory buildings the existing building represents, and
a survey taken in 1555, though it gives a number of
the dimensions of the several buildings, does not help
much in identifying this.
The survey mentions a stable, with loft over, on
one side of the gateway, and the dimensions nearly
correspond to those of the existing building. It was
evidently not originally intended for a stable, but
may have been used as such in Queen Mary's time.
The survey gives no clue to the position of the stable
and gateway.
The priory church is said to have stood some eighty
yards to the south of the existing remains, which
would be just beyond the remains of the old wall
forming the southern boundary of the inclosure above
referred to. The cloister was probably within the
inclosure. Sir Gilbert Scott, who saw the foundations of the church exposed in 1831, describes
them as part of a conventual church of the first
class. No reliable plan of these foundations, which
are now all cleared away, appears to exist.
In 1086 Ralph held of Robert count of Mortain,
in Langley, that land which had been in the tenure
of Thuri and Seric. (fn. 112) This seems to be the beginning
of the history of that manor, which was held of the
capital manor of Langley, and called CHENDUITS,
PARKER'S PLACE, or SHENDISH. In 1290–1
it was ascertained to contain one carucate of land,
and to be held by the service of half a knight's fee, the
rent of 7s. 4½d., and suit of court every three
weeks. (fn. 113) It was held from at least the beginning
of the thirteenth century by the family of Chenduit.
A Ralph Chenduit who is mentioned in connexion
with Hertfordshire in the twelfth century (fn. 114) may
have been an early tenant of the manor, and was
possibly descended from the Ralph of the Domesday
Survey. Ralph Chenduit held the manor in 1215
and had inherited it from Ralph his father. (fn. 115) The
younger Ralph was an adherent of the Dauphin; he
forfeited the manor of Chenduits in 1215, and it was
granted by King John to Sorekin de Poperod. (fn. 116) In
1217 Ralph Chenduit was taken prisoner at the battle
of Lincoln, (fn. 117) but presumably he gave subsequent evidence of loyalty, for his lands were restored to him
in this year. (fn. 118) He died about 1229, for in that
year his son Ralph paid relief for knights' fees
which his father had held of the honour of Berkhampstead. (fn. 118a) This third Ralph is distinguished as 'the
inexorable and untiring persecutor of the church of
St. Albans, and the shameless invader of its liberties
for the space of three years'; and his death, which
occurred in 1243, was ascribed to the avenging
hand of St. Alban. (fn. 119) He had by his first wife a
son William; and by his second wife Alice a son
Ulian who married Matilda of Ashridge, and a
daughter Rose who became the wife of Simon de
Frankley. (fn. 120) Ralph or his father had settled certain
property in Langley on Alice and her heirs, and of
this the share of Rose returned to the lords of Chenduits by force of a judgement given in 1230, apparently on the occasion of her death without heirs. (fn. 121)
William Chenduit appears to have succeeded his father
in 1243, and to have held the manor in 1246. (fn. 122) His
son and heir was Ralph, who may have died before
him. In 1249–50 Stephen Chenduit, son of Ralph,
was lord of the manor. (fn. 123) His son was another
Stephen, knighted before 1279, (fn. 124) probably the
Stephen Chenduit who, with his cousin Ulian, the
son of Ulian Chenduit and Matilda of Ashridge, (fn. 125)
claimed free warren in 'Childeslangele' in 1274–5. (fn. 126)
In 1287–8 and in 1290 the manor was in the
possession of William Chenduit who had married
Eleanor daughter or stepdaughter of Eustace de
Hetche. (fn. 127) Tenements in Langley belonged in 1296–7
and in 1310–11 to Walter Chenduit, who may
have been William's heir and successor, and to Christiana his wife. (fn. 128) In 1340 Thomas son of Ralph
Chenduit was lord of the manor, and settled some of
his possessions outside Langley on William Chenduit,
his son or nephew. (fn. 129) There is no evidence that
