Smallridge Wood
From Lacey Green History
click Woods for other local woods
QUEEN ELIZABETH I, LORD of the MANOR of PRINCES RISBOROUGH
Queen Elizabeth I, became the Lord of the Manor of Princes Risborough when still Princes Elizabeth. Given to her by her brother Edward, the king. She succeeded to the throne in 1558.
EXTRACT from the “History of Antiquities of the County of Buckinghamshire V.II, by George Lipscombe, Pages 426-440. Published by J & W Robins, London 1847
LET TO WILLIAM WNDSOR ESQ
1567. Queen Elizabeth I, in order to preserve certain woods belonging to the crown, and for £26-3-0d per annum, demised to William Windsor Esq. Stockings (Stocken), Kingswood and Smallridge wood, parcel of the Manor of Princes Risborough, for 21 years - - - - except for - - -
EXCEPT FOR PROTECTED TREES
Except for all the great trees, saplings of oak and 12 staddles in every acre, according to the form of statute for the preservation of Woods by Henry VIII. (A staddle was a young tree)
LET TO EDWARD KEMPTON, MERCHANT TAILOR of LONDON
1582. Kingswood 139 acres, Smallridge Wood 15 acres, and the woods and underwoods called Stockings (stocken) for 21 years, from Michaelmas at £13 – 6s -8d per annum.
PARISH WOODLANDS
By 1823 vast woodlands had developed on the scrubby hills of Speen, Lacey Green and Speen. These were designated as Parish Woods where people could collect fallen wood for heating and cooking in their cottages.
1823 ENCLOSED
When the parish of Princes Risborough was enclosures in 1823, they became the freehold property of John Grubb Esq, the Lord of the Manor, but remained as part of the Parish Woodlands. Smallridge Wood was one of these.
JOHN GRUBB to Lord of Buckingham and Chandos
1st June 1841 John Grubb was bankrupt and his estate was purchased by Lord Buckingham and Chandos. He too went bankrupt in 1848 and his estate was put up for auction.
CHARLES BROWN of STOCKING FARM, PURCHASER
AUCTION 1848.
Lot 12. “1,Coomb Cottage and a wood called Smallridge Wood at Loosley Row. 55 acres, 3 roods, 35 perches”, purchased by Charles Brown of Stocken Farm
COMMUTATION of TYTHES
TITHE 3/152 Received by Tithe Office 7th Jan 1857
Know all men by these Presents that I Charles Brown of Princes Risborough in the County of Buckingham, owner & occupier, being lawfully seized in possession of an estate in fee simple of and in all tithes arising from lands known by the name of Smallridge Wood, well known by metes and bounds, which lands are situate in the parish of Princes Risborough in the said Count and contain by estimation in statute measure fifty five acres, three roods and thirty seven perches and which lands are portion of the Woodlands of the said parish which were excepted from the operation of the Award made under the provisions of an Enclosure Act for the said parish passed in the first year of the reign of King George the Fourth, do hereby declare it to be my Will and Intent that the said tithes shall henceforth be absolutely merged and extinguished in the freehold and inheritance of the same lands according to the provisions in that behalf contained in a certain Statute made in the sixth and seventh years of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth cap 71, entitled “An Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales” In Testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed my seal this Sixth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand and eight hundred and fifty seven.
Charles Brown
GRUBBED UP
By the 1880’s all the trees were felled and the roots being grubbed up. The area became called “The Grubbin”, and later part farmland.
WALDEN TO TURNER
June 17th 1977 CONVEYANCE
Kenneth John Walden of Woodway Farm, Little Lane, Saunderton, sold to Gordon Albert Turner of Promised Land Farm for £8,500:-
Part Ord No.150, The Grubbin, site of Smallridge Wood , now grubbed up.