WEST or GREAT SHEFFORD
This parish lies on either side of the Lambourn
Valley and contains 2,243 acres, of which 1,853 are
arable, 109 permanent grass and 74 woods and
plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is chalk and the chief crops
are wheat, barley and oats. The village lies by the
river, where the high-road from Newbury to Lambourn crosses that from Hungerford to Wantage.
There are some outlying farms and cottages, and a
hamlet known as Shefford Woodlands where the
highway from Hungerford to Wantage crosses the
road from Newbury to Baydon. The land in the
north is 500 ft. or more above the ordnance datum,
but it falls to less than 400 ft. in the village near the
river, rising again to 600 ft. in the south. The
Lambourn Valley branch of the Great Western railway, opened in 1898, runs across the parish, with a
station in the village. The population is purely
agricultural. The parish was inclosed under an Act
of 1811–12 and the award is dated 7 November
1818. (fn. 2)
The late 16th-century manor-house, now a farm,
stands on the south side of the church, but has been
much modernized. It is a rectangular two-story
brick and flint building, facing east, with red-tiled
roof hipped at the south end. The great hall has
been divided. There is a panelled room in which
Charles I is said to have slept. (fn. 3)
There are Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist
chapels in the village.
On the hill to the south of the village a round
barrow was opened early in the 19th century, when
besides ashes, teeth and fragments of pottery a perforated incense cup was found. (fn. 4)
A hoard of silver coins of the reigns of Elizabeth,
James I and Charles I was found in 1889 under the
stairs in a cottage in the village. (fn. 5)
Manors
The manor of WEST SHEFFORD
was held in alod of King Edward the
Confessor by Uleva, and in 1086 by
Hugh de Port. (fn. 6) From Hugh it passed to his son
Henry, and from him to his son John de Port, lord
of Basing, who was living in 1166. (fn. 7) By his wife
Maud John had a son Adam, who succeeded him. (fn. 8)
By his second wife Mabel granddaughter of Roger de
St. John of Halnaker Adam had a son William de
Port, who took the name of St. John. (fn. 9) He married
Godheld Paynel and was living in 1233, but died a
few years later. His widow married Richard de Lucy,
with whom she held this manor, which formed part
of the barony of Basing. (fn. 10) The manor afterwards
passed to William's son Robert, who received a grant
of free warren here in 1253. (fn. 11) He married Agnes
de Cantlow, and was living in 1256. (fn. 12) His son
John (fn. 13) enfeoffed Sir Richard de Hautot of this
manor in 1274, but reserved the advowson and the
overlordship. (fn. 14) John was succeeded about 1302
by his son John, who married
Isabel daughter of Sir Hugh
de Courtenay and died in
1329. (fn. 15) He appears to have
taken a second wife Alice, for
in 1330 the king granted to
her the advowson in dower, (fn. 16)
but the overlordship passed
to John's son Hugh, who
died in 1337, (fn. 17) leaving by
his wife Mirabel, who survived until 1362, a son Edmund aged four and two
daughters Margaret and Isabel.
Edmund died a minor and
childless in 1347. His heirs were his sisters
Margaret, the wife of John St. Philibert, and
Isabel wife of Lucas Lord Poynings, (fn. 18) and the overlordship of this manor was assigned to Lucas and
Isabel in 1349. (fn. 19) Isabel outlived her husband and
died in 1393, when her son Thomas succeeded. (fn. 20) His
son Sir Hugh Poynings died without male issue
during his father's lifetime in 1426. Sir Thomas
died 7 March 1429 seised of this overlordship, which
passed to his granddaughters, Constance wife of John
Paulet and Alice wife of John Orrell, and to his
great-grandson John son of Thomas Bonville and
Joan, another granddaughter of Thomas. (fn. 21) In 1615
the manor was held of Sir Thomas Parry (fn. 22) as of the
manor of Hampstead Marshall.
