Burchestala, Burcestala, Burcstal, Burchestal, Burkestall, Borkestaw (12thC); Borgstall, Burstale, Borestall, Borstall (13thC); Boarstall (16thC).
Aerial Shot of Old Village Location: Destroyed During the Civil War
It was a generally accepted feature of Contemporary Warfare that any Structures close to a Fortress should be removed to prevent a Hostile Force from using them for Accommodation & as Cover & Protection as they approached the Defences. One Military Authority, for example, recommended the Commanders of such Garrisons to ‘ruine all without which might endammage you; laying flat houses, woods, barns, mills, hollow wayes, gardens, fountains, and whatsoever might Batter you and Command your Defences’. Such Advice was widely followed during the Civil War, with the Suburbs of Defended Towns Burnt Down & Demolished & Property close to Garrisons in the Countryside also cleared away. At Boarstall the Church & the Village remained largely intact until comparatively Late in the War.
During the 17thC the Landscape of Boarstall was transformed as a result of the Disafforestation of the Royal Forest of Bernwood in 1633. Much of the remaining Woodland was cleared away and the Open Fields were enclosed & divided into smaller Parcels. The Site of the former Nucleated Village to the South of the Manor House was a Pasture Field by the 1690s & the Settlement Pattern of the Parish had become one of dispersed Farms & Cottages, with only the Manor House, Gatehouse, Tower Farm & Church remaining as a Group in that part of the Parish which had previously contained the Bulk of the Population. The process was accompanied by a decline in the number of inhabitants in the parish, from a little over 200 in 1586 to approximately 130 in 1676, although National Population had risen by almost 50% during that Period. This Demographic change was reflected in the size of the Church erected after the Restoration. Another Alteration to the Landscape was the Diversion of the Road from its Former Course between the Garden of the House
& the Church to a new alignment that took it to the East of the Churchyard.
Boarstall contains 3,078-acres, of which 6 are Water, on a Soil of Gravel & Stiff Blue Clay & Subsoil of Corallian & Oxford Clay. There are 330-acres of Arable Land where wheat, barley & beans are the chief Crops, 2,202 of Permanent Grass & 186 of Woods & Plantations. The Land rises from about 200-ft above the Ordnance Datum in the North & West to about 330-ft at the Village in the Centre & reaches 600-ft. on the East Boundary.
The imposing Tower is all that remains of John Handlo‘s Property. In 1778 the Medieval House was torn down on the Orders of the Owner, Sir John Aubrey, 6th Baronet. What remains is the Tower aside from the Moated Setting – is that the Interior Chambers of the Gatehouse Tower have remained almost completely unaltered over the Past 400-yrs.
From the 11th to the 17thC Boarstall was included in the Royal Forest of Bernwood. A 15thC Map of the Site of the Manor shows Woodland except in the South-east, where Lay the Arable Land known as le Derehyde, or la Derhyde (Deerhyde), a name which survived until 1611, though it was partially superseded in 1444 by La Vente & in 1602 by Hillwood. All 3 have vanished from Modern Maps, which still mark the Panshill Farms, situated on some part of Pauncehall, Paunsale, or Pawncell, at 1-time the King’s Demesne Wood.
Panshill Farmhouse: 17thC, with small 18thC Extension to rear & 20thC Extension to left. Thin Brick, mostly in English Bond. Old Tile Roof, Central Chimney with Grouped Shafts of thin Brick. Original Building has Cross Plan with small Gabled projections for Porch to front & for Staircase to Rear. 2-Storeys & Attic, 2-Bays. 20thC paired barred wooden Casements, those to centre & right Bay with Flat Brick Arches, Altered windows to left. Traces of Doorway, now Blocked, in right Return Wall of Central Projection. 20thC Gabled Extension Projects to left. Rear Extension is of thin Brick in Flemish Bond and is of 1-Storey & an Attic.
Interior has stop- chamfered Spine Beams.
