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WING (or Wenge) is a parish containing the hamlets of Ascott, Burcott, Cottesloe, and Crafton, in the hundred of Cottesloe, union of Leighton Buzzard, from which town it is situate 4 miles S.W. According to Tanner, the church and other lands were given by the Empress Matilda to the Monastery of St Nicholas at Angiers in France, from whence a cell of Benedictine Monks settled at a hamlet, since called Ascott, in this parish. After the Parliament had dissolved the alien priories, by 4th Henry V., this was granted to the Prioress and Nuns de Pratis, near St Albans, which was suppressed by Cardinal Wolsey, in order to be annexed to his commendatory Abbey of St Alban, but he afterwards obtained a grant of it for himself. Upon his attainder this manor and rectory were given, 23rd Henry VIII., to John Pen, and by the 35th Henry VIII. were granted, as parcel of the late Abbey of St Alban, to Sir John Dormer. The Manor has been said to have once belonged to the Hampdens, but this is highly improbable.
The church is a curious ancient structure, of various styles of architecture. The arcades between the aisles and nave are Norman, the chancel is a polygonal apse with a crypt beneath. There are some fine monuments of the Dormers, once lords of the manor. Sir Robert Dormer’s effigy, date 1575, is in gilt armour; a brass of 1648 is inscribed to “Old Thomas Cotes, sometime porter at Ascott Hall”. The living is a vicarage, annual value about £350, in the gift of Lord Overstone; the Rev. Peter Thomas Ouvry, M.A., incumbent.
A National School for boys and girls was erected in 1850 by Lord Overstone. Almshouses for eight poor persons was founded in 1596 and endowed by Lady Pelham, and afterwards by Sir William Stanhope. The parish comprises an area of 5310 acres; population in 1861, 1504.
Wing
| Hart Rev John, M.A. | |
| Ouvry Rev Peter Thos. M.A. | vicar |
| Massey Oliver, esq. | |
| Welburn Rev. Dale John | curate |
| Attwood Richard | “Cock Inn” |
| Bedford Joseph | boot & shoe maker |
| Bolton William | carpenter |
| Brown Thos | veterinary surgeon |
| Capp Thos | boot & shoe maker |
| Cleaver George | shopkeeper |
| Coles Henry | shopkeeper |
| Denchfield George | carpenter |
| Denchfield Levi | carpenter |
| Dollimer John | shopkeeper |
| Foster Henry & Thomas | blacksmiths |
| Fountain Richard | farmer, Wing Berry |
| Ginger Thomas | butcher |
| Hardwick Joseph | carpenter |
| Harris Richd. | miller & farmer |
| Heley Wm | farmer & maltster |
| Mallett Thomas | baker |
| Mortimer William | registrar of births & deaths for the Wing district |
| Munday William | shopkeeper |
| Paine Jas | farmer, Wing Berry |
| Rogers Henry | baker |
| Rogers Joseph | “Dove Inn” |
| Randall David | tailor |
| Smith Thomas | horse dealer |
| Webster Alexander | baliff to Right Hon. Lord Overstone |
| Windmill Henry Chas | “Queen’s Head” |
| Windmill John | shopkeeper |
| Worster Thomas | baker |
| Young John | tailor |
Ascott
| Stevens Alfred, esq | |
| Brandon Joseph | farmer & blacksmith |
| Gates John | farmer |
| Gates John | “Royal Oak” |
| Hart Thomas & Sons | farmers and auctioneers |
| Prentice Martha (Mrs) | farmer |
Burcott
| Adams Henry Charles | farmer |
| Biggs Edward | farmer |
| Bone Joseph | farmer and dealer |
| Denchfield Hannah (Mrs) | “Six Bells” |
| Faulkner Joseph | baker |
| Heley Thomas | farmer |
| Smith Jane (Mrs) | farmer |
| Valentine Robert | farmer |
Cottesloe
| Cook Charles | farmer |
| Hedges Richd | farmer |
| Rose Geo. | farmer, Tinker’s hole |
Crafton
| Collins John | farmer |
| Markham – | stud-groom to Baron Rothschild |
| Willison Robert | farmer |
Littleworth
| Dimmock William | carpenter |
| Page William | butcher |
| Rickard Bernal | bricklayer |
| Rogers Edmund | butcher & beer retailer |
Letters may be posted at Wing, but are received and dispatched
through Leighton Buzzard.
Registrar of Births and Deaths for the District of Wing,
William Mortimer, Wing
Parish Clerk, John Windmill
Places of Worship:-
Church, Rev Peter Thomas Ouvry, incumbent
Methodist Chapel, ministers various
Primitive Methodist Chapel, ministers various
Baptist Chapel, Littleworth, ministers various