St. John. Argent a chief gules with two molets or therein.
As already mentioned Sir John St. John enfeoffed
Sir Richard de Hautot of this manor in 1274, (fn. 23) and
in 1282 it was in the king's hands for Andrew de
Hautot's default in a suit against Henry and Agnes de
la Wyk. (fn. 24) In 1283–4 Andrew was sued for a messuage and 3 carucates of land by Joan de Oakhanger (fn. 25)
daughter of Fulk St. John. (fn. 26) Andrew, however,
settled the manor in 1315–16 on himself and his
wife Isabel. (fn. 27) He was still holding it in 1326, (fn. 28) but
had been succeeded, probably before 1332, (fn. 29) by
Richard de Hautot, who was holding it in 1349. (fn. 30)
From Richard the manor passed to Isabel wife of
Martin de Hertham, sister and heir of Andrew Hautot
of Medestede, who conveyed it in 1353 to William
Overton. (fn. 31) In 1357 the Oakhangers' claim was
renewed by Gilbert de Oakhanger, Joan's grandson,
who stated that his ancestor Fulk St. John had been
unjustly disseised of the manor by Robert St. John.
Gilbert made good his claim against John Ingram
and Walter le Young, (fn. 32) but in 1366–7 Henry de
Aldrynton and his wife Elizabeth, in whose right the
manor seems to have been held, sold it to John
Kentwood. (fn. 33)
Sir John Kentwood died before 1393, when the
manor was held by his widow Alice. (fn. 34) In 1428 it
was held by another John
Kentwood, (fn. 35) who was succeeded by Robert Kentwood.
He died towards the end of
the 15th century, leaving it to
his son John, with successive
remainders to his next son
Nicholas and his daughters
Frideswide and Elizabeth.
John granted it in 1484 for
life to Alexander Cheney and
Florence his wife. (fn. 36) John and
Nicholas both died childless
early in the 16th century,
when Frideswide, with her
husband Richard Fettiplace
and Elizabeth and her husband John Swaffeld, endeavoured to recover the manor from Florence, now
a widow, and Eleanor her daughter, who had married
Richard Norreys. (fn. 37) In 1507 John Swaffeld and
Elizabeth his wife, who had inherited West Shefford
as their share of Robert Kentwood's estates, conveyed
it to Richard and Eleanor Norreys, (fn. 38) who sued
Florence for detaining the title deeds relating to it. (fn. 39)
Kentwood. Argent a bend between threecrosslets fitchy sable with three cinqfoils argent in the bend.
Richard Norreys died before 1525, (fn. 40) when the
manor had passed to his daughter Anne wife of
Richard Bruges or Bridges of Newbury. (fn. 41) Richard
died seised of the site of the manor before 1558, leaving a widow Joan, who must have been his second
wife, and a son Anthony, who succeeded him. (fn. 42)
Anthony settled the manor in 1583 (fn. 43) on himself and
his wife Barbara and his daughter Eleanor, who was
then about to marry Sir George Browne of Wickhambreux, Kent, second son of Anthony Browne Viscount
Montagu. (fn. 44) Anthony Bridges died here in January
1613, his wife Barbara having predeceased him, (fn. 45) and
the manor passed to Eleanor and Sir George Browne.
The latter died in 1614,
when his son George succeeded. (fn. 46)
George Browne being a
Roman Catholic forfeited twothirds of the manor as a
recusant in 1627, and in 1637
obtained from the Crown a
lease of this part for forty-one
years. (fn. 47) He died in February
1664, when his son George
succeeded. (fn. 48) George had been
knighted in 1660 and became
K.B. in 1661. (fn. 49) He died in
1678 (fn. 50) and was buried in the
church here. He left two
daughters, Winifred married to Basil Brooke of
Madeley, Shropshire, and Helen the wife of Henry
Fermor of Tusmore, Oxfordshire. (fn. 51) On the death of
Sir George this manor seems to have passed to his
brother Sir John Browne of Caversham, who was
created a baronet 10 May 1665 (fn. 52) and died about
1680. His son Sir Anthony Browne, with his cousins
Winifred Brooke and Helen Fermor, was dealing
with it in 1688. (fn. 53) Sir Anthony died unmarried in
December 1688 and was succeeded by his brother
Sir John Browne of Caversham, who died childless
in 1692 (fn. 54) ; this manor then passed with the title to
the third brother George, who sold it in 1714 to
Sir William Trumbull. (fn. 55)
Browne. Sable three lions passant bendwise between double cotises argent.
