Appendix A

Extracts from the will of AELFGIFU,
c. 970 A.D,

Translation as given in “Anglo-Saxon Wills” edited by Miss Dorothy Whitelock; reproduced by her kind probation.

This is Aelfgifu’s request of her royal lord, she prays him for the love of God and for the sake of his royal dignity, that she may be entitled to make a will.  Then and she makes known to you, Sire, by your consent what she wishes to give for to God’s Church for you and for your sold.  First she grants to the Old Minister, where she intends her body to be buried, the estate of Risborough just as it stands, except that, with your consent, she wishes that at each village every penalty enslaved man who was subject to her shall be freed . . . .
And I grant to my royal lord and the estate at Wing, Linslade, Haefaeresham ( i.e. Haversham), Hatfield, Masworth, and Gussage; and two armlets, each of 120 mancuses and a drinking cup and six horses, and as many shields and spears.  And to the Aetheling the estate at Newnham and an armlet of 30 mancuses.  And to the Queen and necklace of 120 mancuses and an armlet of 30 mancuses and a drinking cup.
And I grant to Bishop Aethelwold (1) the estate at Taeafirsceat, and I praying him that he will always intercede for my mother and for me . . . .
And to each abbot 5 pounds of pence for the repair of them minster.
And, Sire, with your consent (I wish) that I may entrust the surplus to the Bishop and Abbot for the repair of the foundation, and for them to distribute for me among the poor men according as seems to them the most profitable for me in God’s sight.
And I beseech of my royal lord for the love of God, that he will not desert my men who seek his protection and there are worthy of him.
And I grant to Aelfweard or drinking cup, and to Aelfweard (2) an ornamented drinking horn.

(1)  Aethelwold was Bishop of Winchester 963-984.

(2)  Aelfweard  was her brother and was Ealdorman

Mancus was a term used in early medieval Europe to denote either a gold coin, a weight of gold of 4.25g or a unit of account of thirty silver pence.

Haversham was a settlement in Domesday Book, in the hundred of Bunsty and the county of Buckinghamshire.

It had a recorded population of 29 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 40% of settlements recorded in Domesday.

Land of William Peverel

Households 

• Households: 16 villagers. 8 smallholders. 5 slaves.

Land and resources 

• Ploughland: 10 ploughlands. 1.5 lord's plough teams. 1.5 lord's plough teams possible. 7 men's plough teams.
• Other resources: Meadow 9 ploughs. Woodland 300 pigs. 1 mill, value 8 shillings.

Valuation 

• Annual value to lord: 6 pounds in 1086; 6 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner; 7 pounds in 1066.

Owners 

• Tenant-in-chief in 1086: William Peverel.
• Lord in 1086: William Peverel.
• Lord in 1066: Countess Gytha (of Hereford).

He founded an abbey at St James in Northampton in 1004 AD. His second foundation was the priory of the Holy Trinity at Lenton in Nottingham between 1109 and 1113.

William Peverel later appointed a tenant, “Walterus Flammeth” to take charge of his manor at Haversham. His death is recorded in the register of the Priory of St James in 1113 AD. His son William had died three years previously.

William Peverel the Younger, his grandson, was prominent during the reign of King Stephen, and supported him against Matilda, daughter of Henry I. William attended the Great Council at Oxford in King Stephen’s retinue. In 1138 Peverel was one of the chief commanders victorious over the Scots at Northallerton when David of Scotland invaded England.

Peverel was captured with King Stephen at Lincoln, in 1141, by Matilda’s forces. Although Matilda’s army took Peverel’s castle at Nottingham, Peverel’s men recaptured it and expelled her followers from the town. But in 1154 King Stephen died and Peverel’s estates were forfeited to Matilda’s son Henry II. Two years previously Henry had promised Peverel’s lands to Ranulf, Earl of Chester, and shortly afterwards, when Ranulf died of poisoning, Peverel was assumed to be responsible.

The De Haversham Family

The de Haversham family suddenly appear as lords of Haversham twenty years later, around 1174, already named after the village. In that year Robert de Hauerisham failed to appear at his neighbour’s court in a case of melting down coins to test them. He was fined one mark by the Treasury. In the same year Nicol de Hauerisham paid 20 marks to the Treasury when King Henry II gave his daughter to William de Bell in marriage.