South-east of these Farms are Oriel Wood, representing the 8-acres of ‘Woode Ground’ owned by Oriel College in 1586 & Old & New Arngrove Farms, once part of the Arnegrave Field which Lay between Panshill & the Ancient Village. Before 1577 a large Common called Stonehurst, together with 100-acres in ‘the Quarters’ which fell within the Boundaries of this Parish, had been Inclosed by the Lord of the Manor. The Inhabitants Petitioned the Queen for the restoration of their Rights, but, apparently, without success, as more Inclosures were made within the next few years. The ‘New Park,’ which still gives its name to a Farm in Boarstall, seems to have been an earlier Inclosure, while a Pasture called Lachemede had been Inclosed before 1437.
The Parish is crossed by the Main Road from Bicester to Thame. A Branch Road Leads South-west into the little Village to the Turreted Gate-house called Boarstall House, which is all that is left of the Fortified Mansion & Tower of the Ancient Lords of the Manor. This is a rectangular Stone Building of 3-Storeys with Hexagonal Corner Turrets dating from the 14thC; it was probably built when a Licence to Crenellate or Fortify his House was Granted to John Handlo in 1312 & is a charming & well-preserved example of its Period, though some alterations were made & new windows were inserted in the 16th & 17thCs. The Site of the Mansion is surrounded by a Moat, originally crossed at the Gatehouse by a Drawbridge, but this was replaced in 1735 by the present Stone Structure. The Gateway itself, which was protected by a Portcullis, the Grooves for which can be seen on the Inside, has a wide Segmental Arch, and is inclosed by a 17thC Porch-like Projection formed by 2-Flanking Buttresses surmounted by a connecting Round Arch; the Central Passage into which it Opens has a Room on either side & a similar Gateway at the other end. The Entrance faces North-east & the Flanking Turrets on this side, which have small Chambers on all Floors, are pierced by original Cross Loopholes, some of which are Blocked, larger windows having been inserted in the 16thC. On the other side the Turrets have small Loop Lights & contain Newel Stairs; the uppermost light of the South Turret has a Trefoiled Head & in the Upper Stage of the West Turret are a Clock & Louvred Openings for the Bell. All the Turrets have Embattled Parapets & Original Gargoyles. The Porch on the Entrance Front supports a Mullioned Bay Window & the Wall between the Turrets is surmounted by a 17thC Cornice & Balustraded Parapet. The other Front has an original Plain Parapet & near the Centre are 2-17thC Stone Chimneys, while 16thC Windows have been Inserted on all Floors of this Front & on the Lower Floors of the Entrance Front. Both end Walls have in the Center an Oriel Window, which rises from moulded Corbelling & is surmounted by a Balustraded Parapet.
Boarstall Tower Archaeology during Building Work in 2000
The North-West Room on the Ground Gloor has an old wide Fireplace, and in the opposite Room is a Moulded Stone Fireplace of the 16thC. The 1st-Floor is divided into 3-Rooms & retains some Original Pointed Doorways with old Battened Doors; the 2nd-Floor, which forms 1-Large Apartment, has an old low-Pitched Ceiling with Heavy Beams, Original Doorways to all the Turrets, and a fine 16thC Moulded Fireplace. The Bay window over the Entrance Archway contains a considerable amount of 17thC Heraldic Glass, including Shields of Aubrey Quartering Mansel, Basset & South, with the Motto ‘Solem fero’; Aubrey Impaling Lewis, dated 1692; & Ap Gwyllym; in the East Turret window are 2-Shields, one being Basset quartering de la Bere. The Bell in the West Turret is Inscribed ‘Richard Keene made me 1661.’ There is a Stone Underground Passage to the South-west of the Gatehouse which probably led to the Moat from the Mansion Cellars, while on the South a 17thC Brick Wall with a Moulded Stone Doorway separates the Grounds from the Churchyard.
In 1644 Boarstall House gave much trouble to the Parliamentarian Generals as a Royalist Stronghold, Sir William Waller leaving it unattempted, after a futile Summons to Surrender, whilst Fairfax, to whom the Commissioners had Written, ‘We desire that you would not amuse yourself about Boarstall House,’ was ‘Beaten from thence with considerable Loss’ the next year. A little beyond stands the Church of St James with the remains of a fine old Stone Cross in its Churchyard.
Tower Farm is a 16thC building retaining much Original Work, and among the other Buildings in the Parish, dating from the 16th & 17thCs, may be mentioned Upper Panshill Farm, Old Arngrove Farm & Pasture Farm.
