WIGGINTON
Wigentone, xi cent.; Wigington, xii cent; Ungenton, Wigintona, xiii cent.
Wigginton is a long parish running north and
south, the west boundary lying along the edge of the
Chilterns. The church and village stand in the
north-west of the parish on a small eastern spur of
these hills, which drops abruptly to the north from
a height of some 730 ft. above the sea-level.
A larger spur forms a high plateau in the centre,
and east and south the ground shelves gradually to
the Berkhampstead and Chesham Vales.
From the heights lovely and far-reaching views are
obtained of these plains and the hills and woods
beyond. Extensive beechwoods and a common of
some 300 acres covered with furze, bracken, and
heather lie on the higher ground. The common
was inclosed in 1854, (fn. 1) and is now used for a game
preserve, and forms part of the Tring Park estate.
There is a small hamlet called Wigginton Bottom
near the village, a good many outlying farms, and
keepers' cottages, and one large estate in the south
called Champneys. The houses are nearly all in
good repair, and many of them of red brick and tiles,
which look very well against a background of dark
woods. There is also a church-house of brick faced
with Bath stone. The houses here used to be very
poor and overcrowded; open ponds were the only
water-supply, and disease was prevalent. About the
middle of the nineteenth century a severe drought
compelled a new water-supply and rebuilding was
begun, so that now there is scarcely a reminder of
the old state of the village except in the name, Pest
House, on the site of which are now three new cottages.
In 1905 there were in the parish 1,093 acres of
arable land, 345 acres of permanent grass, and 101
acres of woodland. (fn. 2) Though the land is chiefly
heavy clay it is considerably lightened by the number
of loose flints which are mixed plentifully with the
soil, and good crops of corn are produced.
Wigginton village is connected with Tring on the
north by a very steep road known by the name of
the Twist on account of its sharp curves. The same
road is continued south to Chesham. The east of
the parish is connected with the Grand Junction
Canal, and the main line of the London and North
Western Railway, the nearest station being Tring,
which is a mile and a half distant.
The great earthwork known as Grim's Dyke passes
through the centre of the parish east and west. It
used to be commonly supposed to be the work of a
diabolical wizard, and many of the old superstitions
are still held in connexion with it. Palaeolithic,
bronze age, and late Celtic implements have been
found, and also a considerable number of coins.
Straw-plait used to be an industry here, but had
practically died out by 1874 owing to the bad prices
obtained. Lace-making also is an employment of the
past.
Place-names are Hobbyswyke, Maynewood, Pond
Moses, Dell Moses, Hag Dell Lane, Steenefield, and
Baldicking. There was a mill here at the time of
Domesday Survey worth 5s., (fn. 3) but there seems to be
no survival at the present day.
A curious custom exists in this and some of
the neighbouring parishes called 'Keeping Kattern.'
On St. Katherine's Day relations and friends usually
meet in social parties, much as a month later they
do at Christmas. Of late years this custom appears
to have been less strictly observed than was formerly the case. (fn. 4)
MANORS
The manor of WIGGINTON formed
part of the vast fee which was held in the
eleventh century by Robert, count of
Mortain, half-brother of the Conqueror. From the
Domesday entry it seems that it was not part of the
king's original gift, but had been taken forcibly by
the count from Tring. He appears to have united
the two original holdings, which had been formerly
held by Brictric, a man of Queen Edith, and Godwin,
one of Engelric's men, and to have subinfeudated
the entire vill to a certain Humphrey. (fn. 5) The overlordship followed the descent of the honour of Berkhampstead, while Humphrey, the sub-tenant, may
almost certainly be identified with the count's tenant
of the same name in Little Gaddesden. Here as
there he was succeeded by the family of de Broc as
early as the first years of the thirteenth century, (fn. 6) and