There is no proof of the relationship between Robert and Nicol, but the de Havershams held the manor for 500 years after this, “of the King in chief by service of one knight’s fee as of the honour of Peverel”. At this time the boundaries of the village were not settled as today, and in 1190 Hugh de Haversham paid 30 marks to investigate whether the wood of Haversham belonged to his estate or to King Richard II’s demesne. In 1199 he paid a similar amount to King John to confirm the same charter. The accounts show that he only paid 20 marks and the rest remained owing (“et debet xm”).

Appendix B.

BETWEEN HUGH DE HAVERSHAM AND
BENEDICT DE HAVERSHAM.

A translation of “ Pedes Finium,” Hunter, page 242.

This is the final agreement made in the King’s Court at Merleb’ge (Marlborough) on the 15^th day after the feast of saint Martin, in the 9^th year of the reign of King John, in the presence of the lord King himself (and others named) . . . .  Between Benedict De Haveresham tenant, concerning 42 acres of land with appurtenances in Haveresham.

One thing was agreed between them in the her aforesaid court namely, that the aforesaid Benedict recognise the whole forementioned land with appurtenances to be lawfully Hugh’s own.
And on account of his recognition and fine and agreement, the same who gave and conceded to the same Benedict twelve acres of woodland, measured by the King’s perch, in the wood which is called Ernesden’ towards the west, and six acres of land of the same vill, measured by the legal perch, namely in Lauedistoking, to have and to hold to himself and his heirs, of Hugh himself and his heirs alike, with a fourth part of a knight’s fee, which formerly he held of him in the same vill.
And on account of this gift and concession, the same Benedict conceded to the men of Hugh de Haveresham himself along with his men of the same vill, that they should have the right to pasture cattle in Benedict’s own grazing land, which is called Ruggemore. And, for himself and his heirs, he remitted and quit-claimed to the same Hugh all right to pasture cattle, which he had or claim to have in the park of Hugh de Haveresham himself.

Ernesdene: the name is derived from the Old English word “erne,” an eagle, and “dene,” a wooded valley.  It is probably in the neighbourhood of the fields called Arden Well.

Lauedistoking: that is, or clearing surrounded by stakes.  It is the present Lay Stockings, alongside the wood to the north of the Ridgeway.

Ruggemore: from the Old English word “rugge,” a ridge, and “more,” are Heath or waste land.  It is the high ground which the Ridgeway crosses, and is probably somewhere about the field now called Rowditch.

The Ridgeway and Lay Stockings rise to a height of 323 feet above sea level, or about 120 feet above the village.

By 1242 the title of the family to the possession of the estate was considered to be of old standing, as shown in the Buckinghamshire Book of Fees:

“Comitatus Buk. Haversham. De veteri. Nicholaus de Haveresham cum suis tenentibus tenet unum feodum de honore Peverel”

In 1251 Nicholas de Haversham died, leaving a widow, Emma. His son. Also Nicholas, came to be styled “Lord Nicholas of Haversham, and was Constable of Northampton Castle in 1264. He gained further lands in Leicestershire and Wiltshire. He died in 1273, and with him the succession of the de Haversham name to the manor also ceased.

Maud married-
(1) Sir James de la Plaunche, d. 1306
In 1325 the Patent Rolls record Chaplain John de Haversham making a generous gift to Lavendon Abbey. (2) Sir John de Olney, d 1335
Children of Maud and Sir James de la Plaunche:-
(1) William, who succeeded in 1329
(2) Joan, who married Sir John de Pabenham.

The Inquisition of 1273.
The first mention of the ancient dovecote or columbarium appears in the Inquisition of 1273.
The value of the manor house, with the dovecote, grange, garden and vineyard was assessed at 30/- per annum.
The dovecote is mentioned again in 1335, when Hawise, widow of Sir William de la Plaunche, was granted rights to one third of it. It was restored by Maurice Thompson in 1665.

Around 1289 Maud de Haversham married Sir James de la Plaunche, and Queen Eleanor’s wardship ended. This order was issued to the escheator Mast Henry de Bray –

Order to deliver to John [error for James] de la Plaunche and Maud de Haversham his wife all the lands whereof Nicholas her father, tenant in chief, was seised at his death, to be held until the King’s arrival in England, so that there may then be done what the King shall cause to be ordained by his council, as the King learns……. that Matilda is of full age.”

In 1304 he obtained licence to crenellate [fortify with embattlements] his dwelling place of Haversham. He may also have constructed the moat at this time, and even possibly built the embattlements on the church tower.