Upper Panshill Farmhouse. 17thC, with small 18thC Extension to Rear & 20thC Extension to left. Thin Brick, mostly in English Bond. Old Tile Roof, Central Chimney with Grouped Shafts of Thin Brick. Original Building has Cross Plan with small Gabled Projections for Porch to Front & for Staircase to Rear. 2-Storeys & Attic, 2-Bays. 20thC paired barred wooden Casements, those to Centre & Right Bay with Flat Brick Arches, Altered windows to Left. Traces of Doorway, now Bocked, in right Return Wall of Central Projection. 20thC Gabled Extension projects to Left. Rear Extension is of Thin Brick in Flemish Bond & is of 1-Storey & an Attic.
Interior has stop-chamfered Spine Beams.
Old Arngrove Farmhouse: Grade II with Range of Outbuildings attached to Right. 17thC, altered 19thC. L-plan House, the Main Wing with some Timber-framing but mostly rebuilt in Brick early & mid-19thC. Gabled Bay projecting to Front of Right Bay is of thin Brick. Small Timber-framed Bay with Brick infill attached to Right end. Old Tile Roofs, Chimney partly of thin Brick between Left Bays. 1-Storey & Attic, 3-Main Bays. Ground Floor has 3-light wooden Casements with Segmental Heads. Attic has similar 2-light in Gabled Bay & another in Central Gabled Dormer. Door & Lean-to Porch between Left Bays. 19thC Extension to Rear. U-plan Range of Tiled Brick Outbuildings, partly of thin Brick, is attached to Projecting Bay & forms right side of Yard in front of House. The Foundations of Old Arngrove Farmhouse were revealed to be made of roughly-hewn Blocks of Stone in a Sandy Mortar with Tile Spacers. The Foundations were 400-mm deep. Extensive Outbuildings, Gardens & Paddocks. The Property sits in Open Countryside on the edge of the Village of Horton-cum-Studley.
“Pasture Farmhouse: 17thC, altered. Thin Brick in Flemish Bond, partly Chequered, with 1st-Floor Band Course & rendered Plinth. 20thC Tile Roof, Central Chimney with Grouped Shafts of Thin Brick. Cross plan with Gabled projection to Centre Front & Wing to Centre Rear. One Storey & Attic, 3-Bays. Outer Bays have small Gables to Front & 20thC 3-light wooden Casements. Central Projection has similar 2-light Casement to Upper Storey, 20thC Door with Flat Wooden Hood & 20thC Lean-to Porch to right. Lean-to to Rear.”
A few Place-names among many, some of them occurring from the 13thC to the 17thC, but now unknown, are Frith, Quechenwell, Geyreswode, Bardolfes, Wolvesdeham, Wolvenhurst, Coppidthorne, Yakyndones Furlong, Wulfendene, Guildenheirdene & le Ridg.
Manor: Domesday Book does not mention Boarstall, which was a Member of the Royal Manor of Brill until 1213 & possibly for a Century after. The nucleus of the Manor was a Hide of Land called the Derhyde (Deerhide), always Associated with the Serjeanty of Bernwood Forest; it was Held of the Crown in Chief with the Forest Bailiwick for a Rent of 50s. Manorial Rights seem always to have belonged to this Fee, which, described in 1347 as consisting of the Site of the Manor & about 135-acres of Land & the Bailiwick, was for nearly a 100-yrs afterwards regarded as the main part of the Manor. Another part of Boarstall Held of Brill Manor from 1289 to 1527 may perhaps be identified with certain Lands Granted by the Empress Maud from her Demesne here before 1158. In 1347 this consisted of 2-Hides, which apparently with later Additions were described in 1489 as the Actual Manor. Before the middle of the 14thC another Hide, which seems to have been included in Oakley Manor in 1302, had been taken into the Manor of Boarstall & in 1346 bore its Name. From 1563 until 1634 the Manor of Boarstall was merely said to be Held of the Crown, no distinction of its component parts being made.
