BOLNEY AND LASHBROOK Beyond Domesday …….
To recap - at the time of the Domesday recording Shiplake was two medieval manors, Bolney and Lashbrook (with a smaller estate at Crowsley) Tenant in Chief of Lashbrook was Walter Giffard and he had made Hugh of Bolbec Lord of the Manor. Tenant in Chief of Bolney was Earl William and lord of the manor was Gilbert de Bretteville.
Lashbrook 12 hides (approx 1440 acres) Bolney 8 hides (960 acres) 9 Ploughlands 7 Ploughlands 13 households 16 households.
Bolney’s medieval manor house was probably (like its successor Shiplake Court/College) immediately next to Shiplake Church, and Lashbrook’s closer to the river at Lashbrook Farm. However, some parts of Bolney were contained in what is now Harpsden (The southern boundary with Shiplake followed the edge of High Wood before cutting across fields and following short stretches of field and woodland boundaries to the Thames) and there was a substantial manor house Bolney Court, also with a church, near the river.
Bolney Manor (after doomsday) 1103 Son of Walter Giffard, also Walter, 2nd Earl of Buckingham, and Lord of Caversham took over when his father died. When, on his death he died without issue in 1164 The Langetot family – Ralph, then Emma and her husband Geoffrey Fitzwilliam owned the manor until in 1185 their daughter Muriel took control. She lived in Shiplake, probably at or near the site of the Shiplake Court (now Shiplake College). In 1209 Muriel’s two sons by her first husband, Alan de Dunstanville, were landowners. Firstly, Alan de Dunstanville and then when he died, his brother, Geoffrey. On Geoffrey’s death without issue, possession of Shiplake was contested between Muriel’s heirs through the female line 1234 (approx) the owner was William Englefield (grandson of Muriel’s daughter) and Alan Basset, son of Muriel’s daughter Cecily, obtained an intermediate lordship, while Muriel’s other daughter Muriel, retained a third of a fee. The land then passed to Sir Francis Englefield, but being a devout Catholic, he fled to the Spanish Netherlands to avoid religious persecution, so Elizabeth 1 took the estate into Crown hands and gave tenancy to 1562 Edmund Plowden (who was at the time leasing Shiplake Court). In 1588 the Manor was granted to Thomas Crompton of London who in 1595 sold it to Bennett Winchcombe and Humphrey Purcell who sometime afterwards (date unknown) sold it to Sir Francis Stonor. In 1685 it was sold to vicar, John Toovey. In 1730 sold to Francis Heywood – who in 1738 bought Lashbrook (and Crowsley) thus combining the two estates.
Lashbrook Manor In the late 12th Century was held by William Selfledge. In 1182 it was inherited by his elder daughter Amy, wife of Oger FitzOger, and in 1230 passed to their son Peter. In 1242 Peter sells a portion to William Englefield but keeps the other for himself
Peter’s remainder, sometime between 1242 and 1278 was inherited by his daughter, Amy and then her daughter, Joan de Sandford. On her death it was bought by 1278 Avelina, wife of Roger Lees, and granddaughter of Peter’s sister Mirabel. In 1346 it passed to John Lees and in 1428 to another John Lees. In 1513 Humphrey Elmes took possession and it was sold in 1564 to the Hester (or Hewster) family. To pay the heavy mortgage though, sometime between 1679 and 1682 they sold it to William Aldworth of St Martin in the Fields Englefield’s portion (bought in 1242) was in 1595 bought by Anthony Elmes. In 1668 Humphrey Elmes sold it to Theophilus Hart. In 1692 Charles Tucker, a London tailor, bought it from Hart’s daughters. In 1695 it was acquired by William Aldworth (so both Lashbrook portions are back together again). In 1738 Aldworth’s heirs sold estate to Frances Heywood (who at the time owned Bolney Manor thus combining the two estates)
Thus, from the 1730’s the two manors (and the Crowsley estate) were combined, first under the Heywood family, passing then to the Wright family, and later the Baskervilles, although much land remained in other ownership. (I will deal with this period of history and these influential families in more detail at a later date)
Due to the sustained popularity of the area Shiplake contains a variety of buildings of many periods, sizes and styles. Sixteenth to 19th-century farmhouses and country residences are scattered throughout the parish. A few cottages and smaller houses of similar date still exist. Large new houses were built by the river south of Bolney Court.
19 th Century Until the 19th century both manors were mainly agricultural, but thereafter its social and economic structure changed substantially with the arrival of middle-class and sometimes much wealthier incomers, attracted by fine riverside scenery and, because of the opening of the Great Western Railway branch line in 1857, good connections with London.
Many families had houseboats moored on the river along what is now Bolney Road. They used them to entertain holiday guests, especially when the Henley Royal Regatta was in full flow. Over the years they bought the land adjoining the mooring and built houses on them, most taking the name of the houseboat. The Vanderbilt family had a houseboat on this stretch of the river.
