HECKFIELD
Effelle (xi cent.); Hecfeld, Hegfeld, Heifeld,
Heggefeld (xiii cent.); Highfield, Heghefeld, Hekfeld, Hechingfeld (xiv cent.).
Heckfield is a village and parish near the Berkshire
border on the River Whitewater, 5 miles north-west
from Winchfield station on the main line of the
London and South Western Railway. The Roman
road from London to Bath, now generally called the
Devil's Highway, forms the county boundary on the
north, while the River Whitewater flows through the
eastern extremity of the parish, and for some distance
forms the eastern boundary. The elevation varies from
about 160 ft. above the ordnance datum by the Whitewater in the east to about 270 ft. above the ordnance
datum in the west. The parish is intersected by main
roads from Basingstoke and Odiham to Reading, which
meet at West Swallowfield just outside the county boundary. The village is situated on the main road from
Odiham in the south of the parish. To the west of
St. Michael's Church is Highfield Park, the dowerhouse of the Stratfieldsaye estate, at present occupied
by Mr. Frederick Boyd Marson. It was for some
years the residence of the Hon. Gen. Sir Galbraith
Lowry Cole, G.C.B., M.P., a distinguished Peninsular
officer, and a personal friend of the first Duke of
Wellington. Heckfield Place, the seat of Lieut.Colonel Horace Walpole, is a substantial and handsome brick building, well situated in a beautifully
wooded park of about 200 acres on the banks of
the Whitewater. Part of Stratfieldsaye Park, covering an area of 700 acres, occupies the north-western
corner of the parish. Opposite the lodges on the
border of Heckfield Heath is a monument erected to
the great Duke of Wellington by his son the second
duke and the tenants, labourers on the estate, and
tradespeople as a token of affection and respect. The
statue of the duke in the uniform of a field-marshal
is over 8 ft. high and stands on a pedestal, on the
granite base of which are suitable inscriptions.
From the monument an avenue of Wellingtonias leads
towards Stratfieldsaye House. Another seat in Heckfield is Park Corner, the property of the Duke of
Wellington, which is situated in the northern extremity of the parish, on the Berkshire borders, and
is the residence of Mr. John Martineau, J.P. The
parish is very well wooded, woods and plantations
covering an area of 862 acres in all. (fn. 1) The total area
is 3,232 acres of land, of which 31 acres are land
covered by water, 873¾ acres are arable land, and
926 acres permanent grass. (fn. 2) There are large stretches
of common land in the north. The soil is principally
light. The sub-soil is sand and gravel. The chief
crops are grain in succession. Heckfield Heath and
Riseley Common were inclosed by authority of the
General Inclosure Acts on 28 December 1860. (fn. 3)
Mattingley, which formed part of Heckfield, was
constituted a separate parish in 1894. The village is
clustered round a green, and is situated in the extreme
south of the parish on the main road from Odiham to
Reading, about 2½ miles north from Hook Station on
the main line of the London and South Western Railway. The church is in the village itself, but the vicarage
is a mile north-west, close to the hamlet of Hound
Green. Mattingley Lodge, to the east of Mattingley,
is the property of Lieut.-Colonel Horace Walpole,
and is at present let to Mr. Thomson. There is
a small collection of houses at Hazeley, which is
situated a mile north-east on the edge of Hazeley
Heath, which covers a large area extending into
the parish of Hartley Wintney. A small part of
Bramshill Park is in this parish. Mattingley contains
2,622 acres of land, (fn. 4) and the River Whitewater, which
bisects the parish, running from north to south, and
several lakes, account for an additional 9 acres of land
covered by water. The soil is principally light upon
sand and gravel, with London clay as the subsoil, but in
some parts the top soil is loamy and heavy. The
chief crops are wheat and oats.
Among place-names occurring in early records are
the following: Dainymore, Le Breche, (fn. 5) Hwarnepol (fn. 6)
and La Garston Regis (fn. 7) (xiii cent.); Rychers (fn. 8) (xv cent.);
Cane Meadow, (fn. 9) Harperstyle, Trolles Ende, (fn. 10) Vaulandes, (fn. 11) Le Reedes, Le Hethe Crofte, Potenalesland, (fn. 12) Rede Engge, (fn. 13) Clerkes, Harmwoods, Hell
House Grove, Berryhill (fn. 14) and The Round Park (fn. 15)
xvi cent.); and Iles or Eeles, Iles Meade or Eeles
Meade, (fn. 16) Ganderpark, (fn. 17) Gilders or Wergs, (fn. 18) Allwardis
or Aylwardis, (fn. 19) and Crowkes (fn. 20) (xvii cent.).
