SHALBOURNE
Escldeborne, Saldeborne, Scaldeburne (xi cent.);
Scaudeburn, Saudiburn (xiii cent.).
The parish of Shalbourne lies at the south-west
corner of the county. It consisted of three tithings,
Shalbourne or Town, Bagshot in the north and
Oxenwood in the south; the two latter, which were
in Berkshire, are united by a strip of land which
forms the east of the parish. Shalbourne Town has
always been in Wiltshire. The Berkshire portions
were transferred to Wiltshire in 1895. (fn. 1) The parish
contains 5,564 acres, of which 2,441 are arable,
1,564 permanent grass and 592 woods and plantations. (fn. 2) The soil is chiefly chalk, covered in places
by clay with flints, but there are beds of clay and
sand in the north-west; there is also some alluvium
near the village. The parish drains into a brook
which falls into the Dun just above Hungerford.
The highest points are on the ridge of the down to
the south, where a height of over 700 ft. is reached;
the lowest point, where the brook leaves the parish,
is 390 ft. above the ordnance datum. The high road
from Oxford to Salisbury passes through Shalbourne,
and is called the Harrow Way in the award map.
The common fields were inclosed under an Act of
1799, the award being dated 6 December 1805. (fn. 3)
The village lies along the valley by the side of the
brook, but there are many scattered farms, especially
at Bagshot, Rivar and Oxenwood. The Manor
House stands at the south end of the village, and is a
long rectangular building of two stories with attics,
apparently of late 16th-century date, but much altered
and modernized. (fn. 4) The front faces south and is of
brick on a stone base, but the north side is of flint
rubble with thin brick strings. The roof is covered
with red tiles and there are two small gables facing
south and one north. At the east end is a good
brick and flint chimney with three square shafts set
diagonally, and in the middle of the south front a
two-story gabled porch with four-centred outer opening, above which is a stone panel with blank shield
and egg and dart border. The inner panelled door
is the original nail-studded one of oak, with moulded
styles. At the back of the house is a four-centred
moulded doorway, but all the original windows are
altered.
There is a long barrow in Botley Copse at Oxenwood, near the south-west corner of the parish; it
has been opened, but no account of the exploration
has been found. A round barrow on Rivar Down
has not been opened. There are lines of entrenchment on Rivar Down which have not been explored,
but sections taken just outside the parish in 1910
showed that they were constructed in pre-Roman
times but used afterwards.
Jethro Tull, the agriculturist and author of Horsehoeing Husbandry and other works, came to live in
1709 at Prosperous Farm in this parish, where he died
21 February 1741. (fn. 5)
Manors
The manor of SHALBOURNE was
held by King Edward the Confessor.
King William held it in 1086, when
2½ hides had been added to the holding of Henry
de Ferrers at Bagshot and one was reeve land. (fn. 6)
Part of this seems afterwards to have been the serjeanty held in 1210–12 by Roger de Caus for the
custody of a falcon. (fn. 7) In 1217–18 Roger granted the
advowson of the church here to the abbey of Bec, (fn. 8)
and he was dead before 1235, when this manor, afterwards known as EASTCOURT, passed to John de
Grey. (fn. 9) John gave it with his daughter in marriage
to Robert de Tatteshall, who was in possession of it in
1241. (fn. 10)
Robert de Tatteshall was succeeded in 1249 by
a son Sir Robert, (fn. 11) who demised this manor for
seven years in 1253 to Oliver son of Alan, (fn. 12) and
died in 1273, leaving a son Robert, who succeeded him. (fn. 13) By his marriage with Joan, one of
the daughters and co-heirs of Sir Thomas Fitz
Ranulf or Nevill, (fn. 14) Robert seems to have acquired
in 1270 another estate at Shalbourne, held in the
middle of the 13th century by Ranulf Frethoxe,
Sir Thomas Nevill's father, of the fee of Herbert
Fitz Peter. (fn. 15)
Robert de Tatteshall of Bokenham and Tatteshall
was summoned to Parliament from 1295 as Lord
Tatteshall (fn. 16) ; he died in 1298, leaving by his wife
Joan, who survived him, a
son Robert. (fn. 17) Robert second
Lord Tatteshall married Eva
daughter of Robert de Tiptoft, (fn. 18) and died in 1302–3
seised of this manor, (fn. 19) which
was assigned in dower to Eva (fn. 20)
until their son Robert should
come of age. He died while
still a minor in 1305–6, (fn. 21) and
Eva, who took as her second
husband John de Cove, (fn. 22) held
the manor until her death in
1350. (fn. 23) It then reverted
to the descendants of the three sisters of the first
baron, (fn. 24) Emma, Joan and Isabel. Emma married
Adam Cailley and left a son Thomas Cailley, who was
succeeded in 1316 by a grandson (nepos) Adam son of
Roger de Clifton, (fn. 25) one of the co-heirs in 1350.