According to Tradition the Derhyde & the Custody of Bernwood Forest were Granted by Edward the Confessor to Niel, the Ancestor of the Lords of Boarstall, in Reward for Slaying a formidable Boar, the supposed Evidence of the Grant being the Horn preserved by his Heirs. This Story is partially corroborated by the Confirmation in 1266 by Henry III to the Heir of the Fitz Niels of the Bailiwick & Derhyde, the Former being described as Held by his Ancestors from the Conquest. It seems that Niel’s Heirs were Dispossessed by the Norman Lisures until Fulk de Lisures & his son William after him restored to William Fitz Niel the Land & Office which had been his father’s. This was perhaps the William Fitz Niel who in 1167 made a Payment for this Township. He or another of the same name was Tenant in Chief of the Derhyde between 1210 & 1212. John Fitz Niel, William’s son, was Keeper of Bernwood Forest in 1255 & 1264 & received a Formal Grant of its Bailiwick with the Derhyde in 1266. His death took place about 1289 & Boarstall Descended to his Son & Heir John, who 10-yrs later obtained Licence to Enfeoff Robert de Harwedon of the Lands he Held of the Crown with the intention that they should be re-Settled on himself with remainder to his son-in-law John, son of Richard Handlo & his daughter Joan, John’s wife. Before the completion of this Settlement John Fitz Niel died & his Lands passed to John Handlo & Joan. A Grant of Land in Bernwood Forest was made to John in 1305, & in 1310 he acquired from John son of Benet le Vilur Tenements in Boarstall, some Held of Brill Manor, others of the Honour of Wallingford.
The Map Illustrates the Boar Slaying bottom Centre, as well as the Boar’s Head being Presented to the King by one Niel, we can see the King holding a Hunting Horn on a Sling that he presents to Niel, “a great Black Horn mounted with Silver Gilded, which was the 1st Charter of Office of the Forest of Bernewode & was given by the King to Niel. One of the earliest “Tenurial Horns“.
The Licence of 1312 to Crenellate his Dwelling-house of Boarstall & the fresh Grant of 1315 from the Royal Forest were followed by a temporary Seizure of John Handlo’s Manor & Peel Tower here, which were restored to him by Royal Command in 1322, a year marked by Violent Attacks upon his Dwellings & Lands. Richard, John’s Son & Heir by wife Joan, died in his father’s lifetime & in 1345 John Settled the Manors she had brought him on Trustees for his own use, with remainder to Richard’s son Edmund & his wife Alice. He died the next year & Boarstall was shortly afterwards Seized by the King’s Officers on the pretext of his grandson’s Minority, the Settlement of 1345 being declared Invalid on the ground that John had enjoyed no Independent Rights in the Property. On the Petition made in the Interest of the Heir, then aged about 7, an Order was issued after Inquiry for the Restitution of certain Parts, but the 2–Bovates (12.5% of a Carcurate) or Derhyde & the Bailiwick of Bernwood Forest always Associated with them, seem to have been retained by the Crown until Edmund’s death in 1355. His Lands came to his Sisters & Heirs, Elizabeth wife of Edmund de la Pole & Margaret wife of Gilbert Chastellyn, Margaret & her 2nd husband John Appleby receiving Boarstall in 1362. 4-yrs later, by a fresh Partition, this Manor was Assigned to Elizabeth & her husband Edmund de la Pole. They had 2-daughters, one of whom, Elizabeth, with her husband Ingelram Bruyn, in 1394 Conveyed her Right to the Reversion of a Moiety of Boarstall Manor to her sister Katherine, wife of Robert James. 