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It seems clear that the lord's "hospice" of 1434/5 has now become "the manor house" of 1573. Indeed, I have a note (Wilts RO 442/1 f.267) that in 1583 the manorial Steward's court was held there in 1583.

 442/1 +267 Hungerford (dated 2 Feb 25 Eliz (=1583) grants a lease to Seymour which includes a clause that he must provide for the Steward of Sir Walter Hungerford and up to three other persons, together with their horses, "competent meat, drink, lodging, provender and litter for one day and one night only and yearly, when it shall please Sir Walter, his heirs and assigns, to send any steward to keep a court upon the premises, with the use of re-entry if the rent be behind and lawfully asked at the said tenement called the Swanne and not paid".

1633-34 (NH) Jn Gunter, gent

1650-54 (NH) Edward Mills, gent

1658 (NH) (re 122 HS) Lease of Thomas Sare Baker and Alice Sare spinster sister of Thomas and Richard Sare younger, son of Richard Sare the elder, of Ore in the parish of Chieveley, Berks, clerk, and nephew to Thomas Sare … Hell House between The Swanne, late of Sir Edward Hungerford, now occupied by Edward Mills, and another tenement now in the occupation of Ursula Osmond, widow, on the North. Rent 30s p.a.

1663 (NH) Hearth Tax: (by position) Edward Mills, 5 hearths

7th Nov 1663 (NH) Mr Edward Mills, gent (s/o Edward Mills, ob. 1659) [wife=Dorothy]

1664 (NH) Hearth Tax (by position) Dorothy Mills, widow 2; Mary Mills, widow, 4.

1673 (NH) In a deed of 1658 for neighbouring Hell House (now 122 HS), now occupied by Edward Mills, (Berks RO D/Q1 T21/3), but in a revised lease of 1673 it is no longer called the Swan, merely "the house of Sir Edward Hungerford knight", now in occupation of Walter Bosley.

1674 (NH) WRO 490/1542 – the Hungerford Inglefield Court Book has an entry dated 1674 in which "it is ordered that they of the new homage shall on New Year's Day next by eight of the clock in the forenoon all meet together at the farm where the court is used to be kept." Presumably, as in 1583, at the Swan.

1689 (NH) Constables Accounts:
- 1689 "Expenses at the Swan 2s", (again), also "spent at the Swan in quartering soldiers 2s", "espenses at the Swan when the Justices came about apprenticeship boys 1s 8d",
- 1693: "spent at the Swan".

1700+ (NH) After the 17th century I have found no further reference to the name "the Swan", although the building – or a building – continued to stand there. At about the same time that the name "the Swan" seems to have died out, a nearby building used as an inn began to be known as "the Three Swans". The earliest reference to the Three Swans I have found so far is 1661 (C93/25/14).

1662 (NH) In 1622 there was a lawsuit (C2/JasI/C14/8) concerning the sale of the lease of the manor of Hungerford Englefield. It was said that by indenture 1 Dec 38 Eliz, Sir Walter Hungerford and his brother Sir Edward Hungerford (of Rowden, Wiltshire), now deceased demised the Swan and other lands and tenements etc. to Philip Seymor, yeoman, of Hungerford and to William and Philip Seymor, his sons, for term of their three lives.

The Seymours sold their lease to Thos. Holmes of Newbury, clothier, for 99 years, but failed to take a lease from the chief landlord for an alteration of the lives and suffered Seymour to continue with the freehold. Seymour became bound to Holmes in £700, but Holmes was indebted to John Kendrick of London, draper, to whom he mortgaged his interest in the premises for £500 (or ?£600).

Kendrick assigned his mortgage to Sir Alexander Chocke(?) of Shalbourne, and Chocke agreed to sell to Thos. Hillington of Newbury, gent, for £130(?) (21 Nov 16 Jas I), Chocke to secure from Edward Hungerford a lease for 99 years on the lives of Thomas Hillington, his wife Anne, and his son Thomas. However, Anne having died before the time for proving the lease, Thomas Hillington remarried and Chocke agreed to procure(?) a lease which would incorporate the second wife. Edward Hungerford, being a tenant in tail of the manor, had the power only to grant a lease for three lives in possession, and that the freehold remained with the Seymours.