Joan had married Sir Robert Driby, and her daughter
and eventual heir Alice married Sir William Bernak. (fn. 26)
They had two sons, John and Robert, but John sold
the reversion of his share of this manor in 1323 to his
brother Robert, (fn. 27) who was another co-heir at the time
of Eva's death. Isabel married Sir John Orreby, and
their son Philip had a son John who was the third
heir of Robert. (fn. 28)
Tatteshall. Checky or and gules a chief ermine.
In 1350 a division was made among these three coheirs, (fn. 29) and this manor fell to the share of Robert
Bernak, who demised it as the manor of Shalbourne
called 'Tateshale' for life to John Malewyn; John
died in 1361, (fn. 30) when it reverted to Robert's niece
Maud wife of Ralph de Cromwell, Robert having died without issue. (fn. 31)
Sir Ralph and Maud placed
it in settlement in 1392 (fn. 32)
and Ralph died in 1398 and
Maud in 1419. (fn. 33) Maud had
granted the manor to Sir
William Cromwell and his
heirs male, and he died seised
of it in 1427–8, leaving a
son Robert. (fn. 34) It had reverted before 1454 to Maud's
grandson Ralph Lord Cromwell, Treasurer of England
in the time of King Henry VI, (fn. 35) for he then granted
it to trustees (fn. 36) ; he died soon afterwards, and it
passed to his niece Maud wife of Robert Lord
Willoughby de Eresby. (fn. 37) She sold it in 1473–4 to
Thomas Frowyk of London and Joan his wife. (fn. 38)
Cromwell. Or a chief gules with a baston azure over all.
Sir Thomas Frowyk died seised of the manor in
1485, when his heir was his son Henry. (fn. 39) It is
uncertain whether Henry inherited this manor or
whether it passed to his brother Sir Thomas Frowyk,
serjeant-at-law and chief justice of the Common
Pleas. (fn. 40) The latter died seised of it in 1506, leaving
it to his wife Elizabeth for life, with remainder to
his daughter Frideswide. (fn. 41) Elizabeth took as her
second husband Thomas Jakys, who died in 1514,
and she died about a year later. Frideswide married
Sir Thomas Cheney, K.G. (fn. 42) Sir Thomas, who was
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, sold the manor
of Eastcourt in 1548 to Edward Duke of Somerset, (fn. 43)
subject to the life interest of Nicholas Cripps and
his wife Frances, one of Sir Thomas's daughters. (fn. 44)
Frances died in 1561 and Nicholas in 1564. (fn. 45)
The Duke of Somerset was attained and executed
in 1552, (fn. 46) but this manor was granted in 1581–2 to
his son Edward Seymour Earl
of Hertford. (fn. 47) Edward received fresh grants of the manor
in 1612–13 and 1619–20 (fn. 48)
and died in 1621. He was
succeeded by his grandson Sir
William Seymour, who was
created Marquess of Hertford
in 1640 and Duke of Somerset in 1660. (fn. 49) He was engaged in litigation respecting
this manor with his sister-inlaw Anne Lady Beauchamp, (fn. 50)
then wife of Sir Edward Lewis,
and died in 1660. His grandson and heir William
died unmarried in 1671, (fn. 51) and the titles and estates
passed to his uncle John fourth Duke of Somerset. (fn. 52)
On his death without issue in 1675 this manor
passed to his niece Elizabeth, who married Thomas
Bruce, second Earl of Ailesbury. (fn. 53) Elizabeth died
in 1697, leaving a son Charles, who succeeded to the
earldoms of Elgin and Ailesbury in 1741 and died
in 1747, leaving no surviving issue. (fn. 54)
Seymour. Gules a pair of wings or.
