THE PATRIOT

Quarterly Newsletter of the Society No. 28 - Spring 2000

The John Hampden Society exists to bring together people with an interest in John Hampden, and to encourage wider knowledge of this great 17th century Parliamentarian, hs life and times CHANGE DOWNING STREET TO HAMPDEN STREET, SAYS SOCIETY The John Hampden Society has launched one of the leading lights in both Parlia- ter, changing sides just before the Res- a campaign to get the name of Downing ment and the Parliamentary Army during toration and treacherously delivering Street changed to Hampden Street. the Civil War. Had he not been killed early some of his former comrades-in-arms to on in that conflict, the course of history execution. He was awarded a baronetcy In a letter to the Secretary of State for Cul- for this. ture, Media and Sport, copied to Westmin- might well have been very different. The During the Civil War he had acquired an ster City Council, the Society wrote: execution of Charles I might never have occurred, we would have heard little of interest in land and buildings to the We would like to make the following re- west of Whitehall, but at the Restoration Hampden’s cousin , and quests to you: he was told that the 1. That you will arrange properties had been taken back by the for the name of Downing Crown. Street to be changed to He petitioned the King that of Hampden Street. that the properties be 2. That you will arrange restored to him on the for a commemorative grounds, unsupported plaque to be placed on the by any evidence, that wall of No. 10 Hampden they had come to him Street to mark the fact in lieu of a debt. In that it was once the Lon- 1664 the King reluc- don home of John Hamp- tantly granted him the lease of the site and the den the Patriot. buildings on it, with permission to build, This Society was set up in 1992 to honour the constitutional settlement of 1688, despite the fact that Elizabeth Hampden the name of John Hampden, one of the which secured the future of Parliament, was still living there and paying a rent of 17th century’s greatest, yet sadly ne- might have taken place much earlier. £90 per year. glected, statesmen. I enclose some details Downing Street stands on the site of the Her grandsons put up a fight as their about Hampden and the Society, and I Hampdens’ home, which was built lease still had 20 years to run, and would refer you to the article by Dr John by Sir Thomas Knyvet in the 1580s and Downing’s attempts to get possession Adair in The House magazine of 11 July inherited by John Hampden’s mother in failed. Elizabeth died in 1665, but Down- 1994, but briefly he was a wealthy Buck- 1622, when her son was 28. At this time ing doesn’t appear to have gained pos- inghamshire landowner who stood out Hampden was an MP and would almost session until 1671. He then proceeded to pull down and the against the tyrannical policies of King certainly have lived here when in London. surrounding buildings, and construct Charles I. Hampden’s opposition to the I quote from an article in issue no. 6 of our the world-famous street that bears his illegal tax made him the most newsletter, ‘The Patriot’, based on infor- name. famous man in the country, and he be- mation from Christopher Jones’s book: Members of this Society believe that it is came right-hand man to , leader George Downing was a Parliamentarian a disgrace that, for over 300 years, the of the opposition to the King in the Long official residence of the Head of Gov- Parliament. who became a Member of Parliament and acquired the post of Ambassador to ernment of the United Kingdom should Hampden’s activities led to him being one The Hague under Cromwell, where he be named after a man so despicable of the whom the King tried spied on the exiled Stuarts. He appears as George Downing - a turncoat and to arrest for treason in 1642, and he was to have been a most unpleasant charac- continued on page 3