The Manor of Hungerford Engleford passes from the Hungerfords to Matthew Loder Smith: (Most of the following has been gleaned from the deeds of 25 High Street)

1724 William Hungerford sold to John Hungerford (son of Walter Hungerford) the "Manor and Lordship of Hungerford" [i.e Hungerford Engleford].

John Hungerford of Lincolns Inn, was a Bencher, Counsel for the East India Company, and Member of Parliament for Scarborough. He was part of the Cadenham branch of the Hungerford family, probably one of the three sons of Sir George Hungerford. He died on 8.1.1729, and was buried at Hungerford Church one week later. He left £16,000, and his extensive library went to Kings College, Cambridge, where there is a monument in his memory. A striking memorial tablet (illustrated in Sir Richard Colt Hoare's "Hungerfordiana") was placed in Hungerford Church, but has not survived.

A memorial to his manservant, Henry Capps (known as "Trusty") has survived. He died in 1774, leaving his legacy to the poor of the Parish. In 1782 the £50 legacy was used to build the Grammar School.

1729 John Hungerford leased (?25 HS only?) to Rev. Thomas Mangay and John Coppinger; John and Mary Hungerford to use during their life.

1729 John Hungerford died. In his will, Mangay and Coppinger were executors. One third of his estate was to go to Mangay; two-thirds to the Provost and "Scollars" of Kings College Cambridge.

1739 Mary Hungerford died.

1740 Kings College Cambridge brought a bill in the High Court of Chancery against Mangay and Coppinger re the will. The Hon. Mr Justice Page decreed that the freehold estate was to be sold.

1742 The estate was advertised in the London Gazette at £2,600 – a large sum!

1743 The estate was bought by Matthew Loder, a surgeon, of Thame. £1,000 went to Rev. Dr. Thomas Mangey (note different spelling!) of Eling, Middlesex, Doctor of Divinity. £1,600 went to John Coppinger of St. Clement Danes. [The deeds mention previous purchase by Henry Smith and tenure of John Ball, and formerly purchased by John Hungerford, Esq., late of Lincolns Inn, Middlesex.

1762 Will of Matthew Loder bequeaths "his Manor in Hungerford" to Sam Smith, his son-in-law (married to his daughter, Frances) and after Sam's death to Sam's son Loder Smith.

1771 Sam Smith of Stroud, Lacock, Wiltshire, renounced his right of inheritance in favour of his third son Matthew Loder Smith, surgeon in Hungerford.

1798 The estate included the "Mansion House", as well as cottages occupied by Matthew Bance, John Hidden, Richard Challis, William Talmage, as well as land purchased by the Kennet & Avon Navigation.

1781 (CL) Matthew Loder Smith (also 128 H/S)
1792 (UD) Matthew Loder Smith Surgeon
1811 (NH) Enclosure Act claims M.L. Smith esq. as Lord of the Manor. It includes:
- (?25HS) Copyhold – reversionary interest in messuage in which the Misses Robinson live, being copyhold for the life of Thos. Robinson.
- (?) Copyhold tenement now occupied as 2 tens. Held by life of J. Bear
- (?121HS) Tenement in own occupation
- (?) Tenement in occupation of ..Shepherd, widow.
- (?119HS) Tenement in occupation John Bance
- (?) Tenement in occupation Henry Clements

1841 (CS) Thomas Langford (50) Maltster. A. Marriott (40) Brewer.

1843 (CL) Henry B. Marriott is crossed out, & Mr. Henry ? spelling ?Salt

1844 (PD) James & Thomas Langford - Maltsters

1847 (CL) John Platt owner & occupant
1847 (KD) John Platt - brewer, maltster, wine, spirit and hop merchant.
1851 (CS) John Platt (40), brewer and spirit merchant.
1861 (CL) John Platt owner & occupant
1861 (CS) John Platt (50) - 290 acres/9 men/3 boys.
1869 (PO) -do- .Also John Platt jnr - The Poplars, HS (behind brewery off Everland Rd.)
1871 (CS) John Platt (60) - Brewer and farmer (580 acres) John Platt jnr (29) - Brewer. Platts Malthouses: Thomas Tipple (44) maltster.
1881 (CS) John Platt (Manor House), farmer 127 acres, employing 4 men and 1 boy. Malthouse: Thomas Taylor & William Seymour, servants.
1847-1882 (NH) According to Kenneth R. Goodley ("Berkshire Breweries of the 19th Century") John Platt held the Manor Brewery 1847-1882 and was then succeeded by John Platt junior.
1891 (KD) John Platt, junior, Manor House.