William Chenduit ever held Shendish manor. In
1364 it is said to have been in the possession of
William de Chisleden, (fn. 130) a statement probably due to
the formalities by which in this year it was settled
on Richard Parker and Alice his wife or their heirs. (fn. 131)
Such settlement may have been the outcome of the
marriage of an heiress of the Chenduits, or of an
alienation by a Chenduit. Richard died in or about
the year 1394, and the manor passed to his son
William, (fn. 132) who in the reign of Henry V was succeeded by a son Edward. In 1427–8 Edward Parker,
at the court baron of the manor of King's Langley,
claimed to hold the capital messuage and the land
which had belonged to his father by the service of
one-third of a knight's fee. (fn. 133) At his death without
heirs male, in or about the year 1435, the manor was
inherited, by virtue of a settlement made in 1393–4,
by the son of his uncle John Parker, William who was
called 'Ferretour,' and who paid to the lord of
King's Langley one bay horse worth 33s. 4d. for a
heriot, and a sum of money of like value for a relief. (fn. 134)
He was succeeded by his son Nicholas, whose only son
John predeceased him and left no heirs male. Hence
in 1535, after the death of Nicholas, a dispute arose
as to the descent of the manor. The four daughters of
John denied the validity of the entail on heirs male (fn. 135)
which had been made in 1393–4, (fn. 136) and repeated by
their grandfather Nicholas, and again in 1535, when
the estate had been settled on John Parker, groom of
the robes of the king, with remainder to his brothers
Ralph and George. (fn. 137) These claimants were the sons
of John and the grandsons of Thomas Parker, who
was the brother of William Ferretour. John Parker,
groom of the robes, had obtained a grant of warren in
the manor of Chenduits or Parkers in 1531 (fn. 138) He
successfully defended his claim to ownership of the
manor, and settled it on his brother Ralph and his
nephew Henry in 1537. (fn. 139) John died in 1537, and
his brother Ralph was lord of the manor in 1544 (fn. 140)
and in 1556, (fn. 141) and was succeeded by Henry his son,
who conveyed it in 1560–1 to John Cheyney of
Chesham Bois. (fn. 142) In 1585 it was inherited by John
son of the former John, (fn. 143) and passed at his death to
a third John his son, (fn. 144) who died childless in 1596. (fn. 145)
Francis Cheyney, his brother and heir, died in
1619, but was apparently not in possession of the manor
at that time. (fn. 146) However, his
nephew Francis, son of his
brother John, who was his
heir, held the manor, and in
1639–40 settled it upon his
eldest son William on his
marriage with Lucy daughter
of Sir Thomas Barrington. (fn. 147)
William died in the lifetime
of his father, who died seised
of the manor in 1644, leaving
his son Charles his heir. (fn. 148) He
in 1655 conveyed it to Humphrey Butler in trust for the
purposes of an indenture of the same date between
Charles Cheney and Charles Cavendish Viscount
Mansfield and others. (fn. 149) This was no doubt a settlement on the marriage of Charles Cheney with Jane
daughter of William Cavendish first duke of Newcastle,
and sister of Charles Viscount Mansfield, which took
place in or before 1656. Charles Cheney was created
Viscount Newhaven in 1680, and died in 1698, (fn. 150)
leaving a son William. (fn. 151) Charles seems to have disposed of the manor before his death to John Beale,
for Beale sold it in 1690 to Dame Lucy Tyrrill. (fn. 152)
From her it came to Sir Thomas Tyrrill, who conveyed
it in 1700–1 to John Waller. (fn. 153) In 1739 Francis Fuller
and Christiana his wife conveyed it by fine to Thomas
Rowley and James Revett. (fn. 154) Nelly Clay, widow,
conveyed half the manor in 1812 to Thomas Edward
Fanning, (fn. 155) and in 1813 William Williams and Anne
his wife conveyed it to James Bethune Bostock. (fn. 156) It
afterwards came into the possession of Charles Longman, who died in 1873, when he was succeeded by
his only son Mr. Arthur Hampton Longman, the
present owner. (fn. 157)

Cheyney. Checky or and azure a fesse gules fretty argent.
