Conclusions on Property

Even before 1066 the Manor of Princes Risborough had belonged to the monarch,- "The Lord of the Manor". The area included Longwick to the west, Princes Risborough town and the upper hamlets of Loosley Row, Lacey Green and Speen to the east. It consisted of much scrubland with scattered trees. Over time parcels of land were let, sometimes the leases given as a reward for gallantry. Gradually areas were cleared and by the mid seventeenth century farms existed, their houses, although small at first, became established and stood the test of time, though later usually much enlarged. The scrubland disappeared leaving cleared land and parish woodland.

King Charles II, greatly in debt, sold it to the City of London. From then on The Manor with all its cottages and land changed hands simply to the highest bidder.

Early 1800's. There must have been heavy taxes or calls on the big estates throughout the Napoleonic Wars and wealthy landowners were on the verge of going bankrupt, John Grubb, the Lord of the Manor of Princes Risborough among them. In dire straights he too resorted to selling off his assets. It was a buyers' market and a few men who were in a position to borrow money stepped in. Here, Lord George Henry Cavendish, later Lord Burlington, purchased the majority of the farms, Sir William Lawrence Young took most of the others. These purchases covered most of The Manor. The properties continued to be let, the new owners never living here.

A campaign was then started to get the Manor of Princes Risborough inclosed. All farmers had to agree. The Inclosures Act was passed in Parliament in 1823. All land, cottages, woods and commonland was allotted to private individuals, some still leasehold and some freehold. The Parish Woods and Common were sold. John Grubb, with the proceeds of the farms he had sold was able to purchase all the Parish Woods and part of the Common.