Close to this is a plain slab to Thomas Eyre, 1606, a mural tablet in the south aisle to Edmund Eyre, of Allards, 1650, William Eyre, of Hunter. combe, 1731. The last representative of this family is commemorated on a mural tablet in the north aisle--Arabella Popple, 1819, daughter of Charles Eyre, of East Burnham, who died in 1786. They had been Lords of the Manor of Allards or East Burnham more than 400 years. On the north side of the chancel is a monument to Paule Wentworth, 1593; at the foot of this is a monument to William Tyldesley, 1563, the first possessor of Burnham Abbey after its dissolution. Within the sanctuary on the south side is a mural monument with a bust in a black gown, with a long inscription in Latin to John Wright, Vicar here from 1561 to 1594. Another Vicar is commemorated at the west end of the north aisle-William Glover, 1707. Another monument, with busts of the persons commemorated, and small figures of their two sons below, is to George Evelyn, of Huntercombe, 1657, and his wife, 1661. In the south aisle is a monument to Mr. Justice Willes, d. 1787. The font is modern, erected in 1863. The living is a Vicarage in the gift of Eton College, and was ordained when the Abbey was founded. There were five Rectors before that timo-the first, Geoffrey de Burgo, who was presented in 1202, was afterwards Bishop of Norwich; the third, Thomas Nevill, was Canon of Lincoln; William de Navesby, Vicar in 1374, was afterwards Archdeacon of Chester and Prebendary of Chichester; Richard Davis, presented in 1550, became Bishop of St. David's; Mr. Cole, the antiquary, was Vicar from 1774 to 1780. The Vicarage house near the Church was re-built in 1833 by the Rev. Thomas Carter, Vicar of this parish and Vice-Provost of Eton College. Robert Aldrich, Bishop of Carlisle in the reign of Henry VIII., was a native of Burhnam. On resuming their journey the party drove to Slough, passing on their way, at Salt Hill, the Eton Montem, to which their attention was directed, and lunched at the Royal Hotel, Slough, opposite the railway station, in a room which contained the half-minute clock formerly belonging to Sir W. Herschel. THE ANNUAL MEETING Was held directly after luncheon, under the presidency of the Archdeacon of Buckingham. The first business was the election of officers for the ensuing year. The Bishop of Oxford was re-elected president, and the vice-presidents were re-elected en bloc, viz., Lord Cottesloe, the Bishop of Reading, Sir E. L. Lawson, Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., Sir John Evans, the Rev. R. H. Pigott, the Ven. the Archdeacon of Buckingham. The following were elected on the Committee:-The Rev. R. H. Pigott (standing chairman), Colonel Goodall, the Revs. E. D. Shaw, C. O. Phipps, Messrs. T. Horwood, J. Rutland, G. Weller, E. Wilkins, R. H. Russell, W. C. Raffety, R. E. Goolden, S. D. Darby, and J. T. Harrison. The hon. secs., Mr. J. Parker and Mr. A. H. Cocks, were re-appointed, with Mr. J. Williams as treasurer. The latter then gave the financial statement. The receipts were :-Balance from previous year, £16:8:9; subscriptions, £101: 4:6; total, £117: 13:3. The expenditure had been £94:8:6, leaving a balance in hand of £23:4:9. The number of members was 188, viz., 23 life members, 157 annual subscribers, and 8 honorary members. During the year they had lost six members by death, including Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, who was also a vice-president. Mr. Parker, in making his report, said the preface to the last number of the Records expressed at length his views as to the position and work and prospects of the Society, which did not require repetition on this occasion. There were some excellent papers in the last issue Mr. Myres' paper in continuation of the subject of the Church Plate of Bucks was of great value, and the series would in time become an important contribution to County history. Mr. E. J. Payne's paper dealing with Mr. Cocks' work upon the Church Bells of the County had thrown fresh light upon that interesting subject. Mr. Downs' continuation of his History of Wycombe Church, dealing with the Churchwardens' and Overseers' Accounts, was also interesting and valuable; it brought to light ways and doings of a bygone age not always met with in archæological papers. He regretted that the Records for this year were not ready; but if they invited able writers to contribute, they must afford them ample time for their researches. In the next issue Mr. St. John Hope would contribute a very important paper on Wycombe Registers and Inventories, relating to both the Parish Church and