HALTON
The parish of Halton lies on the northern slopes
of the Chiltern Hills, and comprises 1,455¾ acres. (fn. 1) It
is well wooded, particularly on the higher and southern
parts, about four-sevenths of the total area being
woodland. The highest point, about 800 ft. above
the Ordnance datum, is in Halton Wood, but in the
northern part of the parish the land lies for the most
part between 300 ft. and 400 ft. above the Ordnance
datum. The Wendover branch of the Grand Junction Canal crosses the parish near the village of Halton,
but there are no natural streams of any size in the
parish. The most important road passing through
the parish is the Upper Icknield Way. The village
lies on a cross road running between the Upper and
Lower Icknield Ways, joining the latter near Weston
Turville village. The nearest station is at Wendover,
2 miles distant, on the Metropolitan Extension Railway. The people are mainly occupied in agriculture,
There are gas-works on the Grand Junction Canal.
The principal building in the parish is the great
modern house of Mr. Alfred de Rothschild.
Manor
The manor of HALTON seems to have
been in the possession of the monastery
of Christchurch, Canterbury, in the latter
part of the 10th century. A tradition names Queen
Edith (fn. 2) as the first donor of the
manor in 959, but there seems
to be no documentary evidence
of such a grant. Possibly it
came into the hands of the
monastery at the same time
as Monks Risborough, (fn. 3) which
certainly belonged to Christchurch before 995. (fn. 4) There
are charters concerning land in
Halton of Archbishop Æthelnoth about 1033, (fn. 5) and Archbishop Eadsige between 1045
and 1052. (fn. 6) Both were dated
from Monks Risborough and
related to the gift of land at Halton by one Tobriges, who gave it after his death to Christchurch. In the time of Edward the Confessor the
manor came into the possession of Earl Leofwine, (fn. 7)
who probably had no right to it, for the family of
Godwine were accused of despoiling the church of
its lands. (fn. 8) Archbishop Lanfranc apparently held the
manor after the Norman Conquest, (fn. 9) but there was
no distinction made at that time between the lands
of the archbishop and the lands of the monastery. The
restitution of Halton was probably obtained before
1074, and as the king gave it without demanding any
price, the claim of the monastery must have been strong. (fn. 10)
In the division of the lands between the archbishop
and the monks (fn. 11) under Lanfranc, Halton went to the
monastery, (fn. 12) and the prior held the manor in chief
of the king in frankalmoign until the Dissolution, (fn. 13)
when it was worth £21 14s. 4½d. a year. (fn. 14) In
1541 Henry VIII granted it to the newly-formed
Chapter of Canterbury (fn. 15) in frankalmoign, but four
years later they were forced to make an exchange
of lands with the king, (fn. 16) and it was sold to Henry
Bradshawe (fn. 17) to hold as one-fortieth of a knight's fee
for 800 marks. He probably belonged to the family
of Bradshawe of Wendover. There is a brass in
Wendover Church to William
Bradshawe, who died in 1537,
giving a list of his nine children and twenty-three grandchildren, and it is possible
that Henry Bradshawe was
his eldest son. Henry was a
member of the Inner Temple,
and served as reader, treasurer,
and governor of the society. (fn. 18)
He became solicitor-general
in 1540, (fn. 19) attorney-general
five years later, (fn. 20) and in 1552
Chief Baron of the Exchequer. (fn. 21) Very little is known about him beyond
the outlines of his career. He was Chief Baron till
the end of the reign of Edward VI, and witnessed
that king's will in favour of Lady Jane Grey. He
died a few weeks after the accession of Mary in 1553,
and so escaped removal from his office or further disgrace. According to his will the manor passed to his
widow Joan during the minority of his heir, (fn. 22) and
she was in seisin in 1562. (fn. 23) His heir was his son
Benedict, (fn. 24) who was a minor at the time of his
father's death. He only survived him a few months, (fn. 25)
and the reversion of the manor passed to his two
sisters, Christiane the wife of Thomas Winchcombe,
and Bridget the wife of Henry White. Christiane
died in 1557, (fn. 26) and her husband came into possession
of her moiety of the manor and held it till his death
in 1574, (fn. 27) when her son Benedict Winchcombe (fn. 28)
succeeded him. Benedict Winchcombe had however
quitclaimed the manor in his father's lifetime (fn. 29) to his
aunt Bridget, Benedict Bradshawe's other co-heiress, and
her second husband Thomas son of Richard Fermor, a
merchant of the Staple of Calais, who settled at Easton
Neston (Northants). (fn. 30) Thomas, though a younger
son, inherited the estate of his uncle at Summertown
and Tusmore, Oxon, besides holding the greater
part of the Bradshawe estates. (fn. 31) He represented the
borough of Wycombe in 1562–3, (fn. 32) but does not
seem to have been a member in later Parliaments.