The estates and the barony of Bruce then passed
to his nephew Thomas Brudenell, who took the
additional surname of Bruce. He was created Earl
of Ailesbury in 1776 and died in 1814, (fn. 55) when he was
succeeded by his son Charles, who appears to have
had some interest in the manor in 1796. (fn. 56) He was
created Marquess of Ailesbury in 1821, (fn. 57) and the
manor has since descended with the title. (fn. 58)
Brudenell. Argent a cheveron azure between three hats gules.
Bruce. Or a saltire and a chief gules with a quarter argent charged with a lion azure.
Land in OXENWOOD (Oxenwude, xiii cent.)
was granted in 1235–6 by William son of Eustace to
the hospital of St. Nicholas at Salisbury, (fn. 59) and a
little later land here was sold by William to Richard
de Havering. (fn. 60) The king granted to his serjeant
Henry de Candevre in 1265 the wardship of the
lands and heirs of William le Venur of Oxenwood. (fn. 61)
In 1274–5 Walter Pipard held a virgate of land in
Oxenwood by serjeanty of keeping the royal woods
of Hippinscombe and paying 20s. yearly at Marlborough Castle. (fn. 62) Hubert Pipard died seised of this
land in 1332, when his son Peter succeeded, (fn. 63) and
Hugh Pipard died seised of a third of this estate in
1393. His widow Joan had a life interest in it, and
it passed at her death to John Whaas, the son of
Hugh's sister Avice. (fn. 64)
Other land here was held by the Danvers family, (fn. 65)
but the manor of Oxenwood, which was a member of
Tidcombe (co. Wilts.), is mentioned for the first time
in 1586, when it belonged to Edward Earl of
Hertford. (fn. 66) It then descended with Eastcourt until
the death of John Duke of Somerset in 1675. (fn. 67)
Instead of passing to Elizabeth Bruce, Oxenwood
appears to have descended with the title of Duke of
Somerset to John's cousin and heir male Francis
Seymour. (fn. 68) It passed with the duchy of Somerset
to the seventh duke, Algernon, whose only daughter
Lady Elizabeth married Sir Hugh Smithson, afterwards Earl of Northumberland. (fn. 69) They conveyed
this manor in 1756 to Henry and Richard Hoare,
from whom it seems to have passed to John Calvert
of Albury Hall, Hertfordshire. (fn. 70) He sold the manor
of Oxen wood in 1761 to Katherine Coppinger,
widow. (fn. 71) It passed to her son Fysh Coppinger, who
assumed the name de Burgh, and in 1790 it was
purchased of him by John Butcher. (fn. 72) The later
history of this manor has not been traced.
The manor of BAGSHOT (Bechesgete, xi cent.;
Bugesgate, xii cent.; Bukesyate, Bokesyate, xiii cent.)
was held by Godric of King Edward the Confessor
and belonged at the time of the Domesday Survey to
Henry de Ferrers, (fn. 73) who attached it to his adjoining
manor of South Standen in the parish of Hungerford (fn. 74)
(q.v.). Earl Ferrers was holding the overlordship of
this manor in the 13th century. (fn. 75)
Henry Hussey was holding this manor in the 12th
century, and before 1169 granted a virgate of land
here to Dureford Abbey, which he had founded.
The manor passed to his son Henry, who confirmed
his father's gift, (fn. 76) and it followed the descent of the
manor of South Standen (fn. 77) (q.v.) until the latter was
sold in 1867 by members of the Michell family to
Major-General Dunn. Bagshot was retained by the
Rev. Thomas Hungerford Michell, who left it to
his sister Arabella Juliana; her executors sold it to
Mr. Albert Irving Muntz, the present owner. (fn. 78)
The land given to the abbey of Dureford was
granted in 1537 to Sir William Fitzwilliam, K.G.,
High Admiral of England. (fn. 79)
The greater part of the Wiltshire portion of Shalbourne was held before the Conquest by Ordwold.