MYSTERY POEM AGM ENCLOSURES Membership Secretary Liz Morris has The AGM was held at Hampden House Members will find three important en- discovered the full text of the mysterious on Sunday 7th May, and fuller details closures with this newsletter. poem mentioned in the last newsletter. will be available in the next issue of The first one, which will only go out to It was found in Country Like This, pub- ‘The Patriot’. UK members, is a staffing form for the John Hampden Exhibition in on lished in 1972 by The Friends of the Vale The most important decision was to raise Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of June. of , and it reads: the annual subscriptions for most catego- We shall require members to be on duty in ries of British Isles membership as from 1st the Masonic Hall during the opening hours King Charles the First to Parliament came, January 2001. Overseas subscriptions will to show visitors around, answer questions, Five good Parliament men to claim; remain the same. and keep an eye open for souvenir-hunters King Charles he had them each by name, The possibility of holding a series of illus- (we hope to have some valuable artefacts Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, trated talks for members in the on display). And and after him, Thame/Great Hampden area during the Help will also be required to set up and Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire winter was also discussed. take down the display, and to remove some And Hampden, Gent, of . The committee for the coming year is as of the more valuable exhibits to a place of follows: safety on the Saturday evening. It would The man at the gate said ‘Tickets, please,’ also be desirable to see a good turnout at Said Charles, ‘I’ve come for the five M.P.’s.’ LORD HOLLENDEN (Chairman) the Memorial Service at on Sun- The Porter said ‘Which?’ and Charles said ROY BAILEY (Vice-Chairman) day afternoon. ‘These: MRS ANTHEA COLES (Hon. Secretary) If you have some time free on those two Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, ’ And SAMUEL HEARNE (Hon. Treasurer) days and wish to help, please indicate your William Strode and after him, MISS ELIZABETH MORRIS availability on the form and return it as (Membership Secretary) Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire soon as possible to the Vice-Chairman. GRAHAM BARFIELD And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire.’ You will then be contacted nearer the time MRS GILLIAN GOODALL and allocated a slot.

JOHN GOODALL The second form will enable us to keep In at the great front door he went, ROBERT HAMMOND the Society’s database fully up-to-date by The great front door of Parliament, MAURICE KIRTLAND collecting information which, of necessity, While, out at the back with one consent DEREK LESTER does not appear on the membership appli- Went Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, MRS MARION WIERSZYCKI cation form. Please return this to the Mem- And William Strode and after him, bership Secretary. Arthur Hazelrigg, Esquire The new member, Robert Hammond , is Finally, of course, there is the menu and And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire. a former district councillor from John booking form for the Annual Dinner at The Hampden’s old constituency of , Spread Eagle Hotel, which this year will be Into the street strode Charles the First, and an indefatigable researcher in the held on the anniversary of John Hampden’s His nose was high and his lips were Bucks County archives in Aylesbury. first marriage and of his death. Guest pursed, speaker will be Lord Saye and Sele, who will talk about his 17th century ancestor; a While, laugh till their rebel sides near burst, GREENCOATS IN THAME did close colleague of John Hampden. Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, Colonel John Hampden’s Regiment of Foote of the Society And William Strode, and after him (‘The Greencoats’) will once more be on Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire, show in Thame this June - and look set And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire. to repeat their impressive display of

three years ago. HUGH CHESTERMAN From Monday 19th to Friday 23rd they King Charles the First will be mounting a Living History display ‘Speech Practice’ ed. by G. Colson, 1959 for the benefit of parties of schoolchildren

at Thame Showground, and on Saturday By coincidence, Liz Morris contacted 24th this will be open to the general public Aylesbury Local Studies Library to see if from 2 pm until about 5.30 under the title they could find the complete text, and a ‘The English Civil War - A Matter of Life few days later one of the librarians found or Death’. This will also include two drill us via our web site and e-mailed to ask if displays. we had any information about the very Prior to this the Regiment will repeat same poem! their march through the town at the head of the Carnival procession - but this time ACCOMMODATION, RESTAURANT & • Country Like This contains much else of they will go from the Recreation Ground BANQUETING interest to students of John Hampden. in Southern Road to the Showground, There are Sir Ralph Verney’s notes on the commencing at 1 pm. attempted arrest of The Five Members in On the afternoon of Sunday 25th the au- Published by January 1641/2, and a transcript of a letter dience will be entertained by two skir- The John Hampden Society from John Wittewrong and Thomas Tyrrill, mishes. The Malt House, Great Shefford dated May 1643, to Colonels Hampden and It is also hoped that some of the Regi- Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 7ED Goodwin, complaining about the depreda- ment will be available to attend the service Tel & Fax: 01488 648441 tions of the Royalists in the Vale of Ayles- at Chalgrove on Sunday 18th, and perhaps E-mail: [email protected] bury, and begging for help from the Parlia- add some colour to our exhibition in the http://www.westberks.demon.co.uk/jhs/ mentary Army. Masonic Hall that weekend. 222