Manors
The manor of HECKFIELD, which
had been held by Stenesnoc of Edward the
Confessor as an alod, at the time of the
Domesday Survey formed part of the possessions of
Hugh de Port. (fn. 21) John de Port, the grandson of the
Domesday holder, granted it before 1166 to Adam de
St. Manefeo (fn. 22) (Sancto Manufeodo), and from this time
the manor was held of the Ports and their successors the
St. Johns, occurring in lists of the St. John knights' fees
as late as 1349. (fn. 23) Adam de St. Manefeo was succeeded
by his brother and heir Robert de St. Manefeo, who in
1208 confirmed to the Prior and convent of Merton
the charter of John de Port, granting to them 1 hide
of land in the parish, afterwards known as the manor
of Holdshot. (fn. 24) Another Adam de St Manefeo was
apparently holding the manor in 1276, (fn. 25) and in that
year obtained exemption for life from being put on
assizes, juries, or recognizances. (fn. 26) Henry de St.
Manefeo, probably son and heir of Adam, presented
to the church between 1282 and 1304, (fn. 27) and was
succeeded before 1316 by John de St. Manefeo, (fn. 28)
verderer for the forest of Pamber, who died circa
1320. (fn. 29) The latter was followed by Robert de
St. Manefeo, who in 1328 obtained a grant of free
warren in his demesne of Heckfield, as also licence to
inclose 5 acres of meadow, 15 acres of pasture, 40
acres of wood, and 30 acres of moor in his manor for
a park. (fn. 30) Robert presented a rector during the
episcopacy of Adam Orlton (1333–45), (fn. 31) but about
the same time Sir Thomas de St. Leger and Elizabeth
his wife claimed the manor from him, (fn. 32) and he
accordingly, alleging that he was about to set out on
the service of the king to foreign parts, obtained
letters acquitting him from pleas and suits. (fn. 33) It was
discovered, however, that this was only a pretext to
prorogue the suit of those who were suing for their
rights, and in 1339 Edward III ordered the justices
to proceed in the case and to cause justice to be done
to the parties notwithstanding the letters of protection. (fn. 34) Sir Thomas de St. Leger and Elizabeth were
successful in gaining possession of the manor, and let
it at farm to William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, (fn. 35) but the St. Manefeos subsequently recovered
it, John de St. Manefeo, son and heir of Thomas de
St. Manefeo, quitclaiming all right in it to Robert
Fulmere and others in 1381. (fn. 36) In 1395 the manor
was settled on Edward Bokeland and Amice his wife (fn. 37)
and the issue of Amice, with contingent remainder to
Sir Philip la Vache and his issue, with contingent remainder to the right heirs of Amice. (fn. 38) Edward
Bokeland was still holding Heckfield in 1404, (fn. 39) but
the fact that in 1405 seisin of the manor was granted
to Sir Philip la Vache (fn. 40) shows that he had died
within the year, and that Amice had left no children.
Sir Philip la Vache, who in 1403 'in consideration
of his old age and debility' had been exempted from
being put on assizes, juries, &c., from being made
mayor, sheriff, &c., and from going to any parts of
the realm by reason of his various offices, (fn. 41) died about
five years later, (fn. 42) and as he left no issue Heckfield
apparently passed to the right heirs of Amice. Who
these were is uncertain, but in 1451 the manor
was in the possession of
Elizabeth wife of Thomas
Norton, who in that year
dealt with it by fine in conjunction with her husband. (fn. 43)
William Cresswell, 'first lord
of the manor of that name,'
died seised of Heckfield in
1475, and was succeeded by
John Cresswell, (fn. 44) who died
in 1518, leaving as his heir
his son Thomas. (fn. 45) On the
death of Thomas in 1533 the
manor passed to Richard Cresswell, who died seven
years later. (fn. 46) Thomas Cresswell son and heir of
Richard settled Heckfield upon himself and his wife
Jane in 1596, and died seised in 1607, leaving a
son and heir Thomas, (fn. 47) who dealt with the manor by
recovery in 1651. (fn. 48) It next
passed by sale to the Sturt
family, the purchaser probably
being Anthony Sturt, who, according to Le Neve, was 'a
meal man first, after a commissioner of excise, fined for
Alderman of London, gott a
great estate and had a grant of
arms 19 October 1691.' (fn. 49) Sir
Anthony Sturt son of Anthony,
sheriff of Hampshire in 1694, (fn. 50)
dealt with the manor by fine
on the occasion of the marriage
of his son and heir Humphrey with Diana daughter of Sir Nathaniel Napier,
bart., (fn. 51) in 1717. (fn. 52) On the death of Humphrey Sturt
in 1740 the manor passed to his son Humphrey Sturt
of Horton (fn. 53) (co. Dors.), who was the owner in
1745. (fn. 54) He had parted with it, however, before
1778, in which year Sir Thomas Gatehouse in his
survey of Hampshire describes Heckfield Park as 'late
the estate of Humphrey Sturt, esq., now in occupation of William Augustus Pitt, esq.' (fn. 55) This William
Augustus Pitt was the younger brother of George Pitt,
first Lord Rivers, the owner of Stratfieldsaye. He
died without issue in 1809, (fn. 56) and his property then
passed to his nephew George Pitt, second Lord
Rivers, who had succeeded his father, George Pitt,
first Lord Rivers, in 1803. From this date Heckfield follows the same descent as Stratfieldsaye (q.v.).
