The History of Shiplake, Oxon. With allusions to contemporary events in the neighbourhood

Preface

. "Reader, read the Preface." Y dear Friends and Fellow-parishioners — About four years ago I determined, in my own mind, to try and jot down a few reminiscences of Shiplake, which in a period now of nearly twenty-seven years' residence amongst you, besides an intimate previous knowledge of the neighbourhood, had occurred to me. I considered that the present vicar and myself had been a link between the old associations of Shiplake and the newer ones, knowing many people interesting to the parish now gathered to their fathers, who had supplied out of their experience anecdotes that unless recorded in print would perish. Twenty-seven years is a long period to look forward to, but with the swiftness of life is a short one to look back upon ; still, many links are broken in the chain of remembrance of such a period : people who we at one time fondly hoped would not perish out of the land suddenly obey Death's mysterious call, and the voice that told the dear old stories of the past " is the sound of a voice that is still."

Hence I commenced what I thought would be a small pamphlet, and it has ended in becoming a good-sized book. The discovery of the existence of the Chartulary of Great Missenden Abbey, written by the Monk Bernard de Welwes, and the interesting papers contained in it relative to Shiplake, was the key-note to all the other papers being searched for in the Public Record Offices. This b

PREFACE.

. VIII would have been impossible for me to do, but through the kind introduction from my friend Dr. J. J. Howard, extra Malsanger Herald, &c, to Mr. W. Boyd, of 4, Cowper Mansions, Chelsea. Mr. Boyd has most ably translated the Missenden Charters, and also searched for and transcribed the majority of the papers from the Public Offices. To Mr. William Francis Plowden, of Plowden Hall, Salop, I owe many thanks for lending me the Plowden deeds relative to Shiplake, and his ancestress Penelope Plowden's interesting book of Shiplake expenses. Mr. Plowden's sister, Miss Plowden, has been most kind in supplying information, and allowing extracts from her valuable history of her family, which has proved of the greatest use. Mrs. Little, of Newbold Pacey Hall, Leamington, widow of the grandson of the Reverend Arthur Howman, fifty years vicar of Ship lake, lent me the book written by Mr. Howman himself, giving the account of the church restoration of 1822.

In this book were the sketches of the frescoes then discovered, now faithfully collotyped by Messrs. Waterlow. These it would have been impossible to have obtained had it not been for her kindness. Mr. Ernest Jennings, of Beaumont, West Norwood, has helped me much by lending to me family papers and notes relative to his eccentric great-grandfather, Henry Constantine Jennings; Mr. Lybbe Powys Lybbe by permitting me to see and quote from his interesting family manuscripts. At the commencement of the book I had many valuable hints from my friend Mr. Herbert Reid, F.S.A. Mr. Davenport, Clerk of the Peace, &c, Oxford, by his kind gift of his book on the Lord Lieu tenants and High Sheriffs of Oxon, &c, has often elucidated facts as to genealogy that I should not have obtained else. To Dr. Stevens for his ably written chapter on the Geology of the parish, and pre historic implements, I feel I cannot sufficiently be grateful.

Also to many kind friends for lending me books, and to the extremely careful and legible typewriting of Miss Weyman, of Town Hall Chambers, Reading, I owe much. I am indebted to Mr. Harrison, of Shiplake Court, for his photographs, and great help in arranging the pro duction of Collotypes. As I have no pretensions to be an archæologian, I must beg that my more learned friends in that line will be merciful

PREFACE.

. IX to any errors I may unwittingly have made. Many people will, doubtless, consider that I have introduced too much of the history of the country, but in order to understand many of the papers in this book the raison d'etre would have been missed, had I not supplied the causes that gave birth to their existence. Hence a short sketch of each reign for which there are papers is given so as to form for them a frame ; also it must be remembered the king or queen of each reign was always the supreme Manorial Lord of the Binfield portion of the parish, included in Bensington Manor, whoever were the sub-feudatories to whom it was farmed out, or granted for a period. By studying the big pedigree of the Giffard, Clare, and Stafford families, the enormous network of relationship is shown that existed between them.

I considered it necessary to this work to undertake drawing it up, though I am quite open to believe that there may be errors in it, despite of all the care that I have taken in constructing it. Hence, good friends and neighbours, do not be too critical in your strictures on the authoress's errors or ignorance, but accept it as the spontaneous effort of love for Shiplake, and a desire to rescue from oblivion what history belongs to the place. EMILY J. CLIMENSON. September igth, 1893. ( x ) SOME OF THE BOOKS AND RECORDS CONSULTED AND QUOTED FROM IN THIS BOOK.

