ELLESBOROUGH
Ellesborough is an irregularly-shaped parish, lying
on the northern slope of the Chiltern Hills. It contains nearly 3,595 acres. (fn. 1) The highest point is
Combe Hill, which is 852 ft. high, (fn. 2) but in the northern
part of the parish the land lies between 300 ft.
and 400 ft. above the Ordnance datum. In the
hills the land is well-wooded, with 514¼ acres of
woods or plantations. (fn. 3) The park at Chequers Court
contains some fine timber. The subsoil is chalk and
Upper Greensand, the surface variable—chalk and
flint in the uplands and loam in the low-lying district.
The occupation of the inhabitants is entirely agricultural; the proportion of arable land and permanent
pasture is nearly equal, with 1,158 acres of arable and
1,143 of grass. (fn. 4) The main roads in the parish are
the Upper and Lower Icknield Ways. The latter
forms at this part of its course the main road from
Wycombe to Aylesbury, and passes through Terrick
End. The Upper Icknield Way wanders from the
main road, running from Little Kimble Church to
Wendover, through Ellesborough village and the hamlet of Butler's Cross. The parish is well watered by
various streams running northwards; one of these
turns the Ellesborough mill and another passes near
Chalkshire. There are springs to the north of
Ellesborough village, feeding a good-sized pond, used
for water-cress growing. Moats still exist at Grove
Farm, where there is an old dovecote, possibly of the
16th century, Terrick House, at which there are remains of 17th-century work much modernized, and
Nash Lee Farm; there is a also reservoir near Beacon
Hill in the southern part of the parish. Between
Nash Lee and Terrick House the site of a Roman
villa has been discovered, and various British coins (fn. 5)
have been found in the parish. The nearest railway
station is at Little Kimble on the Aylesbury branch
of the Great Western Railway. Wendover station
on the Metropolitan Extension Railway is 2 miles
away. The parish was inclosed by an Act of Parliament (fn. 6) for the inclosure of the three parishes of Great
and Little Kimble and Ellesborough, the award being
dated 2 May 1805.
Manors
Before the Norman Conquest the
township of ELLESBOROUGH was
held in three parts, by Earl Harold,
Baldwin the man of Archbishop Stigand, (fn. 7) and Levenot
the man of King Edward. (fn. 8) The land held by Earl
Harold (fn. 9) was assessed at 13½ hides, and was called a
manor. At the Conquest it was given to Ralph
Talgebosch or Taillebois, but before the Domesday
Survey was made he had exchanged it with Ansculf de
Picquigny for half of Risborough at the king's command, and William Fitz Ansculf was the tenant in
1086. (fn. 10) The latter also held the land of Baldwin,
but had enfeoffed Osbert as his sub-tenant. (fn. 11) Ralph
Paganell became possessed of all the lands of Fitz
Ansculf, (fn. 12) which formed the honour of Dudley or
Newport. He was succeeded by his son Gervase
Paganell, (fn. 13) who paid feudal dues for lands in Buckinghamshire in 1190–1. (fn. 14) Four years later, however, his honour (fn. 15) was in the hands of the king,
but it afterwards passed to Ralph de Someri, (fn. 16) the
son of John de Someri, who had married Hawisia
Paganell. (fn. 17) The Someris held the honour until the
death of John de Someri in 1323, (fn. 18) when his
possessions were divided between his two sisters Margaret and Joan, and Ellesborough was assigned to the
latter, (fn. 19) who was the widow of Thomas Botecourt.
The overlordship appears to have lapsed after the
honour was broken up, and in the 15th century this
part of Ellesborough was held in chief under the
honour or castle of Nottingham. (fn. 20)
In 1086 (fn. 21) Ralph held the manor of ELLESBOROUGH of William Fitz Ansculf, but its descent
in the following century is lost. At the close of the
12th century, however, it was in the hands of
Richard son of William, but he, during the civil wars
of the reign of John, granted it to William
Cauntlow. (fn. 22) A dispute arose between his widow
Geva and William Cauntlow in 1224 (fn. 23) about her
dower. An agreement had previously been made between them, (fn. 24) but in spite of this she brought a claim
for a third part of the manor, which she obtained
by judgement of the king's court. William Cauntlow died in 1239 (fn. 25) and was succeeded by another William Cauntlow, (fn. 26) who held the manor as
mesne lord till his death in 1251. (fn. 27) He had been
the close friend of Henry III, (fn. 28) but this friendship
was not extended to his son and heir William, (fn. 29)
