Person:William Wase (1)

Introducing William Wase of Petworth, Sussex, England_______________________

9 Mar 1656

Assignment of a mortgage of £400 on lands known as Hutchhurst by Thomas Payne the younger and Thomas Barnard, gents of Petworth, Sussex, to William Wase of Datchett, Berks, gent

The property is described as 2 messuages, a barn, several fields, both arable and pasture, and woods, amounting to 140a, now in the occupation of Jacob Savage

Recites that the land was mortgaged by lease of 200 years by Henry Strudwicke of Idehurst in Kirdford, Sussex, yeoman, to Payne and Barnard, trustees of Strudwicke s creditors.

Dates for 5 payments of sums of interest, at c£12, are given, and the principal sum is raised to £412. Endorsed with a memorandum of receipt by William Wase of £150 of the principal sum, and £7 5s interest, and notice that the mortgage is now assigned to Richard Watts, 4 Jul 1663

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42555

The church of ST. MARY consists of a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north transept, south porch, and northeast octagonal tower with spire.

With the exception of the chancel, the church was entirely rebuilt in 1857–60 in the 'decorated' style. The walls of the chancel, though much restored, retain part of their original facing, but the windows and other details have been renewed. Many old monuments, however, remain. On the south wall of the chancel is a brass inscription and shield of arms to Katherine daughter of William Blount and wife of Sir Mores Berkeley, who died in 1559. A tablet on the north wall has a rectangular brass plate with the kneeling figures of Richard Hanbury, citizen and goldsmith of London, the date of whose death (1608) is not filled in, Alice his wife (d. 1593), and two daughters, one married to Sir William Combe and the other to Sir Edmond Wheler. There are also two shields of arms, and on the pediment above are the arms of London between two Tudor roses. In the chancel are mural tablets to Christopher Barker, (fn. 169) who died in 1599, and Rachel his wife, 1607; to Mary wife of Edmund Wheeler, 1626, with arms; to Hanbury Wheeler, 1633, with bust and shield of arms; and to John Wheeler, 1636, also with bust and shield and tablets to the Gore family. In the floor are slabs to Hanbury Wheeler and to Thomas Brinley, who died in 1661, auditor of revenue to Charles I and Charles II, and his father-in-law William Wase, who died in 1642. In the north aisle is a floor slab to George Cooke, who died in 1687, and Alice his wife, 1692; in the south aisle are slabs to Rose wife of Richard Budd, auditor of the king's revenue, who died in 1624, and other members of her family, and to Robert Conway, who died in 1673 (?). In the vestry is a mural tablet to Katherine, wife of John Balch, who died in 1679. Three of the stained glass windows were erected as a memorial to Albert Prince Consort.

Before the 1780s there is no direct documentary evidence for any occupants of the Manor House or its subsidiary dwellings. It is assumed that the Manor House was lived in by the manorial bailiff or steward from the 1500s, because the manor belonged to the Crown and was managed by a royal representative. The grandest house was not this one but Riding Court, now cut off from the village on the far side of the M4, which was leased out separately by the Crown. Datchet was one of many manors sold off by Charles I in 1631, when it was bought by William Wheeler who was already living at Riding Court. 

Datchet was a magnet for Tudor and Stuart courtiers and officials, being within reach of London and close to Windsor. In particular there was a close-knit group of Auditors of the Royal Revenue based in Windsor, Eton and Datchet. With their skills combining those of an accountant, a surveyor and an estate agent, they were an emerging professional group of importance to 16th and 17th century monarchs in their constant search for ready money and sources of income. Richard Budd is the first auditor known to have lived in Datchet (by 1625 from taxation lists) and his partner Thomas Brinley was here by at least 1647 when his youngest son was baptised in the church. Brinley's gravestone in the chancel floor of the church is often visited by Americans seeking their ancestors because several of his children were sent out to Long Island, New York, in the 1650s when the Civil War had made life here precarious for a royal official.

Richard Budd was related by marriage to Richard Hanbury of Riding Court (grandfather of William Wheeler), who also had several relations in the auditor business. This is probably the connection which brought Budd to Datchet to rent the whole Manor House as one dwelling. Thomas Brinley was Richard Budd's deputy and married to Anne Wase who was also related to Budd by marriage. It seems that William Wase and his family occupied the Manor House after Budd and was followed in turn by Brinley. There is one piece of evidence for Brinley having lived here: as was usual, an inventory and valuation of Thomas Brinley's possessions was made after his death, and the route which the valuer took through Brinley's house matches the layout of the whole Manor House at that time, still fully traceable through later changes and divisions. Firm proof may never be found, but it is very likely that these inter-related families could have been the tenants of such a high status house from the early 1600s to the 1660s and perhaps beyond, as at least one of Thomas Brinley's children did stay in the village after Thomas's death in 1661.

Lipscombe's History of Buckinghamshire, 1847, V4, p441

In an account of Datchett are found the following inscription of Thomas Brinley-

He married Anne, youngest daughter of William Ware of Petworth in Sussex gentleman, who had issue by her 5 sons and 7 daughters.

Here also lieth buried y body of the above said William Ware who died 19 Sept 1642, aged 62Y 5M.

Will of William Wase, Gentleman of Petworth, Sussex Date 29 March 1643 Catalogue reference PROB 11/191 Dept Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Series Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers Piece Name of Register: Crane

A Possible Connection to the Budd Family

Christopher Budd and William Wase of St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, gents and the Mayor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of Winchester Recites grant of the rent-charge by Lawrence Whittacre esq and Henry Price, gent to Richard Budd of London, esq deceased and T. Brynley, 20 Sep 1620

Richard Budd esq left an extensive will, proved 1631 (PCC 16 St John), which mentions his niece Ann Wase Brinley. There are many references to him in the National Archives catalog, since he was an auditor for the government. However, he does not seem to have been of gentry ancestry.

At the National Archive - FRYER v GLADMAN AND OTHERS - 4 letters from William Wase of Fleet Bridge to George Fryer: proposed meetings at the Ship and Anchor tavern. William Wase's business card.