Browne Willis, account of the manor of Winslow, 1735

British Library, Add MS 5840

Browne Willis, the antiquarian of Whaddon Hall, was compiling notes for a history of Cottesloe Hundred which he never completed. They were copied by William Cole while he was Rector of Bletchley. Notes added by him end "W.C.". Words in Latin have been put in italics below.

[f.176r] Hundred de Cotslow                      Winslow
 Terra Santi Albani in MuselaI Hundred

[Domesday Book text in Latin]

Ao. 794 King Offa gave Winslow Manor to St Alban’s Abbey. Kennet’s Par Antiq: p.[blank] [=White Kennet, Parochial Antiquities (1695), p.45]

Sir Henry Chancey says that King gave to the same Convent 12 mansions at Winæislauue. Antiq: of Hertfordshire. p.429. [=Sir Henry Chauncey, The Historical Antiquities of Hertfordshire (1700); mansions = hides, see Offa's Charter]

In Doomsday Book it is reckoned in Muselai Hundred, & as is there written Weneslai.

In Edward the First’s Time, Winslow, Shipton - Hamlet & Little Harwood were accounted Fees of the Abbat of St Alban’s, as was also Grandborough.

Patent Ao. 19. Hen 3: Charter for a Market
[Market charter text in Latin]
The Fair is still kept Aug: 10. & there is another held on Holy Thursday every year here.

Ro. Pat: [=Patent Rolls] Ao. 5 & 6. Philip & Mary. The Advowson of Winslow Vicarage in the diocese of London was granted 14 Nov: 5. & 6. of King Philip & Queen Mary to Edmund Bonner BP of London. Habend’ to him & his Successors.

Ro.Pat: Ao. 15. Eliz: pt. 2  1573.  The Qu: Apr: 21. demised to David de Leye, Goldsmith, the Rectory of Winslow, & all Fruits & Tenths of Corn & Hay, arising in Winslow & Shipton, with a Barn & Close late belonging to St. Alban’s Abbey & demised to John Boston by the said Abbey  24 March 1524, for 21 years from Lady Day 1544. Habend’ to the said David Leye from [f.176v] Lady Day, for 21 years, paying yearly 14li.0.0.

Pat: 28. Eliz: pt. 14.  Ao. 1586.  The Queen for 6.13.4. Fine demiseth to Sir John Fortescue for 21 years, reddendo 1.13.4. Teste Feb: 23. the office & Offices of Bailif, & Clerk of the Market at Winslow, & all Wayfs & Strays, & all Amerciaments, &c Tam de Insult' et Effusion' Sanguinis & vis Franci Plegii apud Winslow, & all Stallage, Piccage, Tolnage, Customs, Rights, Jurisdictions &c: in as ample a Manner, as John Boston or any other held the same.

Ro. Pat: Ao. 37. Eliz: pt. 14. 1595. 28. Jan: - The Qu: demises to Hen: Best, inter alia, the Rectory of Winslow, & all Tythes of grain & Hay in the Parish & Feilds of Winslow & Shipton, with a Barn & Close to the said Rectory belonging, & let to David de Leye for 21 years, Habend' to the said Hen: Best from Lady Day 1605 for 31 years paying yearly 14li.

Ro. Pat: Ao. 1606. 9. Jan. 4. Jac 1. King James granted to Sir John Fortescue & Ric: Tomlyns the Rectory & Church of Swanbourne, late belonging to Woburne Abbey, & the Rectory & Church of Winslow, & the Tyths of Winslow & Shipton, & a Tyth Barn & Close of Pasture to the same belonging, late belonging to St. Alban’s Monastery, & the Rectory & Church of Whitchurch, late belonging to Woburne Abbey aforesaid: to hold in Fee, paying for Swanburn 9li. Winslowe 14li. Whitchurch 14li.13s.4d. & to pay to the BP. of Lincoln 6s.8d. out of Whitchurch & 13s.4d. & 6s.8d. to the Archdeacon of Buckingham & 6s.8d. to the Curate of Winchelcombe. See more p.a.

Ro. Pat: Ao.17. Jac. 1.  pt. 3.  Ao. 1619. 19. Jan.  The King grants inter alia to Lawrence Whitaker Esq. & Hen: Price the Fee Farm Rent of Swanburn Rectory amounting to 9li. & the Rectory & Church of Winslow amounting to 14li. Which Rectories were demised for certain Terms of Years at those rents to Sir John Fortescue & Ric: Tomlyns.

Ao.1696.g.9.Wm.3.  A Bill to enable Nicholas Godwin, Senior, & Nicholas Godwin, junior, to sell the Manor of Winslow Co: Bucks, had the Royal Assent. Journal of the House of Commons. Vol:1. p.488.

An Act for ascertaining Fines of Copyholds in Winslow Manor, according to a Decree in Chancery, Nov:23. 1613.

[In Newcourt’s Repertorium are several Things relating to Winslow. Vol:1. p.911. W.C.] [=Richard Newcourt, Repertorium Ecclesiasticum Parochiale Londinense (1708)]

[f.177r] This Manor, together with its Members, viz: Little Horwood & Grandborough, belonging to the Abbey of St Alban’s before the Conquest Ao. 1066 continued Parcel of the Demeasnes of that Monastery ‘till the general Dissolution of Religious Houses under Henry 8. After which Ao. 1541 coming to the Crown, it remained in the possession thereof ‘till the 41 of Elizabeth Ao. 1599, when that Queen, in consideration of 2329li.7s.1d paid in to her Exchequer by Sir John Fortescue of Salden, granted it to him in Fee Nov:12; whose Son Sir Francis Fortescue his Son & Heir with John Fortescue his Son & Heir and Dame Alice Fortescue on Nov:18. Ao.17 Jacobi 1619, sold it to George Villiers Duke of Buckingham; whose Son George Villiers the 2nd Duke of that Name, having deeply mortgaged it to Nicholas Goodwin, he the said Nicholas Goodwin getting an Act of Parliament Ao.1696, to sell it, by virtue thereof conveyed it Ao.1697 to Wm. Lowndes Esqr. Secretary of the Treasury. And it is now Ao.1735 in the Poss(ess)ion  of his Grandson & Heir Richard Lowndes Esqr. who is the present Lord hereof & also of  Little Horwood & Grandborough.

Notes added by William Cole:

Mr. Lowndes is one of the Knights of the Shire in Parliament for this County which he has represented in several Parliaments, with Sir Wm. Stanhope on different interests: Sir Wm. being a steady Man for the Court party.  Mr. Lowndes was educated at Eton & Oxford, & has an only Son Wm. Lowndes Esqr. now a Captain in the Militia for this County, who lived at Winslow with his Father & 2 dauters unmarried. Mr. Robert Lowndes of Great Brickhill younger Bror of Mr. Ric: Lowndes was educated at Eton & the Inns of Court: he & his Bror married 2 Sisters, the Sisters of Barrington Shales Esqr. of Hertfordshire: Mr. Robin Lowndes has no children by his Wife. Mrs. Richard Lowndes died about 1757. I think that a 3rd brother of Chesham in this County married a 3rd Sister also.    Apr:17.1760 W.C.

Ao, 1723-4. Jan. 22 Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer acquainted the House, That this House hath lost a very useful Member & the Publick as able & honest a Servant as ever the Crown had, by the death of Mr. Lowndes Esqr.
Journals of the House of Com(m)ons. Vol 20 p.242 – W.C. 1775

Copyright 2 December, 2018