"THE Missenden Cartulary, by Bernard de Welwes ; Pipe Rolls ; Close Rolls ; Curia ■*■ Regis Rolls ; Hundred Rolls ; Nonaram Inquisitorum ; Testa de Nevill ; Liberate Rolls ; Parliament Roll ; Charter Roll ; Assize Rolls ; Abbreviatio Placitorum ; Patent Roll ; Exchequer Lay Subsidies ; Exchequer Ministers' Accounts ; Chancery Bills ; Chancery Inquisitions ; Augmentation Office Papers ; L.T.R. Originalia Roll ; Feet of Fines ; Royalist Composition Papers ; Exchequer Depositions ; Particulars of Grants ; Exchequer Q. Roll of Church Goods ; Lincoln Registers ; Oxford Registers ; Domesday Book ; Harleian MSS. ; Camden Publications ; Asser's Chronicle ; Gaimar's Chronicle ; Chronica Johannis Oxenedes ; Gesta Regis Stephani ; Polychronicon of Trevisa ; Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle ; Anglo-Saxon Chronicles ; Matthew Paris's History ; Holinshed's Chronicles ; Stow's Chronicles ; Speed's Chronicles ; Strutt's Chronicles ; Liber Nigei Scaccarii ; Tanner's Notitia Monastica ; Dugdale's Monasticon Anglicanum ; Camden's Britannia ; Lyson's Magna Britannia ; White Rennet's Parochial Antiquities ; Bridges' Stemmata Illustria ; Leland's Itinerary ; Hearnianæ ; Book of Hyde ; Brown Willis' History of the Mitred Parliamentary Abbeys ; Bishop Stubbs' Constitutional History ; Lingard's English History ; Hume and Smollett ; Smith's History ; A. Strickland's Queens of England ; Yonge's Cameos of English History ; Hook's Archbishops of Canterbury ; Campbell's Lives of the Lord Chancellors ; Campbell's Lives of the Chief Justices ; Blackstone's Commentaries ; Sir Robert Phillimore's Ecclesiastical Law ; Woolrych's Lives of Eminent Serjeants ; Davenport's High Sheriffs of Oxon ; Brady's England ; Leslie Stephen's Universal Biography ; Duchess of Cleveland's Battle Abbey Roll ; Pepys' Diary ; Evelyn's Diary ; Whitelock's Liber Famelicus ; Boswell's Johnson ; Life of Count Erbach, by Princess Beatrice ; Social Life in the time of Queen Anne ; Laud's Diary ; Bulstrode Whitelock's Diary ; Aubrey La Croix's Military and Religious Life in the Middle Ages ; Burke's Peerage ; Burke's Genealogical History of Landed Gentry ; Granger's Biographical History of England ; Granger's Letters ; Foster's Alumni Oxonienses ; Bibliotheca Britannica ; Wilkins' Memoirs of Sir Thomas Browne ; Old England ; Record Publications ; Rose's Biographical Dictionary ; Mander's Biography ; Haydn's Book of Dates ; Life of Pepys, by Lord Braybrooke ; Metivier's Dictionnaire Franco-Normand ; Gervase of Tilbury ; Percy Reliques ; Blakeway's Sheriffs of Shropshire ; Berry's County Genealogy ; Skelton's Oxon ; Murray's Oxon ; Plot's Oxon j Lipscombe's Buckinghamshire ; Pinnock's Oxon ; Cooke's Modern British Travellers ; Kelly's Oxon ; Burns' History of Henley ; Old Henley Guide ; Dickens' Guide to the Thames ; Hedges' Wallingford ; Gentleman's Magazine ; Coates' History of Reading ; Mann's Reading ; Doran's Reading ; Cooper King's Berks ; H.

Reid's Wargrave ; Rambles round Reading ; Dye's Tewkesbury ; Brewer's Beauties of England and Wales ; Napier's Ewelme and Swyncombe ; Chamberlain's Survey of London ; Eyton's Shropshire ; Carnarvon's Archæology of Berks ; Aldworth Church BOOKS AND RECORDS CONSULTED AND QUOTED.