Before 1086 his land had been divided between
Richard Sturmy (Sturmid), one of the king's serjeants, who held 1 hide and 3 virgates, and the thegn
Ulvric, probably Ulfric the huntsman, (fn. 80) who held a
hide and a virgate. Osgot, another thegn, held half
a hide here. (fn. 81) It is possible that these three holdings
were afterwards united in the possession of Richard
Sturmy's descendants, who held at Shalbourne a
manor called WESTCOURT, or Shalbourne Dormer,
by the serjeanty of finding one mounted man armed
with hauberk, iron cap and lance for forty days. (fn. 82)
Before the beginning of the 13th century Richard
Sturmy's estates had been divided between Walter
and Geoffrey Sturmy, (fn. 83) and this manor fell to the
share of Walter. (fn. 84) Walter died in 1243, his heirs
being his sisters Alice wife of Robert Kernet and
Letewarie. (fn. 85) Letewarie sold her share to Richard
de Harden, who was to hold it of Alice, and Alice's
share was divided before 1274 between Robert de
Punchardon, who had married Alice de Kernet, (fn. 86)
probably daughter of Robert and Alice, and Roger de
Clatford and his wife Hawisia. (fn. 87) Roger and Hawisia
sold their quarter, which carried with it the advowson
of the chapel of St. Margaret at West Shalbourne, in
1285 to William de Harden, (fn. 88) who in 1302–3 acquired
Richard de Harden's moiety from his widow Maud
and son Roger. (fn. 89) The Punchardons' share which
belonged in 1288–9 to Lawrence de Punchardon (fn. 90)
may have consisted only in some rights of overlordship, as this family is not afterwards found holding
land in Shalbourne, but in 1527 the manor of Westcourt was said to be held of the heir of Fulk de
Punchardon. (fn. 91) William de Harden died in 1329–30,
when his daughter Anastasia, then wife of Robert de
Bilkemore, succeeded. (fn. 92) A third of the manor was
assigned to William's widow Mary, who was still
holding it in 1339, when Westcourt was settled on
Robert and Anastasia for their lives with remainder
to John, Anastasia's son by her first husband William
Lilbone. (fn. 93)
Anastasia died in 1353, her heir being her grandson John son of John Lilbone above mentioned. (fn. 94) Sir
Robert de Bilkemore held the manor until his death
in 1361. (fn. 95) In 1395 Sir John Lilbone settled the
manor on his wife Isabel with reversion in default
of John's issue to William Changton (Changylton). (fn. 96)
The manor had passed before 1412 to William, (fn. 97)
and it was probably his son Walter Changton who
settled it in 1468 on himself for life, with remainder
to his son William and his wife Maud. (fn. 98) Walter
died in 1472 seised of this manor, (fn. 99) when William
succeeded. After his death it passed to Maud, who
was succeeded in 1527 by her son Thomas. (fn. 100) Thomas
sold the manor and some land soon after to Thomas
Wenman and his brother William, the sale being confirmed in 1545 by Thomas Changton's son Walter, (fn. 101)
who sold the remaining lands and the advowson of
the chapel in 1545 to Sir Michael Dormer. (fn. 102)
Geoffrey Dormer, the third son of Sir Michael, (fn. 103)
sold his share in 1548 to Edward Duke of Somerset, (fn. 104)
and this part followed the descent of Eastcourt (q.v.)
from that time.
William Wenman, owner of the rest of the manor, (fn. 105)
was succeeded about 1587 by his son Richard, (fn. 106) who
sold it in 1590 to William Castell. (fn. 107) Thomas Castell
and Katherine his wife sold it in 1600 to Edward
Earl of Hertford, (fn. 108) and it then became united to the
other part of the manor.