HAMPDEN STREET CAMPAIGN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 hypocrite. In contrast, all of his con- more often than not provokes opposi- 2000 temporaries praised John Hampden’s tion, particular from the occupiers of character and capabilities. The Earl of premises in the street who, of course, Thur 15 June An illustrated talk to Chinnor Clarendon, a Royalist, wrote, ‘... his suffer the inconvenience of altering & District University of the Third Age at reputation for honesty was universal, their stationary and making all their Chinnor Village Hall, commencing at 2.30 and his affections seemed so publicly correspondents acquainted with the pm. guided that no corrupt or private ends change of address. Sat 17 & Sun 18 June The John Hampden could bias them’. And later, ‘... he was a I have no doubt that changing the Exhibition (in association with Thame His- very wise man, and of great parts, and name of Downing Street will result in possessed with the most absolute facul- torical Society) in the Masonic Hall, High opposition for the same reason. Fur- Street, Thame. Opening times: Saturday 10 ties to govern the people, of any man I thermore, the existing name is associ- am - 5 pm; Sunday 10 am - 4 pm. (see knew’. ated at home and abroad with the ‘Enclosures’) In the 1,000 days since the last General London residence of not only the po- Election, your Government has taken a litical leader of the country but also Mon 19 to Sun 25 June A Living History radical look at many entrenched atti- the Chancellor of the Exchequer. by Col. John Hampden’s Regiment of the tudes that have prevailed in our public There would in my opinion be a con- English Civil War Society at Thame Show- life for so long. Renaming Downing siderable opposition to such a ground. (see ‘Greencoats in Thame’) Street after a man known in his time as change. Sun 18 June A Memorial Service and ‘Patriae Pater - The Father of the People’ Despite this, copying of our letter to the Wreath Laying by members of the Society at would emphasise to the world that Brit- media resulted in a good deal of publicity. the Hampden Monument, Chalgrove at 2.30 ain’s ability to evolve new democratic institutions whilst defending its citizens’ BBC Three Counties Radio did an inter- pm. ancient rights has deep historical roots view; there was a short piece in the Lon- Sat 24 June The Society’s Annual Dinner and would be a most appropriate way of don Evening Standard; but the best re- at the Spread Eagle Hotel, Thame - 7.30 pm marking the new Millennium . sponse was from The Bucks Herald, who for 8. A reply was received from the Building, made it the front page story in their issue Tue 29 Aug An illustrated talk entitled Monuments and Sites Division of the of 22nd March. They asked for suggestions ‘John Hampden The Man’ to Kidlington & DCMS pointing out that, even if he from readers, one of whom proposed that, District Historical Society at the Baptist thought it appropriate or desirable, the Sec- rather than renaming the street, No. 10 Church Hall, Kidlington. retary of State had no powers to change the should be known as ‘Hampden House’ Mon 23 Oct An illustrated talk to the Ox- name, which was the responsibility of instead. ford Senior Wives Fellowship at St Andrews City Council. Their Head of Aylesbury MP David Liddington, al- Hall, Linton Road , commencing at 2 the District Surveyors Office replied: though he did not agree with the name- pm. I always approach with sympathy change proposal, stated that he would sup- any suggestion for marking the links port the Society in its request for a plaque (All meetings commence at 8pm, unless other- of famous historical persons with the in Downing Street. wise stated) City and I know that the Council shares my attitude. At the same time We have not given up and have some my experience compels me to say more ideas for this campaign, one of which that renaming of any street in the City was unveiled at the Society’s AGM in May LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sir, I am writing a biography inclusive of family origins, and I wonder whether your Society includes a genealogical section which might assist me? Many people must claim direct descent. In 1857 my great-grandfather Edward Henry Chawner married Sidney Frances, the daughter of John Hampden Gledstanes of Cheshunt, whereupon successive Chawners adopted the great name. How- ever I would prefer evidence of this link in the female line to be firmer than family tradition and unfortunately, standard books have not been helpful. Therefore I will be grateful for any assis- tance you or your members might be able to provide. Philip M. Hampden Chawner Following correspondence with Grampound Parish Council in Cornwall (see 27 Beauchamp Avenue ‘The Patriot’ no. 27) we have been sent this picture of Trevail House. This was Leamington Spa formerly known as Hampden House, and John Hampden is said to have lived Warwickshire CV32 STD here when he was MP for Grampound in the . 333

