Lee, Buckinghamshire
Encyclopedia
Lee is a village
in Buckinghamshire
, England
. It is located in the Chiltern Hills
, about 2m north east of Great Missenden
and 3m south east of Wendover
. The Lee is also the name of a civil parish within Chiltern District
. Within the parish is the hamlet of Lee Clump, named for a small group of houses separate from the main village.
in origin, and means 'woodland clearing'. In the Domesday Book
of 1086 it was recorded as Lee and was, following the Norman Conquest granted by William I
to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. Its early history is closely tied up with that of Weston Turville
and a chapel-of-ease was established in this connection. It and also had associations with the Earl of Leicester
who, in the early part of the 12th century charged Ralph de Halton to oversee the lands and at the end of that century, the Turville family took over this role. Soon after this Robert, Earl of Leicester
granted the land to Missenden Abbey
. After the dissolution of the Abbey, The Lee stayed in the possession of the Crown until in 1547 when Edward VI granted a lease on the estate to John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
.
Almost a hundred years on the events that led to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
initially leasing the lands at The Lee to William Plaistowe in 1635 and later selling the land to the Plaistowe family are obscure. Either they were mortgaged to pay off debts or were sequestrated as a consequence of the Russells involvement on the wrong side of the English Civil War
. Thomas Plaistowe, who died in 1715 was the first of the family to be the outright owner of The Lee and his namesake in 1785 passed ownership to his daughter Elizabeth who married an Irishman, Henry Deering. Although the Plaistowe's once more owned the village for another 50 years, in 1900 Arthur Lasenby Liberty
bought the Manor from John Plaistowe and built a new Manor on the outskirts of the village itself; siting the figurehead of the HMS Impregnable
outside the building. The timbers of this ship were also used for his famed Liberty's department store in London. The old Manor simply became three attached properties, they remain so today.(The Liberty family have continued to reside at The Lee to the present day).
The parish church in the village St John the Baptist
is unusual in that it consists of two buildings: the ancient chapel of ease built in the 12th century which includes a window depicting Oliver Cromwell
and John Hampden
as 'champions of liberty', and the more modern Victorian
construction that was built of red brick in 1867. Both sit within an oval churchyard, common in places of importance in the pre-Roman
period.
There is a Methodist Chapel at Lee Common, which was built in 1839 as a primitive Methodist Chapel by a six local people.
in the parish of The Lee include Lee Clump, Lee Common, Lee Gate, Hunt's Green and Swan Bottom.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located in the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
, about 2m north east of Great Missenden
Great Missenden
Great Missenden is a large village in the Misbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England, situated between the towns of Amersham and Wendover. It closely adjoins the villages of Little Missenden and Prestwood. The narrow High Street is bypassed by the main A413 London to...
and 3m south east of Wendover
Wendover
Wendover is a market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district...
. The Lee is also the name of a civil parish within Chiltern District
Chiltern (district)
Chiltern is one of four local government districts of Buckinghamshire in south central England. It is named after the Chiltern Hills on which the region sits.The main towns in the district are Amersham and Chesham...
. Within the parish is the hamlet of Lee Clump, named for a small group of houses separate from the main village.
Early history
The village name is Anglo SaxonOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
in origin, and means 'woodland clearing'. In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 it was recorded as Lee and was, following the Norman Conquest granted by William I
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. Its early history is closely tied up with that of Weston Turville
Weston Turville
Weston Turville is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about a mile and a half south east of Aylesbury and the parish is bisected across the top by Akeman Street....
and a chapel-of-ease was established in this connection. It and also had associations with the Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
who, in the early part of the 12th century charged Ralph de Halton to oversee the lands and at the end of that century, the Turville family took over this role. Soon after this Robert, Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
granted the land to Missenden Abbey
Missenden Abbey
Missenden Abbey was an Augustinian monastery founded in 1133 in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. It was ruined in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the ruins later incorporated into a Georgian mansion.The abbey has been owned by Buckinghamshire New University since the mid...
. After the dissolution of the Abbey, The Lee stayed in the possession of the Crown until in 1547 when Edward VI granted a lease on the estate to John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, KG, PC, JP was an English royal minister in the Tudor era. He served variously as Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal....
.
Almost a hundred years on the events that led to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG was an English nobleman, soldier and politician and godfather to Sir. Francis Drake.-Early life:...
initially leasing the lands at The Lee to William Plaistowe in 1635 and later selling the land to the Plaistowe family are obscure. Either they were mortgaged to pay off debts or were sequestrated as a consequence of the Russells involvement on the wrong side of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Thomas Plaistowe, who died in 1715 was the first of the family to be the outright owner of The Lee and his namesake in 1785 passed ownership to his daughter Elizabeth who married an Irishman, Henry Deering. Although the Plaistowe's once more owned the village for another 50 years, in 1900 Arthur Lasenby Liberty
Arthur Lasenby Liberty
Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty was a London merchant, and the founder of Liberty & Co.Born in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, the son of a draper, he began work at sixteen with his uncle who sold lace, and later, another uncle who sold wine...
bought the Manor from John Plaistowe and built a new Manor on the outskirts of the village itself; siting the figurehead of the HMS Impregnable
HMS Impregnable
Two ships and two establishments of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Impregnable:-Ships: was a 98-gun second rate. This ship of the line was launched in 1786 and wrecked in 1799. was a 98-gun second-rate launched in 1810...
outside the building. The timbers of this ship were also used for his famed Liberty's department store in London. The old Manor simply became three attached properties, they remain so today.(The Liberty family have continued to reside at The Lee to the present day).
The Church
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
is unusual in that it consists of two buildings: the ancient chapel of ease built in the 12th century which includes a window depicting Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
and John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
as 'champions of liberty', and the more modern Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
construction that was built of red brick in 1867. Both sit within an oval churchyard, common in places of importance in the pre-Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
period.
There is a Methodist Chapel at Lee Common, which was built in 1839 as a primitive Methodist Chapel by a six local people.
Hamlets
HamletsHamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the parish of The Lee include Lee Clump, Lee Common, Lee Gate, Hunt's Green and Swan Bottom.