A certain manor or capital messuage here, called
COVENTRIES MANOR, which was held of the
manor of Westcourt, was held at the time of his
death in 1493 by Richard Choke of Avington (q.v.),
who had married Alice daughter of Robert Coverntre. (fn. 109)
The manor followed the descent of Avington until
1653, when Coventries Manor was sold by Francis
Choke and Anne his wife and John Vaughan and
Mary his wife to Robert Burdett. (fn. 110) Robert Burdett
and others conveyed this estate in 1681 to John
Eyles and William Kiston, (fn. 111) and nothing further has
been found relating to this property until 1805,
when it belonged to John Barns. (fn. 112) Another John
Barns sold it about 1840 to the Marquess of
Ailesbury. (fn. 113)
Another Wiltshire manor, consisting of a hide and
3 virgates, was held of King Edward the Confessor
by a thegn and in 1086 was in the hands of Hugh
Lasne. (fn. 114) This manor with other of Hugh's estates
passed to Robert de Ewyas of Ewyas Harold, whose
only daughter and heiress Sybil married Robert de
Tregoz. (fn. 115) Her son Robert succeeded to his mother's
estates in 1236 (fn. 116) and was holding the overlordship of
this manor in the 13th century. (fn. 117) The manor was
still held of the barony of Ewyas in 1428, (fn. 118) but some
rights of overlordship had passed before 1275 to Roger
de Chandos, lord of Snodhill, (fn. 119) of which barony it was
still held in 1413. (fn. 120) In 1411–12 it was said to be
held of Humphrey son and heir of Edmund late Earl
of Stafford as of his manor of Wexcombe (co. Wilts.), (fn. 121)
and in 1413–14 it was held by Sir John Chandos
during the minority of the heir of Edmund. (fn. 122) In
1501 it is again returned as held of the manor of
Wexcombe. (fn. 123)
William was holding this manor of Hugh Lasne
in 1086. (fn. 124) William Drueys was tenant about the
middle of the 13th century (fn. 125) and Stephen Drueys
in 1275–6. (fn. 126) In 1361 Robert de Bilkemore, lord
of Westcourt, was holding two-thirds of a carucate of
John Drueys. (fn. 127) In 1411 John Renet died seised of
this estate, consisting of a messuage and a carucate
of land, which he had held jointly with his wife
Maud of the gift of his mother Parnel. (fn. 128) His son
John succeeded and died while still a minor in 1413,
when his heir was Isabel the wife of John Claymond. (fn. 129) John was holding this manor in 1428, (fn. 130)
and at the same date William Browning was in
possession of an estate here, formerly belonging to
Sir John Lilbone, held of the barony of Ewyas. (fn. 131)
It may have been this property which as a messuage
and carucate of land in Shalbourne and East and
West Bedwyn was conveyed in 1433–4 by Henry
Clerk and his wife Christina to Robert Collingborn
and John Staplehill. (fn. 132) In 1501 Christopher Whiting
died seised of a third of a messuage and land in
Shalbourne held of the manor of Wexcombe, his heir
being his brother John. (fn. 133)
In 1753 Mary Worgan and Elizabeth Worgan,
spinsters, held two third parts of a fifth part of the
manor of Shalbourne, (fn. 134) and a fifth part was held in
1757 by Robert Worgan, clerk. (fn. 135) Thomas Watts
Oburn held a third of a fifth part in 1760. (fn. 136) Elizabeth Worgan held a manor in Shalbourne in 1805,
and sold it in 1826 to Anthony Kingston, who died
in 1854, leaving it by his will to his son Thomas
Kingston, (fn. 137) whose executors sold it in 1902 to the
Marquess of Ailesbury. (fn. 138)
There was a mill in the manor of Shalbourne
Eastcourt worth 10s. in 1086, (fn. 139) two water-mills
belonged to the manor in 1302–3, (fn. 140) and one in
1350. (fn. 141) This mill afterwards descended with the
manor, (fn. 142) and still exists near the church.
There was a mill in the manor of Bagshot in
1086, but no further reference to it has been found.
The present Bagshot Mill is on the northern boundary
of the parish.
A windmill in the manor of Westcourt, worth
10s. in 1330, (fn. 143) was in ruins in 1361, (fn. 144) and is not
again mentioned.
Church
The church of ST. MICHAEL consists of chancel 34 ft. 10 in. by 16 ft.
6 in., nave 55 ft. by 21 ft. 4 in., south
transeptal chapel 18 ft. 9 in. by 15 ft. 6 in., south
aisle 12 ft. wide, south porch, and west tower 10 ft.
square, all these measurements being internal.