Cresswell. Argent three gimel bars sable.
Sturt. Vert a fesse or between three running horses argent with three roses gules upon the fesse.
A fair was held at Heckfield on Good Friday at
the end of the 18th century, (fn. 57) but it has now fallen
into disuse.
The first mention that has been found of the manor
of GREENES is in a deed of 1589, whereby it was
leased with Heckfield to Robert Hardinge. (fn. 58) It has
since followed the same descent as that manor (q.v.
supra).
The manor of HOLDSHOT (Holshute, xiv cent.;
Holshet, xv cent.; Holleshote, xvi cent.), or PUTHAM, as it is now more usually called, owes its origin
to the charter of John de Port granting to the Prior
and convent of Merton (co. Surr.) in free alms one
hide of his land in Heckfield, a wood, a meadow,
common of pasture for their cattle with his demesne
cattle, pasture and mast for their pigs in his wood
without pannage, and sufficient wood for firing and repairs. (fn. 59) In 1208 Robert de
St. Manefeo, lord of Heckfield,
confirmed this charter, (fn. 60) and
at the same time Walter the
Prior of Merton quitclaimed to
Robert all assarts and purprestures made by him and his
brother Adam in the parish in
return for a charter whereby
Robert gave up all right to
fields called Dainymore and Le
Breche and a mill-pond in
Holdsnot. (fn. 61) The prior and convent continued in possession of the manor of Holdshot, as their estate in the
parish was subsequently called, until the Dissolution,
when it fell into the hands of Henry VIII, (fn. 62) who in
1545 granted it to William Paulet, Lord St. John,
created Marquess of Winchester on 12 October 1551. (fn. 63)
The manor continued with successive Marquesses of
Winchester and Dukes of Bolton until 1794, (fn. 64) when
on the death of Harry Powlett, sixth Duke of Bolton, it
passed to Jean Mary, only daughter of Charles Powlett,
fifth Duke of Bolton, and wife of Thomas Orde, who
was created Lord Bolton of Bolton Castle on 20 October
1797. (fn. 65) In 1817 William Powlett, Lord Bolton, son
and heir of the last-named, sold the manor to Charles
Shaw-Lefevre, (fn. 66) formerly Shaw, who had assumed the
additional name of Lefevre on his marriage with
Helena Lefevre, the only daughter and heiress of John
Lefevre of Heckfield Place. (fn. 67) From him it passed to
his son and heir Charles Shaw-Lefevre, who was
Speaker of the House of Commons from 1839 to
1857, and on his retirement was raised to the peerage
as Viscount Eversley, with a life pension of £4,000 a
year. (fn. 68) He died at Heckfield Place on 28 December
1888 in his ninety-fifth year,
being at that time the Father
of the House of Lords. (fn. 69)
The manor of Holdshot then
passed to his eldest daughter,
the Hon. Emma Laura ShawLefevre, who died on 2 April
1899, having four years previously sold it to the present
owner, Lieut.-Colonel Horace
Walpole. (fn. 70)
Merton Priory. Or fretty azure with eagles argent at the crossings of the fret.
Shaw-Lefevre, Viscount Eversley. Sable a cheveron argent between two trefoils or and a bezant with a cross formy on the top.
The mill worth 5s. and the
fishery worth a hundred eels,
which existed in the parish at
the time of the Domesday Survey, (fn. 71) were apparently included
in the grant of John de Port to the Prior and convent
of Merton. They are not expressly mentioned in his
charter, but in 1208 Robert de St. Manefeo renounced
all claim to the mill-pond of the prior and convent in
Holdshot. (fn. 72) Two water-mills of the annual value of
20s.—one of them apparently representing the mill in
Holdshot and the other the mill in Mattingley (q.v.
infra)—are included in an extent of the manor taken
in 1341, (fn. 73) and at the dissolution of the abbey a watermill and a fulling-mill with a meadow called Cane
Meadow were among the appurtenances of the manor. (fn. 74)
No fewer than four mills were included in the sale of
Holdshot to Charles Shaw-Lefevre in 1817. (fn. 75) At the
present day the mill in Holdshot is still standing, and
is situated a little to the west of Holdshot Farm on the
banks of the Whitewater.