BULSTRODES
BULSTRODES, a tenement on the western border
of the parish, consisted of a carucate of land held of the
manor of King's Langley by the service of a quarter of a
knight's fee and suit of court, (fn. 158)
and was in the tenure of
Thomas de Bolestrode in
1291. (fn. 159) In 1337–8 Edmund
de Bolestrode and Maud his
wife conveyed to Payn de
Mohun a messuage and 160
acres of land in Childerlangley, (fn. 160) but this may have been
a settlement, for in 1349–50
Thomas Bulstrode died seised
of the tenement, leaving a
son Nicholas his heir. (fn. 161) It
would appear that Nicholas shortly after the death
of his father sold this tenement to Master Walter
Shaldeborne, who held it in the early years of the
reign of Richard II. (fn. 162) After the death of Walter,
about 1394, the tenement seems to have come to coheirs, one being Thomas Shaldeborne, whose relationship to Walter is not known, and the other being
Elizabeth wife of Henry Cook, who had previously
married Thomas Parker, son of Richard and Alice
Parker. The tenement was apparently held by Elizabeth Cook, whose husband Henry was distrained at
several consecutive courts for heriot and relief. (fn. 163)
Elizabeth's death was presented at the court baron in
1408–9, and she was succeeded by Thomas her son
by her first husband, Thomas Parker. (fn. 164) Thomas died
about 1411–12, (fn. 165) and was succeeded by his sister
Alice wife of Richard Sibile, who died seised of the
tenement in 1412. (fn. 166) After her death her husband
held it by courtesy, (fn. 167) and in 1416 sold it to John
Sankey, one of the grooms of the king's household. (fn. 168)
Thomas Shaldeborne sold to the same John Sankey
lands called Bolestrodeslandys, which had descended
to him from his kinsman, Master Walter Shaldeborne. (fn. 169)
John Sankey died in 1436 and was succeeded by his
son John, then an infant of two years, (fn. 170) during whose
minority the tenement was held by Agnes Sankey,
probably the widow of John. In 1551 Edward Sankey
died seised of this tenement, leaving a son and heir
Thomas under age. (fn. 171) Thomas Sankey and Alice his
wife in 1595–6 conveyed a messuage and land in
King's Langley to John Knight, Edmund Baldwin, and
others, and the heirs of John Knight; (fn. 172) and in 1632
John Knight died seised of the manor called Bulstrodes, (fn. 173) and was succeeded by his son William, on
whose death without heirs in 1644 (fn. 174) the manor
passed to his brother John.

Longman. Gules three lozenge-shaped buckles or.
In 1699 the capital messuage or farm called Bulstrodes was conveyed to George Randall by Henry
Gould, (fn. 175) who was called to the degree of serjeant at
law in 1692. (fn. 176) Bulstrodes was held in 1902 by
Mr. Arthur Selwyn Harrison, who had a boys' school
there, and it is now the residence of Mr. William Clark.
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS consists
of a chancel with north and south chapels
and south vestry, nave with aisles and
north porch, and west tower.
The walls of the chancel are of thirteenth-century
date, and the nave probably retains the plan of a yet
earlier aisleless building. The north aisle of the nave
probably dates from the first half of the fourteenth
century, but the north arcade of this or earlier date
has given place to one of the early part of the fifteenth
century. The south arcade of the nave and that of
the south chapel are of the same date, and there was
evidently a practical rebuilding of the nave and south
side of the church at this time. (fn. 176a) The west tower
and north chapel belong to a later date in the same
century; it is, however, possible that the tower contains older work. In 1877 the church was repaired
and the eastern extension of the north chapel built to
hold the tomb of Edmund de Langley, removed from
the north wall of the chancel. The south vestry was
built in 1894, and in 1899 the clearstory of the
nave and part of the tower were rebuilt. The
north porch and the chancel arch, with the arches
which abut it across the east ends of the aisles, are
also modern.