St. Mary's Corporation Chapel. The paper would deal with a question engaging much attention at the present time. These Inventories would throw light upon the Ornaments Rubric and the use of Vestments, and other stirring questions which were being brought before the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. In reference to the disused Church of Stoke Mandeville, he hoped something would be done to preserve it, at all events from the effects of wind and weather and Bank Holiday people. He had written to the Archdeacon upon the matter, who had recommended that a small committee should be formed to take into consideration how best to preserve the building from further desecration and destruction. He had to thank Mr. S. G. Payne for some excellent illustrations of the Church, which would appear in the Records. Mr. Parker called attention to the Church of Great Missenden, and referred to some curious arcading on the north wall of the chancel, and to peculiar frescoes in other parts of the Church. It was a Church well worth a visit, and he trusted none of its ancient features would be removed during the process of its restoration now in progress. He hoped Mr. Payne would be kind enough to photograph the exterior and interior of this Church whilst uuder restoration for future archæological use. Mr. Parker, in conclusion, referred to the importance of securing archæological talent among the younger generation, a subject which occasioned some anxiety. Mr. Cocks, who described himself as the "non-resident Curator of the Museum," referring to the Museum, said that it was still in a deplorable condition. They had two cases for antiquities, and had found room for Mr. Rutland's present of flints; but they had not room for Mr. Payne's collection recently presented to the Society. He desired to propose a hearty vote of thanks to that gentleman for his valuable gift of antique objects. They ought shortly to supplement their present accommodation with two more cases. A complete list of what Mr. Payne had given them would appear in the Records. He hoped they would be in a position to re-commence operations at the Hedsor Pile Dwelling by the beginning of next month. They had been stopped in their work by the water flooding them out. The researches they desired to continue would cost about £1 per day, or £50 in all. They had secured £30 towards the sum required, including £5 from the Society of Autiquaries. The Pile Dwelling, Mr. Cocks remarked, was one of the most interesting fiuds ever brought to light within the County. Mr. Parker seconded the vote of thanks to Mr. Payne, who, in reply, said he had been a collector all his life, and if the articles he had given were of value to the Society he was only too happy to place them at their disposal. The following were then elected Members of the Society :-The Rev. A. K. Hobart-Hampden, of Great Kimble, Mr. Frank Haddock, of High Wycombe, and Mr. Coles, of Loudwater. Mr. Williams suggested that next year's excursion should be to places of interest on the River Thames, taking the journey by water. Mr. Spragge, of Slough, brought some old documents one 600 years old-for the inspection of the Members, and Mr. Rutland said he had a copy of the assessment of the three Chiltern Hundreds, made in 1624, which he would be pleased to let the Society have, if it were of any use for publication in the Records. Mr. Parker accepted the offer with thanks, and the proceedings terminated. up. The party then drove to LANGLEY CHURCH, which is dedicated to St. Mary. It consists of a nave and chancel, with a north aisle extending the whole length of both, a south chapel and library, and a west tower at the end of the north aisle, in which are five bells and a clock. The nave was erected about the year 1200; the chancel is rather more than a century later, and was probably built in the time of Edward I., the arms of that monarch still remaining in the east window of the aisle and also the arms of the Clares, Gilbert de Clare having married a daughter of Edward I. The floor of the chancel was formerly higher than at present, as shown by the masonry remaining at the bases of the pillars and also by the sedilia. There is a curious Perpendicular window in the south wall of the nave, now blocked The tower was built by Sir John Kiderminster in 1649. The Kiderminster chapel and vault were built by Sir John in 1626; the paintings on the doors and panels are interesting and of considerable merit. They represent scenes in Windsor, Eton, and Langley Park. A portrait of Sir John remains on a cupboard door; that of his wife has been painted