XI Monuments ; White's Suffolk ; Boydell's History of the Thames ; Salter's The Thames ; Pearson's Sonning ; Holmes' Worthies of Berks ; Thome's Rambles by Rivers ; Lovejoy's Scrap Books ; Reading Mercury ; Mitford's Recollections of a Literary Life ; Ashmole's Berks ; Bucks Archæological Society's Papers ; Allnutt's Pamphlets on the Thames ; Vanderstegan's Pamphlets on the Thames ; Siege of Reading ; Darter's Reminiscences ol an Octogenarian ; Old England; Fuller's Church History; Hone's Table Book; Manners of London ; Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting ; Walpole's Letters to Sir Horace Mann ; Fulcher's Life of Gainsborough ; Mason's Letters to Horace Walpole ; Timbs' English Eccentrics ; Wilson's Wonderful Characters ; Fairbairn's Crests ; Southey's Life of Cowper ; An Old Coachman's Chatter ; Badminton Volume on Fishing ; Plowden Records ; Plowden Family Papers ; Jennings Family Papers ; Lybbe Powys Lybbe Family Papers ; Wilder Family Papers ; American Wilder History ; Dante ; Cowper ; Tennyson ; Chaucer ; John son's Gardener's Dictionary ; Anne Pratt's Botany ; Tusser's Points of Husbandry ; Gerrard's Herbal ; Bloxam's Architecture ; Glossary of Architecture ; Winkle's Cathedrals ; Turner's Domestic Architecture ; Cripps' Plate Marks ; Chalmer's General Biography ; Symond's Diary of the Civil War ; Bosworth's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary ; Bentham's British Flora, &c, &c, CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE I. Introductory ....... j II. Ancient History of the Neighbourhood .... 8 III. Domesday - - - - . . -20 IV. Walter Giffard, the Second Earl of Buckingham, and his Time 31 V. Missenden Abbey, and its Records of Shiplake - - 44 VI. The Charters ------- 56 VII. Henry III., and Richard, " King of the Romans " - .89 VIII. Edmund of Cornwall - - - - - - 116 IX. Edward II., Piers Gaveston, and Sir Hugh Audley, Manorial Lords of Shiplake - - - .1 - - - I28 X. Edward III., the Black Prince, the De Audleys, and StafFords, Manorial Lords of Shiplake - - - - - 139 XI. Richard II. and the Staffords, Manorial Lords of Shiplake - 150 XII. Humphrey, Duke of Buckingham, Manorial Lord of Shiplake, Henry IV. to Edward IV. - - - - 158 XIII. Life of Henry,Duke of Buckingham, Manorial Lord of Shiplake, Edward IV to Henry VII. - - - - - 167 XIV.

Henry VIII., and Edward, Duke of Buckingham, Manorial Lords of Shiplake - - - - - 1 73 XV. Edward VI., the Earl of Oxford, and Duke of Somerset, Manorial Lords of Shiplake - - - - - 189 XVI. Queen Elizabeth. The Plowdens of Shiplake - - - 200 XVII. James I. 1603 to 1625 - - - - - - 226 XVIII. Charles I., 1625-1649. Account of Civil War in Shiplake and the Neighbourhood ------ 232 XIX. The Commonwealth, 1649-1660 - - - - 2S3 XX. Charles II. 1660-167S - - CONTENTS. XIV CHAP. *PAGE XXI. James II. 1685-1688 - - - - - - 281 XXII. William III. and Mary. 1689-1702 - - - - 291 XXIII. Queen Anne. 1 702-1 714 - - - 296 XXIV. George I. 1714-1727 - - - - 302 XXV. George II. 1727- 1760 - - - - - - 306 XXVI. James Granger, Vicar of Shiplake, 1 747-1 766 - - - 322 XXVII. Henry Constantine Jennings, Owner of Shiplake Court, Celebrated Virtuoso - - - - - "335 XXVIII.

Parish History from 1 807- 1 848 - - - - - 357 XXIX. The Ancient Church - - 365 XXX. The Church Restoration of 1822 - - - - 369 XXXI. The Registers - 378 XXXII. Curiosities of the Churchwardens' Books - 384 XXXIII. Parish History. 1848-1870 - - - - - 389 XXXIV. The Restoration of the Church in 1869 - - - - 395 XXXV. Road and River ------- 407 XXXVI. Geology of the Thames Valley at Shiplake, with an account of the Palæolithic Implements found in the Drift-Gravel - 420 XXXVII. Physical Features of Shiplake, etc. --..,. 436 XXXVIII. Some Birds observed at Shiplake, Oxfordshire, during the last thirty years ------- 448 XXXIX. The Flora of Shiplake - - - - - 451 XL. From 1870, to the Queen's Jubilee, 1887 - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. Cover Design - - - - - - By E. J. Climenson. Shiplake Church Tower - Frontispiece. {From Photo by R. H. C. Harrison, Esq.) View Towards Sonning ----- Facing p. 9 {From Photo by Mr. H. Taunt.)