Sir James died in 1305, leaving a son and heir, William, aged 5 years, and a daughter Joan. His widow, the Lady Joan, married Sir John de Olney soon afterwards. As Lord of the Manor of Haversham he apparently, with others, namely John de Olneye, John le Hare, Robert de Long, and Nicholas le Someter and a few more, assaulted and imprisoned the Rector of 18 years, William de Ledcomb. De Olney forbade the villagers to give him tithes, fire or water, or to speak to him. He assaulted de Ledcomb’s servants, took away his plough oxen and cattle and starved them till many of them died. De Olney prevented anyone saving the Rector’s hay and corn and depastured the herbage of his meadow. De Ledcomb resigned two years later – no records remain to tell why this dispute happened.

Later that year de Olney himself had to raise a complaint about a breach of the park at Haversham by some miscreant.

In 1314 Sir John de Olney lodged a claim on behalf of his wife, Lady Maud, to the manor of Little Linford, stating that her grandfather, Hugh de Haversham, had held it in the days of King John. In 1325, after de Olney’s death, it was found that he held Haversham and Compton Chamberlayne  jointly with his wife Maud, and also lands in Hardmead, and the manor of Linford Parva.

Little Linford had come to him on the death of Thomas de Hautville “who had mortgaged the same to the said John for a certain sum of money which he ought to have paid by the feast of St Michael last, before which day the said John died.” However, the overlord John de Somery intervened and seized Little Linford for himself, so that neither the de la Plaunche nor the de Olney family were able to keep it.

When Lady Maud died around 1329, she left her children William and Joan de la Plaunche and a son John de Olney. William died aged 34 in 1335 and his son, also called William de la Plaunche died at only 21 years old in 1347. Inquisitions held at their deaths give us further clues.

Inquisition 1335

Hawis, widow of the first William de la Plaunche gave her oath no to remarry without the King’s licence and was granted a dower of

“the great chamber with the chapel at the head of it beyond the door of the hall, the maids’ chamber with the gallery leading from the hall to the great chamber, the said door into the hall to be shut at the will of Hawis; also the painted chamber next to the great chamber, with a wardrobe; a dairy house with the space between the dairy and the door into the great kitchen, which door could be shut at Hawis’ pleasure; the new stable with the house called the cart-house; a grange called the Kulnhouse; a third part of the dovecote &c.”

In 1342 Hawis was awarded £4 for livery and the advowson of the Church of Bereford St Martin in Wiltshire by the King.

Inquisition 1347

Elizabeth, widow of the second William de la Plaunche, was granted her “reasonable dower of the lands”, namely

“A third part of two parts of the Manor, including a messuage, a chamber beyond the gate with solar and houses, and a small close, ….. a third part of the grange towards the Church, and of the adjacent barton, the middle stable, with a small herbarium opposite the door of the hall, and a third part of the orchard with the fishpond there &c.”

Elizabeth was left with two children, Katherine, aged five and Joan aged four. A third girl, Elizabeth, was born after her father’s death. Joan died in infancy and the other two inherited – Katherine on her marriage with William de Birmingham, and Elizabeth after her sister died childless some time after 1372. Elizabeth also married a son of Fulk de Birmingham, named John.

Before she inherited her ancestral home and all its possessions Elizabeth already held lands in Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Oxfordshire as well as property in London and Southwark.

In 1348 Robert de Haversham was appointed with others to arrest all persons prosecuting appeals in derogation of the judgment of the Court of Common Bench.

In 1349 Master Richard de Haverisham, treasurer of the Church of Llandaff adjudicated a matter of variance concerning the patronage of a church.

2nd marriage: John, Lord Clinton, d. 1398;

3rd marriage: Sir John Russell.

Elizabeth Clinton founded a Guild or College of ten priests at Knoll, or Knowle, in Warwickshire as a “Great Benefactress”, obtaining the King’s licence for this in 1416.

Sir William Lucy, of Charlcote, a great-great-grandson of Joan, the daughter of Lady Maud and Sir James de la Plaunche.

Richard Lucy was “running much in debt and deeply mortgaging his demesnes here, did in conjunction with one Currance, the mortgagee a London Tailor, I am informed, Anno 1664, convey this estate to one Maurice Thompson.” We are not told who the informant was.

Maurice Thompson purchased the Haversham estate in 1664 despite being “a person of mean extraction.” His leanings were towards Cromwell’s government and he was also said to have been an East India merchant.

In 1665 he restored the ancient dovecote, and an inscription on the Clinton monument tells us that it too was restored in the same year by his wife.