in 1217 Geoffrey de Lucy and Juliana his wife
claimed the advowson of the church of Wigginton, as
being in the land of Wigginton which Juliana had
through her mother Maud, from her grandmother
Eva de Broc, the wife of Walter Chesney. (fn. 7) Some
time in the twelfth century the manor was held of
Eva de Broc and Walter Chesney by William Gernet,
and on his death it descended to his elder son
Gilbert. This Gilbert was convicted of felony, and
his lands escheated to the crown. When they had
been held for a year and a day, however, they were
restored to Eva and her husband, and were held of
them at will by Margaret de Wigeton, sister of the
former tenant. (fn. 8)
The manor having passed to the family of Lucy
followed the same descent as the property which bore
their name in the parish of Little Gaddesden (q.v.),
until it came into the hands of the Corbets, on the
death of Sir William Lucy in 1466, (fn. 9) when instead
of reverting to the family of Vaux, as the manor of
Lucies appears to have done, it remained in the
family of Corbet, and passed in 1498, after the death
of Elizabeth Stanley, widow of Roger Corbet, to her
grandson Robert, son of Richard Corbet, (fn. 10) who died
in 1513, leaving a son and heir Roger, a minor. (fn. 11)
Roger died seised of the manor
in 1538, leaving a son and
heir Andrew, also a minor. (fn. 12)
He as Sir Andrew died in
1578, (fn. 13) and seems to have been
succeeded in this manor by
his second son Richard, (fn. 14) who
died without issue in 1606. (fn. 15)
In 1592 John Churchill, sen.,
Thomasina his wife, John
Churchill, jun., their son and
heir-apparent, and Mary his
wife conveyed the manor to
William Palmer and his son
Thomas. (fn. 16) The latter died seised of it in 1608,
leaving his son and heir William, a minor. (fn. 17) In
1609 Edmund and Richard Palmer filed a bill in
Chancery complaining that
Thomas Palmer, before his
death, had sold the manor to
them, and that Richard More,
who had been left guardian
of Thomas's children, had
caused it to be supposed that
Thomas died seised of the
manor. Richard More had
obtained possession of all the
charters and deeds, so that
Edmund and Richard were
unable to prove their claim. (fn. 18)
From the fact that Edmund and Richard Palmer
held a court for the manor in 1608, (fn. 19) and were
possessed of the manor in 1650, (fn. 20) it would seem
that they had some right to
it. The manor subsequently
came into the possession of
Sir Richard Anderson, who
died seised of it in 1653, (fn. 21)
leaving his son Henry his heir.
From Henry it came to his
son Sir Richard, and in 1659
a settlement was made upon
him and his wife Elizabeth
Hewitt. (fn. 22) He afterwards married Mary Methuen, and died
in 1699, his son Richard having
died without issue in the lifetime of his father. (fn. 23) Elizabeth, his only daughter,
married Simon Harcourt, eldest son of Vere Harcourt, D.D., (fn. 24) and in 1703 Mary Anderson, widow of
Richard, then wife of Brownlowe Sherrard, together
with her husband, conveyed the manor to Simon
Harcourt. (fn. 25) It passed on Simon's death in 1724 to
his son Henry, (fn. 26) who died in 1741, and was succeeded by his son Richard Bard Harcourt. Richard's
only son Henry died without issue, and his sister
Elizabeth Sophia, wife of
Colonel Charles Amadées
Harcourt, Marquis D'Harcourt, succeeded to the manor. (fn. 27)
Colonel Charles Harcourt died
in 1831, and Elizabeth in
1846, and their eldest son
William Bernard Harcourt
died in the following year. (fn. 28)
His only son Charles Amadée
had predeceased him, and the
manor came to his three
daughters, Sarah Mary Sophia,
who married William Deedes, Elizabeth Mary Caroline, who married Henry Ralph Lambton, and Alice
Anne Caroline, wife of Louis Bertrand, Baron de
Langsdorff. (fn. 29) They in 1868 joined in selling the
manor to Rev. James Williams, on whose death in
1871 it came to his eldest son Joseph Grout Williams,
the present possessor. (fn. 30)
Lucy. Gules crusilly argent and three lucies argent.
Corbet. Or a corbeau sable.
Anderson. Argent a cheveron between three crosslets sable.
Harcourt. Gules two bars or.
All traces of the manor-house have disappeared, and
even the site is unknown. No courts are now held.