Shiplake Mill and Lock, Looking Towards Wargrave - - ,,21 {From Photo by Mr. H. Taunt.) Stone Pillar and Piscina, Shiplake Church - - - „ 44 {Photographed from Sketch of Rev. George Howman, by R. H. C. Harrison, Esq.) Shiplake Lock - - - - - - -„68 {From Photo by R. H. C. Harrison, Esq.) Fresco of St. Christopher in Shiplake Church - - - „ 89 {From Sketch of Rev. George Howman.) Fresco of Richard, King of the Romans, in Shiplake Church „ 104 {From Sketch of Rev. George Howman.) Fresco of St. Christopher on South Wall, Shiplake Church- „ 151 {From Sketch of Rev. George Howman.) Shiplake Court in the Time of the Plowdens - - - „ 227 {By Authoress from old Picture, Heirloom to the Vicarage.) Crowsley Park ------- j, 275 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Abbey of St. Bertin, Saint-Omer - ,, 291 {From Photo by Ch. Becquereau.)

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. XVI Holmwood - - - - ... Facing p. 303 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Shiplake Vicarage - - - - - - - „ 322 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Shiplake Court in 1765 ------„ 344 {From Picture belonging to W. Earle Biscoe, Esq.) The Coppice --------„ 353 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Shiplake House ------- ;, 358 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Shiplake Church -------„ 369 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Interior of Shiplake Church -----,, 395 {From Photo by Messrs. Marsh.) Four Shiplake Views ------ m 407 {From Photo by Mr. F. Eales.) Palæolithic Implements ------„ 426 {From Sketch by Dr. Stevens.) Danish Sword and Spear Found near Shiplake - - - ,, 432 {From Sketch by Dr. Stevens.) New Shiplake Court ------ ); 440 {From Photo by R. H. C. Harrison, Esq.) The Royal Library, Windsor Castle.

The British Museum, London. The University Library, Cambridge. The Bodleian Library, Oxford. The Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. The Library of Trinity College, Bayne, Miss, York Terrace, Regent's Park, London. Bennett, Rev. Joshua (M.A.), Kiddington, Oxfordshire. Biscoe, W. Earle, Esq., Holton Park, Oxfordshire. Blackburn, Mrs., Lashbrook, Shiplake. Dublin. Blunt, Rev. Gerald (M.A.), S. Luke's Rectory, Chelsea. The Free Public Library, Reading. Bond, F. Walters, Esq., Wargrave Manor, Berks. 3 copies. Akroyd, Miss, Holmwood, Henley-on- Thames. Bond, H. Coulson, Esq., Llanelly, S. Wales. Allden, G. H., Esq. (M.D.), Longland, Henley-on-Thames. Bowles, Colonel, S. Helen's, Bideford, Devon. Anglesey, Mr. Henry, Shiplake, Oxon. 2 copies. Bowles, Major, Castlehurst, Isle of Wight. Arden, Douglas, Esq., Onslow Gardens, London. 2 copies.

Bowles, Colonel A. M., North Staffordshire Regiment, Dublin. Barnett, Mr. C. J., Mill End, Henley-on-Thames. Boys, Mrs., 8, Montagu Square, London. Baskerville, Colonel, Crowsley Park, Oxon. 2 copies. Brakespear, A., Esq., Belle Hatch Park, Oxon. Bateman, Rev. Stafford (M.A.), Yarbury Rectory, Lincolnshire. Brakespear, Mrs. G., Rotherfield Greys, Oxon. Bayne, W. Thirlwall, Esq. (LL.D.), Brockhill, Broad Clyst, Devon. Bristowe, W., Esq., Durlstone, Champion Hill, S.E. Dentry, Mr., Shiplake, Oxon Broome, Captain, Remenham Lodge, Berks. Dentry, Mr. H. T., Shiplake, Oxon. Dixon, Mr. John, Hazelville, Shiplake. Dixon, Tom, Esq., Thistledown, Ship- Brown, J. Dymore, Esq., Reading, Berks. Brooks, W. H., Esq., 59, Cecile Park, Crouch End, London, N. lake. Farley, Rev. H. (M.A.), Lytchett Minster Rectory, Dorset.