Arms or a fesse dancetty azure with a 3 star argent threreon and a quarter azure charged with a sun or.

In 1671 Maurice died and his son John Thompson succeeded him, having already served a term as Sheriff of the County of Buckingham.
In 1673 John was created a baronet. John became a member of Parliament under the Whigs. As a strong Protestant Sir John supported William and Mary, and was one of the first to sign the invitation to the Prince of Orange to come to England.

He was created Baron Haversham of Haversham in 1696 and in 1702 became Lord of the Admiralty.

His first wife, Lady Annersley, daughter of the Earl of Anglesey, had died in 1704 and is buried in the vault under the chapel floor at Haversham.

In Parliament John Thompson was known for strong attacks on the Tories, including the case of the impeachment of Somers. Despite this,

Thompson changed sides and became a Tory during the days of Queen Anne, when the Whigs “drove at Schemes he could not down with.” After a  short illness Lord Haversham died at Richmond on 1 November 1710 and he was buried in the church there.

Appendix F.

EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH OF LORD HAVERSHAM, Dec., 1703,

AGAINST THE Bill to prevent occasional conformity.

I shall not, my Lords  enter into the Consideration of the Justice or Injustice of this Bill, whether a Man may be depriv’d of what he has a Legal Right to, without a f there Forfeiture on his Part. Tho’ in my Opinion he may, because private Right is always to give Way to publick Safety; and nothing else can justify one of the Best Bills that ever was made for the Security of the Protestant Religion, I mean the Test Act.  But this is not the Case here; the persons affected by this Bill are such as have been always serviceable to the Government, and are some of the best Friends to it  . . . .
But, my Lords, that which are a shall strictly speak to, is the Point of Time in which this Bill visits you, and in my Opinion it could never have come a in a more unseasonable and more dangerous Juncture . . . .
First, my Lords if we consider what a Potent, what a Vigilant Adversary we have to struggle with, of the French King, a Prince whose Designs are laid upon the greatest Maturity of Deliberation, carry’d on with the greatest Secrecy, and executed with the greatest Dispatch . . . .  He can bring his Armies sooner into the Field, and keep them longer than we can . . . . Sure, my Lords or Heads, all Hearts are little enough against such an Enemy.

In the next Place, my Lords, what heavy Taxes lie upon us here at Home, without any Hope of Ease, and very little Expectation of Advantage.  The Reason why Men cheerfully undergo such Burthens is, because they expect some publick Advantage by them, or at least, that enjoy he the Remainder of this Security:  . . . .  We have, my Lords, given great Sums the last Year for the Army; but what great Matter have we done?  And as to our Navy what a vast and fruitless Expence we have been at?  I confess to your Lordships when I consider at these two Heads, it put me in mind of Old Jacob’s Prophesy of his Son Issachar, in the 14^th Chapter of Genesis;
Issachar is a strong Ass, couching under two Burthens; he bowed his Shoulders to bear, and became a Servant  to Tribute. I believe this Prophesy has been fulfilled elsewhere. . . . ‘Tis very well known the Leading Part of the Nation are most concern’d in it (that is , the Bill); and if this Bill should pass, the sad Effects of it would soon be found in the Exchequer.
Besides all this . . . . The Parliament may vote Money, and Money may build Ships, but ‘tis impossible to recover our Seamen, nor is there any Encouragement to them, or Nursery for them.
There is one Thing more, my Lords, which I will at present but Name; . . . .  It is the extraordinary Favour of one or two Persons: A thing that has been very fatal to the for Royal Family, and what has been, mat be. I will only in short say, when all the Favour is bestowed upon one or two Persons, when LL THE Power by Sea and Land is either virtually or openly in one Hand , , , , I pray God, it will never again prove fatal both to Crown and Country.
Give me leave only to recapitulate, and say whether your Lordships consider the present Posture of Affairs, either at Home or Abroad, in a Court or Camp, I can never think this a proper time for such a Bill.

Memoirs of Lord Haversham, 1711, pp. 2-5.

Appendix G.

Extracts from the speech “upon the State of the Nation,” by Lord Haversham in Nov., 1705, in which he appealed for the sending of an invitation to the Heir-Presumptive; Her Majesty, Queen Anne, being present.

My Lords, . . . .