1896 (CL) South Berks Brewery Co (owners). George Platt (occupant).
1903 (KD) George Platt - The Priory, HS (sic!).

The Manor Brewery:

1847 After what appears to be a time of changing owners of the brewery in the period 1841-1847, John Platt bought the Manor Brewery in 1847. He owned it until 1882.
1882 Manor Brewery taken over by John Platt senior's son John Platt junior in 1883. [Kenneth R. Goodley, "Berkshire Breweries of the 19th Century", 1975 – copy in pamphlets collection at BRO].

In 1893 George Platt decided to sell the Manor Brewery (and it was no longer possible to accommodate the fire engine on the site).

1896 Note that George Platt is occupant in 1896, but by 1903, Kelly Directory states that George Platt lived in The Priory, High Street (sic!).

c.1900 John Platt & Son, The Manor Brewery, was taken over by South Berks Brewery Co. Ltd. of Newbury c.1900 (Atlas Brewery Co – Hawkins & Parfitt – name changed  to S. Berks Brewery Co in April 1913).

1915 Kelly Dir): South Berks Brewery Co Ltd (George Platt, district Manager); brewers, maltsters and wine & spirit merchants, High Street, and at Newbury and Reading".

Oct 1920: South Berks Brewery was taken over by H & G Simonds of 32 Bridge Street Reading.

1960 Simonds was taken over by Courage Barclay & Co of London. [Info in T/S booklet by Alan Gull, 22 Stonefield Drive, Stoneclough, Radcliffe, M/C M26 9HA]

The Hungerford Laundry:

1891 John Platt, junior, brewer and wine and spirit merchant, HS.
1906 (Cosburn) S. Berks Brewery Co Ltd., HS.
1911 (KD) Hungerford Laundry Co. Ltd., William Capern Hidden, manager, HS.
1916 (Cosburn) Hungerford Sanitary Laundry – Miss Nye, manageress.
1920 (KD) Hungerford Laundry Co. Ltd., HS.
1939 (KD) Hungerford Sanitary laundry Co.Ltd., HS. TN 134
1939 (Blacket's) Hungerford Sanitary Laundry Co.Ltd., A.E. Mayne, manager.

Also in Everland Road:
- Great Western Mills, James & Co.
- Miss D.E. Saunders' riding school
- W. Champ mineral water manufacturer.

Mr Arnold Billington, Upper Cross, Wood Speen, Boxford – interviewed 22.4.1992:

His uncle and a partner had bought the brewery and set up the laundry business in the late 1890s? There was a deep well in front of the brewery, but insufficient water, so his uncle and business partner started the Hungerford waterworks in Salisbury Road.

In 1959 Arnold Billington bought the road and other old buildings (from James' Mill and Dr Kennedy's kitchen garden and tennis court).

In the 1950s the laundry company closed, and was bought by Mr John Turner (son of Geoffrey Turner of Hungerford Park, famous in shipping company world) and Mr. ??? Smith (wife was Doris Smith), they called it the "Rose of Hungerford Laundry".

In the late 1950s it was bought by Brooks Cleaners of Bristol.

10.12.1966 bought by Arnold Billington (born in Inkpen, married, lived in Woodspeen for 40 yrs).

Building built "?150 yrs ago". Brickwork ruined by steam. House used as offices – very old part. Loheat. Recently Loheat sold to Stratford Property Co.

Loheat sold laundry building "18m ago" ( = 1989)

Loheat still operating in April 1992.

