OXLADE FAMILY HISTORY
"Dwellers in the Valley of the Oaks"
History of Stonor
Stonor,
open to the public, has been the home of the Stonor family for more
than 800 years and a centre of Catholicism throughout - including all
the dark days following the Reformation and today it is the home of
Lord and Lady Camoys
The House is hidden in a fold of the
Chilterns five miles from the Thames at Henley. There is an
outstanding display of family portraits, tapestries, bronzes and
ceramics. A 14th century chapel of flint and stone with an early
brick tower, where Mass continues to be celebrated completes the main
buildings.
The beautiful Italianate walled garden sits behind
the House on a gently rising slope.
The surrounding park grows
out of the surrounding beechwoods and fields. It offers stunning
views, and supports a herd of fallow deer.
Robert Oxlade
Robert Oxlade is mentioned in a letter written to Sir William Stonor about 26 Oct 1479 by Hugh Unton who was a legal advisor and general agent for Stonor in London.
He was seeking help for Robert Oxlades Mother who was being terrorised by Wagge the younger who was trying to take her land from her and trying to run off her cattle.. She had apparently been in possession for at least 60 years and the family for around 100.
There is also a copy of an Account which Robert Oxlade had presented in Sep 1471 for money owing for grain or crops. He must have been a fairly large farmer as the Account was for just under 48 pounds. More can be read about Robert Oxlade at http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~oxladefamilyhistory/letters_stonor.html
Henry Oxlade
Between 1538 and 1544 Henry Oxlade along with others of Aston Rowant took action against Nicholas Asteley Vicar of Aston Rowant for usury and illegal trade in grain with the money of Adrian Foskewe, knight, attainted.
Adrian Foskewe
Sir Adrian Fortescue (executed in 1539 for opposing the King ) was a first cousin of Anne Boleyn. His house at Brightwell Baldwin probably stood in Brightwell Park ( 2 miles WNW of Watlington). His first wife was Anne Stonor who inherited Stonor Park (5 miles SE of Watlington).
The Fortescues moved into Stonor in 1499. This led to a long dispute with the Stonor family which was settled by Henry VIII about the time of his break with Rome. Under the terms of the settlement Sir Adrian had to surrender Stonor House but retained part of the estate. He also gained all the Stonor lands in Gloucestershire, Devon and Kent. These were much greater in size than Stonor Park itself.
Stonor
20. The Tamis, from hence having a great compasse about, windeth in manner backe againe into himselfe, enclosing within it the Hundred of Henley, mounting high with hilles and beset with thicke woods, which some doe thinke the Ascalites that yeeded them selves unto Caesars protection did inhabite. ‡Here is Dix-brond and Stonor, ancient possessions of the families of Stonores, who since the time of King Edward the Third, when Sir John Stonore was chiefe Justice in the Common-pleas, flourished with great alliance and faire revenues untill they were transferred by an heire generall to Sir Adrian Fortescue, unhappily attainted, whose daughter, heire to her mother, was married to the first Baron Wentwoorth. Next neighbour hereunto is Pus-hull, which the familie of d’ Oily held by yeelding yeerely to the king a table cloath of three shillings price, or three shillings for all service.‡ Under this Southward standeth Greies Rotherfield, a house which in times past Walter Grey the Archbishop of Yorke gave freely unto William Grey his Nephew, the inheritance whereof by the Baron of D’ Eincourt was devolved upon the Lovels. Now it is the dwelling house of Sir William Knolles, Treasurer to the kings house, whom James our King for his faithfull service preformed unto Queene Elizabeth, and to be performed unto himselfe, advanced to the honorable title of Baron Knowles of Rotherfield. Neere unto it, Henley upon Tamis, in old time called Hanlegauz, sheweth it selfe in the verie confines of the shires. The inhabitants whereof bee for the post part watermen, who make their chiefest gaine by carrying downe in their barges wood and corne to London: neither can it make report of any greater antiquity than that in times past the Molinies were Lords thereof, from whom by the Hungerfords, who procured unto the towne of King Henrie the Sixth the libertie of holding two faires, it came by right of inheritance unto the honorable house of the Hastings. And where now the Tams hath a wooden bridge over it, they say in times past there stood one of stone arched. But whether this bridge was here that Dio writeth the Romans passed over when they pursued the Britans along this tract, who below had swum over the river, hard is it for a man to say.
21. From Henley, the Cheltern-hils hold on with a continued ridge running Northward, and divide this country from Buckinghamshire, at the foote whereof stand may small townes, among which these two are of greatest note, Watlington, a little mercate towne belonging sometime to Robert D’ Oily, and Shirburne, a pretty Castle of the Quatremains in times past, but now the habitation of the Chamberlans, descended out of the house of the Earles of Tankerville, who having beene long agoe Chamberlaines of Normandie, their posterity relinquishing that old name of Tankervills, became surnamed Chamberlans, of the office which their ancestours bare.
22. To omitte Edgar Agar and other English Saxons, officiall Earles of Oxford, since after the Conquest the title of the Earldom of Oxford hath flourished a long time in the familie of Vere, which derive their descent from the Earles of Guins, and their surname from Vere, a towne in Zeland. They received the beginning of their greatnesse and honour here in England from King Henrie the First, who advaunced Aubrey de Vere for his singular wisdome with sundry favours and benefits, as namely with the Chamberlainship of England and Portreveship of the City of London. To his son Aubrey, Henrie the Second (before he was established king, and when he used only this stile, Henrie Sonne to King Henries daughter, right heire of England and Normandie), restored first the Chamberlan-ship, which hee had lost in the civill broiles, and then offered unto him which of the titles hee himselfe would chose of these four Earledomes, Dorset, Wilshire, Barkshire, and Oxfordshire, that hee might divert him from Stephen, then usurping the kingdome, and assure him to himselfe. And in the end both Maude the Empresse and Henry also her sonne, being now come to the crowne, by their severall Charters created him Earle of Oxford. Among those that descended from him (not to recount every one in their course and order), these were they that purchased greatest fame and honour: Robert de Vere, who being in very high favour with King Richard the Second, was honoured with thee new and strange dignities not heard of before, namely, Marquesse of Dublin and Duke of Ireland, of which, as one said, he left nothing at all to him selfe, but to his tombe titles, and to the world matter of talke. For shortly after, through the spiteful envie of the Nobles, as much against the King as against him, he was dispoiled of his estate, and ended his daies miserably in exile. John the first of that name, so trusty and true to the house of Lancaster that both he and his sonne and heire Aubrey lost their heads therefore together in the First yeare of King Edward the Fourth. John his second sonne, a right skilful and expert martiall man, neverthelesse was most firme and faithfull to the said house of Lancaster, fought in sundry battailes against King Edward the Fourth, defended and made good for a while Saint Michaels Mount, and was an especiall assistant unto Henrie the Seaventh in attaining to the kingdome. Another John likewise, in the reigne of Henrie the Eighth, <was> a man in all parts of his life so syncere, so religious, and so full of goodnesse, that he gained the surname of The Good Earle. Hee was great grandfather of Henrie that is now Earle, and the Eighteenth of his race in lineall discent, and also grandfather of Sir Francis and Sir Horatio Vere brethren, who by their singular knowledge in military affaires, and exploits most valiantly and fortunatly atchieved in the Low Countries, have added exceeding much honour and glorie to themselves, and to the ancient Nobility of their familie.
This countie conteineth parish churches 280.
Source: www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/gloceng.html
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