Sir William Trumbull of Easthampstead, Secretary
of State in the time of King William III, was succeeded in 1716 by his son William, (fn. 56) who died in
1760, (fn. 57) leaving an only daughter Mary wife of the
Hon. Martin Sandys, fourth son of Samuel Lord
Sandys. Their daughter and heiress Mary, wife of
Arthur Hill, second Marquess of Downshire, was
created Baroness Sandys in 1802 and died in 1836. (fn. 58)
Her eldest son Arthur Blundel Sandys Trumbull
Hill, third Marquess of Downshire, seems to have
succeeded to West Shefford before her death, as he
was holding it in 1810, (fn. 59) and it has since descended
with the title. (fn. 60)
Arthur Wills John Wellington Blundell Trumbull
Hill, sixth Marquess of Downshire, sold by auction
all the lands here a few years ago, but the manorial
rights were reserved.
Adam de Port gave 10 librates of land in Shefford,
afterwards known as the manor of COLDRIDGE
(Colrigge, xiii cent.; Colrugge, xiv, xv cent.), to
John Marshal on his marriage with Adam's daughter
Joan. She afterwards married Richard de Rivers of
East Mersea (co. Essex), and in 1205–6 some disagreement seems to have taken place between Adam
and Richard as to this estate. An arrangement was
made by which certain tenants at Shefford were
assigned to Richard, and Adam agreed that these
tenants should have common pasture at Ildelande. (fn. 61)
Richard was succeeded about 1228 by his son
William, (fn. 62) who married Eleanor daughter of Fulk
Fitz Warin (fn. 63) and died in 1276. (fn. 64) His son and
successor John de Rivers died in 1277 seised of the
manor of Coldridge, within the manor of Shefford,
held of John St. John. He left a widow Mabel
and a son William, then aged three years. (fn. 65) The
custody of the manor was granted in 1278 to John
St. John, (fn. 66) the overlord. William was succeeded
before 1303 by Richard de Rivers, (fn. 67) who was holding this manor in 1323–4 (fn. 68) and died about 1332,
when the king ordered his escheator to restore to
Alice, Richard's widow, the issues from Coldridge,
which was then held of Richard de Hautot by the
service of a pair of gilt spurs. (fn. 69) Their son Robert de
Rivers (fn. 70) presumably succeeded his mother. The
manor had passed before 1346 with that of East
Mersea to Richard le Hurde, who held it of the
inheritance of his wife. (fn. 71) In 1428 it was in the hands
of John Kentwood, (fn. 72) who was holding the manor of
West Shefford, with which Coldridge afterwards seems
to have become merged.
Trumbull. Argent three bulls' heads razed sable and breathing fire.
Hill, Marquess of Downshire. Sable a fesse argent between three spotted pards or with three scallops gules upon the fesse.
Five hides of land in this parish were granted in
the time of Henry I to the priory of Sherborne in
Hampshire by Hawise wife of Henry de Port, the
founder of the priory, and were confirmed to it by
her son John. (fn. 73) The priory held these lands (fn. 74) until
1462, when Edward IV granted it and its endowments to the hospital of St. Julian in Southampton. (fn. 75)
Eleven years later it was granted to Eton College. (fn. 76)
The priory was afterwards restored to the hospital at
Southampton, which had been granted in 1347 by
King Edward III and Philippa his consort to the
Provost and Fellows of Queen's College, Oxford, (fn. 77) to
whom these lands still belong.