1946: Loheat started behind Norman's Garage.

c.1908 Hungerford Sanitary Laundry Company (renamed "Rose of Hungerford Laundry" in 1950s – closed 1966).

1914 (CL) South Berks Brewery Co (owners). Dr. Robert Blake James (occupant).

1920 (KD) Dr. Thomas Gordon Starkey-Smith (partnership with Dr. James).

1939 (Blacket's) 121: Dr D.H. Stuart Boyd, The Manor House

1939 (KD) Dr. Douglas Herbert Stuart Boyd (Tel. no. 7)

1947 (CL) Dr. Douglas Herbert Stuart Boyd.

1947 Dr. Robert Dill Kennedy.
1952 (CL) Dr. Robert Dill Kennedy
1956 (CL) Robert Dill Kennedy

1959 Sold - new surgery built in The Croft.

1963 (CL) Void.

1965 Manor House demolished. Petrol Filling Station opened.

1966 Rose of Hungerford Laundry closed. Loheats opened.

1968 (CL) William Warren James Norman.
1970 (CL) William Warren James Norman 

1975 International Stores new supermarket.
1976 (CL) Void
1978 International Stores
1983 (CL) Void – International Stores

1985 International Stores sold to Gateway Supermarkets.

1998 BT Directory: Somerfield =120 HS. (Smithers also at 120 HS!)

1998 Redevelopment of Gateway Store – demolition of old laundry and other building to reach as far as David Hunter's "Hungerford Service Centre", new store to rear of plot, car parking for 140 in front. Widening of Everland Road entrance. New shop on High Street frontage. "The Brewery" is inscribed on the old stone at gateway on railway bridge.

1999 Shop, old laundry (Loheat) and other buildings all demolished – new Somerfield supermarket developed at rear (opened by Jack Williams in November 1999). First Manager: Ian Copperthwaite.

2000 (CL) "Manor House now a Road entrance"

13.4.2002 African Trackwoods (re-cycled railway sleeper furniture).

2007  African Trackwoods closed ("increasing difficulty sourcing supplies from Zimbabwe")
2008 Empty
Nov 2008  "Zippee" opened – gifts, party goods etc. (Closed after Christmas)

Mar 2009  Somerfield closed.
22.4.2009  Tesco store opened.

27.11.2010 "Pralibel" (Belgian Chocolatier) and "From The Heart" (Cards and gifts) opened.
2011 (CL) "121HS" Louise Brain

From Norman Hidden papers:

The Swan (now 121 High Street)

The earliest usage of this name that I have discovered is that in the c.1470 rental of Hungerford (DL 43/1/4) which records that Richard, Duke of Gloucester, holds "parcel divs burg' voc le Swan", late Walter Hungerford's, before that Thomas Coterel's at a quit rent of 5d. "Parcel divs burg" I take to mean "a parcel or a portion of various burgages". In addition, a further entry shows Richard as holding in Sanden Fee "certain lands appertaining to le Swan, late Sir Walter Hungerford's, and before that to William Ferror" at a quit rent of 7s.

Sir Walter Hungerford had been attainted following the defeat of the Lancastrian cause by Edward IV in 1460 and the lands in question, passing to the Crown, had been granted by Edward to his brother Richard.

Thomas Coterel is known to have existed in 1332 and 1340. William Ferror, son and heir of Walter Ferror (?..? 1366-90), was active in 1405-1426, and was probably dead by 1434/5, since a rental "late William Ferror" is mentioned in the Collector's Account for that year (SC6/749/21). This item, late William Ferror, is for rent of the 'hospice', along with 70 acres of land, half acre of meadow, and another ¾ acre of meadow. Of these, 8 acres were said to lie in West brooke field. The total holding was demised to William Tyghe for 7 years, commencing 1434/5, and the rent was, for the first three years, 53s 4d, rising to 56s 8d thereafter.

The reference to the hospice and the description of the land attached make this sound suspiciously like the Swan and its land appertaining later in c.1470. There is a further reference in the same account to a rent of 7s 6d repayable to the Duchy of Lancaster for the land and tenement lately William Ferror's, that is, the quit rent due to the overlord. The sum of 7s 6d corresponds (to 1d) with the total of the two payments given as quit rent in the c.1470 rental. In the same account of 1434/5 is an item of expenditure on a tenanted house, vis. "for divers costs and repairs to the Lord's tenement and hospice in Hungerford". As the amount so charged was £9.2.1 would seem that the repairs etc were substantial.