whom the king treated with great harshness. (fn. 30) He
did homage for his lands in the same year, 1251, but
only survived his father a short time. His early
death, which took place in 1254, (fn. 31) was lamented by
the chronicler Matthew Paris, (fn. 32) by whom he was
described as 'juvenis elegans et dives.' His heir was
his son George, who was either two or three years old
at the time of his father's death. (fn. 33) George died just
after reaching his majority, (fn. 34) and Ellesborough passed
to Milicent, the elder (fn. 35) of his two sisters and coheiresses. She had married first Eudo la Zouche, (fn. 36)
and afterwards John de Montalt. (fn. 37) Ellesborough
passed to her son William la Zouche, (fn. 38) and on his
death in 1352 (fn. 39) he was succeeded by his grandson
William la Zouche of Harringworth, (fn. 40) who afterwards
gave the manor of Ellesborough to his second son
Thomas to hold in demesne for life. (fn. 41) The latter died
seised in 1404, and the manor reverted to his nephew
William la Zouche, (fn. 42) the son of his elder brother
William. The reversion, however, had already been
granted by William la Zouche to Henry, Bishop of
Lincoln, and other feoffees in 1402, (fn. 43) and William la
Zouche made a further release of his right in the
manor of Ellesborough to John Toly and William
Glen, clerks, (fn. 44) two of the original feoffees. At his death,
however, in 1416, he was said to have enfeoffed Sir
William de Roos of Hamelake (fn. 45) and others, probably
another set of trustees, of the manor; but only Thomas,
Lord Berkeley, Thomas le Warr, and Robert Isham
survived at that date. (fn. 46) William la Zouche left a
son William, in whose interest the feoffments had
probably been made. In 1430 (fn. 47) the manor appears
to have been held by Thomas Bronus, clerk, Roger
Heron, clerk, Robert Chatheley, John Barton the
younger, and Thomas Compworth, but they then
conveyed it to John Cotesmore, John Cheyne, and
others. (fn. 48) Henry Chicheley, Archbishop of Canterbury, (fn. 49) also released his right in the manor to the new
feoffees. These numerous enfeoffments seem to cover
a transfer of the manor between 1416 and 1430 from
the Zouche family to John Cheyne, who held it in
1432. (fn. 50) Shortly afterwards, however, Cheyne enfeoffed
Thomas Frowyk, (fn. 51) Henry Frowyk, and William
Walton, (fn. 52) who held the court of the manor in 1442. (fn. 53)
Cheyne and his feoffees next released the manor to
John Hampden of Kimble (fn. 54) and Edward Brudenell
on condition that they enfeoffed John Brekenok (fn. 55) on
his payment of a sum of money to Cheyne. Brekenok failed to pay at the appointed date, (fn. 56) and Cheyne
tried to recover the manor from Hampden and
Brudenell, who refused to relinquish it. (fn. 57) Brekenok
probably paid after a time and held the manor till
1458, when he and his wife quitclaimed it to John
Heton, Edward Brudenell and others for £200. (fn. 58)
Who was in actual seisin at this time is very doubtful, but the manor shortly afterwards must have
passed to the Poles, since in 1479 Geoffrey Pole died
seised. (fn. 59) His son Richard, who married Margaret
daughter of the Duke of Clarence, inherited it. (fn. 60)
Their son Henry Pole, Lord Montagu, a minor at
his father's death, (fn. 61) had livery of his lands in 1513, (fn. 62)
but afterwards was attainted and executed, and his
possessions reverted to the Crown in 1539–40. (fn. 63)
Henry VIII sold the manor of Ellesborough to Sir
John Baldwin, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, (fn. 64)
for £623 18s. 5½d. (fn. 65) From him it descended to one
of his two grandsons and heirs, Thomas Pakington,
the son of Ann Baldwin and Robert Pakington. (fn. 66) It
was held by the Pakingtons, his descendants, (fn. 67) until
it was bought in 1770 by Sir John Russell, who held
the manor of Chequers in Ellesborough. (fn. 68) The
Pakingtons claimed the paramount lordship in Ellesborough in the 18th century, (fn. 69) but this claim was
abandoned when a farm in the parish was bought of
the Pakingtons by the Russell family. The manor of
Ellesborough is now held by the trustees of Mr. Frankland-Russell-Astley, who has inherited the estates of
the Russells. (fn. 70)
Cauntlow. Gules three fleurs-delis coming out of leopards' heads reversed or.
Zouche. Gules bezanty and a quarter ermine.
Parkington. Party cheveronwise sable and argent with three pierced molets or in the chief and three sheaves gules in the foot.
Russell. Argent a lion gules and a chief sable with three roses argent therein.