CHAMPNEYS
CHAMPNEYS alias CHAMPNEYS and FOSTERS
or FORSTERS was held as of the manor of Tring. (fn. 31) In
an entry on the court rolls of 1514, afterwards cancelled, it is stated that John Cock held of the lord
certain land and tenements called Champneys for a
rent of 3d. a year, for which there was due a relief of
3s. after the death of Alan Cock his father. (fn. 32) This
so-called manor seems afterwards to have passed to
John Cowper of Wigginton, and from him to his
kinsman William Cowper. (fn. 33) It would appear that
William's widow married Thomas Cheyney, who held
the manor by courtesy in 1525–6 and 1541. (fn. 34)
William Cowper left three daughters and co-heirs, of
whom two, Agnes Adams and Margaret wife of
Thomas Carter, in 1525–6 conveyed the reversion of
their two-thirds of the manor, after the death of
Thomas, to John Bosse, William Lamburn and Edward
Lamburn, and the heirs of Edward. Katherine the
wife of William Chamber, probably the third daughter,
conveyed her third of the reversion in 1541 to John
Bassett. (fn. 35) In 1527–8 Thomas Cheyney settled twothirds of the manor upon himself for life, with remainder to John Baldwin and his heirs. (fn. 36) At about
this time a lease was granted to Robert Dormer of
Aston, (fn. 37) and he afterwards seems to have bought the
whole manor, which he settled in 1533 on William
FitzWilliam. (fn. 38) William died in 1534–5, leaving the
remainder of his lease and the reversion in fee of the
manor to his second son Richard. The manor was
then said to be held of the archbishop of Canterbury. (fn. 39)
In the following year Richard conveyed the manor to
Thomas, earl of Norfolk. (fn. 40) In 1538 Robert Halley
claimed the manor against Thomas Cheyney, who
was ordered to deliver it up to Robert until he could
prove his claim. (fn. 41) The conveyance to Thomas, earl
of Norfolk, seems to have been made for the purpose
of a settlement, for in 1546 Richard Fitz William and
Elizabeth his wife sold the manor to Thomas Palmer
of Sarratt, (fn. 42) who died seised of it in 1608 leaving his
son and heir William, a minor. (fn. 43) William conveyed
the estate in 1623–4 to feoffees, (fn. 44) and in 1629 sold
it to John Baylie of Wigginton, (fn. 45) though in 1650
the owner of the manor is returned as Mr. Palmer. (fn. 46)
John Baylie's descendant, Edward Willett, sold it to
Thomas Walters, who held it in 1728. (fn. 47) It later
came into the possession of Thomas Egerton, who
is called 'of Champneys' in 1739, and who died
in 1764, (fn. 48) possibly through his wife Sarah. His
descendants appear to have sold it in 1781 to Major-General Russell Manners, (fn. 49) who with his wife
Catherine conveyed it in 1804 to John Moore. (fn. 50) In
1839 it was sold by the devisees of the will of William
Hamond to Daniel Sutton of Earl's Terrace, Kensington, (fn. 51) on whose death in 1842 it came to his
only son Daniel. He died in 1871, leaving a daughter
Emily Anne, who married Mr. Richard Valpy. (fn. 52)
During the time that she held the estate it was increased by about 200 acres, a great portion of which
formerly belonged to the vicars of Tring and Wigginton. (fn. 53) From Richard Valpy the estate descended
to Rev. Arthur Sutton Valpy, who sold it between
1899 and 1902 to Lady Rothschild. It is now let
to Mr. Alexander Marc, who resides there. The
present house, which stands in a large and beautifully
wooded park, was built about fifty years ago, the
older house being entirely demolished at that time.
No courts are now held.
CHURCH
The church of ST. BARTHOLOMEW is a small building with chancel
12 ft. 9 in. by 18 ft. 9 in., north organ
chamber and vestry, nave 15 ft. by 35 ft. with north
aisle and south porch and bell-cote over the west
gable, and a chamber at the west of the nave
12 ft. 6 in. by 19 ft. 7 in.
It stands on the brow of the high ground on which
the village is built, the site falling slightly from west
to east, and is a picturesque building with flint walls
and red-tiled roofs, set off by a well-kept churchyard.
At a restoration in 1881 nearly all the old stonework
was renewed, and new roofs were put to the nave,
chancel, and vestry. There is nothing by which the
date of the original building, an aisleless nave and
chancel, can be fixed, as so little old detail remains.
It has retained its plan unaltered, except for modern
additions on the north side, the west chamber, added
in the fifteenth century, being at first a distinct
building, and not as now part of the nave.