4-yrs before Robert & Katherine had obtained Licence to Settle their share in the Reversion for the use of themselves & their Heirs. Elizabeth died before her father, who enjoyed a Life interest in this Manor until 1419, when he was succeeded by Robert & Katherine James. Katherine was doubtless dead in 1428, when Robert Settled her Inheritance on himself, with remainder to their daughter Christine & her husband Edmund Rede. He died in 1432 & Christine, then Widowed, Held Boarstall until her death 3-yrs later, with the exception of 1/6th, which she Granted to her Stepmother Maud in exchange for other Dower Lands. Edmund Son & Heir of Edmund Rede & Christine enjoyed his mother’s share of the Manor from 1435 & Inherited the rest when Maud died in 1437. At his death in 1489 his possessions, largely increased by various Purchases, descended to his grandson William, son of his late son William Rede, Katherine his Widow Holding some Lands in Boarstall in dower until 1498. William Rede Settled the Manor of Boarstall on himself & his Heirs in 1511 & in or before 1527 it passed to his son Leonard, Lord in 1547, when he Conveyed the remainder, after the death of himself & his wife Anne, to his daughter Katherine & her husband Thomas Dynham. Thomas & Katherine were in Possession in 1552. At Thomas’s death 11-yrs later Boarstall Descended to his Son & Heir John, who obtained Licence to enter on his father’s Manors in 1570 & in 1576 Conveyed the Derhyde & Bailiwick of Bernwood Forest to Alexander Denton of Hillesden in Exchange for an Oxon Manor. Alexander died the next year, after Settling this part of the Manor of Boarstall on Trustees till the Majority of his Infant son Thomas. His Executors afterwards agreed to restore the Boarstall Lands & Bailiwick to John Dynham for the rest of Thomas Denton’s Minority on condition that the Fee Simple (Absolute Tenure) should be Conveyed to John Dynham by Thomas when he came of age. Two Suits in Chancery brought by John on the ground of non-Fulfilment of this Agreement were followed by the Settlement of the Derhyde & Bailiwick by Thomas Denton on John Dynham & his Son & Heir John in 1596. To the younger John Dynham, who was aged 16 at his father’s death in 1602, a full Grant was made by the King in 1611 of his Ancestors’ Lands in Bernwood Forest with others once Held there by Religious Houses. The Manor of Boarstall was settled by John & his 2nd wife Penelope, daughter of Sir Richard Wenman (1657-1690 4th Viscount), on themselves, with remainder to their eldest daughter Mary & her husband on her marriage in 1632 with Lawrence Banaster. 2-yrs later Sir John died, leaving besides Mary 2-younger daughters. Penelope Lady Dynham was Living at Boarstall, then a Royalist Stronghold, in 1645, when she Certified that Stephen Soame, her daughter Mary’s 2nd husband, had been with her there at a time when he was Reported to be in Arms against the Parliament. To Lawrence Banaster, Mary had borne 1- child Margaret, who held Boarstall with her husband William Lewis in 1651 & as his Widow in 1661. Edward her Son & Heir died without Issue in 1672 & 2-yrs later his sister Mary & her husband William Jephson were in Possession.
Mary, who was the wife of Sir John Aubrey, Bart, in 1693, had no child by him. In accordance with the Settlement made on her 2nd marriage, Boarstall came on her death in 1717 to her step-son Sir John Aubrey, whose 2nd wife was her daughter Frances Jephson. Sir John, was holding in 1733, & was succeeded 10-yrs later by his elder son John, who, dying unmarried in 1767, left his Estates to his younger brother, afterwards Sir Thomas Aubrey. In 1766, however, Richard Aubrey, younger son of Thomas, seems to have been the Lord of Boarstall & Brill. From his elder brother John, who succeeded his father in 1786, both Manors Descended Richard’s Son & Heir. Sir Thomas left no child 40-yrs later to Sir Thomas Digby Aubrey, at his death in 1856 & his Estates Descended under his uncle’s Will to his cousin Elizabeth Sophia, daughter of his uncle Colonel Thomas Aubrey & then wife of Charles Spencer Ricketts. Mrs Ricketts, who was married to the Rev George Chetwode in 1868, was succeeded in 1874 by her son Charles Aubrey Ricketts, known as Charles Aubrey Aubrey.
He died in 1901 & his Lands passed under the same will to Sir Henry Fletcher, grandson of Sir Henry Fletcher of Ashley Park, who was great-grandson through the Female Line of the Sir John Aubrey who died in 1743. Sir Henry, who Assumed the name of Aubery-Fletcher in 1903, was succeeded in 1911 by his brother Sir Lancelot Aubrey-Fletcher, who transferred the Property to his son Mr Henry L Aubrey-Fletcher in 1913.