In the 13th century the manor of Ellesborough was
held for a time by a younger branch of the Cauntlows. The first William Cauntlow or his son and
heir, William, apparently subinfeudated Nicholas the
second son, (fn. 71) who was seised in 1254. (fn. 72) William,
the son of Nicholas, succeeded him, but granted
the manor to his mother Eustachia and William
de Ros her second husband for life. (fn. 73) He, however, was re-enfeoffed jointly with his wife Eva
for their lives by Eustachia and her husband, (fn. 74)
and held the manor at his death in 1308. (fn. 75) It
then reverted to his mother and William de Ros
for life. William Cauntlow's heir (fn. 76) was his son
another William, but the latter died childless, so
that Nicholas his brother obtained the manor on its
reversion to the Cauntlows. (fn. 77) Nicholas settled the
manor of Ellesborough on his wife Joan for life, (fn. 78)
with remainder to Nicholas his grandson and son of
William Cauntlow and the heirs of his body. (fn. 79) If
these failed the further remainder was granted to
William brother of Nicholas with the same restrictions. (fn. 80) Nicholas the grandson died without heirs of
his body, (fn. 81) and William obtained seisin of the manor. (fn. 82)
He died in 1376, his father William Cauntlow
being his heir. (fn. 83) The latter seems to have had no
other children besides the two sons who had predeceased him, so that on his death the manor reverted
to the Zouches, as the representatives of the elder
branch of the Cauntlow family. (fn. 84)
William Cauntlow held the view of frankpledge
for his moiety of the parish of Ellesborough, (fn. 85) but in
1254 the origin of his right to do so was unknown. (fn. 86)
Probably, however, Richard son of William who had
granted his father the manor of Ellesborough had also
held the view, and Cauntlow continued to do so
without any definite grant. The view was probably held
by the Zouches, and in the 15th century the feoffees
of Sir John Cheyne held it, (fn. 87) the right afterwards
coming to the Pakingtons in the 17th century. (fn. 88) In
the reign of James I (fn. 89) Edward Brudenell obtained a
grant of a court leet and view of all his tenants in
Stoke Mandeville, Ellesborough, and Little Kimble, to
be held twice a year, but probably the Ellesborough
tenants belonged to his manor of Stoke Mandeville.
APPESLEY alias APSLEY is first mentioned in a
charter of Roger de Hampton, granting 5s. rent to
the abbey of Missenden, which William de la Merse
paid him for land in 'Aspeleia.' (fn. 90) It presumably
belonged to the honour of Dudley, since in 1486–7
it was held of Geoffrey Pole, who then held the
manor of Ellesborough. (fn. 91)
In 1247 (fn. 92) William de Appesley brought an action
against the Abbot of Missenden concerning a free
tenement and rent in Ellesborough.
Another William de Appesley was plaintiff in a fine
for lands and rents in Ellesborough in 1316, (fn. 93) but the
manor of Appesley is not definitely mentioned until
1486–7, on the death of Thomas Temple. (fn. 94) His
heir was his son William, a minor. During the reign
of Henry VIII Francis Temple obtained possession of
the manor probably in succession to William. He was
seised in 1537, (fn. 95) and made various settlements for the
use of himself and his wife Elizabeth and the heirs of
their bodies. After his death (fn. 96) Elizabeth brought
several actions against lessees of the manor and lands
to recover possession. (fn. 97) It seems to have passed to
one John Temple by 1575, (fn. 98) and from him to
Thomas Temple before 1584–5, (fn. 99) since in that year
Thomas, together with his wife Cecily, sold Appesley
Manor to William Sheppard of Great Rollright, co.
Oxon. (fn. 100) It passed on his death in 1625 (fn. 101) to his son
William, whose descendants held the estate (fn. 102) until
1733, (fn. 103) when William Sheppard sold it to William
Ledwell. His son William Bridges Ledwell again
sold the manor of Appesley in 1792 (fn. 104) to Sir Scrope
Bernard, afterwards Sir Scrope Bernard Morland, bart.
At the beginning of the 19th century it had again
been sold to James Humphreys, (fn. 105) but it 1844 it was
obtained by Mr. Edward W. Blanchard. In 1894
Lieut.-Colonel Horwood of Walton Warren, Aylesbury, purchased Appesley Manor Farm, and is the
owner at the present day. (fn. 106)
The reputed manor of MORDAUNTS in the parish
of Ellesborough was held as a sub-manor under the
Cauntlows, and so belonged to the honour of Dudley.
In 1274–5 Lawrence de Brok died seised of 6 marks
rent, which he held of Nicholas Cauntlow. (fn. 107) His
son and heir was Hugh de
Brok, (fn. 108) who held the same
rent in 1284–6. (fn. 109) Hugh
died before 1300, when his
widow Isabel granted away
certain lands and rents in
Ellesborough for the term of
her life. (fn. 110) Another Lawrence de Brok, her son, held
tenements in Ellesborough, (fn. 111)
the rents and services from
which he granted to John de
Bykton for fourteen years,
and in 1309 made a settlement of 100s. rent in Ellesborough on himself
and his wife Ellen. (fn. 112) His lands descended to his
granddaughter Helen, (fn. 113) who married Edmund Mordaunt. (fn. 114) The latter died seised of rents in Ellesborough in 1374, (fn. 115) which were held of William
Cauntlow; he was succeeded by his heir Robert,
then a minor. The Mordaunts presumably held
this rent in Ellesborough uninterruptedly during
the 15th century, and in 1504 or 1505 Sir John
Mordaunt held land in Ellesborough. (fn. 116) He was
raised to the peerage as Baron Mordaunt of Turvey,
and was succeeded by his son and grandson in turn. (fn. 117)
In 1560 (fn. 118) their possessions in Ellesborough were described as the manor of Ellesborough, and this name
was again used when Lewis the third Lord Mordaunt
sold it to William Hawtrey in 1571. (fn. 119) It afterwards
became known as the manor of Mordaunts, and from
the time that it passed to the
Hawtreys was held with the
manor of Chequers (q.v.). (fn. 120)
Brok. Gules a chief argent with a lion passant gules therein.