In 1280 the Prior of Merton was summoned to show
cause why his villeins of Heckfield did not make suit
at the king's hundred court of Holdshot. He produced the charter of Richard I, granting to the canons
of Merton quittance from attendance at shire and
hundred courts, and the charter of confirmation by
Henry III, and the case was accordingly dismissed. (fn. 76)
In the same year the Prior of Merton proved the
right of the prior and convent to tumbril and the
assize of bread and ale in Holdshot (fn. 77)
MATTINGLEY (Matingeleghe, xi cent.; Matingele, xiii cent.; Martyngle, xv cent.), which Alric had
held of King Edward as an alod, belonged to Alsi the
son of Brixi in 1086. (fn. 78) Ellis, the owner in 1167, (fn. 79)
was apparently succeeded by Revelendus, lord of
Mattingley, who by Rose his wife left three sons,
James de Oakley, Bartholomew de Oakley, and Stephen
de Mattingley, among whom his possessions were
divided. (fn. 80) James de Oakley had a son called Hugh
de Oakley who granted his property in Mattingley to
the Prior and convent of Merton, (fn. 81) and probably died
without issue. Bartholomew de Oakley gave his inheritance to his brother Stephen de Mattingley, (fn. 82) who
in 1206 granted to Walter Prior of Merton and his
successors in free alms 6 virgates, 30 acres of land,
several meadows, 6s. 3d. rent, and a mill in Mattingley. (fn. 83) Stephen was succeeded by his son Peter de
Mattingley, who sold all his property to Geoffrey de
Arundel. (fn. 84) The latter sought to recover from the
prior and convent the land granted to them by Hugh
de Oakley, (fn. 85) but in 1236 acknowledged it to be the
right of the prior and convent, who accordingly received him and his wife Emma into all the benefits
and prayers henceforth to be made in the church of
Merton. (fn. 86) The prior and convent subsequently acquired the rest of the land in Maltingley of which
Revelendus had died seised. It became merged in
Holdshot and still forms part of that manor.
The mill in Mattingley granted to the prior and
convent by Stephen de Mattingley in 1206 became
one of the appurtenances of the manor of Holdshot, (fn. 87)
being probably represented by one of the two
water-mills included in an extent of the manor of
Holdshot taken in 1341. (fn. 88) This mill, which was
situated on the banks of the Whitewater, near Mattingley Clappers Bridge, existed till a few years ago.
The fair which was held at Mattingley on 29 July
at the close of the 18th century (fn. 89) has since fallen into
disuse.
In 1205 Robert son of Henry granted one hide of
land in PUTHAM (Petteham, xiii cent.) to the Prior
and convent of Merton in free alms. (fn. 90) This land became merged in Holdshot, and has ever since continued
to form part of that manor.
In 1203 King John granted the Prior and convent of Merton his wood in HAZELEY (Heishulla,
xii cent.; Heishull, Heysole, xiii cent.; Haysull, xiv
cent.), called La Garston Regis, (fn. 91) with all appurtenances, to assart or trench or cultivate or inclose or to
do with it in accordance with their will, free and quit
from wastes and assarts, &c., saving to him his right of
hunting. (fn. 92) In 1280 the Prior of Merton was stated
to be holding one hide of land in Hazeley, which
formerly was of the ancient demesne of the Crown
belonging to the manor of Basingstoke. (fn. 93) The manor
of Holdshot still comprises the greater part of Hazeley
Heath.
A portion of HAZELEY HEATH from an early
date formed part of the possessions of the lords of
Bramshill. Thus in 1317 John de Foxley obtained
a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of
Hazeley, (fn. 94) and at his death in 1324 he was seised
of 58 acres and 3 roods of land measured by a perch
of 20 ft. in a piece of heath in Hazeley, in the forest
of Pamber and the bailiwick of Eversley. (fn. 95) In 1347
Thomas de Foxley obtained licence to impark 2,500
acres of land and wood out of his several soil in
Bramshill and Hazeley, (fn. 96) and at the present day
Bramshill Park extends into the parish of Mattingley,
which includes Hazeley Heath tithing.
Churches
The church of ST. MICHAEL,
HECKFIELD, has a chancel 29 ft.
by 14 ft. 10 in., north chapel of the
same length and 15ft. 9 in. wide, nave 59 ft. 6 in. by
23 ft. 6 in., north aisle 7 ft. 8 in. wide, north-west
porch, and west tower 14 ft. 6 in. by 13 ft. 1 in.; all
internal measurements.
Although the building is doubtless of some antiquity, it has been so completely modernized that very
few of the old details are left to tell the history
of the fabric. There seems to have been an aisleless
nave and chancel here in the 13th century, or earlier.