Brooks, Mrs. H., S. Lawrence Mansions, Kilburn, N.W. Faussett, Miss, Maidenhead, Berks. Bulkeley, Rev. H. (M.A.), Morpeth Rectory, Northumberland. Fearon, F., Esq., Stanhope Lodge, Herne Hill. Bulkeley, Miss, Rose Bank, Maidenhead, Berks. Fisher, Major, The Castle, Stroud, Gloucestershire. Busk, Miss, 5, Ashley Gardens, London. Fuller, Mr. T. A., Holmfield, Derby. Callas, Mr. Alfred, Oxford Street, Reading. George, Ernest, Esq., 18, Maddox Street, London. Cameron, Mrs. Kirkmichael, Ballindalloch, N.B. Capper, W. Kent, Esq., 29, Regent Street, London. Hancock, W. F., Esq., Wadhurst Castle, Sussex. Clarke, Mrs. George, Netterhill, Paisley, N.B. Hannen, Mrs. B., 1, Pembridge Place, London. Cleveland, Rev. W. H. (M.A.), Gateforth Parsonage, Selby. Harrison, R. H. C, Esq., Shiplake Court, Oxon. 2 copies.

Climenson, Rev. John (LL.M.), Shiplake Vicarage, Oxon. Harrison, Sidney, Esq., Sutton Place, Surrey. Climenson, S. R., Esq., Shiplake, Oxon. Hewitt, Mr. J. M., Shiplake, Oxon. Climenson, Miss, Shiplake, Oxon. Heydemann, Madame Marie, Grove Hall, Twyford. Climenson, Miss E., Shiplake, Oxon. Coleridge, Captain F. G., Twyford, Berks. Higgs, Mr. Thomas, Printer to H.R.R., Caxton House, Henley. Cooper, John, Esq., The Croft, Henley-on-Thames. Histead, Mr., Shiplake, Oxon. Hitchings, Rev. Edmund, West Hoe, Plymouth. Cordrey, Mr., Lashbrook, Shiplake. Crawshay, Mrs., Caversham Park, Oxon. Hitchings, Miss, Wargrave, Berks. Crocker, Charles, Esq., Stubbings House, Maidenhead. Hoare, Stafford O'Brien, Esq., Turville Park, Bucks. Curzon, The Hon. Alfred N., Weston Underwood, Derbyshire. Hobhouse, Lord, Bruton Street, London.

Hodges, J. F., Esq., Bolney Court, Oxon. Holland, Mrs. James, Seaforth, Sussex. Dashwood, The Misses, Sonning, Berks. Davenport, Thomas M., Esq., Oxford. Holmes, Frederick, Esq., Sherwood, Henley-on-Thames. Hope, General, Remenham, Berks. Mackensie, Mrs. P., Downham Hall, Suffolk. Horton, Mr. F., Reading, Berks. Howard, J. J. (LL.D.), F.S.A., College of Arms, London. Maitland, Mrs., Garth, S. Wales, Makins, Colonel (M.A.), Rotherfield Court, Oxon. 2 copies. Howman, Rev. E. J. (M.A.), Chinnor Rectory, Tetsworth. Makins, Henry, Esq., 180, Queen's Gate, London. Middleton, Mr. G. W., Shiplake, Oxon. Illingsworth, S. G., Esq., Borough Molyneux, Rev. R. (M.A.), Virginia Water Vicarage, Surrey. Court, Winchfield Irvine, Mr., Shiplake, Oxon Montagu, The Hon. Elizabeth, Farnham Royal, Bucks. Morgan, F., Esq., Remenham, Berks.