From the 11thC to the 13thC a considerable part of Boarstall remained in the Crown. The Empress Maud, who held this Land in Demesne, Granted it before 1158 to her Clerk, Adam de Ely, Tenant until 1166. It was in the hands of William de Rochelle from 1167 to 1179 & Leased to Walter Bustard in 1200. Before 1213 Thomas de Fekenham, Son & Heir of Thomas de Hereford, Adam de Ely’s Heir, recovered from Walter his Inheritance in Boarstall, which was again in the Crown in the next Reign. The greater Part, however, seems to have been acquired before 1289 by John Fitz Niel, whose Heir, John Handlo, in 1310 added to it a little Land formerly Held of the Crown through a Mesne Lord, William Belet. As late as 1316, however, Boarstall was Classed with Brill amongst the ‘Burghs’ of the King, possibly on account of the large Part which fell within the Bounds of the Royal Forest of Bernwood. Grants from this were made to John Handlo in 1305 & 1315 & later and Descended with the Manor, but many 100-acres remained in the Crown at the Close of the 16thC.
Assize of Bread & Ale belonged to the Manor of Boarstall in 1275. In 1286 its Lord was called upon to make good his claim to View of Frankpledge which his Ancestors had Held in the Derhyde from time immemorial & his Heirs still held in 1527. There was a Capital Messuage here in 1289, probably the Dwelling-house which John Handlo afterwards obtained Licence to Crenellate, & the ‘Peel & Manor‘ of 1322. The Site alone was mentioned in 1347. 2-Centuries later there was a Dwelling called the Hall End or Master Rede’s Lodging, presumably the Lodge in the ‘New Park‘ of 1597 & the Capital Messuage of 1602 & 1634, which has its place in history.
From the Reign of Henry II until 1275 the Abbey of Godstow reckoned among its Possessions Lachemede, which 2-Centuries later as 65-acres of Pasture was Held by the Lord of Boarstall Manor of the King. The Abbey also enjoyed half the Wood called Hildesdene by Gift of King John, Confirmed by Henry III, until 1314, when Maud of Upton, then Abbess, Granted it to John Handlo. The other Moiety belonged in 1275 to Oseney Abbey, as at one time did the Common called Stonehurst, which came after the Dissolution from the Crown to Lord Williams of Thame, then to Lord Norreys & finally to John Dynham.
There has been a Place of Worship in Boarstall for a long time. In 1142, as part of the Battle for the English Throne, the Empress Matilda (1102-1167), known as Maud, gave Oakley Parish & its Chapelries of Boarstall & Brill and all their Lands to the Prior & Canons of St Frideswide in Oxford to obtain their Support for her Cause. The Prior failed to tell Maud that a few months earlier, her opponent, King Stephen, had already given the Chapel of Brill to St Frideswide to obtain Support for his Cause. In 1221, after a Judgement in his favour in his own Temporal Court, Henry III recovered Oakley Church & its Chapels from St Frideswide. The then Prior Protested to Pope Honor III who Appointed Delegates to an Inquiry. Without waiting for the result, Henry III Appointed a Vicar to Oakley Church. The Pope subsequently Issued, over a period of 4-yrs, 3-Papal Bulls asserting the Claim of St Frideswide. These were studiously ignored by Henry. The 1st Church must have been Built after 1086 & before 1142.
In 1645, during the Civil War, the Church was Destroyed by the Royalists, along with almost everything else in the Village, to prevent the Parliamentarians from using the Buildings, Trees, etc., as cover, before they attacked Medieval Boarstall House & its Fortified Gatehouse (Boarstall Tower). On 14th December 1644, Charles I sent to Sir William Campion, the Governor of Boarstall – Whereas We find it necessary for ye better Fortyfying of Borstall House, that ye Church and other Houses adjoining to ye same should be pulled Downe …
Campion, perhaps not wishing to Alienate the Locals any more than was really necessary, only removed some Houses & did not Demolish the Church at 1st. The Royalists only completed the Demolition of the Centre of the Village after a serious although Failed Attack by the Parliamentarians on 1st June 1645. Whilst the Houses in the Village, presumably Timber-framed & Single Storey, could have been Destroyed by the Royalists without too much effort, completely Demolishing a Stone Church & Tower was rather more difficult & this was not completed until towards the end of July. There would have been large Piles of Stone which, if they were not to provide cover for the Enemy, would have had to be removed to another Site. Because of the size & presumably considerable weight, of the Altar Tomb, in the pressures of War it may have been Destroyed rather than removed temporarily. When the Church was re-Built after the Civil War, the Tomb was restored in the South side of the Chancel. It clearly has been badly Damaged.