At the 'restoration' of 1876 (described in the
churchwardens' account book, quoted below) a piscina was discovered in the north chapel, and pronounced by Mr. Butterfield, the architect of the
rebuilding, to be of the 12th century; it was, for
some reason, covered up again, so that his statement
cannot be verified; the former doorways were placed
about midway in the nave. The chancel appears to
have been rebuilt towards the end of the 14th century. An early 14th-century window was found in
the walling in 1876. The chancel had a new east
window in the 15th century, but the first great
enlargement of the building apparently did not take
place before the beginning of the 16th century, when
on the evidence of two monuments, dated 1514
and 1518, the chapel, aisle, and tower were added;
the latter seems to have been largely rebuilt in brick
in the 18th century, when much other work was
done. The church appears to have fallen into a bad
condition before the reconstruction of 1876 took
place, in spite of a previous restoration in the earlier
part of the century, when some poor work was put
in, to be removed again later.
In 1876 the east wall of the chancel was mostly
rebuilt, and the 15th-century window raised some
two feet, and partly restored; the south wall was very
little altered or touched, but the south-east corner,
where the wall had cracked and settled, was built up
again; the opening into the chapel from the chancel,
hitherto only 6 ft. wide, was enlarged and a new arch
inserted; a passage to the east of it through the wall
into the vestry was built up, the space within the
altar rails was raised and a step put for the table; the
chancel arch, which at some previous time had been
bricked up and narrowed to a width of only 10 ft.,
was opened to its present width and rebuilt; the
roof of the chancel was in a very dilapidated state,
and was replaced by an entirely new one. The
chapel had new windows inserted, the doorway was
altered, a solid wood screen at its west end removed,
and a new archway put in, and the present vestry
formed by a new screen; in the south-east corner
was found the early piscina already mentioned. The
south wall of the nave was pulled down to within
three or four feet of the ground, and rebuilt with a
slight curve to accommodate a bend in the roof; the
south doorway, a little to the east of the middle of
the nave, which used to be a principal entrance, was
abolished, with its brick porch, and the three unsightly
windows put in thirty-four years before were replaced
by new ones; the four octagonal brick shafts and the
heavy arches of the north arcade, the date of which
could not be ascertained, but which were probably not
older than the early part of the 18th century, were
removed, and replaced by the present lighter stone
pillars and arches. The north aisle wall was pulled
down altogether in its whole length; it was 'very
old,' of great thickness and strength, and composed of
conglomerate or 'ferule' of the district, fixed with
mortar almost as hard as Roman cement, so that
it was a matter of difficulty to break it and take it
down, and it fell in large masses when prised up
from underneath; its foundations were not deep, its
stability depending on its great thickness; in the
wall near the west end was found the tracery of a
window of probably early 14th-century work; it was
too dilapidated to be re-used, and was copied in the
new north windows; the wall was rebuilt chiefly of
the old materials, much less thick, and a few feet to
the south, so as to diminish the size of the church,
the interior breadth of which was previously 47½ ft.
(37½ ft ?); the north entrance was moved from a
little to the east of the middle of the aisle to its
present position, and the porch built; two unsightly
windows in the north wall, placed there about thirtyfour years before, were replaced by new ones; and
the roof of the aisle, formerly gabled, was replaced
by a lean-to leaded one. The south doorway in the
tower, which had been stopped up, was opened out
and enlarged; and new oak treads were put to the
steps of the stair, otherwise the tower was left unaltered. (Subsequently its windows and doorways
were restored.) Other work done included the retiling of the floors, reseating, a new pulpit, and the
removal of the monumental brasses to their present
positions; two consecration crosses, a foot in diameter,
which were found on either side of the east window,
were again hidden; a small pane of very old yellow
glass in a south window of the chancel was unfortunately broken, 'but one half of it still remains.'
(This has apparently now gone.)
The east window of the chancel has three cinquefoiled lights under a traceried four-centred head; the
tracery is the original 15th-century work, but the
rest is of modern repair. In the south wall is an
ancient trefoiled credence and piscina with a shelf at
the springing line and grooves for another in the top
foil; the drain is quatrefoiled, and set at the east end
of the recess. The two south windows are alike in
detail, but the eastern is a modern copy of the other,
which dates from the end of the 14th century. Each
has two ogee trefoiled lights with half quatrefoils
over in a square head; between the windows is a
blocked doorway of a hollow-chamfered order with a
pointed head. A modern arch of 14th-century style
opens from the western half of the chancel into the
north chapel.
The chapel, the eastern half of which is used as
an organ-chamber and vestry, has a high east window
of three plain four-centred lights in brick. Both its
north windows are modern; the first is a single trefoiled light, and has a modern drain on its sill, the
second is of two trefoiled lights under a square head;
between the windows is a modern pointed doorway.
Over the arch to the aisle is a modern window of
three lights.
The chancel arch is modern, having semi-octagonal
responds with moulded capitals and bases, and a twocentred two-chamfered arch. The nave has five
modern south windows, each of two lights and
tracery under square heads. The north arcade is all
modern, and has four bays with round pillars of 14th
century style, and pointed arches of a large singlechamfered order. The north-west doorway is modern,
with a pointed head; the wall here is 4 ft. thick.