A WALK ON THE COLD SIDE! The Battlefields Trust’s Study Day and Chalgrove Battlefield Walk took place on the weekend of 25th and 26th March, and was highly successful. The Study Day on Sunday was held in the Junior Common Room of Brasenose Col- lege, Oxford, and featured expert speakers on such subjects as the New Model Army; Cromwell’s campaigns in Scotland and Ireland; archaeological research relating to Civil War battles and sieges; and the Worcester campaign. Members of Lord Robartes’ Regiment of the Sealed Knot gave a demonstration of Civil War uni- form, weaponry and drum calls, and an excellent buffet lunch was served in the Great Hall of the college. All this was in sharp contrast, comfort wise, to the battlefield walk on the previ- ous afternoon. The organiser of the week- end, Dr Alistair Bantock, had very sensibly contacted the John Hampden Society to see if we had someone who knew enough about the battle of Chalgrove to act as guide. Strangely enough, we did! Derek Lester , accompanied by Mrs Gill Blackshaw , was the obvious choice, and they were joined by Roy Bailey and Mrs Angela Feaviour from the Society and eight members of the Battlefields Trust. The walk commenced at the crossroads at Clare Hill, where Derek pointed out the route of Prince Rupert’s force from Chin- nor via Aston Rowant and South Weston along a road no longer in existence. The party then drove to Golder Manor (still looking much as it does in the draw- ing on the 17th century map), where the vehicles were parked. The routes and tac- tics of the two forces were described in great detail by Derek as the walk pro- gressed by means of public paths down past Round Hill and the tiny hamlet of Eas- ington to the line of the Great Hedge - some of which still exists today. This was followed to the Monument Trad- ing Estate along a path known as Lower Marsh Lane, and then to the site of Warps- grove House. Permission had been kindly SIGNS OF THE TIMES granted by Mr Roy Brown for the party to enter his land to view the site of the hedge Mrs Gill Blackshaw, Clerk to Chal- over which Prince Rupert jumped to en- grove Parish Council, informs us that gage the Parliamentarians who had been her Council, via Chalgrove Battle galling his troops. Group, has obtained an award from The Here the walk ended with a vote of thanks Millennium Fund of £2,296. to Derek Lester from Dr Bantock. It was This will finance road signing to the bat- richly deserved, as Derek had demon- tlefield site, and explanation boards about strated his thorough knowledge of the bat- the battle. The road signs will bear the tle and 17th century military tactics, mak- ‘crossed swords’ symbol, and will be the ing the whole afternoon fascinating and first to do so in . The informa- informative. tion boards will be erected near the Monu- It was also bitterly cold, as the north-east ment, and will give a pictorial account of wind whipping across the open fields be- Prince Rupert’s raid from Oxford to Chin- tween Clare Hill and Chalgrove made the area resemble the steppes of Siberia with- nor and back via Chalgrove Field and also out the snow! ground and location plans for the battle Our pictures show (top) Derek Lester di s- itself, with an explanation of the action . cussing a point with one of the Battlefields If possible the signs and boards will be Trust members near Easington, and (below) erected before the Society’s commemora- the party trying to find the former line of the tive service at the Monument on 18th June Great Hedge on the map. this year.