Princes Risborough - Risborough As A Royal Manor

Risborough As A Royal Manor

Before the Norman Conquest Risborough had been held by King Harold and afterwards it formed part of the lands of the new King, William the Conqueror. As a royal manor it could be used by the King to make financial provision for members of the royal family or others whom he might wish to reward.

In the 12th century it was held by Walter Giffard, the 2nd Earl of Buckingham, but reverted to the Crown on his death in 1164. It was then granted to the Constable of Normandy, Robert de Humeto, who obtained a charter from King Henry II, and remained in his family until about 1242. King Henry III then granted the Manor to Richard, Earl of Cornwall (2nd son of King John), succeeded by his son, Edward, who died in 1300, when it escheated to the Crown.

King Edward I in 1302/05 granted it to Queen Margaret for her life, subject to the rights of Margaret, Countess of Cornwall, in one third part for life as part of her dower. King Edward II gave the reversion (subject to these life interests) to his unpopular favourite, Piers Gaveston, and his wife, but this grant was surrendered in the same year. Queen Margaret died in 1316. In 1327, when Edward III succeeded to the throne at the age of fifteen, he granted the Manor for life to his mother, Queen Isabella for her services during his father’s reign. The King’s brother, John, Earl of Cornwall, also had an interest for a time. After the death of the Queen-mother it was held by Henry de Ferrers until his death in 1344.

The King then granted the Manor to his eldest son, Edward Prince of Wales, known later (though not during his lifetime) as the Black Prince. He was 14 years of age in 1344 and he held the Manor for 32 years until his death in 1376. Edward III did not die until 1377 and the Prince never became King. It was during this period that the Manor became known as Princes Risborough.

On the death of the Black Prince the Manor passed to his son, Richard of Bordeaux, who became King Richard II in the following year. He granted it to Lewis de Clifford who held it for his life, when it reverted to King Henry IV, who then in turn granted it to his son Henry, Prince of Wales, who became King Henry V in 1413. It then passed to Henry VI and was part of the dower of his Queen, Margaret of Anjou. Later it was held by his son, Edward, and then appears to have remained vested in the Crown until Edward VI granted it to his half-sister, the Princess (later Queen) Elizabeth for her life.

Subsequently James I held it and it formed part of the dower of his Queen, Anne of Denmark. Later again it was held by Prince Charles, later King Charles I, who in 1628 sold it to the City of London in part satisfaction of the large debts of the Crown. Thus, after more than 600 years, the Manor’s long connection with the Crown of England finally came to an end.

Subsequently the manor was bought and sold in the market and changed hands from time to time but its later manorial history is only a record of commercial transactions.