Jekyll, Mrs. Munstead, Guildford, Surrey. Neighbour, T., Esq., Shiplake, Oxon. Neighbour, Mr. P., Henley-on-Thames. Jekyll, Edward J., Esq., Higham Bury, Bedfordshire. Jekyll, Walter, Esq., Duchess Road, Birmingham. Nicholl, Henry J., Esq., Great Cumberland Place, London. Noble, Mrs., Park Place, Berks. 2 copies. Jones, Rev. W. Parker, Shiplake, Oxon. North, North, Esq., Newton Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale. Kennard, H. J., Esq., Hyde Park Terrace, London. Nutt, Rev. J. W. (M.A.), Harpsden Rectory, Oxon. Knyvett, The Misses, Sonning, Berks. Ovey, Richard, Esq., Badgemore, Henley-on-Thames. Langley, Miss, London Street Library, Reading. 3 copies. Lee, Mrs., Butleigh Vicarage, Somerset. Palmer-Golding, Rev. H. (M.A.), Holme Park, Sonning. 2 copies. Leigh-Austen, Rev. A. (M.A.), Wargrave Vicarage, Berks.

Pardoe, Mrs., Purslow Hall, Shropshire. Lescher, Herman, Esq., Clement's Lane, London. Pardoe, W. H., Esq. (M.A.), 23, Gloucester Street, London. Little, Mrs., Newbold Pacey Hall, Warwickshire. Parson, Mrs., Lashbrook, Shiplake. Penrice, Mrs., Plumstead Parva Rectory, Norfolk. Littledale, Captain Fletcher, Bryanston Place, London. Pepper, Walter, Esq., Covehithe, Suffolk. Lynes, Mrs., Derby House, Colchester. Phillimore, Sir Walter F. G. (Bart.), The Coppice, Shiplake. Mabson, John, Esq. (M.A.), Wargrave, Berks. Phillimore, Lady, The Coppice, Shiplake. Mackensie, Mrs., Fawley Court, Bucks. XX Raikes, R. Taunton, Esq., Harpsden Court, Oxon. Phillimore, Admiral Sir A., Shedfield House, Hants. Rawnsley, Rev. Canon (M.A.), Crosthwaite Vicarage, Cumberland. Phillimore, Charles, Esq., Hurley, Berks.

Rawnsley, Willingham, Esq., Lyndhurst, Hants. Phillimore, Miss, Shiplake House, Oxon. 5 copies. Phillimore, Miss A., Shiplake House, Oxon. 2 copies. Reid, Mrs., Inverloddon, Wargrave, Berks. Phillimore, Miss L., Shiplake House, Oxon. 3 copies. Reid, H. J., Esq. (F.S.A.), 32, Sackville Street, London. Phillimore, Mrs. Greville, Wilton Crescent, London. Robinson, Mrs., Courtfield Road, S. Kensington. Phillimore, R., Esq., The Coppice, Shiplake. Rose, Mrs. E. J., Shiplake Vicarage, Oxon. Finder, Rev. Canon (M.A.), Rotherfield Greys Rectory, Oxon. Plowden, William F., Esq., Plowden Hall, Lydbury North, Salop. Sadler, Mrs. Henry, Binfield Heath, Shiplake. Plowden, Sir H. Meredith, Longcause, Totnes, Devon. Shepherd, Mr., Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. Plowden, Sir W. Chichele (K. C.S.I.), Aston Rowant House, Tetsworth, Oxon.

Simmons, Charles, Esq., Crowsley, Shiplake. Slade, Mr. G., Shiplake, Oxon. Plowden, Major F., 13, Woodlands Road, Barnes Common, London, S.W. Smith, Mrs. William, Garnstone Castle, Herefordshire. Smith, Mr. W., 109, London Street, Reading. Plowden, Mrs. Charles, Palazzo Lazzaroni, Rome. Sutton, Martin, Esq., Kidmore Grange, Oxon. Plowden, Miss, Rivers Court, Bath. Portarlington, Dowager Countess of, 7, Stratford Place, London. Stapleton, Sir Francis (Bart.), Greys Court, Oxon. Porter, Mrs., Shiplake, Oxon. 2 copies. Stevens, Dr. (F.S.A.), Reading, Berks. Pott, Stanley, Esq., 13, Bruton Street, London. Steward, Herbert T., Esq., Courtfield Gardens, London. Powys, Miss, Whitchurch, Oxon. Style, The Misses, Binfield Heath, Shiplake. Pritchard, Rev. A., Hill Lands, Wargrave, Berks. Swinburne, Lady Jane, Ennismore Gardens, London.

