Hedsor
Encyclopedia
Hedsor is a small village and civil parish in Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire
, England, in the very south of the county, near the River Thames
and Bourne End
.
The village toponym
is derived from the Old English for "Hædde's cliff", referring to the position of the village on a cliff overlooking the Thames.
Hedsor House
was the ancient seat of the de Hedsor family, who took their name from the village. They owned it at the time of the Domesday Book
in 1086. The modern manor house
was built in 1778, and stands on a hill in the village with a commanding view of the Thames and of Berkshire
.
In 1583 Roland Hynd built a new Tudor
manor house at Hedsor which was badly damaged by fire in 1795 and eventually demolished in 1865. At about this time the fourth Lord Boston commissioned the architect James Knowles to design a new house at Hedsor. Hedsor House
remained as the Boston family's country house
until early in the 20th century, during which time Queen Victoria
was said to be a frequent visitor to house and its beautiful surrounding parkland.
Roland Hynd had the Church of England parish church
of Saint Nicholas
"re-edified" in 1608.
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....
, England, in the very south of the county, near the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and Bourne End
Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
Bourne End is a village predominantly in the parish of Wooburn and Bourne End, but also in the parish of Little Marlow, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated close to the border with Berkshire, near where the River Wye meets the River Thames...
.
The village toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
is derived from the Old English for "Hædde's cliff", referring to the position of the village on a cliff overlooking the Thames.
Hedsor House
Hedsor House
Hedsor House is a Georgian style mansion in England in the southern most point of Buckinghamshire in the village of Hedsor, Taplow. Perched overlooking the River Thames, a Manor house at Hedsor can be dated back to 1166 when the estate was owned by the de Hedsor Family...
was the ancient seat of the de Hedsor family, who took their name from the village. They owned it at the time of 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...
in 1086. The modern manor house
Manor 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...
was built in 1778, and stands on a hill in the village with a commanding view of the Thames and of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
In 1583 Roland Hynd built a new Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
manor house at Hedsor which was badly damaged by fire in 1795 and eventually demolished in 1865. At about this time the fourth Lord Boston commissioned the architect James Knowles to design a new house at Hedsor. Hedsor House
Hedsor House
Hedsor House is a Georgian style mansion in England in the southern most point of Buckinghamshire in the village of Hedsor, Taplow. Perched overlooking the River Thames, a Manor house at Hedsor can be dated back to 1166 when the estate was owned by the de Hedsor Family...
remained as the Boston family's country house
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
until early in the 20th century, during which time Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
was said to be a frequent visitor to house and its beautiful surrounding parkland.
Roland Hynd had the Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
"re-edified" in 1608.