The church is built of flint and Totternhoe stone,
and a good deal of red brick is used in the walling
The east window of the chancel is modern, of
fifteenth-century style, dating from 1877, and it was
at this time that in removing the then existing east
window traces of a triplet of thirteenth-century lancets
were found in the wall. On the north of the chancel
two fifteenth-century four-centred arches, with engaged
shafts in the piers, open to the north chapel, and on
the south are two arches of somewhat earlier date in
the same century, with octagonal shafts, opening to
the south chapel. East of them is a double piscina of
thirteenth-century date, with wooden shelves in both
openings, but a drain only in the eastern opening; above
is the east jamb of a blocked thirteenth-century lancet.
The modern east end of the north chapel contains
the monument of Edmund of Langley. This was originally set up in the church of the Dominican friars at
Langley, and was brought to the parish church in
1575 and placed against the north wall of the chancel.
Here it remained till 1877, when it was removed to
its present place. It has naturally suffered somewhat
in the process, having lost the heraldic decoration of
one of its long sides, and the top slab which it now
carries is part of a fine altar stone, originally 10 ft.
long, but now only 7 ft. by 3 ft. wide, and retaining
three of its five crosses. The sides of the tomb are of
alabaster, on a plinth of Purbeck marble. As it now
stands the shields on its panelled sides are thirteen in
number, three at each end and seven on what is now
the west side. The corresponding seven on what is
now the east side, making twenty as the original
number, are lost. The three at the north end are:
[Azure] a cross paty between five martlets [or] for
St. Edward the Confessor; Old France, [Azure] powdered with fleurs de lis [or] quartered with England,
[Gules] three leopards [or], which are the royal arms
of King Richard II; and [Azure] three crowns [or]
for St. Edmund, king and martyr. The seven on the
west side are [Or], an eagle with two heads [sable], the
shield of the Empire; the arms of the king of England
with the difference of a label [argent] for the Prince of
Wales; the royal arms with a label [argent] having a
quarter [gules] on each pendant, the shield of Lionel,
duke of Clarence; the royal arms with a label [argent]
having three roundels [gules] on each pendant, impaled
with Castile, [Gules] a castle [or] quartering Leon,
[Argent] a lion [purple], which shield is for the
marriage of Edmund of Langley, duke of York, with
his first wife Isabel, daughter of Pedro, called the
Cruel, king of Castile and Leon; the shield of
Edmund just described; France and England with
a border [argent] for Thomas, duke of Gloucester;
and France and England with the difference of
a label of five pendants, two being of ermine and
the other three [azure] with fleurs de lis [or], a coat
borne by Henry of Bolingbroke as earl of Derby.

Pedigree of Henry of Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby
At the south end of the tomb are three shields:
England with a border [argent] for Holand, earl of
Kent; England with a border [azure] and thereon
fleurs de lis [or], which are the arms of Holand,
earl of Huntingdon; and [Gules] a lion [or] for
FitzAlan, earl of Arundel.
The presence of the Holand shields and that of
Bolingbroke enables us to state with some confidence
that the tomb must have been made in Edmund's
life-time, after November 1393, the date of his
marriage with Joan Holand, and before 16 September 1398, when Henry of Bolingbroke was banished.
For it is not credible that, if the tomb had been
made after Henry's banishment, the designer of it
would have dared to set by the side of the shield of
the jealous king the ensigns of one whom Richard
had every reason to regard as his bitterest foe.
What may be the original coverstone, its dimensions accurately fitting the tomb, leans against the
wall of the chapel, and bears the indent of a female
figure, which can only be that of Edmund's wife,
Isabel of Castile, who died in 1393. Three bodies,
one male and two female, were found under the
tomb when it was moved.