A mill worth 10s. is mentioned in the Domesday
Survey, (fn. 78) but there is no further reference to it until
1615, when two water-mills are mentioned. (fn. 79) A
mill belonged to the manor from the 17th to the
19th century. (fn. 80)
Church
The church of ST. MARY consists of
chancel and nave under one continuous
modern roof, south porch, and circular
west tower with octagonal belfry stage.
With the exception of the porch and an organ
chamber on the north side of the nave at the east
end erected in 1870, the building dates from c. 1200.
A new window was introduced in the south wall of
the chancel in the 14th century, and in the 15th
century the present east window and two on the
south side of the nave were inserted. The upper
stage of the tower is also of 15th-century date.
Internally the church is 80 ft. in length by
18 ft. 10 in. wide and the tower is 14 ft. 6 in. in
diameter. There is no chancel arch, and no trace of
one was found during the restoration of 1870, but a
narrow rood-loft staircase was then discovered within
a buttress-like projection on the north wall, with
lower and upper openings. It was, however, in so
dilapidated a state that it was taken down and the
organ chamber erected over the position it occupied. (fn. 81)
The building, which is constructed throughout of
flint rubble with stone dressings, was stripped of its
external covering of stucco in 1870, and the roof is
covered with modern red tiles overhanging at the
eaves. Internally the walls are plastered.
The chancel is 26 ft. in length and had originally
three lancets on each side and two (fn. 82) (or a triplet) at
the east end. Of these all three remain on the north
side and two on the south, the easternmost being
moulded all round externally. The east window is a
tall pointed opening of four cinquefoiled lights with
transom and perpendicular tracery, and in the gable
above is an original circular opening. The outer
jambs of two original lancets remain, 6 ft. from the
angles of the building, with a portion of the sills,
which were at a slightly lower level than that of the
existing window. The 14th-century window which
replaces the westernmost window on the south side
is pointed and of three cinquefoiled lights, with a
chamfered rear arch dying into the wall at the springing. The chancel roof is of three bays plastered
between the rafters. Its pitch has been slightly
reduced by heightening the side walls. The only
division between the chancel and nave is a modern
low stone wall. The reredos was erected in 1912 in
memory of Mary Waldron, and has five panels
painted by Byam Shaw.
At the east end of the nave in the usual position
on the south side is a plain pointed piscina recess with
bowl in the thickness of the wall and stone shelf above.
The south doorway is a good example of transitional
work with pointed arch of two orders, the inner with
a plain chamfer continued down the jambs to the
ground and the outer with zigzag ornament and plain
soffit springing from quirked and chamfered imposts
carried on angle shafts with carved capitals and
moulded bases. The capitals have grotesque heads
with pointed ears and the nose at the angle, (fn. 83) and on
the east jamb of the doorway are two small votive
crosses. The north doorway, which is now built up,
has a pointed arch of two chamfered orders, the outer
springing from hollow-moulded imposts returned at
each end as a label. Both doorways have segmental
rear arches. The nave is lighted on the north side
by two (fn. 84) plain lancets similar to those of the chancel,
one on either side of the doorway, and on the south
side by two square-headed windows, similarly placed,
each of three cinquefoiled lights with moulded jambs.
A 15th-century canopied niche in the north wall to
the east of the doorway is apparently not in its
original position. It now contains a modern figure
of the Good Shepherd. A gallery at the west end
was taken down in 1870.
The tower is of three stages, the two lower circular
in plan and the upper octagonal belfry stage finishing
with a leaded roof behind an embattled ashlar
parapet. The lower stage has a lancet window
facing west and the middle stage three similar
windows to north, west and south, all these openings
being original or restored. The belfry has a pointed
window of two cinquefoiled lights with hood mould
on each of the four cardinal sides, and the pointed
tower arch is of three chamfered orders, the inner
springing from corbels. The upper member of the
corbels is continued as a chamfered impost and is
carried up on either side as a hood mould. (fn. 85) Access
to the ringing chamber is by a modern circular iron
staircase.
