Cholesbury Manor House
Encyclopedia
Cholesbury Manor House which is close to the centre of Cholesbury
, Buckinghamshire
is where the Lord of the Manor
held his Court periodically between 1599 and 1607. The building dates back to the end of the 16th century. It is a Grade II Listed Building.
at Cholesbury was most probably built towards the end of the 16th century. It is a two storey, Grade II listed building. Originally constructed of wood, it has retained its timber framework but acquired a brick casing in the 18th century. It is suggested by English Heritage
that the original building was much larger than it is today, consisting probably only the cross-wing of a once much larger house.
The house was built on an area previously occupied by a section or rampart which formed part of the ringwork
of Cholesbury Camp
, an Iron Age
hillfort. Also, close by the house and within the boundary of the hillfort is St Lawrences Church.
Today the house still retains much of the original roof structures and timber interior structure, an older thin brick chimney stack at the west end of the building and a much more modern chimney at the east end. Major refurbishment work in 2011 has retained the extant original features and removed or renovated the more modern additions.
or court leet
met infrequently and by 1836 its residual powers had in effect been sequestrated by the Cholesbury Parish vestry
. Census records during the 19th century indicate it was occupied by the David Newton a veteran
royal marine who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar
. In the early part of 20th century it was lived in by Thomas Robinson, the retired miller
of Cholesbury Windmill.
is not recorded in the Domesday Book
and was first recorded in 13th century as Chelwardisbyry. In 1086 it was, most likely, included within the manor of Draitone (Drayton Beauchamp
), which according to the Victoria County History
for Buckinghamshire was under the control of Magno le Breton and was assessed at 6 hide
s, and 3 virgate
s.
Prior to the Conquest the manor which contained the lands known then as Chelwardisbyry had been overseen by Aluric a thane
or servant of King Edward I. The le Breton family stewarded the lands for King William I and those that succeeded him to the Crown of England for almost two hundred years. The manor of Cholesbury was first recorded in a conveyances of 1248 and another in 1251 to Hughle le Breton who was living in Wolverton
. Thomas Perot was keeper of the manor in 1330. His name lives on to this day as Parrott's Farm. The next mention was in 1362 certifying it was in the hands of Mary the Dowager Countess of Norfolk
.
Thomas was the first of several in the Cheyne family who resided nearby at Chenies
and Chesham Bois
and become Lord of the Manor in 1384. In 1541 the manor at Cholesbury was sold to Chief Justice
Baldwin by Robert Cheyne. and was subsequently sold in 1571 by John Baldwin to Robert Maldred Thomas Stile, who was an attorney
of the Court of King's Bench. The ownership of Cholesbury passed via several families including the Hobys and Sayers through marriage between 1666 and 1689 when Mary Sayer married her second husband Loftus Brightwell. John Seare was Lord of the Manor in 1650 and was the first to be at the same time, Lords of both the manor of Cholesbury and the neighbouring manor of Hawridge
. It was passed to Richard Seare in 1712 and until his death in 1714 when his son John took over, selling it in 1748 to Robert Darell. Edward Darell bequeathed the manorship in 1813 to his nephew the Rev. John Jeffreys, Rector
of Barnes
, Surrey. His son the Rev. H. A. Jeffreys the Rector of Hawkhurst
, Kent
inherited it and on his death in 1899 the lordship was bought by Mr. Henry J. Turner, J.P., the first Lord of the Manor to reside within the area for 200 years at Braziers End House. Thw Turner family lived in the village until 1935 when the manor was sold to Malcolm Stewart. Henry Moore took it on after the Second World War in 1948 and it was purchased from him by John Randall in 1953. After his death in 1979 Elma Randall became the first female Lord of the Manor before it was bought by Dennis Smith in 1982. From 1987 the Lordship was held jointly by Michael Smith and Christine Stott, and from 1996 solely by Christine Stott.
Cholesbury
Cholesbury is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, on the border with Hertfordshire. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, about east of Wendover, north of Chesham and from Berkhamsted....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
is where the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
held his Court periodically between 1599 and 1607. The building dates back to the end of the 16th century. It is a Grade II Listed Building.
Description
The Manor HouseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
at Cholesbury was most probably built towards the end of the 16th century. It is a two storey, Grade II listed building. Originally constructed of wood, it has retained its timber framework but acquired a brick casing in the 18th century. It is suggested by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
that the original building was much larger than it is today, consisting probably only the cross-wing of a once much larger house.
The house was built on an area previously occupied by a section or rampart which formed part of the ringwork
Ringwork
A ringwork is a form of fortified defensive structure, usually circular or oval in shape. Ringworks are essentially motte-and-bailey castles minus the motte...
of Cholesbury Camp
Cholesbury Camp
Cholesbury Camp is a large and well-preserved Iron Age hill fort on the northern edge of the village of Cholesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It is roughly oval-shaped, covers an area of , and measures approximately north-east to south-west by north-west to south-east. The interior is a fairly...
, an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hillfort. Also, close by the house and within the boundary of the hillfort is St Lawrences Church.
Today the house still retains much of the original roof structures and timber interior structure, an older thin brick chimney stack at the west end of the building and a much more modern chimney at the east end. Major refurbishment work in 2011 has retained the extant original features and removed or renovated the more modern additions.