The Restoration Church was a smaller & simpler structure than its Predecessor, consisting only of a Nave & Chancel, without Side Aisles & Tower. Indeed, the Bells taken by the Royalists for use as Gunmetal were not Replaced & so the New Building lacked even a Bellcote. This Church was itself replaced in 1818 by another one of similar Design
Church: The Church of St James is a small Stone Building consisting of Chancel & Nave with a Bellcote at the Junction containing 1-Small Bell. It was rebuilt in the Perpendicular Style on the old Foundations in 1818 by Sir John Aubrey & contains some Fittings re-used from the Old Church. The Building was restored in 1884. The Panelled Pulpit & Sounding-board are of the late-17thC. At the East End of the Nave is some 17thC Panelling & in a Vestry at the West End is a Communion Table with a Carved Upper Rail dated 1615. On the South Side of the Chancel is a late-15thC Rectangular Tomb with a Panelled Front having 3-Plain Brass Shields & a Purbeck Marble Covering Slab with the Matrices for 2-Shields & an Inscription. There is also a Monument to Sir John Aubrey, who died in 1826, besides Tablets to other Members of the Aubrey Family. The Churchyard Cross has been restored, but the lower part of the Shaft & the Octagonal Base with Broached Stops date from the 15thC.
The Communion Plate was Stolen in 1812. The Present Plate includes a Silver-Gilt Cup given to the Church in 1824, the date Letter of which is illegible & a Stand Paten of 1615; the Cup is inscribed, ‘This cupe and cover wayeth 28 oz. 3 dwt,’ and bears representations in Repoussé Work of the Annunciation and the Nativity.
Advowson: The Church of Boarstall, dedicated in Honour of St John the Evangelist in 1391 & of St James from 1417 to the present day, was a Chapel of Oakley in the 12thC. Its Descent has been in the main identical with that of Oakley & Brill Churches (qv)& it is now held with Brill. In 1449, however, the Prior of St Frideswide Granted the Nomination of the Perpetual Chaplain of Boarstall to Edmund Rede & his Heirs, retaining for himself & his Successors the Admission of their Nominees. It was probably in consequence of this Concession that the Lords of Boarstall Manors claimed some Right to the Church more than a Century later, Leonard Rede in 1547 including the Advowson in his Sale of the Manor to Thomas Dynham & Thomas making a Settlement of both in 1552.
Indulgences were Offered for the Repair of Boarstall Chapel in 1391 & for the Building of its Bell-tower. In 1417 the Right of burial here was conceded & Chapel & Cemetery were Consecrated the following year. The Inhabitants of Boarstall, however, were still expected to contribute to the repair of Oakley Church & the Dispute which arose on this matter was not Settled until 1430. In 1450 Edmund Rede Granted his Perpetual Chaplain a Messuage called ‘Prestys House‘ with Land in the Parish. This Edmund Rede, by his Will dated 7th April 1487, left Directions for his Burial in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity on the South of the Church.
Charities: Dame Penelope Dynham, by her Will Proved 11th December 1672, devised a yearly Rent-charge of £8 issuing out of Lands in Boarstall. By a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 6th May 1913 the Income of the Charity is made applicable in Apprenticing Poor Children to some useful Trade or Occupation, or in assisting persons under 21-yrs of age upon entering such Trade or Occupation.
Edward Lewis, by his Will Proved 26th February 1674, Directed a sum of £300 to be Laid out in the Purchase of a Yearly Rent for the Benefit of the Poor. The Endowment consists of a Rent-charge of £12 issuing out of Lands in Boarstall, which is applied in Gifts of Money. The Lands out of which the Annuities of £8 & £12 are Payable now belong to Henry Lancelot Aubrey-Fletcher.
Charles Aubrey Aubrey, by his Will Proved 17th March 1902, Bequeathed £200 Consols, the Annual Dividends, Amounting to £5, to be applied in Repairing the Aubrey Family Monuments in the Church & the Grave of Sir John Aubrey Outside the Church. The Income, when not required for such purposes, is paid to the Account of the School, Erected by the Testator. The Stock is Held by the Official Trustees, who also hold a sum of £600 Consols Bequeathed by the same Testator, producing £15 a year, for the repairs of the School Buildings in this Parish & the Parish of Chilton.
Aston Rowant & Chilterns Spring Line Villages 