It is probable that the hospice at this time was not known as the Swan. It is not known at what date it did in fact acquire this title, prior to 1470, but it is likely to have been in the lifetime of Sir Walter Hungerford, who died in 1449. Sir Walter, who was strongly attached to the House of Lancaster, was prominent both in war and peace in the reigns of Henry IV, Henry V and the early part of Henry VI. He served under Henry V at Agincourt and was an executor of Henry's will; when the infant Henry VI came to the throne he was one of the protector's council (D.N.B). This closeness and attachment to the three Lancastian kings, and especially to Henry V, may provide the clue for the use of the name 'le Swan' as applied to Sir Walter's chief house in the town of Hungerford.

The swan had been the badge of the ancient family of de Bohun. These badges had come into extensive use in the 14th and 15th centuries as devices which a nobleman's followers could use as a sign of their alleigence.

Upon Henry IV's marriage to a de Bohun heiress, the swan became a royal crest and was attributed both to Henry IV and, in particular, to his son Henry V (J.P. Brooke, Boutell's Heraldry Revised, 1978). The de Bohun swan was ducally gorged and chained (as may be seen in the present arms of the county of Buckingham); no doubt, Hungerford's was a plainer version of the bird. [Although the Hungerford family seal was normally based on the crest so described, there is a record of an alternative seal a.d. 1418 bearing Hungerford and Heytesbury quarterly, with two swans having their wings addarsed(?) as supporters, and the crest of a talbot's head issuing from a crest coronet (J.G. Nichols in an article in The Herald  & Geneologist, vol 5, London 1870, quoting Boutell's "heraldry, Historical and Popular").]

This account of the possible origin of Hungerford's "le Swan" is, of course, speculative: Hungerford's own family badge was one of three sickles and three sheaves of wheat.

From 1470 onwards the Swan and its lands are mentioned in a series of town surveys of 1552, 1573, 1591, 1606-09 until the enfeoffment of the town and manor finalised in 1617. In 1552 the Swan now held by Robert Throgmorton "in the right of his wife" is not named, but we can recognise it by the order in which the entry appears and by the amount of quit rent paid, 7s 6d, for the tenement and lands. In 1573 it is leased as "the manor house of Sir Walter Hungerford called the Swanne", together with a quantity of land, and a quit rent of 7s 6d. The acreage of land is larger than in c.1470 because it now includes land which in the earlier rental were listed appertaining to other Hungerford family tenements. That this is so is made clear by an indenture dated 1561 and quoted in 1583 where "the tenement called The Swanne" is described as having 60 acres of arable lands in the common fields of Hungerford and Sanden Fee (WCRO 442/1).

In addition, the same document ascribes to the Swan another 60 acres of arable land in the common fields; also one close of meadow called Fermans containing 6 acres; ½ acre of Lammas mead in Wood marsh; 1 acre of Lammas mead at Sheepbridge; 1 close of pasture called Cambes(?) containing 1 rod and 1 close of pasture "which hath been a sheeppen, lying at the town's end", containing 3 rods.

In the 1591 survey the Hungerford Englefield estate is excluded from reference (DL42/117). In 1609 "Thomas Holmes holdeth the Manor House of Sir Edward Hungerford called the Swanne", with 60 acres arable, quit rent 7s 6d. In an additional entry under the heading Sanden Fee is added "Thomas Holmes holdeth one tenement, with a backside and orchard thereto adjoining by estimation ½ acre, and he likewise holds from Sir Edward a close of meadow called ?..? by estimation 8 acres, and 8 acres of arable land thereunto belonging, quit rent to the heirs of Sir Edward with the manor house called the Swanne". (BRO H.M8).

It seems clear that the lord's "hospice" of 1434/5 has now become "the manor house" of 1573. Indeed, I have a note (Wilts RO 442/1 f.267) that in 1583 the manorial Steward's court was helf there in 1583.