The chancel has a modern east window of three
lights, a late fourteenth-century north window of two
quatrefoiled lights under a square head, and a similar
window on the south, its stonework being chiefly
modern. West of it is a blocked doorway, and a low
side window with a square head and a flat sill. Near
the south-east angle is a piscina with a shelf and a
plain arched head, and on either side of the east
window are the remains of small niches for images.
The modern vestry and organ chamber opens by
an arch to the north-west of the chancel, and the
chancel arch is also modern, having been raised and
widened in 1881. The nave has two modern two-light windows on the south, and between them a
south doorway, with a plain pointed arch and moulded
label; its stonework, if ancient, has lost its old face,
and with it any indications of date, though the section
of the label points to the latter part of the thirteenth
century.
The north arcade of the nave is modern, of three and
a half bays, and is further lengthened westward as a
baptistery, overlapping the western chamber. The
west wall of the nave has been replaced by a wide
pointed arch opening to the west chamber, which was
formerly separated from the nave.
This chamber is an interesting fifteenth-century
building, with a modern west doorway, and over it a
square-headed window of three lights, with blank
tracery in the head, the drip-stones to the labels being
in the form of animals. The original entrance seems
to have been on the south side, where a blocked
square-headed opening is yet to be seen, having to
the west a small square-headed window set low in the
wall, and to the east a larger window of two trefoiled
lights under a square head. The sill of the latter is
carried down some way below the glass line on the
inside. Against the north side of the chapel is built
a shed, and no trace of a north window is to be seen
beyond a few stones of a relieving arch. The floor
of the chamber is at a higher level than that of the
nave, and slopes downwards from west to east. There
is no indication of its original arrangement, but the
position of the small window in the south wall may
point to the former existence of a loft at the west
end; the roof, which is in the main original, has tiebeams with arched braces and open tracery in the
spandrels, resting on large stone corbels carved as
human heads, the greater part being modern. It is
to be noted that the axis of the chamber is not in
line with that of the nave.
The chancel seats, organ case, and altar rails are of
excellent workmanship, of oak with bog-oak inlay
and other decoration designed and made by the
present vicar and some of the inhabitants of the
parish.
The font is modern, standing at the west end of
the north aisle, and the plate consists of a cup and
cover paten of 1569, with a band of arabesques on
the bowl, and a paten, chalice, flagon, alms dish, and
spoon of 1877. There is one bell, dated 1813, with
no other inscription.
The earlier registers are imperfect, having entries
from 1610–33, and a few leaves for 1664–82. The
second book contains baptisms for 1705–58, burials
1678–1742, and marriages 1685–1748. The third
book has baptisms and burials from 1759 to 1812.
There are also books of parish accounts for 1687–1732, and 1822 onwards, also a vestry minute-book
from 1832.
ADVOWSON
The church of Wigginton appears
to have been in early times in the
hands of the priors of the hospital of
St. John of Jerusalem in England, for in 1217
Geoffrey de Lucy, lord of the manor, sued the prior
for the advowson, claiming it as he claimed the manor,
through his wife Juliana. (fn. 54) The result of the plea is
not given, but it would appear to have been in favour
of the prior, for in 1229–30 he was again contending
for the right of patronage of Wigginton. This time
his adversary was Master Nicholas de Evesham, but
he did not appear at the trial, and judgement was given
for the prior. (fn. 55) The chapel of St. Bartholomew at
Wigginton in 1328 became annexed to the church
of Tring, but retained parochial rights of baptisms. (fn. 56)
The rectory and advowson of this church descended
with those of Tring until 1876–7, when the advowson
was purchased by Richard Valpy of Champneys, and
Emily Anne his wife, (fn. 57) from whom it has descended
to the Rev. Arthur Sutton Valpy.
In 1587–8 a cottage called a 'chruche howse'
(Church House ?) and a ruined chapel in Wigginton,
in the tenure of William Palmer, were granted to
Edward Wymark. (fn. 58)
Nonconformist places of worship in Wigginton
were registered in 1778, 1799, 1800, and 1818, (fn. 59)
but there was no church formed in the parish, and
there were no chapels until 1904, when a Baptist
chapel was built. (fn. 60)
CHARITIES
This parish is possessed of 10 acres
of land acquired as to part thereof by
allotment under the Inclosure Act,
producing about £11 a year, which is distributed in
gifts of bread.