RISBOROUGH (PRINCE'S), a market-town and
parish in the hundred of AYLESBURY, county of BUCKINGHAM,
6 miles (W. byN.) from Great Missenden, and
37 (W. N. W.) from London, containing 1958 inhabitants.
This place, which is situated at the foot of the
Chiltern hills, derives its distinguishing appellation from
having been the residence of Edward the Black Prince,
whose palace is supposed to have stood within the site
of a spacious moat, now dry, in a field adjoining the
churchyard. The manor had at an early period been
granted by the crown to Richard, Earl of Cornwall and
King of the Romans, who died in 1272; and at a later
date it was assigned to- Katherine, queen of Henry V.,
for her dower; it was sold by Charles I., in 1637, to
certain citizens of London. The town, though greatly
improved of late, is still badly paved and not lighted;
it is abundantly supplied with water from wells. The
market was established by charter of Henry III., who
also granted the inhabitants other privileges, including
exemption from toll, and from attendance at assizes,
sessions, &c.; it was formerly on Saturday, but was
changed to Thursday, on which day it is now held; it
is a pitched market for corn, and pigs and sheep are
also brought to it; there is an annual fair for cattle
cm the 6th of May; the market-house, a small brick
building, was rebuilt in 1824; there is a small theatre.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
of Buckingham, and diocese of Lincoln, endowed with
£8 per annum, and £1100 private benefaction, £200
royal bounty, and £2300 parliamentary grant, and in
the patronage of John Grubb, Esq. The church, which
is dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, with
a neat spire; it contains some monuments of crusaders,
or Knights Templars, stone stalls, and other interesting
relics of antiquity: an addition of two hundred and
sixty-seven sittings, of which two hundred and fortytwo
are free, have been recently made, towards defraying
the expense of which, the Incorporated Society for
building and enlarging churches and chapels contributed
£150. There are places of worship for Baptists
and Wesleyan Methodists. Mrs. Chibnall, who formerly
owned the manor, gave a sum of money to provide
clothing for twenty-four poor women annually.