The first Laurence de Brok
held his rent from Nicholas
Cauntlow by the service of a
clove gillyflower paid annually, (fn. 121) but in 1374 Edward
Mordaunt held it by military
service. (fn. 122)
Mordaunt. Argent a cheveron between three stars sable.
William Fitz Ansculf subinfeudated the 1½ hides of
land in Ellesborough that
Baldwin had held before the
Norman Conquest. (fn. 123) They were held at the time
of the Domesday Survey by Osbert, who also held
the manor of Great Hampden. (fn. 124) This land probably came into the possession of the Hampdens, (fn. 125)
the successors and possibly the descendants of Osbert.
In 1200 (fn. 126) —de Hinton paid 1 mark to the king for a
judgement as to half a knight's fee in 'Esseburg,' which
was apparently given in his favour against Michael
Malherbe and his wife Mabel. Twenty-one years (fn. 127)
afterwards Robert de Pinkeny paid 1 mark for a similar
suit as to 11 virgates of land against Roger de Hampton and his wife Mabel. Roger held land in Ellesborough in 1240–1, (fn. 128) but he had died before 1247,
in which year his widow claimed land there as her
right. (fn. 129) Whether this Roger was any relation to the
main branch of the Hampden family does not appear. He had granted certain land to the first
William Cauntlow in 1228, (fn. 130) and it seems possible
that all the land belonging to the honour of Dudley
became united under the Cauntlows.
The third part of the township was given after the
Conquest to Maigno the Breton, (fn. 131) and was held by
his descendants as half a knight's fee belonging to their
barony of Wolverton. It passed to his descendant
Hamo son of Meinfelin who, in 1166, owed the service of fifteen knights to the king. (fn. 132) Hamo was
succeeded by his son, known as Hamo son of Hamo, (fn. 133)
and the latter confirmed a grant of land in Ellesborough made to Missenden Abbey. (fn. 134) On his death
his son William obtained his possessions, (fn. 135) but taking
part with the barons against King John he forfeited
them for a time. (fn. 136) He made his peace in 1216,
paying a fine to the king, (fn. 137) and held the barony of
Wolverton till his death c. 1248. (fn. 138) In that year
his brother and heir Alan son of Hamo did homage
to the king for his lands, (fn. 139) but in the same year the
new lord of Wolverton died and was succeeded by his
son John son of Alan. (fn. 140) John was the overlord of
this part of Ellesborough in 1254, (fn. 141) and presumably
held it till his death in 1271–2. (fn. 142) It was amongst
the knights' fees assigned on dower to his widow Isabella, who married as her second husband Ralph de
Ardena. (fn. 143) John son of Alan's heir at the time of his
death (fn. 144) was his son Richard a boy five years old, but
he seems to have died before he came of age and the
barony of Wolverton passed to his brother John. (fn. 145)
The family at this time appear to have taken the surname of Wolverton. (fn. 146) This John was a knight in
1318 (fn. 147) and died before 1342. (fn. 148) He was succeeded
by his son John de Wolverton (fn. 149) and grandson Ralph de
Wolverton. (fn. 150) The latter, however, died while still a
minor, and the barony was
divided between his two sisters Margaret and Elizabeth. (fn. 151)
The former was betrothed at
the time of her brother's
death to John le Hunte, and
the overlordship of Ellesborough was assigned to her. (fn. 152)
Her daughter and heiress Joan
succeeded her and married
John Longville. (fn. 153)
inheritance by courtesy after
her death for his life, (fn. 154) and
then it passed to her son and
heir George Longville. (fn. 155) His descendants held her
moiety of the honour of Wolverton until the 17th
century, and in 1636 Sir Henry Longville held the
overlordship of half a knight's fee in Ellesborough
among his other possessions belonging to the manor
of Wolverton. (fn. 156)
Wolverton. Azure an eagle or with a bend gules over all.
In 1254 John son of Alan paid 3s. a year to be
quit of suit to the shire and hundred courts and 2s.
for the right to hold the view of frankpledge for his
tenants at Ellesborough. (fn. 157) No further mention of
this view is made, but probably the lords of the
barony of Wolverton held a view for all the tenants
of their barony.
