Monument record 0184600000 - CHESHAM LEICESTER

ASSOCIATED CHESHAM LEICESTER RECTORY AND MANORIAL RESIDENCE. MANORIAL HISTORY (B1).
RECTORIAL MANOR SOLD TO COULSON SKOTTOWE IN 1730. SKOTTOWES SOLD OUT IN 1802 (B8).




[Area centred: SP 95650171] The Rectory House, Chesham, a fine manorial residence built, probably about 1500, some 300 yards north of the parish church was taken down in the early 19th century. Its site may still be traced. [Not visible on Air Photos. A.W. Dixon] Deer were formerly kept in the park. The tithes of Chesham Leicester were demised by the Abbot and Convent of Leicester to Christopher Ashfield for 50 years, temp 27, Henry VIII, at the dissolution the living became the property of the Crown, and in 1602 Elizabeth granted it to Thomas Ashfield and his heirs in fee forever. In 1650, the rectorial manor of Chesham, Leicester, together with the advowson of a moiety of the Vicarage was sold to the Whichcote family. The Rectory House was for some time the residence of the Whichcotes. About 1730, the property was sold to Mr. J. Ware in trust for Coulson Skottowe, Esq., and afterwards disposed of piece-meal. The house and park were purchased by Charles Lowndes, Esq. [Included is an account of the de Vere family who were at one time in possession of the three manors of Chesham (Cestreham) mentioned in Domesday.] (B2).
Refers to (1) and the illustration of 1770, and says that the manor house, rather later in style than the Rev. C. Lowndes supposed, does not appear from the illustration to be 300 yards from the church. Continues - beyond the church may be seen the present residence. See Bucks 39 S.W. 5 for The Bury] (B13)
Chesham Leicester, or "upper parsonage", stood in the park about 100 yards north of the church (b15). [V.C.H. quotes Records of Bucks. Vol.6, p.62. This reference appears to be incorrect. Vol.3, p.62 gives 300 yards, see (1), for Rectory House; and 1 mile N. (p.63) for Vicarage (see SP 90 SE 1)] The rectorial manor of Chesham Leicester was mentioned as such for the first time in 1719, then in the possession of Sir Paul Whichcote. His family had made the old rectory house or "upper parsonage" of Chesham Leicester one of their residences and it was looked on as the capital messuage of this manor (B4).
Also refers to (1) and to the illustration of the large house, the rectorial manor house of Chesham Leicester, which passed through the Ashfields to the Whichcotes of Lincs., but "the erection of the great monument to Lady Whichcote in 1726 proved so costly that her husband sold the place to the Shottowes, and from them it passed to the Lowndes family … and they preferred … the house built early in the 118th century". The Bury (B5).
With the help of the 1770 illustration (authy. 1), the site of this rectorial manor-house can be traced at SP 95660161 as a slight terracing with an uneven surface. The majority of the area, which falls within a recreation ground, is occupied by a bowling green and netball pitch. Site surveyed on 25" Antiquity Model (B15).