In the small window at the north of the chapel is
a little old glass, formerly at the east end of the north
aisle. There are two shields, one bearing Or a fesse
indented sable, and the other Argent a bend cotised
sable with three leopards or. It is not easy to identify
either coat. There is also a scroll with Barnard
Dela[mare Esquyer]. (fn. 176b) The west part of the north
chapel, which is separated from the Langley tomb
by a screen, has two square-headed north windows,
each of four cinquefoiled lights. The corresponding
south chapel contains the organ, and on the south
side of it is a modern vestry, in which is a large ironbound chest, and a small four-centred recess in the
wall to the west of the doorway by which it opens to
the chapel. The chapel has a modern east window
of four lights, and a south window also of four lights,
which is in part of fifteenth-century date. At the
south-east, behind the organ, is a piscina.
The nave is of three bays, the arcades of the same
early fifteenth-century detail as those on the south
side of the chancel, and over them is a clearstory with
two-light windows each side, rebuilt in 1899.
The north wall of the north aisle may be of fourteenth-century date, and contains two square-headed
windows with modern tracery of fourteenth-century
style, each of three trefoiled lights, and a doorway with
continuous mouldings which may be of the same date.
The west window of the aisle is of the fourteenth
century, c. 1340, with two trefoiled lights and a
quatrefoil over. Over the doorway is a modern
porch.
In the south aisle there is a plain piscina recess at
the east, a south window of three cinquefoiled lights,
and a fifteenth-century doorway with continuous
mouldings. The west window of the aisle is modern.
The tower is of three stages with an embattled
parapet and small leaded spire, the belfry windows
being of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the
head, fifteenth-century work rebuilt. There is a
projecting stair at the south-west angle, and in the
second stage a single narrow light on the north. The
west window of the ground stage is of three cinquefoiled lights with fifteenth-century tracery, having
over it the blocked arched head of an older window,
and on the north and south sides of this stage are
windows of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil
over, also of the fifteenth century. The west doorway was reopened in 1894, and only its rear arch is
old, apparently of the fifteenth century. The east
arch of the tower is a good piece of fifteenth-century
work, of later date than the nave arcades.
The roof timbers of the church are modern throughout, and the only woodwork of much interest is the pulpit, a very pretty specimen of early seventeenth-century
work, hexagonal, with a carved and panelled body on
a modern stone base. One side of the body is modern,
as is the projecting book board, but the brackets carrying it are original. Over the pulpit is its original
tester, adding greatly to its effect.
The font, in the west bay of the south arcade, is
modern.
In addition to Edmund of Langley's monument
there are several others of interest. In the north
chapel two raised tombs are set against the wall, one
a late seventeenth-century white marble tomb with
black marble slab and no inscription; it is that of
Sir William Glasscock, moved from the south side of
the chancel, where a mural inscription, dated 1688,
still remains.
The second tomb, likewise without inscription, is
of clunch, in parts much damaged, and commemorates
Sir Ralph Verney and his wife. His effigy, in plate
armour with a mail hauberk, bears a tabard of the
Verney arms, and round the neck is a chain with a
pendent cross. The legs are broken off at the knees,
and under the head is a mutilated helm with torse
and mantling. His wife wears a mantle ornamented
with the Verney arms and an engrailed saltire. The
base of the tomb has three lozenge-shaped panels on
the south side, and two at the west, containing
shields, those at the west being Verney and the saltire
engrailed, and those on the south the same coats
separately and impaled. This tomb is clearly not
in its original position, and may have been brought
from the friars' church; it was opened in 1877, and
contained part of a holy-water stone, and the eastern
panel belonging to its own base, but no body.
Above it on the wall is the brass of John Carter,
1588, his two wives, nine sons, and nine daughters,
moved from the floor of the north aisle.
In the south chapel two brass figures of women,
one of late fifteenth-century date, and one of Elizabeth's time, are fixed on the pillar of the arcade and
on the wall respectively. On the west wall are two
inscriptions, one to John Cheney, 1597, and the other
to William and Alice Carter, 1528; this has lost
both ends of the plate, and is a palimpsest, having on
the reverse side an inscription to (Joan the wife of)
. . . Marsworth, citizen and bowyer of London,
1477.