out. There are a number of monuments and hatchments of the Kiderminster, Hubert, Swabey, and other families. The con. spicuous monument in the chancel commemorates Edmund Kiderminster, 1607, and his wife Anna, 1618; John Kiderminster, 1558, and Elizabeth his wife, 1590. The brasses commemorate (1) Elizabeth, daughter of Roger Giffard, 1434; (2) John Boteler and his wife Matilda, cir. 1440; (3) John Bowsare, 1570; (4) Juliana, wife of Edward Higgins, 1603; (5) John Bowsare, 1608. The almshouses north and south of the churchyard were built by Sir John Kiderminster and Sir Henry Seymour. Having spent some time in examining the various points of interest in the Church, the party were then driven to ST. LAWRENCE'S, UPTON. It This is a very ancient edifice, and in the north wall there are fragments of an early arch still visible, from which it has been conjectured that the first Church here was erected in Saxon times. may be concluded that the building is of different dates, from the fact that its component parts are not of the same dimensions. The tower is only 12ft. 5in. wide, whereas the chancel is 15ft. 7in., and the nave 19ft. 9in. The Norman Church erected during the latter part of the 11th century was constructed of flint with conglomerate, and consisted of a diminutive chancel, with a roof supported on groined arches, a central tower surmounted with a conical roof, and a small nave, much shorter than the present one. The only communication between the nave and the chancel at that time was by a small rounded archway in the wall of the tower. This old arch was removed in 1850, and may be seen between the two pointed arches against the eastern wall of the south aisle. On the south side of the chancel is a piscina, which is almost unique in its structure, there being but two or three others of the same shape now remaining in England. The Norman font still remains in the nave, and there is a Norman doorway on the north side. In the churchyard is a venerable yew tree, so old that it may be coeval with the earliest portions of the Church. About the middle of the 13th century the nave was lengthened, and the present roof erected; two beautiful wooden arches were placed one on each side of the chancel arch, forming a kind of reredos to small side altars, which stood there in early times. One of these arches is preserved, and is considered by some the greatest archæological curiosity in the County. Towards the end of the 14th century a beautifully-carved rood-screen of oak was erected, and about the same time the old Norman tower was raised nineteen feet in brickwork. Much later a square-headed debased Perpendicular window was inserted above the north door. For many years the Church was greatly neglected, and in 1835 had become ruinous, and would have been pulled down had it not been for the intervention of Mr. Pocock, who then held the farms at Upton and Willow Brook, and who gave £50 to the authorities that it might be left standing. In 1837 a new Church was erected at Slough, and Upton Church was despoiled of its bells and internal fittings to furnish it. In 1851 the Church was restored under the direction of Mr. B. Terry, architect, and re-opened by Bishop Wilberforce, December 2nd of that year. The brickwork was taken off the tower and a new roof placed upon it; a new aisle was added; the old piscina was restored to its proper position; the ribs of the groined chancel re-coloured; the chancel arch and the belfry thrown open and the huge galleries swept away; the ceiling of the nave was removed and the Early English roof brought into view once more. In removing the south wall a representation of the Holy Trinity in tinted alabaster was discovered. The cost of the restoration exceeded £4,000. The register commences in 1538 and is well preserved. The Church contains memorial brasses to several members of the Bulstrode family dated 1472, 1517, 1599, and 1614. In the tower there is a long inscription in Latin to the memory of Sir W. Herschel, the astronomer. In the churchyard, under the north wall, a broken flat stone commemorates Sarah Bramstone, of Eton, who died in 1765, and dared to be just in the reign of George II." There are modern brasses to Maria Dolores Stevenson, who died in 1864, and Mr. W. G. Nixey, 1870; and stained glass windows of recent insertion to members of local families. On leaving Upton, the party drove through Chalvey and Salt Hill, and thence along the Bath Road to Maidenhead, where they took the train for their different destinations. [The account of the Churches of Barnham, Langley, and St. Lawrence, Upton, is by Mr. R. S. Downs.] |