WRO 442/1 f.267 Hungerford (dated 2 Feb 25 Eliz (=1583) grants a lease to Seymour which includes a clause that he must provide for the Steward of Sir Walter Hungerford and up to three other persons, together with their horses, "competent meat, drink, lodging, provender and litter for one day and one night only and yearly, when it shall please Sir Walter, his heirs and assigns, to send any steward to keep a court upon the premises, with the use of re-entry if the rent be nehindand lawfully asked at the said tenement called the Swanne and not paid".

WRO 490/1542 – the Hungerford Inglefield Court Book has an entry dated 1674 in which "it is ordered that they of the new homage shall on New Year's Day next by eight of the clock in the forenoon all meet together at the farm where the court is used to be kept." Presumably, as in 1583, at the Swan.

[Insert 1589 lease D/Q1 T21/3 (20 Oct 31 Eliz) rent 20s p.a.]

Constables Accounts 1689"Expenses at the Swan 2s", (again), also "spent at the Swan in quartering soldiers 2s", "espenses at the Swan when the Justices came about  apprenticeship boys 1s 8d", 1693: "spent at the Swan".

In a deed of 1658 for neighbouring Hell House, now occupied by Edward Mills, (Berks RO D/Q1 T21/3), but in a revised lease of 1673 it is no longer called the Swan, merely "the house of Sir Edward Hungerford knight", now in occupation of Walter Bosley.

[*NB 1796 Universal British Directory – Geo Chersterman, victuallr (Swan) – but this must be the Charnham Street "Swan".]

After the 17th century I have found no further reference to the name "the Swan", although the building – or a building – continued to stand there. At about the same time that the name "the Swan" seems to have died out, a nearby building used as an inn began to be known as "the Three Swans". The earliest reference to the Three Swans I have found so far is 1661 (C93/25/14).

In 1622 there was a lawsuit (C2/JasI/C14/8) concerning the sale of the lease of the manor of Hungerford Englefield. It was said that by indenture 1 Dec 38 Eliz, Sir Walter Hungerford and his brother Sir Edward Hungerford (of Rowden, Wiltshire), now deceased demised the Swan and other lands and tenements etc. to Philip Seymor, yeoman, of Hungerford and to William and Philip Seymor, his sons, for term of their three lives. The Seymours sold their lease to Thos. Holmes of Newbury, clothier, for 99 years, but failed to take a lease from the chief landlord for an alteration of the lives and suffered Seymour to continue with the freehold. Seymour became bound to Holmes in £700, but Holmes was indebted to John Kendrick of London, draper, to whom he mortgaged his interest in the premises for £500 (or ?£600). Kendrick assigned his mortgage to Sir Alexander Chocke(?) of Shalbourne, and Chocke agreed to sell to Thos. Hillington of Newbury, gent, for £130(?) (21 Nov 16 Jas I), Chocke to secure from Edward Hungerford a lease for 99 years on the lives of Thomas Hillington, his wife Anne, and his son Thomas. However, Anne having died before the time for proving the lease, Thomas Hillington remarried and Chocke agreed to procure(?) a lease which would incorporate the second wife. Edward Hungerford, being a tenant in tail of the manor, had the power only to grant a lease for three lives in possession, and that the freehold remained with the Seymours.

1633-34 Jn Gunter, gent (see notes on 121HS)

1650-54 Edward Hills, gent (see notes on 121HS)

1663 Hearth Tax: (by position) Edward Mills, 5 hearths

Nov 7 1663 Mr Edward Mills, gent (s/o Edward Mills, ob. 1659) [wife=Dorothy]

1664 Hearth Tax (by position) Dorothy Mills, widow 2; Mary Mills, widow, 4.

1673 Berks RO D/Q1/T21/3 related to Hell House, which is there said to have the house of Sir Edward Hungerford on its south side, now in occupation of Walter Bosley.

1658(?) Lease of Hell House "?..? house of Sir Edward Hungerford" [Check D/Q1/T21/3 – dates seem to have been reversed?!]

See also:
- Manor Brewery
- The Laundry

Updated: 29.9.2011

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