Being conscious to my self of a Heart felt Loyalty and Duty to her Majesty, and Zeal for her service, as is possible for any Subject to have; and knowing that the best way of preserving Liberty of Speech in Parliament is to make use of it, I will mention Three or Four General Heads to your Lordships and speak to them with a great deal of Freedom and plainness . . . .

(he then spoke at length of “the present Confederate War in which we are engaged ,” and of the “decaying condition of trade.”

There is one Thing more, which I take to be of the greatest Importance to us All  . . . . ‘Tis the Happiness of England, and that which ever did, and ever will keep the greatest Ministers in Awe; that by the Law and Customs of Parliament, the meanest Member of either House has undoubted Right to debate on any Subject, and to speak his Thoughts with all Freedom, without being liable to be call’d in Question by any Person whatever, till the Parliament itself hath taken Notice of them. This is grounded on the greatest Equity and Reason, because that which concerns All, should be debated by All: Nor is it possible for a Parliament to Debate, or come to a clear Resolution on any Question, or to give Advice to Her Majesty as they ought, without this Freedom . . . .

As we enjoy many Blessings under Her Majesty’s happy Government, so I hope we shall have this too, That Her Majesty will never give Ear to any secret or private Information; but as it comes to Her in a Parliamentary way, by the Houses Themselves.

The last Thing, my Lords, is that which I take to be of the greatest Concernment to us All, both Queen and People . . . .  I think there can be nothing more for the safety of the Queen, for the Preservation of our Constitution, for the Security of the Church, and for the Advantage of us All; than if the Presumptive Heir to the Crown, according to the Act of Settlement, in the Protestant Line, should be here amongst us. ‘Tis very plain, that nothing can be more for the Security of any Throne, than to have a Number of Successors round about it, whose Interest is always to defend the Possessor from any Danger, and prevent any attempt against Him.

And would it not be a great Advantage to the Church for the Presumptive Heir to be personally acquainted with the Right Reverend the Prelates? Nay, would it not be an Advantage to all England, that whenever the Successor comes over, He should not bring a Flood of Foreigners along with Him to eat up and devour the Good of the Land?

Memoirs of Lord Haversham, 1711, pp.12-17.

Their son Maurice succeeded to the title. He was a Page to Sophia, Electress of Hanover. He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Whig) for Bletchingley between 1695 and 1698. He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Whig) for Gatton between 1698 and 1705. He fought in the siege of Namur, where he was wounded. He succeeded as the 2nd Baron Haversham, of Haversham, co. Buckingham [E., 1696] on 1 November 1710. He succeeded as the 2nd Baronet Thompson, of Haversham, co. Buckingham [E., 1673] on 1 November 1710. He held the office of Treasurer of the Excise from 1717 to 1718.
On his death, all of his titles became extinct.

Maurice, Lord Haversham sold the estate for £24,500 to Lucy Knightley in 1728. Maurice died 11 April 1745 in London and was buried 19th April 1745 at Haversham.

His ancestor, Rainald de Knightley, came over with the Conqueror and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Under Henry VIII Sir Edmund Knightley was one of the chief commissioners for the suppression of the monasteries. In Queen Mary’s reign, Sir Richard Knightley, Sheriff of Northampton, championed the Puritan party, and on signing a petition appealing against the suspension of Puritan ministers in Northamptonshire was fined £10,000 by the Star Chamber and deprived of his position.

Sir Richard’s son, also called Richard Knightley, offered his house at Fawsley to John Hampden and his allies as a meeting place when they gathered to plan increasing control of the King. Richard Knightley drew the line at imprisoning and executing King Charles, however, and was himself imprisoned by the Parliamentary Party for his opposition.

His son, yet another Richard Knightley, represented Northampton in Cromwell’s Parliament of 1658 and 1659. He was a member of the Council of State who recalled Charles II as King, and was Knighted KB at his coronation.

Division of the Manor Estate 1764

Also in 1764 the Manor, Parish and Advowson of Haversham were bought by the Trustees of Alexander Small, a minor, who also owned the Manors of Hardmead and Clifton Reynes, where he lived. Alexander was described as “a great sportsman” although his behaviour caused “great uneasiness at home.”

The two Churchwardens of Haversham, William Greaves and Roger Ratcliffe, bought 923 acres of the manor estate in 1806. In 1815 the Manor portion of the estate, of 563 acres, was assigned to William Greaves for £15,500 and the Mill section, of 360 acres, went to Roger Ratcliffe for £6,000.

Appendix H.

LANDED PROPRIETORS IN 1936

The total acreage of the parish is officially given as 1,634 acres