The land held under the honour of Wolverton
was probably subinfeudated before 1166 and one
moiety of it was afterwards known as SEYTON'S
MANOR or the MANOR OF GROVE. William
Brito held certain land in Ellesborough (fn. 158) shortly
after that date, and may perhaps be identified with
William son of Alan who was then one of the knights
of Hamo son of Meinfelin. (fn. 159) William Brito granted
land to Missenden Abbey in the time of Hamo son
of Hamo. (fn. 160) He seems to have been succeeded by
Alan Brito, possibly his son, who died during the
reign of Richard I. (fn. 161) A lawsuit was held as to his
lands in Ellesborough between his nephew Simon de
Maidwell, apparently his heir, and William de Med
menham, who called to warranty his wife Matilda,
who in her turn called to warranty Henry de Pinkeny; the last-named had, it was alleged, given the
land to Matilda'a father. The result of the suit is
not given, but Simon de Maidwell was one of the
parties to various fines concerning land in Ellesborough at the time, the last being in 1202. (fn. 162) He
also obtained a grant of free warren in his lands there
from Henry III. (fn. 163) He was succeeded by Alan de
Maidwell, probably his son, (fn. 164) who was defendant in
a suit as to land in Ellesborough, and about that time
held a quarter of a knight's fee of the barony of
Wolverton. (fn. 165) He is mentioned for the last time in
1241. (fn. 166) Possibly he left a son Simon, since in 1261
or 1262 Alice daughter of Simon de Maidwell recovered various charters of lands in Ellesborough,
which had been kept by the executor of her father's
will. (fn. 167) She was a minor in
the wardship of Richard de
Seyton of Maidwell, Northamptonshire. (fn. 168) He married
his ward, and her land, which
she held as the heiress of
William Brito, passed to the
Seyton family. (fn. 169) She died
before 1284–6 and was succeeded by her son John de
Seyton. (fn. 170) He was at that
time a minor, and his land was
in the wardship of Anthony
de Bek. (fn. 171) He was holding
it himself in 1302, (fn. 172) but had been succeeded
before 1312 by Nicholas de Seyton. (fn. 173) Nicholas
died in or just before 1316, (fn. 174) and his manor passed
to his son John de Seyton, who held it till his
death. (fn. 175) His son and heir John de Seyton did
homage for his manors to his overlord in 1361–2. (fn. 176)
John made two grants of the manor of Grove to
feoffees, who were presumably trustees for his lands
while he went to the Holy Land. (fn. 177) He died at
Jerusalem in 1396 (fn. 178) and was succeeded by his son
and heir John. The latter held the manor till his
death, which took place about 1436–7. His son
Thomas de Seyton assigned it at that date in dower to
his father's widow Joan, (fn. 179) but in 1446 he granted the
manor of Grove to John Kempe, Cardinal and Archbishop of York, John Stopyngton, Thomas Kempe,
and others. (fn. 180) These grantees in 1459 (fn. 181) conveyed
the manor to Sir Ralph Verney and Robert Whittyngham and others, to the use of Ralph Verney his
heirs and assigns. The Verneys held the manor for
about a hundred years, (fn. 182) John Verney being seised
of the manor in 1530, (fn. 183) and Edmund Verney in
1553. (fn. 184) It changed hands shortly afterwards and
passed to Robert Hewster of Chalford, Oxfordshire,
who in 1564 conveyed it to Nicholas Eggleton. In
1579 the latter complained that his son and heir William had entered into the manor and detained certain
deeds concerning it, but by 1596 Nicholas had recovered seisin. (fn. 185) In 1631 (fn. 186) Christopher Eggleton
was lord of the manor, and in that year settled it on
his son Christopher on the marriage of the latter
with Margaret daughter of Thomas Style. (fn. 187) They
were in seisin in 1654, (fn. 188) and were succeeded by
Thomas Eggleton, whose daughter and heiress Amy
married Sir Lyon Pilkington, bart. (fn. 189) The latter
was seised together with his wife in 1694, (fn. 190) but they
shortly afterwards, or possibly at that date, sold the
manor of Grove. Presumably it passed into the
hands of Alexander Horton 'of the Grove' who died
in 1715–16. (fn. 191) William Horton shortly afterwards
held the manor, (fn. 192) but in 1735 he sold it to John
Bristowe. (fn. 193) Richard Bristowe held it in 1768, but
he or his heir sold it in 1798 to Sir John Russell, and
from that time it has followed the descent of the
manor of Chequers (q.v.). (fn. 194)
Seyton. Gules a bend between six martlets argent.
The manor of CHEQUERS belonged to the halffee in Ellesborough held under the barony of Wolverton, but it is difficult to ascertain whether it was held
immediately from the lords of Wolverton or from the
de Maidwells and Seytons as mesne lords. (fn. 195) The
name of Chequers was probably derived from the
name of the first tenants. Helyas de Scaccario,
or of the Exchequer, appears amongst the witnesses to
two charters, (fn. 196) one of which is dated 1187, to the
abbey of Missenden. Henry de Scaccario was the
plaintiff in several lawsuits in the beginning of the
13th century, (fn. 197) and held a quarter of a knight's fee
in Ellesborough of the barony of Wolverton. (fn. 198)
Henry de Scaccario had a son Ralph, whose
daughter and co-heiress Catherine married William
Hawtrey. (fn. 199) In 1286 lands in Ellesborough were
conveyed by William Hawtrey, jun., to William
Hawtrey, sen., and Katharine his wife. (fn. 200) In 1383
William Hawtrey, and in 1422
Richard Hawtrey, both appear
in charters referring to the
manor of Grove. (fn. 201) In 1350 (fn. 202)
and 1439 (fn. 203) the heir of Henry
de Scaccario held a quarter of
a knight's fee of the barony
of Wolverton, and as late as
1544 Thomas Hawtrey died
seised of the manor of Chequers, with land and tenements in Ellesborough. (fn. 204) His
heir was William his grandson, (fn. 205) son of Thomas Hawtrey and Sibilla daughter
and co-heiress of Richard Hampden of Kimble. (fn. 206)
The son of William Hawtrey died leaving four
daughters, of whom the eldest, Mary, married Sir
Francis Wolley. (fn. 207) She probably inherited the manor
of Chequers, since a settlement of the manor was
made in 1594 (fn. 208) by William Hawtrey and Sir
John Wolley. Mary died without children, (fn. 209) and
the manor passed to her next sister Bridget, the
wife of Sir Henry Croke. (fn. 210) His son Sir Robert
Croke was certified as a delinquent during the
Commonwealth, but he was said to have had no
real property in Ellesborough. (fn. 211) In 1660, however,
he was seised of the manor of Chequers, (fn. 212) and on his
death in 1680 the manor passed to his daughters.
