Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Local History Group NEWSLETTER No. 11 2007/08 Chairman’s Introduction This Newsletter celebrates yet another successful year for the Local History Group. Within you will find the meetings programme for 2007/8 with something for everyone to enjoy. Elsewhere there are accounts of LHG activities including how work on the Archive is continually revealing new information. There’s an interesting piece on how our Library is a source of insights into General Money, a founding member of the Group. Read about the delightful time we had exploring the inside and outside of Woburn Abbey. In July we were invited to participate in the Archaeology and Local History Fun Day on Cholesbury Common. 2009 will be the Parish Council’s 75th Anniversary and “Hawridge” is the first of a series of articles into the story of our Parish. Do try out the quizzes and come and share your ideas on the answers at our Members Evening! I would like to thank the Committee and those who help make our meetings a success and look forward to seeing you all in the autumn. Chris Brown ************************************************************************ The Story of Hawridge Although others have recorded the early history of Aylesbury Rural District took over in 1895 from the the area, such as the Hay’s Hilltop Villages of the Aylesbury Poor Law Union which administered poor Chilterns and the excellent The Chilterns by Alison relief and controlled workhouses including the one at Doggett and the late Leslie Hepple, ironically we Aylesbury (see photograph) with which the four know less about the local history of more recent Parish Vestries became associated with from 1835. times (by which I mean the last 175 years). Finding Vestries with origins back to Elizabeth I comprised out about the local history of this period could have the officials who administered both ecclesiastical and been a tough challenge. However, in much the same parish duties. For example, they appointed the rector way that the first settlers to this area must have and collected taxes to pay for poor relief and beaten down the impenetrable scrub and forged paths maintenance of the highways. Later on they along which to safely travel it appointed magistrates, is indeed lucky for me that surveyors and constables. there is someone who has Meanwhile, the Lord of the already cleared the way and Manor retained manorial rights, trodden this path. The late including the ability to fine Arnold Baines, who wrote those who transgressed on about Chesham and the history manorial lands. In this locality and archaeology of the the Vestries eventually ceded Chilterns, published in 1961 his their civil duties to elected their research about Cholesbury parish committees and as Vestry during the 1800s and in regards church matters were 1966 he added the story of succeeded by Parochial Church Hawridge Vestry1. Councils in 1919. Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Parish despite its Hawridge and Cholesbury had shared adjoining quintessentially English name was only created in Commons, owned by a single Lord of the Manor April 1934. The four constituent villages were, prior since 1704. Despite this the two parishes had to their unification, associated not with Amersham adopted contrasting Vestry models of local decision- but were independent and remote outposts of making. Cholesbury had evolved an ‘open’ Vestry Aylesbury Rural District. Buckland Common was a which met in public session with the Vicar in detached part of Buckland parish. St Leonards was a attendance and sometimes in the chair. Rate-paying significant but clearly distinct parcel of Aston parishioners could decide who represented them. Clinton St Leonards parish. Hawridge had lost Meanwhile Hawridge had operated a ‘closed’ or parcels of land to Northchurch as part of a redrawing ‘Select Vestry’ which met in private session and of the boundary with Hertfordshire. Cholesbury, the whose eight members were described by Baines as ‘a smallest of these parishes, had long since split from self-perpetuating group of farmers, accountable to no the adjacent Drayton Beauchamp, which provided a electorate, acting quite independently to the rector narrow ribbon of land, mostly woodland, bordering and exercising all powers of the parish’. Shire Lane and where only 7 people lived. continued on page 7 2007 – 2008 PROGRAMME Researched and produced by George Cobby FRIDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2007 BUILDINGS OF BERKHAMSTED 8.00pm for 8.15pm Jenny Sherwood, Secretary of Berkhamsted Local History Society. Cholesbury Village Hall FRIDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2007 THE NOBLE ART OF STRATEGIC DECEPTION 8.00pm for 8.15pm Hugh Davies, who doesn’t mind my describing him as the poor man’s St Leonards Parish Hall Deighton and Le Carré. FRIDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2007 TRING GARDENS – THEN AND NOW 8.00pm for 8.15pm Wendy Austin, who returns with another instalment of her ongoing saga St Leonards Parish Hall of Tring and its environs. FRIDAY, 4 JANUARY 2008 ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE A41 8.00pm for 8.15pm Robert Masefield, who is an archaeological consultant managing St Leonards Parish Hall projects in the South East and Midlands. FRIDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2008 THE HISTORY OF TECHNICOLOR 8.00pm for 8.15pm Clive Foxell. “Our Man on Metro-land” is also a keen aficionado of the St Leonards Parish Hall cinema and its history. FRIDAY 7 MARCH 2008 WESTMINSTER ABBEY – THE BUILDING 8.00pm for 8.15pm AND ITS RESTORATION St Leonards Parish Hall Geoff Roberts, was site surveyor during restoration work on the Abbey. FRIDAY 4 APRIL 2008 A BATCHELOR’S DELIGHT 8.00pm for 8.15pm Anne Batchelor, is a direct descendant of St Leonards’ most St Leonards Parish Hall distinguished and largely unknown son, Daniel Batchelor (Bachelier). FRIDAY 2 MAY 2008 AGM AND MEMBERS’ EVENING 8.00pm sharp A time when we look forward to entertaining each other with our own Cholesbury Village Hall enthusiasms. MEMBERSHIP £6.00 PER ANNUM – VISITORS WELCOME: £2.00 PER MEETING Coffee and Biscuits are served and a collection is taken Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Local History Group Committee Hon. President: Mrs E Money Chairman &Editor: Mr C Brown, Rays Hill Farm, Rays Hill, Braziers End, HP5 2UJ 01494 758890 Deputy Chairman: Mrs P Thomas, Cherry Orchards, Cholesbury Common, HP23 6ND 01494 758460 Treasurer: Mrs S Clarke, Beechwood, Jenkins Lane, St Leonards, HP23 6NW 01494 758567 Secretary: Mrs S Watson, Benton Potts, Hawridge Common, HP5 2UH 01494 758914 Programme Secretary: Mr G Cobby, 188 Amersham Way, Little Chalfont, HP6 6SF 01494 762954 Archivist: Mrs S Blomfield, Chambers Green Farm, St Leonards, HP23 6NP 01494 758314 Committee Members: Mr B Rice, 13 Chiltern Cottages, Buckland Common, HP23 6NQ 01494 758131 Mr I Piggott, Lane End Cottage, Lanes End, St Leonards, HP23 6LF 01296 620000 ************************************************************************************* www.cholesbury.com Remember to take a look at the local history pages on the website, which contain articles about the local history of the villages, and where all the walks can be downloaded. 2 The History Group Library This year the History Group Library doubled in size for Major General R. C. Money remembering his mainly because of a gift of thirty books from the outstanding help in my 1914-18 archive work. Peter bookshelves of our President, Mrs Evelyn Money. H. Liddle”. The reason for this becomes clear when For the time being they will be called the ‘Evelyn you reach pages 16 and 17 with its four pictures of Money Book Collection’ and listed separately but are troops in France, photographed by General Money in available for members to borrow in the usual way. 1914, when he was a Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Cameronians. The General maintained his interest in photography for the rest of his life and made an enormous contribution to the ‘Black Box’ by recording many local houses in the early days of the Local History Group. The second book is ‘The Field of Hastings’ by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles H. Lemmon, D.S.O, a tiny book with a bright red cover, which has always been in the Library. It had no particular significance until we were looking through an archive item of assorted correspondence concerning the setting up of the Local History Group and booking speakers. Many of the collection originally belonged to The hand-written dedication inside the book reads General Money, who was the Group’s first Chairman “To Major General R. C. Money with the author’s and later its first President. It has been an enjoyable compliments, August 1966”. This was soon task to look through them and to see ‘Robin Money’ explained when we read four letters from St written inside the cover or on a rather charming book Leonards-on-Sea, written to General Money by plate. What has been even more interesting has been Charles Lemmon. It appears that the General was to find hand written comments, notes, or underlining planning a visit to the 1066 battlefield and also by the General or Mrs Money. It brings the books to sounding out the possibility of a talk. The author life, makes them very personal, and shows how they sent him a copy of his book and the correspondence were used and referred to. They truly reflect the continues with wonderful discussions about mutual General’s wide range of interests in history with titles army friends, some advice on access to the area and like ‘Field Guide to Archaeology’, ‘Early Man in photography and debates about the battle. He clearly South Buckinghamshire’, ‘Introduction to Celtic didn’t approve of some of the views of the speaker Coins’ and ‘English Heraldry’. Did he buy ‘Iron Age that General Money finally secured. Nevertheless, Farm – the Butser Experiment’ when the History according to the report of the History Group meeting Group visited Butser? Did he give ‘Old English th on 17 March 1997, the members enjoyed the talk Household Life’ to his first wife? The dedication ‘The Battle of Hastings 1066’ given by Brigadier N suggests this.