He died before his wife, (fn. 33) and at her death the manor
of Halton passed to their son and heir Richard, (fn. 34) a child
of three. After attaining his majority, he settled the
manor in 1598 upon Sir Francis Wolley and his
wife Mary, (fn. 35) with contingent
remainder to Lady Elizabeth
Egerton, the mother of Sir
Francis. On the death of Sir
Francis in 1601 (fn. 36) Halton reverted to Sir Richard Fermor,
who was holding it in 1641. (fn. 37)
Henry Fermor, presumably the
son and heir of Sir Richard,
was a papist, (fn. 38) and had to
compound in 1647 for £556
for his reversionary estate in
Halton. A settlement was
made of the manor in 1656 (fn. 39)
between Henry Fermor and
a younger Richard, presumably his son and heir, and in 1671 Henry Fermor
bought from Lord Hawley and other trustees for the
sale of rents belonging to the Crown the fee-farm
rent (fn. 40) of 40s. 7½d. due from the manor of Halton.
Richard Fermor succeeded Henry before 1678, in
which year he leased the manor for ninety-nine years, (fn. 41)
probably in mortgage, to Sir Thomas Crewe, Edmund
Verney, Ralph Sheldon, Basil Drake, and Ambrose
Holbech, for whom presumably the last-named acted,
as his name appears in a settlement of the manor
made in 1684, (fn. 42) and he presented to the rectory,
which was leased at the same time. (fn. 43)
Christchurch, Canterbury. Azure a cross argent with the sacred monogram [I X] sable upon the cross.
Bradshawe. Azure two bars gules between nine leopards or.
Fermor. Bendy of eight pieces or and gules and a chief argent with three fleurs de lis azure therein.
Halton passed to Henry Fermor before 1684, (fn. 44)
and to his son James before 1719. (fn. 45) In the next
year James Fermor (fn. 46) sold the manor with its appurtenances and a water-mill to Francis Dashwood,
afterwards Sir Francis Dashwood, bart., whose descendants held it for more than a hundred years, (fn. 47)
and his grandson, Sir John Dashwood King, lived
at Halton Manor House, (fn. 48) but after his death it
was unoccupied for some time. The manor was
sold either by his executors or by his son George
Dashwood in 1851 (fn. 49) to Baron Lionel de Rothschild,
and Mr. Alfred de Rothschild is the present lord of
the manor.
The prior and convent of Christchurch obtained
a grant of free warren in their demesne lands in
Halton from King Edward II in 1316, (fn. 50) and the
grant was afterwards confirmed by Edward III (fn. 51) and
Henry VI. (fn. 52) In the latter charter, reference is made
to a charter of Henry II, granting warren in the lands
of the church of Holy Trinity, Canterbury, in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, (fn. 53) so that the monks of
Christchurch had presumably exercised the privilege
long before the grant of Edward II. The prior also
claimed to hold the view of frankpledge in Halton, (fn. 54)
and to have waifs and the chattels of felons and fugitives, and was quit of suit to the shire and hundred
courts for himself and his men. (fn. 55) When his privileges were challenged by Edward I he quoted a
charter of William the Conqueror (fn. 56) to Archbishop
Anselm with a long list of ancient privileges. He
also claimed to have his own gallows, tumbril, and
pillory, but it was said that neither tumbril or pillory
existed at Halton. (fn. 57) No privileges are mentioned in
the grant to Henry Bradshawe, nor in documents
relating to the Fermors. In 1786, however, George
Dashwood claimed certain general privileges in the
manor, (fn. 58) and presumably both the Fermors and Dashwoods held the view of frankpledge.
A piece of land in Halton appears to have been parcel
of the honour of Gloucester in the 14th and 15th
centuries. Presumably it had formed part of the lands
of Walter Giffard, Earl of Buckingham, (fn. 59) many of
which descended to the Earls of Gloucester, and from
them to the Earls of Stafford, who were overlords of a
knight's fee, or part of a fee, in Halton in the 14th
century. In 1386 (fn. 60) John Hampden was the tenant
of this land, and may presumably be identified with
the John Hampden who inherited Upton Manor in
Great Kimble in 1377. (fn. 61) His heir is mentioned
in 1460, (fn. 62) but this land in Halton is not again
referred to.
Church
The church of ST. MICHAEL is a
completely modern structure consisting
of a shallow chancel, a nave of four
bays with north and south aisles, and a western tower.
It was built in 1813 and is faced with Heath stone,
and designed in a poor adaptation of 13th-century
style. The nave is separated from the aisles by
arcades of four bays with pointed arches and columns
with foliate capitals. The windows are either lancets
or have simple tracery. The tower is a small one of
three stages with an embattled parapet, and contains a
stair to a small gallery, projected through the tower
arch, which serves as an organ loft. The seating,
fittings, woodwork, &c., are all modern, except the
font, which is of late 18th-century date. It is constructed of white marble inlaid with coloured
marbles, and has a small square bowl, ornamented
with grotesques, which is supported upon a twisted stem.
The only trace remaining of the old church, which
occupied about the same site, is some stone curbing
laid down to the east of the present church, marking
the lines of the old chancel.