In the chancel floor are seventeenth-century slabs
to members of the families of Over, Cheyney, Sprague,
and Dixon, and a brass plate to Mary Dixon, 1622.
In the tower are six bells, the treble by Richard
Phelps, 1732, the second by Lester and Pack, 1753,
and the third by William Wightman, 1657; the
other three are modern.
The church plate is modern, and consists of two
chalices, two patens, and a flagon presented by
Charles Longman in 1860, and hall-marked for the
previous year.
The registers begin in 1558. Book I contains
baptisms, burials, and marriages, from 1558 to 1630.
Book II, from 1631 to 1699; and Book III, from
1700 to 1732. Book IV gives baptisms and burials
from 1733 to 1812, and marriages from 1733 to 1753.
Book V has marriages from 1754 to 1760; and
Book VI, marriages from 1760 to 1812. (fn. 177)
ADVOWSON
The patronage of King's Langley
in early times seems to have passed
with the manor of Shendish, as
in 1215 a grant of the advowson by Alice wife
of Ralph Chenduit, and her sons Simon and Hugh,
to the prior and convent of St. Oswald, Nostell, was confirmed by King John. (fn. 178) In 1234–5
Ralph Chenduit confirmed the advowson to the
prior, (fn. 179) who held it till the beginning of the reign of
Edward I, when he granted it to that sovereign,
saving for himself and his successors a yearly rent of
two marks. (fn. 180) The advowson seems to have become
appendant to the chief manor from this time till 1372,
when it was granted by Edward III to the prioress
and convent of Dartford. This grant was confirmed
by the pope. (fn. 181) It would seem that the prioress
granted the rectory to the friars of King's Langley,
but reserved the advowson to herself and her successors. (fn. 182) At the Dissolution the rectory and advowson
again became vested in the crown, and in 1537 Sir
Edward Nevill was patron for one turn, as he held
the manor by demise of the king. (fn. 183) In 1574 Elizabeth granted the rectory and church to Edward
Grimston senior and Edward Grimston junior, (fn. 184)
to be held in free socage as of the manor of East
Greenwich, and they afterwards conveyed it to Robert
Cresswell and he to Francis, earl of Bedford. (fn. 185) The
latter settled the rectory and parsonage in tail male
on his son Francis, who died one day before his
father. (fn. 186) Before his death in 1585 the earl mortgaged the rectory and advowson to the countess of
Lincoln for the sum of £500, (fn. 187) and the payment
becoming due after his death, litigation arose between
Elizabeth, Dowager Lady Russell, widow of John,
Lord Russell, the second son of the earl of Bedford,
and the countess of Lincoln. The rectory as above
mentioned had been settled on Francis, third son of
the earl, and should have descended to his son
Edward; but Lady Russell, ignoring this settlement,
claimed it for her daughters Elizabeth and Anne, who
at that time were minors. (fn. 188) Edward earl of Bedford
brought a petition before the keeper of the Great
Seal, urging his rights since he had paid £500 to the
earl and countess of Lincoln, but he does not seem to
have made good his claim. (fn. 189) Whilst this dispute was
taking place as to the title of the rectory John Kettell,
believing that the right lay in the crown, obtained a
grant of it in 1591 for twenty-one years, (fn. 190) and subsequently conveyed some of his interest to his brother
Christopher. (fn. 191)
In 1595–6 the rectory of King's Langley was
granted to Lady Russell, with remainder to her
daughters Anne and Elizabeth for their lives, by
letters patent; (fn. 192) and a few days later John and
Christopher Kettell were commanded by the queen
to convey all their right and interest to Lady Russell,
who was to pay them £250. (fn. 193) While the rectory
was in the hands of the countess of Lincoln she sold
it to Hugh Vaughan, who paid her £500 for it, and
was about to lay out money on the repair of the
priory, which at this time seems to have been appurtenant to the rectory, when he was prevented from
doing so by the successful claim of Lady Russell. (fn. 194)
In 1600 the rectory and advowson of the vicarage