The nave is the oldest part of the building, dating
probably from the 12th century. The north and
south doorways are of that period, but it is uncertain
whether the nave was wholly rebuilt in the 13th
century and the doorways of an older structure
re-used or whether two existing lancet windows are
insertions in a 12th-century wall. About 1300 the
chancel was rebuilt in its existing form. The date
of the transeptal chapel is uncertain, as the 16thcentury window in the end wall is probably an
insertion, and the arch which no doubt originally
separated it from the nave has gone. The tower was
added in the 15th century and windows were inserted
in the nave at the same period or later. During the
18th century galleries were erected at the west end
and in the transept and the nave filled with high
square pews. A three-decker pulpit stood against
the south wall. In 1873 the church was very
thoroughly restored, the galleries and other fittings
being removed, the aisle added, a new south porch
erected, and the tower completely rebuilt in a slightly
modified form. (fn. 145) The chapel is now merged into
the aisle at the east end and a modern arcade takes
the place of the old south wall of the nave, the doorway and one of the windows being re-used in the
aisle. The chancel, nave and transept are without
plinths or buttresses and are built of flint rubble with
stone dressings. The chancel is stuccoed and the
roofs are covered with modern red tiles. The aisle
has a straight parapet, and the tower is faced with
coursed squared stones with flintwork intermingled.
The chancel has a pointed east window of three
cinquefoiled lights with moulded jambs and mullions.
Internally the tall cinquefoiled heads of the lights are
carried on slender shafts with moulded capitals and
bases and the containing arch on taller angle shafts
of similar type below a moulded label. The chancel is
further lighted by four pointed windows, two on each
side, of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the
head, and having moulded jambs and mullions. The
priest's doorway is also original and has a continuous
moulded head and jambs and moulded label. The door
is new. The sill of the easternmost window on the
south side forms a sedile, and in the usual position is
a trefoil-headed piscina with floreated bowl and shelf
behind. The chancel roof is modern. There is no
chancel arch, its place being taken by an ornamental
principal supporting a rood erected in 1873. Whether
there was originally a chancel arch is uncertain, but
Parker is probably right in describing it as 'destroyed.' (fn. 146)
The sanctuary has a marble and tile pavement, but the
rest of the floor is flagged. The fittings are modern.
The nave roof is modern. The two lancets on the
north side are near the ends of the wall and are quite
plain in character, the jambs and heads chamfered and
without labels. Between them nearer the east end
is a 15th-century square-headed window of three
cinquefoiled lights. The doorway to the west, now
built up, has a plain semicircular arch of a single
chamfered order springing from hollow imposts. The
nave arcade consists of five pointed arches in the style
of the early 14th century and the transept is lighted in
the end wall by a square-headed window of three
rounded lights. Its east wall is blank. The south
wall of the transept stands about 6 ft. 6 in. in front
of the aisle, the projecting portion being inclosed by
a screen and forming a vestry. The south doorway
has a semicircular arch of two orders with enriched
hood mould, the outer order having the zigzag
moulding on the face, but with plain soffit and springing from angle shafts with scalloped capitals and
moulded bases. The inner order is square and without ornament and springs from a hollow moulded
impost, below which the jambs are square to the
ground. The aisle is lighted by a modern window
to the east of the porch, but that to the west is
apparently of 16th-century date, of three rounded
lights under a square head. The porch is of oak on
a stone base. (fn. 147)
The tower is of three stages marked by stringcourses and terminates with an embattled parapet
and low red-tiled pyramidal roof. There are no buttresses or vice, access to the belfry being by a ladder.
The tower arch is modern. The belfry windows are
square-headed and of two trefoiled lights and the west
window is of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery. (fn. 148)
The font is old and consists of a plain octagonal
stone bowl moulded on the underside and has a
small pyramidal oak cover which preserves traces of
colour. The pulpit and seating are modern and of oak.
Between the windows on the north side of the
chancel is the tomb of Sir Francis Choke, a characteristic piece of Elizabethan work, with a recumbent
effigy below a four-centred canopy, the entablature of
which is supported by Corinthian columns and surmounted by a shield of the quartered arms of Choke
and Coventry with supporters, helm, and mantling. (fn. 149)
There are blank shields also in the spandrels and four
larger ones along the base, two with the arms of Choke
quartering Coventry and two charged with horses'
heads alternately. Above these shields runs the inscription, 'Praye ye al for the sole of Francis Choke desessed
in the yere of oure Lord A. 1562 in the 14 day of
July.' The effigy represents a bearded man in armour
with a chain about his neck, right arm by side and
left on breast. The feet rest on a lion and the head
is supported by a helm. (fn. 150) On the north side of the
chancel is an inscribed armorial floor slab to William
Cliffe (d. 1686) and on the walls are three 18thcentury tablets.
