WENDOVER, a parish and market-town and borough (unincorporated),
in the hundred of AYLESBURY, county
of BUCKINGHAM, 23 miles (S. E. by S.) from Buckingham,
and 35 (N. W. by W.) from London, containing
1602 inhabitants. The manor was given by Henry II.
to Faramus de Boulogne, and it was subsequently in
the possession of the Fiennes; Sir John Molins; Alice
Ferrers, a favourite of Edward III.; Thomas Holland,
Earl of Kent; Edward, Duke of York, in 1388 (between
which period and 1564, it was held either by the
queen or some branch of the royal family); and Sir
Francis Knollys and Catherine his wife; in 1660 it
was purchased by the Hampden family, and continued
in their possession until the decease of the late lord.
The town, situated at the foot of the Chiltern hills, near
the entrance to the Vale of Aylesbury, is indifferently
built, containing but few good houses; the inhabitants
are well supplied with water from wells. Many of the
females are engaged in making lace and straw-plat. A
branch of the Grand Junction canal extends to the town,
and affords a medium of conveyance for coal from Staffordshire
it passes near a reservoir in the neighbourhood,
extending over seventy acres. A market was granted
in 1403, and confirmed in 1464, with two fairs: the
former is on Monday; and the latter are held May
13th and October 2nd, chiefly for cattle. Wendover,
which is a borough by prescription, returned members
to parliament from the 28th of Edward I. to the 2nd
of Edward II.; at which period the right ceased, and
after a discontinuance of more than four hundred years,
was restored through the exertions of Mr. Hakeville, a
barrister; who, on examining the parliamentary write
in the Tower, in the 21st of James I., discovered that
Amersham, Wendover, and Great Marlow, had all sent
representatives. Petitions were accordingly presented
from these places; and, notwithstanding the opposition
of the monarch, who declared that " he was troubled
with too many burgesses already," the commons decreed
the renewal of the privilege. The right of election is
vested in housekeepers not receiving alms; the number
of voters is about one hundred and thirty; and the constables,
chosen at the court leet of the manor, are the
returning officers; the influence of Lord Carringtoli
is predominant. Hampden, the celebrated patriot, represented
this borough in five successive parliaments.
Courts leet and baron are held occasionally. The living
is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Buck-1
ingham, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books
at £12.16.1., and in the patronage of the Crown. The
church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, stands about a
quarter of a mile from the town: the remains of a
chapel, dedicated to St. John, have been taken down.
There are places of worship for Baptists and Independents.
A school for the instruction of twenty poor
children was endowed, in 1723, by William Hill. A
National school, established in 1816, is supported by
voluntary contributions, and held over the market-house
in High-street. Roger de Wendover, a monk of St.
Albans, and historiographer to Henry II.; and Richard,
Bishop of Rochester, in the reign of Henry III.; were
natives of this place. The Iknield way runs through the
parish, in which some Roman coins have been found.