In the sanctuary, affixed to the north wall, is a
brass, removed from the old church, with the figures
of a man in armour, his wife, four sons, and four
daughters. The inscription runs: 'Orate p[ro] aīab[us]
henrici Bradschawe Armig'i capit[a]lis baron sc[ac]c[ar]ii d[omi]ni
Regis & Johane uxoris eius qui quidem henric' obiit
xxvij° die julie a° d[omi]ni mvciij A° Regni vii° Reg. E viti cui'
a[nima]e p[ro]piciet de[us].' On another plate is a shield of
arms: Two bends and a chief with a fleur de lis
between two roses dimidiated, quartering quarterly I
and 4, Party bendwise a crosslet, 2 and 3, On a cross
five lozenges, the whole impaling a trellis. This is
perhaps a memorial of a Fermor marriage.
The tower contains four bells, cast by John Briant
of Hertford in 1814.
The church plate comprises a covered cup of 1569,
the foot of which was remade in the 17th century;
an unmarked standing paten and a salver of 18th-century date and a ewer of 1830.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
from 1663 to 1728, marriages from 1607 to 1724,
with a gap between 1639 and 1654, and burials
from 1606 to 1773, with notes of affidavits of burials
in woollen from 1678. The second book contains
baptisms from 1729 to 1757, marriages from 1744
to 1757 with a gap between 1751 and 1754, after
which date the entries are in the form of the 1754
printed book, and burials between 1729 to 1770.
The third book contains marriages with banns between
1760 and 1812; and the fourth baptisms from 1763,
and burials from 1783, both running to 1812.
Advowson
The church of Halton, like that
of Monks Risborough, belonged to
the deanery of Risborough, in the
exempt jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (fn. 63)
The exempt jurisdiction was abolished in 1841, (fn. 64) and
Halton, like Monks Risborough, is now in the diocese
of Oxford. The church of Halton presumably came
into the possession of the monastery of Christchurch,
Canterbury, as early as the manor, but it is not definitely mentioned till the 13th century. After the
separation of the monastic and episcopal possessions it
passed to the archbishops, (fn. 65) who held the advowson of
the church until the reign of Henry VIII. (fn. 66) Archbishop Cranmer surrendered it (fn. 67) with the ratification
of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury to the king,
and Henry VIII granted it in 1565–6 (fn. 68) to Sir
Edward North and his wife Alice. Edward VI appears to have made reparation for the loss of the
advowson of Halton Rectory to the Archbishop of
Canterbury, (fn. 69) but it was itself never recovered. Sir
Edward North sold it in 1548–9 (fn. 70) to Henry Bradshawe, and from him it passed to the Fermors. In
1667 the advowson was quitclaimed by Henry and
Richard Fermor to Henry and Francis Harris and the
heirs of Henry, (fn. 71) and the latter probably presented in
1678. John Harris was the new rector, and in a list
of rectors (fn. 72) he is said to have been presented by
Francis Harris, and admitted by Archbishop Sancroft,
but owing presumably to some confusion the archbishop is said elsewhere to have collated to the rectory
himself in that year. (fn. 73) The right to present to the
rectory passed for the next time to William Wilmer,
who exercised his right in 1685. (fn. 74) Some years previously, however, in 1678, (fn. 75) Richard Fermor had
granted a lease of the advowson for 99 years, and the
lessee, Ambrose Holbech, presented to the rectory
twice in 1691. (fn. 76) The Fermors recovered possession
of the advowson before 1719, (fn. 77) and it was sold with
the manor to Sir Francis Dashwood, (fn. 78) and has since
then been in the possession of the lord of the manor, (fn. 79)
Mr. Alfred de Rothschild being the present patron of
the living. The rectors of Halton do not seem to
have been in any way distinguished like many of the
clergy in Buckinghamshire. Two of them indeed
seem to have had an unenviable reputation. In 1318 (fn. 80)
Philip de Walton was accused with several others of
theft at Hulcott, and in the 17th century John
Latimer obtained a grant of pardon (fn. 81) for the manslaughter of 'Christopher Harper, his servant, who
was hurt through his passionate and indiscreet correction, but lived 9 months after.'
Charities
In 1553, as appears from a Decree
of Commissioners for Charitable Uses,
1630, Mrs. Alix Bradshawe in her will
gave out of her lands in Edlesborough and Dagnall
20s. a year, of which 6s. 8d. was for the poor of
Halton. See under Wendover. The annuity is paid
by Earl Brownlow.
The poor of this parish are entitled to a moiety of
the income of Mrs. Joan Pradshaw's Charity in Wendover. In 1906 the sum of £16 12s. 6d. was received
as the half share of the George Inn, Wendover.
Widow Turpin's Charity consisted of a rent-charge
of 18s. payable out of a close called Turpin's Spring,
in this parish, which is distributed in bread at the
church porch on St. Thomas's Day. An annuity of £1
is paid by Mr. A. C. de Rothschild.
Edmund Lambert, M.D., by will dated 1st October 1866, administration of which was granted
5 February 1878, left a sum of ordinary stock of the
Great Western Railway, now represented by £100
like stock, the dividends to be applied for the benefit
of the poor. The stock, together with a sum of
11s. 4d. consols, is held by the Official Trustees, producing in 1907 £5 7s. 6d.
The incomes of these charities are administered together. In 1906 £18 was distributed in money, £5
in blankets, and £1 in bread.