were granted to Martin Heaton bishop of Ely, (fn. 195) in
whose successors they remained vested until 4 June,
1852, when the patronage was transferred to the
archbishops of Canterbury. (fn. 196)
In a terrier of 1724 we read that there was
formerly a silver cup with a silver cover in the church,
but the church was broken into and both were stolen
and were not then made good. (fn. 197)
The right of presentation to the church at Chipperfield is vested in trustees. It was a perpetual curacy
until 1868, when it became a vicarage under the Act
whereby all perpetual curacies were virtually extinguished. (fn. 198)
There was a church house at King's Langley which
belonged to the abbey of St. Albans, and was granted
in 1588–9 to the 'fishing grantees,' William Tipper
and Robert Dawe. (fn. 199) A tenement called the 'Scolehouse' is mentioned in 1556. (fn. 199a)
At Chipperfield in this parish the Nonconformists
have long maintained a footing, the first licence
having been granted in 1690. The Baptists date the
beginning of their church in Chipperfield from a
prayer meeting held early in the nineteenth century
at a house near Rose Hall which was said to be
haunted. Some years later a Mr. Springwell opened
his house at Penman's Green for divine worship, the
preachers coming from Chenies. Next, a barn was
fitted up, and in 1825 an evangelist named Davies
was placed here by the Hertfordshire union. A chapel
was built between 1827 and 1838, which has been
enlarged three times since its first erection. A house
called Stone Wall House, at Chipperfield, was licensed
in 1800 for Protestant Dissenters whose denomination
is not given, (fn. 200) and there was a Nonconformist chapel
at Chipperfield in 1822. (fn. 201) A chapel for Protestant
Dissenters was registered at Chipperfield in 1849. (fn. 202)
There are now Wesleyan and Baptist chapels at
King's Langley.
CHARITIES
By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners, dated 15 December, 1885,
the following charities are amalgamated and placed under one body of trustees;
namely:—
Dame Mary Cowper (deed 1632), consisting of
rent-charge of £10 issuing out of certain estates in
Tewkesbury and other parishes, and the rectory of
the church of Cheltenham (see parish of Watford).
Henry Smith (deed 1620), consisting of a share of
the revenues of the Longney Estate, county of
Gloucester, amounting in 1905–6 to £5 13s.
William Knight (deed 1644), a rent-charge of £3
issuing out of a farm called 'Bowstride' in this parish.
William Smith (will 1782), £200 consols.
William Martin (will 1807), £50 consols.
Lady Charlotte Barbara Villiers (will 1808),
£224 1s. 9d. consols (see parish of Watford).
Joseph Martin (will 1809), £40 consols.
George Crawford (will 1813), £200 consols.
John Gribble (will 1818), £315 consols.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees of charitable funds; and under the scheme
above referred to, the income, amounting to about
£45 a year, is distributed partly in gifts of bread and
coal, and partly in donations to clothing clubs, hospitals, and convalescent homes, so as to enable the
trustees to secure the benefits of these institutions
to the objects of the charity. The trustees are
also empowered to give rewards to children attending the public elementary schools.
By deed dated 29 May, 1905, Mrs. Alma Gertrude
Vansittart Harrison gave £180 London Brighton
and South Coast Railway 5 per cent. preference stock,
the dividends to be applied in paying the rent of a
cottage to be used as a residence for a needy and
deserving married couple, any surplus income at the end
of the year to be given to the occupants of such cottage,
the charity to be called the Strettell Memorial Charity.
In 1877 Mrs. Sophia Clutterbuck by her will
bequeathed £500 to the minister and churchwardens of
the district church of St. Paul's, Chipperfield, to be invested, and income applied towards the support of the
school for the education of children of the poorer classes
resident in the district. The legacy is represented by
£524 18s. 8d. consols with the official trustees.