Swinburne, The Misses, Ennismore Gardens, London. Quaint, Mr., Lashbrook, Shiplake. Quaritch, Bernard, Esq., 15, Piccadilly, London. Taylor, Mrs., Bowden Place, Berks. Taylor, Mrs., Wargrave House, Berks. Tonge, Mrs., Silchester, Hants. Weldon, W. H., Esq., Windsor Herald, College of Arms, London, E.C. Wenman, Mrs., Shiplake, Oxon. Whiting, Miss, Wargrave, Berks. Tremenheere, S. G., Esq., H.M. Inspector of Schools, Reading. Wilder, Rev. H. C, Farnham Royal, Bucks. Wilson, Lady Frances, 8i, Belgrave Road, London. Van de Weyer, Colonel Victor, New Lodge, Windsor Forest. Wilks, Miss E., 92, Charlotte Street, London. Verey, H., Esq., Bridge House, Twyford, Berks. Witherington, Iltid, Esq., Sonning Berks. Wyatt, Mr. Frank, Wargrave, Berks. Wyatt, Mr. Fred, Wargrave, Berks. Walters, Mr. Oliver, Lashbrook, Shiplake.

Wapshare, Mrs., Manchester Square, London. Warner, Mr., Shiplake, Oxon. Wellesley, The Hon. Mrs., 7, Stratford Place, London. Ximenes, Henry, Esq., Bear Place, Berks. Young, Oliver, Captain, Hare Hatch, Twyford, Berks. A S. 1006. "These hills are richly adorned with pleasant woods and groves, consisting for the " most part of beech, which crowne the toppes of the hills, and att foot of them " gently glides the River Thames, offering to carry their burdens (which are not " small) of wood and corne to their chief citty London, which he doth, and returns " money and other necessary commodities in exchange for them. Indeed, he is so " good a neighbour, enriching this country by his navigableness, and allowing " them sufficient meadow for their hay, and store of salmon, trout, pikes, pearches, " eeles, and other good fish for their provisions, he hastens not by a quick, though " cleer and smarte, through this countrey, butt gravely keeps on his way, delighted " with his flowing bankes, and the bending groves saluting him." (Taken from Sir Bulstrode Whitelock's "Address to his Children ; Description of the Thames al Henley. ")

Chapter I. Introductory

HIPLAKE is a small village, and parish in South Oxfordshire, in the hundred of Binfield, formerly included in the Royal Manor of Bensington, commonly called Benson. The parish consists of a long narrow strip of land reaching from the banks of the river Thames inland for nearly five miles. It is bounded on the west by Sonning, and Dunsden parishes, on the north by Kidmore End, and Peppard, east by Harpsden, and south by the river which divides it from Berkshire. Till 1854, when Kidmore End parish was formed out of the extreme bounds of three parishes — namely, Shiplake, Sonning, and Caversham — Shiplake extended inland for over seven miles. On the Berkshire side of the Thames, Shiplake is faced by part of Sonning and Wargrave. Singularly enough, there is one house on the Berkshire side which claims to be in Shiplake parish, and that is the small cottage occupied till the year 1891 by the ferryman, whose duty it is to convey the barge horses across the river to either towing path.

The Thames Commissioners have now constructed a pretty cottage, on land bought of J. F. Hodges, Esquire, on the Oxfordshire side of the river, opposite the old ferry cottage. The last house now in the Ecclesiastical parish on the north side is the gardener's house opposite Blount's Court ; the Civil parish bounds extend as far as the road from Checkendon to Peppard, virtually to Kingwood, and is still called Shiplake Bottom. In the map made in 1840, this line of demarcation is used for numbering, though the Ecclesiastical parish now ends at the road running behind Blackmore Farm, leading from upper Mapledurham to the back of Widmoor Pond. B S. 1006. According to Kelly's Directory, the area of Shiplake is 2,692 acres, rate able value £4,838. The present census, taken in the year 1S91, is 756 persons in the Civil parish, 686 in Ecclesiastical, showing an increase since 1881, last census year, of 122.

From the church it is three miles to Henley market-place by road, and about five miles to Reading market-place. I mention market-places as central distances, as the outskirts of both towns are rapidly growing. By river, from the lock at Shiplake, it is three miles and three-quarters to Henley Bridge, nearly a mile further than by road, owing to the devious windings of "silvery Thames," and two miles and a half to Sonning Bridge from Shiplake lock. In the same way as I have taken the market-places as central spots for the two distances from towns, so I prefer giving the bridges instead of from lock to lock, as in the case of Henley lock (commonly called Marsh lock) it is far on the Shiplake side of Henley, and with regard to Sonning lock, it is some way on the Reading side of the village of Sonning.