Susan, the eldest, had married Samuel Wall, M.D., (fn. 213)
but neither she nor the third sister Isabella had children, and Mary the second sister obtained the whole
estate of Chequers. (fn. 214) She married John Thurban,
serjeant-at-law, and the manor descended to their
daughter Johanna, (fn. 215) who married first Colonel John
Rivett. Her three sons, of whom the eldest, John
Rivett, was a party to a common recovery in 1759, (fn. 216)
all died leaving no children, and the manor passed to
their sister Mary Johanna, the wife of Colonel Charles
Russell. (fn. 217) Their son Sir John Russell, bart., was seised
of the manor in 1765. (fn. 218) He died in 1783, (fn. 219) and
was succeeded by his two sons John and George in
turn, but both died without direct heirs. On the
death in 1804 of Sir George Russell, who had enlarged
the estates of his family in the parish of Ellesborough
by various purchases, (fn. 220) Chequers passed under the
will of his father to his aunt, Mary Russell, with
remainder to the Rev. John Russell Greenhill. (fn. 221) The
latter was a descendant of Elizabeth, the sister of
Colonel Charles Russell. (fn. 222) The estate, however, was
given up by them to Robert Greenhill, the son of
John Russell Greenhill, who held it in 1813. (fn. 223) He
took the name of Russell in addition to Greenhill,
and was created a baronet in 1831. (fn. 224) On his death
in 1837 Chequers passed to Sir Robert Frankland,
bart., (fn. 225) a distant kinsman of the Russells. He assumed
the name of Russell, by sign manual, and on his death
in 1849 left five daughters as his heiresses. (fn. 226) Chequers
came to the youngest, Rosalind, the wife of Colonel
Astley, (fn. 227) and she took the additional names of Frankland-Russell in 1872. On her death in 1900 she
was succeeded by her son Bertrand Frankland-RussellAstley, who was lord of the manor till his death in
1904. Chequers is now in the hands of the trustees
of his son Henry Frankland-Russell-Astley, a minor.
De Scaccario. Checky argent and azure.
Chequers Court is situated in a small valley in a
position south-south-east of the parish church. The
many small hills by which it is surrounded and the
slopes and spurs of the Chilterns forming the park are
thickly wooded with beech trees, interspersed with
larch, holly, and box.
The present house dates from the end of the 15th
century, but is on the site of an earlier building of
which no traces remain. The 15th-century house
appears to have consisted of a central block with two
projecting wings, the fourth side of the court being
probably formed by a wall. In 1565 the house was
much altered by Sir William Hawtrey, but the present
north and east fronts are apparently a part of the
earlier work, though re-decorated.
The west wing was completely rebuilt by Sir George
Russell towards the end of the 18th century, and the
south front was at the same time much altered, while
both fronts were stuccoed and gothicized in the
approved manner of that date. A small wing with a
clock tower was added, a little later, at the southwest. Considerable alterations were made during the
19th century, and a good deal of oak panelling is
said to have been cleared out. In more recent years,
however, the house has been restored to something
approaching its original form. The gables which had
been battlemented have been restored and the stucco
almost completely cleared off. Mullioned windows
have also been inserted in place of some of the 18thcentury sashes and the court has been covered in to
form a hall.
The library is a large gallery occupying the greater
part of the west wing, and though altered in the 18th
century retains its mullioned windows. Over the
bay window appear the Croke arms. Over the
drawing-room bay, a part of the 16th-century work,
appear the Hawtrey arms and the initials A.H. and
W.H., with the date 1565. The house contains
many pictures of great interest and a large collection
of Cromwellian relics, including some of the Protector's clothes, his sword, jack boots, &c., and several
contemporary portraits.
Church
The church of St. PETER AND ST.
PAUL (fn. 228) consists of a chancel 30 ft. by
18 ft. with south organ chamber and
vestry; a nave 52 ft. by 21 ft. 2 in. with south aisle
9 ft. wide, south porch, and a south-west tower 10 ft.
6 in. square, all measurements being internal.
The whole building seems to be of 15th-century
date, with modern additions and repairs, and has had
its outer surface entirely renewed, so that hardly a
trace of old work shows on the outside.
The situation is an unusually fine one at the top of a
spur of the Chiltern Hills, 500 ft. above the Ordnance
datum and overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury.
