Hungerford, Berkshire, England

Notes:
Standen Manor

Hungerford, Berkshire



Standen Manor is an extremely attractive, Grade II Listed country mansion. The property is constructed of red brick and some flint under a tile hung hipped slate roof with attractive sash windows. There is a balcony with a 19th century decorative iron ballustrade on two Tuscan columns and pillasters over the flagstone porch. There are a myriad of period features throughout the property including attractive cornicing, picture rails, exposed polished oak stripped floors and a variety of decorative fireplaces. The drawing room, with its two Corinthian pillars, was the ballroom and has an unusual oak sprung dance floor.



The first noted owners of Standen Manor were a family called Hussey who held the manor from the 12th to the 15th Century. By 1486, the manor belonged to Sir Reginald Bray, the chief minister of King Henry VII. Bray died childless in 1503 and divided the interest between his brother John's three sons. Some time later began a 150 year association with the Goddard family. The youngest son, Francis Goddard, had been the owner of Standen for 15 years when he gained a new neighbour, Jethro Tull, the inventor of the seed drill, the main cause for the revolution in agriculture. It passed through various families until, in 1922, Standen was advertised "to be sold privately or by auction later on" and was bought by the Anderson family, who owned it, until they sold up in 1981. During the Second World War, the house was requisitioned and occupied by troops of the 101st US Airbourne division during the 10-11 months prior to D-Day. The men were visited by the supreme commander, General Elsenhower, on the evening of the 5th June 1944 prior to their departure to France.



Standen Manor is a private residence. It was last offered for sale by Knight Frank in April 2002.The Church of St Lawrence in Hungerford was built in 1816 to replace the earlier church, which had collapsed, and had stood, it is believed, on the same site for nearly 700 years. It was constructed in Bath stone, which was brought to the site by the newly opened Kennet and Avon Canal , and was designed by Mr James Pinch of Bath , who had also designed a nearly identical church at Bathwick in Bath . However in the latter part of the 19th Century, it was felt that the interior and the profile of the exterior could be improved. The interior of the church was re-ordered at a cost of nearly £3000, when decorated style arcades of Bath stone replaced the original cast iron pillars, and on the exterior the majority of the battlements were replaced with plain coping. At the same time a new organ was installed at a cost of just over £500.



The general appearance of the church can best be described as Georgian Gothic, and in its present form comprises nave and four bays with aisles, sanctuary with shallow apsidal east end of semi-circular outline, west tower, south porch, and also a small porch in the angle between the apse and the south aisle. The interior ceiling is oak panelled, and the beautiful stained glass windows were added at the end of the 19th century when the original windows were each replaced by subscription to commemorate specific events. The Rev. J. B. Anstice, who was Vicar from 1866 until 1894, is commemorated in 3 of the windows. The west tower, which is of three stages and has an embattled parapet with angle pinnacles, contains a peal of eight bells and a Sanctus bell. The original church had only three bells and a Sanctus bell.



On the South side of the previous church had stood the Chantry chapel founded in 1325 by Sir Robert Hungerford, in memory of his wife Geva. This was demolished at the time of the Reformation, but Sir Robert's much mutilated effigy still lies in the church today together with the inscribed stone which contains the indulgence of 550 days for all who pray for the soul of Sir Robert and his wife. The Patrons of the living are the Dean and Chapter of Windsor , but the rectorial tithes are by exchange transferred to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester. The living passed to Windsor at the beginning of the 15th Century when the Hungerford Church and lands became the property of the Crown.HUNGERFORD, BERKSHIRE



Usually said to derive from "Hanging Wood by the Ford", the name of Hungerford may come from the Danish King Hingwar (alias Ivarr the Boneless) who shot Saint Edmund, King of East Anglia in AD 869. He was said, by the 14th century chronicler of the Book of Hyde, to have drowned at Hungerford ("Hingwar's Ford"). Hingwar was on his way to meet the Saxons in Battle at Ethandun, said to be nearby Eddington (though almost certainly Edington in Wiltshire). This was the last decisive victory for the Saxons, and the Danes were driven out of southern England forever. The English celebrated this annually at festivities known as Hocktide; and though few places remember this festival, Hungerford does. The festival was traditionally associated with the payment of rents, which could stem from the paying of the "Danegeld", the money given to the Danes to encourage them to leave English shores. The Hungerford festivities, however, are supposed to stem from elsewhere.



In the 13th century the town was known as Hungerford Regis (Royal Hungerford) and it passed from the King to the Dukes of Lancaster. John of Gaunt, the great 14th century Duke, thus became associated with the town. He apparently gave the townsfolk the right to fish in the River Kennet, a jealously guarded privilege. They received his horn and a charter affirming his gift, but the latter was stolen in the reign of Elizabeth I. The Duchy then tried to re-establish its rights over the river and a famous court case ensued. The matter was only finally resolved when the Queen herself intervened on the town's behalf. Hocktide is said to celebrate the Duke's patronage every second Tuesday after Easter. The town-crier blows his horn and a Hocktide Court is held in the town hall in which all commoners, those living in the most ancient house in the High Street, must pay a fine to ensure their rights of fishing and grazing. Hungerford is unusual in having kept its medieval street plan, as laid out in the High Street in the 12th century. The houses of here still maintain very long and narrow strips of land trailing perpendicularly backwards. It looks quite dramatic from the air. While the court continues, the "Tutti-Men" with floral decorated poles are led through the streets by the "Orange-Man" to collect kisses from all the ladies resident in the High Street. They receive an orange in return. There are various traditional suppers, ale-tastings, lunches and balls. Safe to say, everyone has a lot of fun.



The Bear Inn in Charnham Street is known to have been a hospice as early as 1464. It may have been connected with the Hospital of St. John, established in the same area by King Henry III. Elizabeth I visited the inn and her coachman is recorded as having died there. Later, upon his retreat from the Second Battle of Newbury (1644), Charles I used the Bear as his headquarters. For three days he stayed in the town with some thousand troops. Originally, he had been heading for Basing House (Hants) but, when news arrived that his help was not needed there, he marched back to Faringdon. In December 1688, the future William III was staying here, on his march from Torbay to London, when the Royal commissioners arrived and offered him the Crown of England. A plaque records the details. The gift of a Red Rose is still presented outside the Bear to the reigning monarch on their first visit to the town.



Hungerford became quite a stopover for troops. The year prior to the Second Battle of Newbury had seen the First Battle. Parliamentarian soldiers were stationed in the town not long before. Having had a clash with Prince Rupert's men at Aldbourne Chase, several of the wounded died in Hungerford and their burials are recorded in the parish register. Troops of Essex and Manchester were again in the town before the Second Battle and the Hampshire Militia was stationed there before they were called to join Cromwell after the Battle of Worcester.

Latitude: 51.41671, Longitude: -1.52201

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