Ashendon hundred: Introduction

THE HUNDRED OF ASHENDON

Containing The Parishes Of Ashendon; Aston Sandford; Boarstall; Brill; Chearsley; Chilton; East Claydon; Middle Claydon; Long Crendon; Dorton; Grandborough; Grendon Underwood; Hogshaw; Ickford; Ilmer; Kingsey; Ludgershall with Kingswood; Fleet Marston; North Marston; Oakley; Oving; Pitchcott; Quainton with Shipton Lee; Quarrendon; Shabbington; Towersey; Waddesdon with Westcott and Woodham Cott and Woodham; Lower or Nether Winchendon; Worminghall; Wotton Underwood;

Until the late 13th or early 14th century the hundred of Ashendon was divided into the three hundreds of Ashendon, Ixhill and Waddesdon. (fn. 1) The hundred of Ashendon contained Ashendon, Chearsley, Grendon Underwood, Hogshaw, Ludgershall, Oving, Quainton, Winchendon and Wotton Underwood. The hundred of Ixhill comprised Aston Sandford, Boarstall, Brill, Chilton, Long Crendon, Dorton, Ickford, Ilmer, Kingsey, Oakley, Shabbington, Towersey and Worminghall. The hundred of Waddesdon included the Claydons, Grandborough, Fleet Marston, North Marston, Pitchcott, Quarrendon, Waddesdon and Woodham. In 1086 Ashendon Hundred was assessed at 112 hides 1 virgate, (fn. 2) Ixhill (fn. 3) (Tichesele) at 116 hides 3 virgates, (fn. 4) and Waddesdon Hundred at 89 hides 3 virgates. (fn. 5) The distinctive names of the hundreds of Ixhill and Waddesdon gradually became obsolete, and only four references to them have been found in the 16th and 17th centuries, the latest occurring in 1665. (fn. 6)

Of the names given in the list of parishes and hamlets, those of Hogshaw, Fulbrook, Kingswood, Boarstall, Kingsey, Pitchcott, Westcott and Woodham are not found in the Domesday Survey. Towersey occurs as Eie, and Boarstall, Kingsey and Kingswood were later subdivisions of the royal domain of Brill. The following places mentioned in Domesday are not included in the list: Beachendon in Waddesdon parish, Sortelai formerly in Shipton Lee, Addingrove in Oakley. Most of the names of the thirty- one parishes occur in 16^th-century assessment lists, (fn. 7) and all are enumerated in some belonging to the 17^th century. (fn. 8)

The court leet of the bailiwick was held twice yearly usually at Towersey. All actions under 40s. might be tried and determined at the court held every three weeks at Brill. (fn. 9)

In 1665 a grant of the Ashendon Hundreds was made to Queen Katherine subject to a thirty-one years' lease granted to Robert Dormer (fn. 10) in 1662. (fn. 11)