From Shiplake lock to Reading, it is about six miles and a quarter. From London, it is distant from the lock by water sixty-eight miles and three-quarters, and from the lock to Oxford forty-three miles and three quarters. Shiplake is spelt indifferently in the registers and ancient chronicles, Siplac, Schiplake, Shiplack, Schipelac, Siplak, Shiplack, Siplake, Schipplak, Ship lake, &c. Now, if we inquire into the origin of the name, there are two ideas, either of which is plausible. One is that it was so named as the Sheep lake, or lake of the sheep-washing. To support this theory, we find that Sheep in Saxon is Sceap or Sceop, in Danish Schaap, in German Shaf ; these might be easily corrupted to Ship. The word Lake is Lakere in Swedish Gothic, in Danish Lak, in French Lac. Now, as our language is a mixture of the Sclavonic and Norman-French tongues, this rendering of the words is quite possible.

Still, against this origin, the breed of sheep was very inferior till improved by Edward the Third, and it is asserted that at the early period we can prove Shiplake was called so, sheep-washing was unknown. The other supposed origin, and the one I prefer personally, is this : Ship in Saxon is Scip, or Scyp, old German Sets, modern German Schiff, Gothic Skip ; the word Lack, or Lak, in Danish, is to want, not to possess ; in fact, the same as our own word ; this would render it Ship-lack, or want of ships. Amongst some papers once lent to me by Colonel James Plowden, relative to Shiplake C_p<rt (for long one of the homes of his ancestors), and written by two nuns ancestresses of the Plowdens, then in a convent in Louvain, was one document which asserted that Shiplake was originally Schiff-laacken, or lack or loss of ships in Danish ; it went on to say that the Danes, in making one of their incursions up the river, could get their boats no further, from the continuous shallows, and that their generals ordered the boats to be burned rather to force on the men, and to make them adventure further in the country without INTRODUCTORY. 3 any undue hankering after their vessels.

Sometimes boats were purposely sunk, as Sir John Lubbock in his Pre-historic Man mentions that the Danes and Norse sometimes made a hole in their boats and sunk them with im plements and weapons of different sorts for security, thus making a sort of " Cache," which could be recovered eventually. He describes a boat ° found sunk in Nyedams Moss, in Schleswick, in 1862, which was flat-bottomed, seventy feet long, only three feet deep in the middle, and from eight to nine feet broad; this boat was rowed by fifteen pairs of oars, which were twelve feet long, according to the account in the Midnight Sun by Du Chaillu. In 1 87 1, a boats was found sunk in the Thames near Marlow Road Station ; it was in sixteen feet depth of water, it measured twenty-five feet three inches long, and was three feet four inches broad, cut out of a solid oak; the bow was pointed, and had a high upward curve, the stern was square, and there were two seats in the stern in solid wood — in fact, more or less a " dug out," such as used by most savage nations.

The boats were propelled by oars, and aided by sails made out of skins, and steered by an oar at right side of boat. Now, probably the boats that came to Shiplake were very similar to these, and as we know our river, when untrammelled by locks and weirs, took its own " sweet will " over depths and shallows, and as the valley considerably widens at Shiplake, we may reasonably consider it must have been a very tiresome piece of navigation in those days. Dr. Plot % in his Natural History of Oxfordshire, as late as 1677, remarks of the river reaches near Shiplake, that a barge will remain aground three weeks or a month, at times, in consequence ofthe shallows and the imperfections ofthe few weirs then existing. The "bargees" of those days must have required a great deal of patience. Even within the last twenty-five years, the writer can remember a most determined effort on the part of the river to force a new channel through a portion of " Ray Mead."

Now, as to the probability of this supposed origin of Shiplake, we must refer to history. In 871, the Danes are said to have pushed up the river towards Reading, commanded by their kings Halfdene and Baegseg, accompanied by several of their principal Jarls, or Earls. When they got to Reading, they proceeded to take possession of what is called " King's Mead," which is a spit of land that juts out like a peninsula, with the Kennet on one side, and the Thames on the other; not only this, but they commenced digging * The VikiDgs were often buried in their ships. In Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, warriors have been found buried with their weapons and horses in their ships. A very sine picture of the funeral of a Viking was exhibited in the Royal Academy this year, 1S93, painted by F. Dicksee. f The boats found in Scandinavia had large poles in end beams to tie them up by, and evidently were drawn ashore by them.