Historic Private Houses Interpretation by Clive Rodgers The oldest private house in Swanbourne is likely to be Brook Farm Cottage (see below) which could date back to about 1400. Photographs RIGHT:- Brises farmhouse, lived in by William Deverell, Chief Constable of Cottesloe Hundred (1700). Owned by Newman Williat in 1762 who had a large wedge […]

(1) Interviews, Video clips and Autobiography of Jack Campbell (age 94) JACK CAMPBELL – Long time resident of Swanbourne, interviewed by Frankie Fisher and Clive Rodgers on 12.12.2012, aged 94 and three months before he died.  Written transcription by Vanda Bennett. For the full PDF copy of the first interview transcription, click HERE:-  Interview 1 Jack Campbell. Photographs of Jack […]

Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Woburn Abbey ownerships and the transfer of power at the Dissolution of the Monasteries. By Clive Rodgers 1066 Harold Godwinson owned part of Swanbourne as one of four manors, but may have held its overlordship. CLICK HERE to link to Anglo-Saxon Swanbourne, AD600-1066 1066 After the conquest, William initially took over the Overlordship of […]

Buxlow Farm Lyn Jones kindly provided the photographs of the Buxlow Farm buildings It seems reasonable to speculate that the name Buxlow was most likely  linked to the Anglo-Saxon chieftain Bucca, who also gave his name to Buckingham. Buxlow was awarded to William Deverell at Enclosure, but the Pre-enclosure map of 1762 shows no  farm  or  buildings  on […]

Emma Bolton – a Domestic Servant at Swanbourne House By Ken Harris and Linda Rodgers It started with a photograph of an elderly woman sitting in a greenhouse (see below), and an inscription on the back saying simply ‘Miss Bolton, Swanbourne House’. But who was she and what could we find out about her? A […]

More Archaeological Finds By Clive Rodgers Finds continue to be made in the Charlton Close/Station Road area of the village. New fragments of pottery and other artifacts being exposed as a result of the long periods of torrential rain in January, 2014. Part of a seax blade? This is derived from the border of my […]

NEWLY REVISED – Historical background – how Swanbourne was established in England. Overview of events summarised by Clive Rodgers The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles inform us of Angles and Saxons being invited to assist in keeping off  fierce  Pictish tribesmen  from  Scotland, as the Roman Army had departed to defend Rome.  The Angles were from Schleswig on the Danish/German border today, including the […]

Bucks men serving in British Forces By Clive Rodgers The local recruiting centre for Bucks volunteers was in Aylesbury, but in 1914  the existing Regulars of the Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry were first to see action soon after war was declared on 4th August.  Most subsequent volunteer soldiers recruited from Swanbourne also joined the Oxon and Bucks Light […]

Thomas Alderman the Convict By Neil Rees Thomas Alderman (1782-1863) Thomas Alderman was the 5th of 7 children of Richard and Ann Alderman who were married in Swanbourne in January 1773.  He was the youngest of their three sons born in 1782. The Family of Thomas Alderman Thomas Alderman was a labourer in Swanbourne, and […]

Rees Rees the Welsh drover – with new photographs  By Neil Rees Two of the last Welsh drovers who used to come to Swanbourne were Rees Rees and his nephew James James.  They were friendly with the Tofield family who also bought animals from them. Rees Rees Rees Rees was born in 1855, the son of James […]