1877 Post Office

WING (or Wenge) is a parish 3 miles south-west from the London and North Western railway station at Leighton Buzzard, in the hundred of Cottesloe, union and county court district of Leighton Buzzard, rural deanery of Ivinghoe, archdeaconry of Buckingham, and diocese of Oxford. The church of All Saints is an interesting structure containing the characteristics of the principal styles of church architecture which prevailed from the time of the Conquest to the 16th century: the arches of the Saxon portion are of the simplest character and without pillars or capitals: below the chancel is a crypt of rude construction, nearly filled with earth: the church bears marks of extensive alterations, which were probably made in the 14th century when the Decorated widnows were inserted in the aisles: at a still later period the tower was rebuilt, the high pitched roof was removed and the Perpendicular work substituted in the general repairs. In 1850 the church was again completely restored by Sir G. Gilbert Scott, at a cost of £1,476. The register dates from the year 1546. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £400 with residence, in the gift of Lord Overstone and held by Rev. Peter Thomas Ouvry, M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Here is a Parochial school for boys girls and infants, erected in 1850 by Lord Overstone; also almshouses, called Dormer’s Hospital, founded in 1562 by Dame Dorothy Pelham, for eight men and women, endowed by land and money payments. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here. The other charities in the parish are those of WilIiam Robinson, a perpetual rent-charge on land at Burcot of £2 a year; Lady Carnarvon and William Hoare, arising from the rent of a field of six acres at Burcot, now let for £36 a year, for clothing; William Dent, £59 New Three per Cent. Aunuities; the proceeds are distributed in clothing to the poor annually; Robert Shepherd, a rent charge of £5 6s. 8d. arising from land in the parish of Eddlesborough, from which £1 a year is paid to the vicar for catechizing the children, 10s. to the vicar of Leighton Buzzard for a sermon on Ascension-Day; the rest is distributed in penny loaves to twenty children, attending the church weekly; there is also the Fuel Allotment Charity, arising from £268 9s. 1d. £3 per Cent. Consols, distributed annually in coals; and the Church Land Charity, which arises from the proceeds of the sale of about three acres of land in the parish of Mentmore; the dividends are paid to the churchwardens; a sum of £12 1s. 4d., arising from a charity at Wingrave, is also distributed among the poor, at the discretion of the trustees.

Here is a reading room. Wing lodge, situated near the church, is the property of Edward Hart, esq.; it is a commodious and handsome white brick structure in the French style, the gables and abutments are of a dark brick and highly finished, which gives the building a pleasing appearance, it was erected by the owner in 1874 and is now occupied by Mrs Horsman. Lord Overstone, who is lord of the manor, Miss Hannah de Rothschild and Philip Hart, esq. are the principal landowners. The soil is various, clay, sand, gravel and loam; subsoil clay. The crops are hay, wheat, beans, barley, oats and roots. The area is 5,310 acres; rateable value £10,053; the population in 1871 was 1,520.

ASCOT is a hamlet half a mile east. Lord Overstone, who is lord of the manor, and Leopold de Rothschild, esq. are the principal landowners. Ascot Farm, the hunting cottage of Leopold de Rothschild, esq. is an old Elizabethan structure of brick and timber and was originally a farm house, built in 1606, but was restored and enlarged about three years ago. Baron Rothschild’s kennels and hunting stables, originally at Mentmore, have recently been completed at Ascot.

BURCOT hamlet is one mile north. Lord Overstone, who is lord of the manor, and E. Crouch, Zachariah Phillips, and Fynes Clinton, esqrs. are the principal landowners. Misson church, ministers various.

CRAFTON hamlet is 3 miles south. Lord Overstone is lord of the manor, and with Miss Hannah de Rothschild, the principal landowners. The late Baron Meyer de Rothschild’s breeding stud establishment has, in consequence of the death of the Baroness, become the property of Miss Hannah de Rothschild, who has placed the entire control in the hands of Mr. Leopold and Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild.

LITTLEWORTH hamlet is half a mile north. Lord Overstone is lord of the manor and chief landowner.

Parish Clerk, John Windmill.
Post & Money Order Office & Savings Bank – George Cleaver, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive through Leighton Buzzard at 7.55 a.m., dispatched at 6.25 p.m. week days, 9 a.m. sundays. Leighton Buzzard is the nearest telegraph office.
Registrar of Births & Deaths for the District of Wing, William Mortimer
Parochial School, Wing, James Cross, master, Miss Martha Richardson, mistress, Miss Annie Harroway, infants mistress
Carrier – William Dimmock, to Aylesbury, on saturday; to Leighton Buzzard, daily

Wing

Commercial

Ascot

Burcot

Crafton

Littleworth