There is a ring of five bells: the third and fourth
bear the date 1664 and the names of the churchwardens of that year; the treble is by Henry Knight
of Reading, 1672; the second by Cor of Aldbourne,
1707, and the tenor by Robert Wells of Aldbourne,
1782. (fn. 151)
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1662–3 with the marker's mark R.S., the paten inscribed, 'Shalburne 1663,' a large paten without
date letter inscribed, 'Gloria Deo in Ecclesiis. Ex
dono Ricardi Smith de Oxenwood Arm. 1727,'
and a modern chalice (1872) and two patens (1870
and 1873) which are used at Bagshot chapel.
The registers begin in 1678. A book of churchwardens' accounts begins in 1787.
Advowson
In 1217–18 Roger de Caus
granted the advowson of the church
here to Richard Abbot of Bec, (fn. 152)
who attached it to the priory of Ogbourne. It was
appropriated (fn. 153) in 1208 to the prebendal stall of
Ogbourne in the cathedral of Salisbury. (fn. 154) The
advowson was held by the priory in 1337–8, (fn. 155) but
later in the 14th century the presentations were
usually made by the king, as the possessions of the
priory were in his hands because of war with France. (fn. 156)
The advowson and rectory passed with those of
Hungerford to John Duke of Bedford, (fn. 157) and afterwards
to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, (fn. 158) who
have since remained in possession.
The chapel of St. Margaret stood formerly beside
the manor-house of Shalbourne Westcourt. It is
first mentioned in 1285 as an appurtenance to that
manor, (fn. 159) with which its advowson descended until
1545–6. It was then sold with some of the land to
Sir Michael Dormer, (fn. 160) but became reunited with
Shalbourne Westcourt when that manor was purchased by Edward Earl of Hertford. It is mentioned
in deeds relating to the manor as late as 1826, and
was pulled down about 1840, when the stones were
used for building the church of East Grafton, Wiltshire. (fn. 161) When the chantries were dissolved in the
time of Edward VI it was stated that 'there are
divers old records which testify the said chapel to be
a parish church.' (fn. 162)
A champel was built at Oxenwood about 1726 by
the owner of the estate; his intention of endowing
it and having it consecrated seems never to have been
carried out. (fn. 163)
There was a chantry of one chaplain at Shalbourne
in 1536, (fn. 164) but the founder's name was not known in
1546. The tithes from a farm called 'Westcote'
formed part of its endowment. (fn. 165)
Charities
The eleemosynary charities include
the charity of Martha Smith, founded
by will, 1715, being an annunity of £6
for distribution of bread on the first Sunday of every
month. The rent-charge is payable in the proportions of £4 17s. 6d. from the Savernake estate and
£1 12s. 6d. from the Fosbury estate;
Thomas Henshaw's charity, deed 12 April 1859,
consisting of an annunity of £5 issuing out of the
manor of West Fosbury, distributed in money;
The parish stock, originally £20, augmented by
accumulations to £40, now in the Hungerford
Savings Bank; and
The poor's allotment, acquired under an inclosure
award, 6 December 1805, consisting of 1 a. 2 r. 36 p.,
situate in East End Field, let for £3 10s. yearly.
The net income together with that of the parish
stock is distributed in small sums among all the poor
inhabitants.
The Educational Charities.—The foundation of
Thomas Kingston, founded by deed 23 January 1,856,
is regulated by a scheme of the Board of Education
30 June 1905, whereby the foundation is divided into
(1) The library branch, consisting of the site
and building formerly used as a schoolhouse, and
£560 15s. 10d. Local Loans 3 per cent. stock, producing £16 16s. 4d. yearly, the library being open to
children attending certain public elementary schools.
The trustees are also empowered to admit adults at a
fee not exceeding 1d. per week.
(2) The exhibition branch, consisting of £875
13s. 11d. like stock, producing £26 5ss. 4d. yearly,
which is made applicable as to £3 yearly in prizes
to children of certain elementary schools for proficiency in religious knowledge; a sum of not less
than £15 or more than £20 yearly in maintenance of
exhibitions tenable at a secondary school or technical
institute, and the surplus (if any) in bursaries.
The sums of stock are held by the official trustees.