Twentieth-Century Development The first decade and a half of the 20th century saw small-scale development by a group of businessmen, the Bolney Syndicate, who sold off building plots on land formerly belonging to the Bolney and Harpsden estate. Large modern houses in substantial gardens and more modest suburban homes are concentrated close to Shiplake Station and the river. In the mid to late 20th century the area's continuing popularity with affluent people looking for a country home led to a steep rise in property prices. Tight planning restrictions limited house building, but a number of new homes were created through conversion of barns and other farm buildings for domestic use.
In recent years there has been much controversy over planning applications – but I think that is a whole article of its own!!
But here is a flavour of some of the land and property sales over the years …...
Crowsley Estate 29 th July 1896 37 Lots comprising 500 acres and includes 3 excellent Farmhouses with suitable homesteads. The Shiplake Brick Kilns (actually located in Binfield Heath), many lovely building sites and several small cottages and small holdings. The whole including 112 acres of Sporting Woods and commanding the best river scenery. Bolney Court 8 th July 1901
There is an Excellent Carriage Drive (Chestnut avenue) approach to the House from the Reading Road with a Brick Built and Slated Entrance Lodge containing five good rooms with Woodhouse and WC and good garden.
The main house was erected at great cost about 60 years ago, above the highest flood level and on the site of the old mansion. It is perfectly dry throughout, being built on arches. A fine terrace surrounds the mansion on three sides from which the outer hall is reached by a noble flight of steps, with handsome portico, columns and pediment in classical style A large and picturesque Inner hall affords communication to the grand staircase and principal rooms, which include On the River front the
Dining room (20ftx18ft) Drawing room (24ftx 18ft)- both very lofty. A lovely Library (24ftx18ft) with south and west windows. A Smoking room, Housekeepers room, Servants hall, Butlers pantry and bedroom. Excellent kitchen. Convenient and spacious offices.
On the First Floor the principal feature is a spacious landing approached by 2 staircases. Three large bedrooms with dressing rooms, a boudoir and two excellent bedrooms and three smaller bedrooms, 1 bathroom, Housemaid’s closet, WC
On the Upper Floor five good bedrooms (17 bedrooms total)
The residence is in good repair and has been thoroughly re-drained at considerable cost within the last 2 years. There is a never failing supply of pure water from a well. A convenient distance from the House is a well built and carefully planned range of Stabling, with surrounding courtyard affording accommodation for 6 horses. An extensive Coach house, Harness room and Coachman’s rooms. A small farmery adjoins the stableyard, at the back of which stands the Gardener’s Cottage, the premises of which lead to the capital Kitchen Garden, walled in on every side, well stocked with fruit trees and noted for its productiveness. Within the garden walls are two Vineries and a greenhouse, conservatory and melon house, cucumber house and glass sheltered fruit wall. A commodious boathouse occupies a charming position in the main backwater with a separate river lawn within easy access of the garden gate leading to the house. Situated on the western side of the park, from which it is separated by the railway, is the very convenient and compact Farm Homestead known as Lower Bolney Farm with an excellent separate approach from the Reading Road, comprising a pair of substantially built brick and tiled cottages, each containing, four good rooms with outside WC, timber built and tiled woodhouse.
Two Brick and timber built Large Cowhouses, Cart horse stable, open Cart shed, Barn, Chaff house and Bullhouse. The adjoining pasture land, extending from the railway to the Reading Road, comprises an area of approximately 90 acres.
Outgoings – Land Tax (past year was £15 1s 6d) Tithe Rent Charge(TRC) (Harpsden) annual value £38 17s 10d, TRC (Shiplake) £5 9s 3d TRC to Vicar of Shiplake 18s 9d
Property offered whole 161 acres. Lashbrook House 1918
A detached residence containing 8 Bedrooms, bathroom(h&c)Lavatory, Dining and Drawing rooms, Billiard Room and Excellent Offices, the whole lighted by electricity and connected with the Henley Water Company’s mains. Charming Grounds & productive Kitchen Garden, together with a Capital Homestead and Gardeners Cottage, surrounded by about 36 Acres of Luxuriant Pasture, extending to the River Thames & providing River Lawn with Boathouse.
Shiplake Court 19th May 1921 The mansion is situated upon an eminence about 200 ft above sea level and as it is upon arches, it is absolutely dry. Extending to approx 428 acres it overlooks one of the prettiest reaches of the River Thames with extensive views over Berkshire and the landscape between Sonning and Wargrave and of the wooded country beyond. It was designed by Sir Ernest George, R.A., in the Tudor Style.
It was erected in 1889, of red brick with stone mullioned windows and stone slabbed roof.
Perhaps one of its most marked characteristics is that with its dignified appearance it blends so many homely comforts. It faces South, the ground in front sloping gently and then more steeply to the River. The main approach is from the Reading to Henley road by a long carriage drive with a Pretty Lodge at entrance designed in red brick and oak with stone roof, in keeping with the main structure, containing 6 rooms.
Sources
Climenson, History of Shiplake Victoria County History website
Sales Catalogues held at Henley Library