The aisle has three modern north windows, the
first of three and the others of two trefoiled lights
under square heads.
The porch is built in the north-west angle of the
nave and aisle, and has a modern moulded outer
doorway.
The tower arch is of brick plastered. In the west
wall of the tower is a blocked doorway, partly of
modern repair; it has two hollow-chamfered orders,
with an arch under a square head. Over it is a
16th-century window of three plain four-centred
lights, and a moulded square label with shield stops;
much of it has been restored. The window to the
chamber above is a plaster copy of the lower one.
The bell-chamber is lighted by similar two-light
windows with plain heads; they are mostly of late
date. The stair-turret is at the south-east, and the
parapet is embattled.
The walling, where visible, is built of the conglomerate usually called puddingstone, here very
dark with iron and of very rough texture; but there
is a good deal of red brick in the tower and elsewhere.
The roof of the chancel is gabled, and has a
plaster-panelled ceiling with moulded wood ribs and
bosses and moulded cornice; the nave is also gabled,
and has a pointed plaster barrel vault with moulded
wood ribs. The chapel is gabled and ceiled like the
chancel; the aisle has a flat lean-to roof covered with
lead; the others are tiled.
The Purbeck marble font is of the 15th century;
it is octagonal in plan, and has traceried panelled
sides to the bowl and stem. The other furniture
includes a 17th-century altar table (now in the vestry),
an ancient oak chest with pin hinges, a slit for coins
in the middle of the lid, and a till at one end; on
the lids are the marks of the three locks formerly used
by the incumbent and wardens; part of the chest is
of modern renewal, and in the tower is another later
chest; the rest of the furniture is modern.
There are several old monuments in the church;
the earliest is a brass set in the west wall of the chapel
with the small figure of a lady, and the inscription:—Orate pro a[nim]b[us] Joh[an]is Hall et Elizabeth consortis sue
'qui quidm' Joh[an]es obiit xxvo die mensis Novembris
Ao dni Mo Vc xiiii ex cujus sumptib[us] hec capella
construitur quor' a[nim]abus p[ro]picietur deus.' On the
step at the entrance to the chapel from the aisle is a
second brass plate inscribed:—'Of yor charite pray
for the soules of Thomas Wyfold, Em' & Annes his
wyfes and all his chylderyn, the whiche Thomas
decessed the xxi day of May the yer of or Lord
m vc xxi on whose soull[s] Jhū have mercy.'
On the north wall of the nave is a brass inscription,
removed from the chancel, where it was set to the north
of the arch, to 'John Creswell and Isabel his wyfe,
lord of this towne at the tyme of the byldyng of this
stepyll and the newe yle and chapell in this cherche
which John decessyd v day of Janever in Ao dni
m vc xviii on whos sowll[s] Jhu have m[er]cy.' Over
the inscription is his rebus—a cross and a well, with
the initials J C—and the symbols of St. Luke and
St. John.
Above this brass is a mural monument containing
the kneeling effigy of a bearded man in armour facing
those of his two wives; on the head of each of the
three figures are curious flat tile-like headdresses, that
of the man seeming to be entirely out of place, and
put on at a later date to match the others. Behind
the man are four sons, one an infant, and behind the
ladies six daughters; below is the inscription to
Thomas Cresswell 1607, son and heir of Richard
Cresswell, died 1540, who was heir to Thomas Cresswell, died 1533, who was heir to John Cresswell, died
1518, who was heir to William, first lord of the
manor of that name, who died 1475. His first wife
was Alice daughter of Thomas Haydock, and the
second, Jane daughter of Robert Baynard, by whom
he had four sons and four daughters. The arms over
the monument are Cresswell impaling: Argent a cross
sable with a fleur-de-lis sable in the quarter for Haydock; and Cresswell impaling Baynard: Sable a fesse
between two cheverons or quartering Or a doubleheaded eagle gules. In the back of the recess are
painted the four sons' shields (reset upside down),
with Cresswell quartering Baynard and six lozenges
of the daughters, the first two with Cresswell quartering Haydock, and the other four quartering Baynard.
On the north wall of the chancel is another Renaissance monument, with a round-headed recess in which
kneel the figures of a man and his wife with their two
sons and three daughters, facing another man and
wife with two daughters. The inscription reads:
'Prudence Humfry ye wife of William Humfry gent
dedicated this monument to ye perpetuall me[m]ory of
her most dear husband and father and mother and
children June 3rd 1609. Henry Philips died 1591,
Avis his wife died 1601, William Humfrey, gent.,
died 1608, Prudence his wife (space for date left
blank).' The arms in the shields over are (1) Gules a
crosslet argent, and thereon five roundels sable, for
Humphrey, (2) Argent a lion sable chained or, for
Philips, (3) Argent two cheverons sable and a chief
gules. There are also two other defaced shields behind
the figures.
