The Venerable Luke Heslop,
archdeacon of Buckingham,

~~~~~~~~~~to~~~~~~~~~~

Thomas Sheppard Esq.

Copy FACULTY to make
certain alterations in the
Parish Church and Church yard
of Thornton Buckinghamshire.

John . M . Davenport
Deputy Registrar

The document below is the destructive faculty that caused the very unfortunate demise of the Chancel and the Chantey Chapel:(our belief is that the Lord of the manor who was responsible in those days for the maintenance of the Chancel considered that the cost of repair might have been too expensive and persuaded the Archdeacon to pull it down so the new work was undertaken) .

LUKE HESLOP. B.D.Archdeacon and Commissary of the Archdeaconry of Bucks lawfully constituted Sendeth Greetings: WHEREAS it hath been alleged unto us or our lawful Surrogate as well for and on behalf of Thomas Sheppard of Thornton in the Archdeaconry of Bucks aforesaid Esquire as also of the rector and others in the Inhabitants and Parishioners of the said Parish that the Chancel of the Parish Church of Thornton aforesaid is much too large for the small number incumbrance of the said Parish and is in want of many reparations and amendments and that a certain Isle standing and adjoining to the North side of the said Chancel is become entirely useless And therefore the said Thomas Sheppard and out of a pious and charitable disposition and to the honour of God and religion and with the unanimous consent approbation of the said Rector and others the Inhabitants and Parishioners of Thornton aforesaid admitted at a Vestry held in the Parish Church of Thornton aforesaid pursuant to public Notice for that purpose given hath proposed and intends at his own expense to pull down the said Chancel and North Isle thereto a joining and to make the said Parish Church more regular and commodious by adding an Isle or building on the North side of the body or Nave of the said Parish Church whereas it is alleged an Isle or building formally stood and to erect a sufficient number of Pews for the Inhabitants of the said Parish in the said Isle or building so intended to be new erected as aforesaid as also other pews on the South side of the same Church so that all the Inhabitants and Parishioners of the said Parish maybe more commodiously seated or placed therein for the decent performance of Divine Service Allowing and granting the said Thomas Sheppard to make convenient Seats and Pews for the use of himself his Family and friends and his and their Servants on the South side of the said Church next or towards the East end thereof for them to sit in stand kneel pray and hear Divine Service and Sermons And further to make and erect decent reading Desks for the use of the Rector or Curate of the said Parish and the Parish Clark with a Pulpit adjoining to be placed at the East end of the said intended new erected Isle And more over to make a rail at the East end of the said Church a convenient and sufficient part of the Middle Isle of the same Church wherein to place the Altar Table for the administration of the Holy Communion and to do and make the several alterations and amendments aforesaid in the very respect agreeable to a certain Plan to us the Archdeacon and Commissary aforesaid exhibited to be registered in the Court of Archdeaconry aforesaid And whereas we the Archdeacon and Commissary aforesaid have.

Personally viewed the said Parish Church and carefully and attentively considered the premises and the several alterations aforesaid which to us seem highly necessary and laudable We therefore caused our Citation with Intimation to be given to the Rector Church wardens and Inhabitants of the said Parish of Thornton in special and all others in General having or pretending to have any right title or interest in the said church or Chancel or any part or parcel thereof to appear before us or our lawful surrogate or other competent judge in this behalf upon certain day who howe and place to them prefixed to show cause (if they had any) why we should not by our Authority Ordinary grant our Licence or Faculty to the said Thomas Sheppard effectually to make the several Alterations and improvements above specified at his own proper Costs and no person or persons appearing to show any cause to the contrary or any wise contesting the same And we the Archdeacon and Commissary aforesaid being fully satisfied in the premises Have granted and by the Presents Do grant unto the said Thomas Sheppard our Licence or Faculty to make the several Alterations and Improvements above specified in the Parish Church of Thornton aforesaid and the Chancel thereof at his own proper costs and Charges so that the same be effectually done in all respects according to the Pean to us exhibited and given into the Registry of our said Court and the Service of God may be best celebrated and divine Service done and performed in the Parish Church of Thornton aforesaid for the advancement of Godliness according to the rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England as by Law established And we do therefor hereby given our leave Licence and Authority for taking down the Fence of the Church Yard Provided that the said Thomas Sheppard do place a sufficient number of large and proper Stones to ascertain the present boundaries thereof and do and shell leave the ground where there are no graves and shell lay the grave stones flat over the burial places of the persons to whose memory they where set up In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our Office to be put to these Presents Dated this thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty three.- (signed) Joseph Burnham Notary Public-

Luke Heslop, Archdeacon.

Ref. Oxford R10