The font (fn. 86) stands on a modern moulded stone base
and two stone steps below the tower, and consists
of a circular bowl carved over its whole surface with
three horizontal bands of ornament, the middle one of
flowing pattern, and is probably of transitional date.
The pulpit and all the fittings are modern.
There is no ancient glass, but in 1759 it was
stated that the east window and the three later
windows on the south side bore inscriptions on the
glass to the effect that it was erected by Reginald
Kentwood. (fn. 87)
In the chancel is a monument to Sir George
Browne, kt. (d. 1678), with the arms of Browne
quartering Montagu, and flat gravestones, now placed
against the wall, to Eliner Browne (d. 1662), Henry
Browne (d. 1668), Mary Wadman (d. 1687), (fn. 88) John
Yeat, an infant (d. 1688). There is also a blue
stone slab with arms, helm, crest and mantling to
Charles Hall, gent. (d. 1738), and Margaret his wife
(d. 1740), and several early 19th-century tablets,
including one to the Rev. William Wilson, rector
(d. 1818).
The tower contains a ring of six bells, the oldest
of which is dated 1662. Two others of the same
date were recast in 1870, when the sixth was added.
Of the remaining two, one was cast by John and
Robert Cor of Aldbourne in 1735, and the other
by Robert Wells of Aldbourne, but is without date. (fn. 89)
The plate consists of a cup of 1730 with floral
band below the rim, a paten of 1728 inscribed, 'Lady
Judith Trumbell An. Do. 1728. D.D.,' and a flagon
of 1815. There is also a pewter tazza formerly used
as a paten, in the centre of which is the rudely
drawn print of a man in armour on horseback with
the marginal legend, 'What have we that we have
not received of the Lord 1616.' The outer border
is formed of a band of shields with an inner and
outer edging of beaded circles. The shields, sixteen
in number, bear various coats of arms, including those
of England, Scotland, Ireland, France and the city of
London. The bowl also bears the inscription, 'The
gift of Thomas Harvye in An° D° 1621 March 31.'
There are no pewterer's marks. (fn. 90)
The registers begin in 1570, but are not regularly
kept till 1612. (fn. 91)
The churchyard is approached from the high road
by an avenue of lime trees and is entered at the east
end. It contains a yew tree and the base and shaft
of a cross found in 1870, upon which a modern
cross-head has been set. The shaft is 6 ft. 3 in. in
height and octagonal in section and the base has
carved heads at the four angles.
Advowson
The advowson of West Shefford
was retained by Sir John St. John
when he enfeoffed Sir Richard de
Hautot of the manor in 1274, (fn. 92) and it descended
with the overlordship, (fn. 93) passing in 1349 after the
death of Edmund St. John to John St. Philibert
and Margaret his wife. (fn. 94) It had, however, passed
before 1507 into the hands of the lords of the
manor, (fn. 95) and descended with the manor (fn. 96) until
1707, when Sir George Browne sold it to Samuel
Linton, (fn. 97) the rector. His son presented it in 1736
to Brasenose College, Oxford, (fn. 98) in which the patronage
is now vested.
Charities
It was recorded on the church
benefaction table that Mary Linton
gave £20, Mary Forster £20, Gabriel
Fulbrooke £5 and John Fulbrooke £5 for the poor.
In 1812 John Fulbrooke by his will bequeathed
£100 for the poor and in 1826 Anthony Barrett by
his will bequeathed £100 for the poor.
These gifts are now represented by £277 15s. 6d.
consols with the official trustees, producing £6 18s. 8d.
yearly, which is distributed in money at Whitsuntide
to about fifty recipients.