On the other side of the chancel is a similar monument with the kneeling figure of a man in a black
gown and the inscription to Henry Tomworthe of
Ayleswardes in Mattingley, died 1608; it is followed
by some verses; his arms are Argent a fesse dancetty
between three cocks' heads razed sable with their
combs and wattles gules.
In the north chapel are two brass inscriptions to
Charles Huett, sub-treasurer to Queen Elizabeth in
Ireland, 1627, and his son Charles, 1652.
There are five bells; the treble and the tenor are
by Henry Knight, 1615; the second is inscribed:
'Love God 1641' and is also by Knight; the third is
inscribed in Gothic capitals: + NOW : GOD : HELP :
AND : HAVE : AL :,' and is by William Revel of
London, c. 1350; and the fourth has 'Sancta
Margareta, ora pro nobis,' and is from the Wokingham
foundry, c. 1420.
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1568, a pewter flagon inscribed on the handle R. M.
1637, and a pewter almsdish.
The registers—including that of Mattingley—begin in 1538; the first book is of paper, containing
mixed entries of baptisms, marriages and burials
thence to 1575; in November 1557 is the note,
'Sir Granger omytted the kepyng of thys book
for iij whole yeres almost to the great hurte of
many whō yt shall cu (concern ?) in questys'; it is
followed by some blank sheets, beginning again in
1559; the second book is an unusually long and
narrow one (about 23 m. by 5¾ in.), in parchment,
and contains baptisms, marriages, and burials from
1575 to 1605; the third is in paper, and has all
three from 1605 to 1663, one in 1666, and several
in 1676; there is a gap from 1627 to 1630, probably through the loss of two middle leaves; the fourth
book, in parchment, continues all three from 1672
to 1714; the fifth takes them from 1729 to 1760;
the sixth has marriages from 1754 to 1780; the
seventh, marriages 1781 to 1812; the eighth, baptisms
and burials 1761 to 1803; and the ninth, the same
from 1803 to 1812.
The chapel at Mattingley (dedication unknown) is
a small timber and brick building, consisting of a
chancel 22 ft. by 14 ft. 6 in. with south vestry and
organ chamber, nave 46 ft. 11 in. by 16 ft. 6 in.,
north and south aisles 6 ft. 3 in. wide, and a north
porch. The chancel and nave date from c. 1500, and
the aisles and vestry are modern additions. The walls
are of vertical timbers filled in between with red
brickwork set in herring-bone fashion, and plastered
on the inside. The chancel is divided into two bays
by moulded oak posts set against the walls inside;
these support the roof trusses, which have braced and
moulded tie-beams and an arched collar-truss over.
The east window is an original one of five lights with
four-centred uncusped heads; the north window in
the second bay is also old, and has four similar lights.
Below the windows runs a moulded wooden string,
the wall beneath it being covered with 17th-century
panelling in the east bay of the chancel. The vestry
south of the chancel has a re-used south doorway with
a four-centred arch in a square head.
The nave is divided from the aisles by arcades of
five bays a side; these have moulded wood posts, of
which the sides towards the nave are old and the
remainder modern. The trusses are like those in the
chancel, and between the posts are modern arched
braces towards the aisles. The west window is a
modern one of four lights. The aisles each have
three four-light windows in their side walls, two-light
west windows, and in the north aisle an east window
also of two lights, all being modern copies of those in
the chancel, and below them is fixed the old moulded
string from below the sills of the original nave
windows. The north doorway has a four-centred
arch under a square head, and the north porch is also
the original one, brought out when the aisle was
added; it has four-light windows on either side and
its double gates have pierced four-centred openings
and moulded capping. The roofs are ceiled between
the rafters and have moulded cornices, except that in
the eastern bay of the chancel, which is panelled with
moulded ribs, and that in the western bay of the
nave, which is similarly treated, and has perhaps been
the ceiling over the rood at the east end of the nave.
There are carved bosses at the intersections of the
panels, one with an Agnus Dei and another with an
inscription, apparently "ihesus." Over the west end of
the nave is an oak shingled bell-turret with a pyramidal
roof; in it are two old bells; the smaller one has no
inscription or mark, but its shape, and the square
section of the sound-bow, mark it as early, perhaps of
the 13th century, and the other is late 15th-century
work, and bears a line of reversed black letter smalls
'turquieto.'
In the north window of the chancel are a few
fragments of old glass, some good quarries, part of a
saint's head, and an inscription of four letters, which
seems to be the title of the Cross.
The furniture is all modern; the font is of marble,
and there is an octagonal font in the churchyard. At
the west end is preserved the old altar-frontal dated
1667, which was in use down to 1887. It is of
crimson velvet with silver embroidery, having inri
and the Hebrew name of God in a glory.