The east window of the chancel is completely
modern and of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery
over. The two windows in the north wall of the
chancel are also modern and of late 14th-century
detail, that to the east being of two lights, and that to the
west of three, while in the south wall is a two-light
window like that opposite to it on the north and
the door and arch to the vestry and organ chamber, all
modern and of plain detail. In this wall is a small
15th-century piscina with a shelf and a bracket, the
head of its recess being embattled. The chancel arch
is also much restored, but in the main of 15th-century
date.
The nave is of five bays and is lit on the north by
three large three-light windows with modern tracery
of 15th-century detail in 15th-century openings.
The blocked north door is between the west pair of
windows and is of two moulded orders contemporary
with the rest; it has a trefoiled recess for holy water
to the east. The south arcade is of four bays with
four-centred arches of two moulded orders, octagonal
pillars and capitals, the abaci of the capitals being
slightly concave in plan.
West of the arcade is a single arch to the tower
which is built at the west end of the aisle. The arch
detail is identical with that in the nave arcade, while
the abacus of the west respond of the arcade is continued round the north-east pier of the tower and
runs into the capitals of the tower arches. The west
window of the nave is of three lights like those on
the north and, like them, has modern tracery in a
15th-century opening. The west door externally
is completely modern but the internal reveal and
moulded rear-arch are of 15th-century date.
At the east end of the south wall of the aisle is a
two-light window similar in detail, date, and degree of
restoration to the north windows of the nave, but
somewhat broader in proportion. The south door
opposite the fourth bay of the arcade is continuously
moulded with a double ogee and, externally at least,
is quite modern. West of this is a modern single
cinquefoiled light with tracery over.
The south porch is completely modern and has a
continuously moulded entrance arch of 14th-century
detail, over which are a pair of modern niches
containing figures of St. Peter and St. Paul.
The south-west tower is of three stages with an
embattled parapet and a south-east octagonal turret
staircase, it is of considerable height with belfry
windows of two cinquefoiled lights, single trefoiled lights
in the second stage, and a two-light west window on
the ground stage.
The font has an octagonal 14th-century bowl upon
a modern base and stem. The bowl is moulded
and of ogee profile, its faces being panelled with
flowing tracery in relief. The roofs throughout are
modern.
In a recess in the aisle is a handsome black and
white marble monument to Bridget Croke, 1638.
On a moulded sarcophagus of black marble is the white
marble effigy of a woman in the costume of the period
of Charles I, an extremely well executed and well
preserved piece of work, the various details of the
costume being treated with the utmost care and exactness. Above the effigy is a white marble semicircular
pediment springing from the cornice of a complete
entablature of the composite order, which is supported
on either hand by a free and an engaged black marble
column with white marble bases and capitals. The
soffit of the entablature is panelled, the panels having
alternately cherubs' heads and rosettes in relief. The
inscription is cut on a slate slab let into the white
marble back and has no date. Above is Croke impaling
Hawtrey, between Croke and a lozenge with Hawtrey.
Croke. Gules a fesse between six martlets argent with a crescent sable on the fesse for difference.
Hawtrey. Argent four leopards passant bendways between double cotises sable.
In the north aisle on the wall is a brass with the
figures of Thomas Hawtrey, 1544, Sybil his wife, and
eleven sons and seven daughters, with the Hawtrey
shield, apparently engraved over another coat. Below
is the inscription of another brass to Mary, 'somtyme
the wyfe of Will[ia]m Hawtrey,' who died in 1555. In
the floor of this aisle are slabs to the following: Henry
Croke, 1588, with the Croke arms quartering a fesse
nebuly between three rings; Henry Croke, 1662,
with Croke quartering a shield bearing a chaplet;
Sir Robert Croke, 1680, with Croke bearing the
last quartered shield in pretence, and Susannah
Croke, 1685. In the chancel is also a slab to
Robert Wallis rector, 1666. In the windows of
the organ chamber are preserved a few fragments of
15th and 17th-century glass. There is no woodwork
of any interest in the church, but in the vestry is a
large chest with handsome brass hinges, lock-plate, &c.
of 17th-century date.
The tower contains six bells, the treble cast by
Mears and Stainbank in 1870; the second, third,
fourth, and tenor by Thomas Mears, 1823, and the
fifth by G. Mears, 1863.
The church plate consists of a large covered cup of
1569, of extremely graceful design with a band of
typical Elizabethan ornament. The sacred monogram
and some of the Crucifixion emblems have been
engraved on it at a later date; there are also a plated
flagon and salver.
The first book of the registers contains all entries
between 1603 and 1663. The second book (overlapping the first) contains baptisms from 1659 to 1739;
burials from 1660 to 1739, with burials in woollen
from 1678 and marriages from 1662 to 1739. A
third book contains all entries from 1740, baptisms
and burials running to 1812, and marriages to 1753.
A fourth book contains the marriages and banns from
1754 to 1812.
