The Lords of the Manor of Princes Risborough

Research by Joan West

THE LORDS OF THE MANOR OF PRINCES RISBOROUGH were always absentee landlords, with agents living in Princes Risborough or more usually letting it as one complete estate to tenants.

The Manor of Princes Risborough stretched from Ilmer in the north to Speen and Lacey Green in the south. For details in 1558 click 1558 Demesnes of the Manor.

The Lords of the Manor had always been the Kings of England long before 1066, when William of Normandy came to the throne.

In 1343 King Edward III gave the Manor to his son, known as “The Black Prince”.   He had a stud farm in Princes Risborough where his war horses were bred.  He died before his father so never became King.

King Edward VI gave the Manor to his sister Princess Elizabeth in 1553, five years before he died.

Queen Elizabeth was Lord of the Manor from 1553 to 1603. She became queen in 1558 on the death of her brother.

10th May 1558 Queen Elizabeth soon after her accession demised the lands meadows and pastures of the .Manor of Princes Risborough to Francis Pigot, then her servant, for his faithful service. click 1558 Demesnes of the Manor for list

1st July 1558 Queen Elizabeth granted the Demesnes of the Manor of Princes Risborough for the better support of Elizabeth the widow of Francis Pigot for 21 years at the annual rent of £3 pounds 12 shillings and two and one half pence.

15th January 1578 Queen Elizabeth granted the Demesnes of the Manor of Princes Risborough to Thomas Cornwallis.

5th December 1620 King James granted the Demesnes of the Manor of Princes Risborough to Henry Knollys and his wife Katherine

1628 SOLD BY KING CHARLES I.

In 1628 King Charles I, sold the Manor of Princes Risborough to the City of London to go towards paying debts incurred by the Crown and in 1637.

In 1631. The Demesnes of the Manor of Princes Risborough was sold by William Inkett and John Hoursey (the executors of Sir Jerome Hoursey, Knight to Susan Biscot of High Wycombe, widdow, for £51.

Research Note In an Indenture of 1621 it is recorded that on 13th April 1621 William Inkett let the property known as Stockings to Henry Lacey The Lord of the Manor of Princes Risborough was at that time Sir Jerome Hoursey of Great Kimble. Either Sir Jerome had let Stockings to William Inkett and he had sublet it to Henry Lacey, or William Inkett, one of Sir Jerome's executors already had power of attorney.

it was conveyed to the Chibnall family.   Mrs Joane Chibnall, one of the Lords of the Manor of Princes Risborough, set up various charities in the Manor.

COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION.   From this time on the Manor passed from one wealthy family to another as straightforward commercial transactions.

GREAT CHANGES TOOK PLACE DURING THE 1600’s in the parish of Princes Risborough. (Princes Risborough meant brushwood covered hills)

It would appear that the Chibnall family became Lords of the Manor from 1637, followed by the Abraham’s then the Adeane’s, during which time many alterations took place in Lacey Green.

Farmhouses Built During the 1600’s, several farmhouses were built, land cleared and dew-ponds made.   The result was that Kiln Farm, Stocken Farm, Speen Farm, Grymsdyke Farm, and Row Farm (Wardrobes Farm), were established.   As all this land belonged to the Lords of the Manor, they must have been involved in all this development.

The Penton Family. The Pentons of Winchester and Princes Risborough were Lords of the Manor from 1692 to 1766.

Thomas Grace. Lord of the Manor during the Napoleonic Wars. Sold off many farms in Loosley Row and Lacey Green to Lord George Henry Cavendish

John Grubb of Horsenden was Lord of the Manor at the time of the Enclosures of Princes Risborough in 1823.

THE ENCLOSURES OF PRINCES RISBOROUGH

In the enclosures of 1823 all the Parish Woodland, the Common grazing land and the common arable strip land was put into private ownership.   Land was allotted elsewhere to those losing their rights to these common amenities.

FREEHOLD and COPYHOLD

Some of the land of the parish of Princes Risborough was now freehold. The remaining copyhold premises were still rented from the Lord of the Manor, who was John Grubb.

Dennis Claydon takes up the research

1841 John Grubb went bankrupt and sold to Lord Buckingham and Chandos for £60,000, al mortgaged to Norwich Union.

1848 Lord Buckingham and Chandos went bankrupt. His mortgagees sold his estate in August 1849

1849 sold to Thomas Tindall for £13,ooo, all the woods West, North and East of Speen, 279acres 3roods 19 poles.

Note. The Copyholders had to pay to get their properties enfranchised to become freehold.

Thomas Tindall Esq. 3rd August 1849. Conveyance of the copyhold premises of the Manor to Thomas Tindal Esq.   He took out a mortgage from Charles Brown, John Simpson, Edward Bullock and Thomas Selby Esquires, for £6,500 with interest.

1850 Thomas Tindall Dies, inherited by sons Aston and Henry

1852. Auction of 26 building and 41 Wood plots (some along the Hampden road in pencil), sold to Sir William Foster for £13,000, 279acres 3 roods 19 poles,

1853 Auction of 30 plots of 2 acres advertised in the Bucks Free Press.

Sir William Foster. 21^st January 1853.   The copyhold premises of the Manor were conveyed to Sir William Foster, baronet.

James Cuddon. 11^th October 1858   The copyhold premises of the Manor were conveyed to James Cuddon.