The plate consists of a silver chalice and paten
cover, both of 1568.
For registers see Heckfield.
Advowsons
There was a church in Heckfield
at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 97)
The advowson continued with the
Ports until 1202, when Adam de Port granted it
to Robert de St. Manefeo, (fn. 98) and from that date it
followed the descent of the manor until about the
middle of the 14th century, (fn. 99) when Thomas de St.
Manefeo granted it to William of Wykeham, Bishop
of Winchester. (fn. 100) William of Wykeham founded
'Seinte Marie College of Wynchestre,' afterwards
called New College, Oxford, on 29 November 1379, (fn. 101)
and a week later obtained licence to grant the advowson of Heckfield to the warden and scholars. (fn. 102) In
January 1383 the official of the Archdeacon of Winchester reported in favour of the proposal to appropriate the church to the college as a further provision
for the maintenance of its members, (fn. 103) and in June of
the same year the appropriation was carried into
effect. (fn. 104) At the present day the living is a vicarage
of the net income of £270, with 5½ acres of glebe
and residence, in the gift of the warden and fellows
of the college.
At a very early date the Prior and convent of
Merton had a chapel within their inclosure of Holdshot, where they had liberty to minister in divine
things. (fn. 105) This chapel was only intended for the
canons and their servants, and the other parishioners
of Heckfield were not allowed to attend it on Sundays or other feast-days because it was incumbent
upon them to attend the parish church of Heckfield.
Moreover the servants of the canons were expected to
hear service in the parish church on Christmas Day,
on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, and on Easter Sunday. (fn. 106) By the end of the
14th century this chapel had been apparently replaced
by a 'certain house in the vill of Mattingley, built
instead of a chapel,' (fn. 107) and in 1387 William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, in answer to a petition
of the Prior of Merton, gave licence to the vicar of
Heckfield, or to a suitable chaplain chosen by him, to
officiate in it until the Sunday after the ensuing
Easter, at the same time forbidding parishioners of
other churches to attend it. (fn. 108) In 1425 Pope
Martin V granted licence to the inhabitants of
Mattingley to have a cemetery at their chapel on
their petition that the chapel had all parochial rights
and insignia except burial, and that it was inconvenient for them to carry their dead to Heckfield,
because Mattingley was distant 2 miles, and the
waters between the two places were frequently in
flood. (fn. 109) Mattingley continued to be a parochial
chapelry dependent on the mother church of Heckfield until 13 January 1863, when it was formed into
a district chapelry. (fn. 110) It was endowed with £1,000
capital out of the Common Fund on 11 December
1863, (fn. 111) and with a tithe rent-charge in Heckfield
parish on 12 April 1864. (fn. 112) The living is at the
present day a vicarage, net yearly value £136 with
residence, in the gift of the warden and fellows of
New College, Oxford.
At the beginning of the 13th century, by a convention between John parson of the church of Heckfield and Richard the Prior of Merton, it was
agreed that the canons, who had been accustomed to
pay 1 mark of silver annually in lieu of tithes, should
pay henceforward to the church of Merton tithes
from corn, beans, pears, apples, cherries, and hay, that
they should be quit for ever from the payment of the
mark and from tithes from assarts, and that their
tenants should pay tithes in full. (fn. 113)
There is a private Roman Catholic chapel in Heckfield Place.
Charities
Robert Corham, by will dated
20 March 1593 (proved in the P.C.C.
1596), charged his property in Hartley Wintney, called the Blackhouse, with the yearly
sum of 13s. 4d for the poor of this parish and
Hartley Wintney. The rent-charge was redeemed in
1904 by the transfer to the official trustees of
£26 13s. 4d. consols.
The sum of £13 6s. 8d. stock belonging to this
parish has, by investment of surplus income, been augmented to £19 0s. 3d. consols, producing yearly 9s. 4d.
The table of benefactions in the church of Heckfield mentioned that John Woodcock gave to the poor
of this parish 40s. a year charged upon a farm in
Hazeley, called Burrant's, formerly belonging to Sir
John Cope, bart.
In 1791 George, Lord Rivers, by will proved in
the P.C.C, 1803, left £50 for the poor, which,
augmented by subscriptions, is now represented by
£100 consols with the official trustees.
It was stated on the table of benefactions in the
chapel of Mattingley, that Mr. John Woodcock gave
£4 per annum for ever, charged upon a farm in
Hazeley called Burrant's, also that Mrs. Ann Blyeth
gave 30s. per annum for ever, then payable out of
certain lands called Wright's, which were duly distributed among the poor.
The Charity Commissioners, however, do not appear to have any recent information as to these gifts.
The Rev. John Taylor in his lifetime, about 1714,
gave £50 to be employed in buying religious books
for the poor of Heckfield and Mattingley.
The trust fund consists of £60 consols with the
official trustees.