Advowson
Towards the close of the reign of
Henry II Gervase Paganell, then
lord of Dudley honour, granted to
the priory of Sandwell, in Staffordshire, as much of
the church of Ellesborough as appertained to his
honour. (fn. 229) In 1398 the prior and convent obtained
leave to impropriate their half of the church, (fn. 230) and
on the death or resignation of the rector then holding
the benefice, to serve it by a secular priest or by one
of the monks of Sandwell. In the 15th century a
lease of the advowson and half the rectory (fn. 231) was held
under the priory by Henry Danvers, William Danvers,
and Joan Selwood in turn. (fn. 232) In 1524, however, the
house was dissolved, and no vicarage is mentioned
amongst its possessions, (fn. 233) but only the advowson of
the rectory of Ellesborough and tenements there, and
in 1535 the benefice is described as a rectory. (fn. 234) The
priory of Sandwell was amongst the religious houses
dissolved and granted to Cardinal Wolsey for the
endowment of his new college at Oxford, (fn. 235) and the
advowson and half the rectory of Ellesborough were in
consequence given to Cardinal College. (fn. 236) When
Wolsey fell from the king's favour his foundation was
deprived of many of its possessions; those in Ellesborough passed by an exchange, made in 1531 by
Henry VIII, to the Carthusian Priory of Sheen. (fn. 237)
After the dissolution of Sheen in 1539, (fn. 238) the advowson of the church of Ellesborough was granted to
William Sewster, who, however, very shortly obtained
leave to alienate it to William Gardiner and his wife
Anne. (fn. 239) Gardiner died seised of the advowson in
1558, (fn. 240) but his son and heir John Gardiner sold it to
Roland Beresford. (fn. 241) The advowson changed hands
from this time with great rapidity, passing from
Beresford to Henry Newman in 1599–1600, (fn. 242) and
from Newman to Thomas Weedon in 1620. (fn. 243)
Weedon held it at his death in 1624, (fn. 244) but his
brother and heir William sold it to Robert Wallis,
clerk, ten years later. (fn. 245) His family still held the
advowson in 1725, (fn. 246) but before 1728 it had passed into the possession of Joseph Wells of Aston Clinton. (fn. 247)
He died in 1732, and the advowson passed to his son
the Rev. Joseph Wells, who was still the patron of
the living in 1813. (fn. 248) In the previous year he had
sold the advowson to Sir Robert Greenhill Russell,
presumably reserving to himself the next presentation. (fn. 249) It is now in the hands of the FranklandRussell-Astleys. The moiety of the rectory granted
to the prior of Sandwell by Gervase Paganell was
held with the advowson until the sale of the latter to
Sir Robert Greenhill Russell; Joseph Wells appears
to have retained the rectorial estate in his own hands.
Allotments were made under the Inclosure Act of
1803 for the glebe rights of common and the great
and small tithes. On the death of the Rev. Joseph
Wells in 1818, the allotment passed to his widow,
with remainder to her son Fleetwood Wells. The
lords of the honour of Wolverton probably granted
their half of the church of Ellesborough to their subtenants, with the manor of Grove. William Brito
presented to the church in the reign of Henry II, (fn. 250)
and his heirs Richard de Seyton and his wife Alice
claimed the advowson in 1276 against the Prior of
Sandwell. (fn. 251) The plaintiffs lost their case, not, however, because they had no right to the advowson, but
because their moiety of the church was not vacant at
the time. When Thomas de Seyton granted the
manor of Grove to John, Archbishop of York, and
others in 1446, (fn. 252) the advowson of the church of
Ellesborough was also alienated. (fn. 253) The Verneys were
enfeoffed of the advowson, (fn. 254) but it seems probable
that the right to present to the church of Ellesborough
was not claimed by their successors the Eggletons.
From the 17th century certainly the patrons of the
other moiety alone have presented to the benefice.
Lands in Ellesborough were given for lights in the
church, and they were valued, after the dissolution of
chantries by Edward VI, at 7s. yearly. (fn. 255) There is
a Baptist chapel at Chalkshire, which was built in
1873.
Charities
Dame Elizabeth Dodd's Charity for
almspeople and pensioners, founded by
will bearing date 2 March 1720, and
the subsidiary endowments are regulated by scheme
of the Charity Commissioners of 28 July 1885, as
varied by a scheme of 11 April 1899. The trust
estate consists of 36 a. 1 r. 15 p. in Great Kimble, let
at £75 a year, and 5 acres of pasture land in Aylesbury, let at £16 a year, and £2,456 14s. 2d. India
3 per cent. Stock, with the Official Trustees, the
rents and dividends making a gross income of
£164 14s.
In 1907 the four inmates received 5s. a week and
£2 each in clothing, and 6s. a week was paid to four
out-pensioners.
The Poors' Allotment consists of 45 acres or thereabouts of scrub land allotted to the poor for fuel
on the inclosure. The sporting rights are let at
£10 a year, which is the only income, and is, after
payment of rates, &c., distributed among the nonratepayers. In 1907, 2s. was given to seventy-one
persons.
The charity of Dame Louisa Anne Frankland
Russell founded by will, proved 1871, is regulated
by scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 4 January
1878 as modified by scheme of 3 July 1885. The
trust fund consists of £218 12s. 10d. consols, with
the Official Trustees, producing yearly £5 9s. 4d.,
which is added to the funds of the coal and clothing
clubs, containing in 1907 fifty-nine members.