Occupants
The building has not been used as a Manor House on a continuous basis since the 17th century. The manor courtManor court
The manor court was the lowest court of law in England . It dealt with matters over which the Lord of the Manor had jurisdiction. Its powers extended only to those living in the manor or who held land at the manor-Basic functions:Each Manor has its own laws listed in a document called the Custamal...
or court leet
Court leet
The court leet was a historical court baron of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts.-History:...
met infrequently and by 1836 its residual powers had in effect been sequestrated by the Cholesbury Parish vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. Census records during the 19th century indicate it was occupied by the David Newton a veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
royal marine who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. In the early part of 20th century it was lived in by Thomas Robinson, the retired miller
Miller
A miller usually refers to a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a cereal crop to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents in other languages around the world...
of Cholesbury Windmill.
Lords of the Manor
The manor of CholesburyCholesbury
Cholesbury is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, on the border with Hertfordshire. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, about east of Wendover, north of Chesham and from Berkhamsted....
is not recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
and was first recorded in 13th century as Chelwardisbyry. In 1086 it was, most likely, included within the manor of Draitone (Drayton Beauchamp
Drayton Beauchamp
Drayton Beauchamp is a village and civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the east of the county, near the border boundary Hertfordshire, about six miles from Aylesbury and two miles from Tring.-History:...
), which according to the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
for Buckinghamshire was under the control of Magno le Breton and was assessed at 6 hide
Hide
Hide or hides may refer to:* Hiding, concealment* Hide , Japanese musician from the band X Japan* Hide , the cured skin of an animal* Hide, pseudonym of Yoshimi, guitarist of the band Funta...
s, and 3 virgate
Virgate
The virgate or yardland was a unit of land area measurement used in medieval England, typically outside the Danelaw, and was held to be the amount of land that a team of two oxen could plough in a single annual season. It was equivalent to a quarter of a hide, so was nominally thirty acres...
s.
Prior to the Conquest the manor which contained the lands known then as Chelwardisbyry had been overseen by Aluric a thane
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
or servant of King Edward I. The le Breton family stewarded the lands for King William I and those that succeeded him to the Crown of England for almost two hundred years. The manor of Cholesbury was first recorded in a conveyances of 1248 and another in 1251 to Hughle le Breton who was living in Wolverton
Wolverton
Wolverton is part of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England.Wolverton may also refer to:Places in England:*Wolverton, Dorset*Wolverton, Kent*Wolverton, Hampshire*Wolverton, Shropshire*Wolverton, WarwickshirePlaces in the United States:...
. Thomas Perot was keeper of the manor in 1330. His name lives on to this day as Parrott's Farm. The next mention was in 1362 certifying it was in the hands of Mary the Dowager Countess of Norfolk
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Lord Marshal of England was the son of Edward I of England and Margaret of France.-Early life:...
.
Thomas was the first of several in the Cheyne family who resided nearby at Chenies
Chenies
Chenies is a village in the very eastern part of south Buckinghamshire, England, near the border with Hertfordshire. It is situated to the east of Chesham and the Chalfonts. Chenies is also a civil parish within Chiltern district....
and Chesham Bois
Chesham Bois
Chesham Bois is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, adjacent to both Amersham and Chesham.-History:...
and become Lord of the Manor in 1384. In 1541 the manor at Cholesbury was sold to Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
Baldwin by Robert Cheyne. and was subsequently sold in 1571 by John Baldwin to Robert Maldred Thomas Stile, who was an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
of the Court of King's Bench. The ownership of Cholesbury passed via several families including the Hobys and Sayers through marriage between 1666 and 1689 when Mary Sayer married her second husband Loftus Brightwell. John Seare was Lord of the Manor in 1650 and was the first to be at the same time, Lords of both the manor of Cholesbury and the neighbouring manor of Hawridge
Hawridge
Hawridge, is a small village in the Chilterns in the county of Buckinghamshire, England and bordering the county boundary with Hertfordshire. It is from Chesham, from both Tring and Berkhamsted....
. It was passed to Richard Seare in 1712 and until his death in 1714 when his son John took over, selling it in 1748 to Robert Darell. Edward Darell bequeathed the manorship in 1813 to his nephew the Rev. John Jeffreys, Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Barnes
Barnes
Barnes is a riverside London suburb in southwest London and in terms of local governance falls under the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is located around west south-west of Charing Cross in a loop of the River Thames, with Hammersmith Bridge at the north end...
, Surrey. His son the Rev. H. A. Jeffreys the Rector of Hawkhurst
Hawkhurst
Hawkhurst is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The parish lies to the south-east of Tunbridge Wells. Hawkhurst itself is virtually two villages...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
inherited it and on his death in 1899 the lordship was bought by Mr. Henry J. Turner, J.P., the first Lord of the Manor to reside within the area for 200 years at Braziers End House. Thw Turner family lived in the village until 1935 when the manor was sold to Malcolm Stewart. Henry Moore took it on after the Second World War in 1948 and it was purchased from him by John Randall in 1953. After his death in 1979 Elma Randall became the first female Lord of the Manor before it was bought by Dennis Smith in 1982. From 1987 the Lordship was held jointly by Michael Smith and Christine Stott, and from 1996 solely by Christine Stott.