History of Worminghall

The parish of Worminghall is situated in the county of Buckinghamshire, on the borders of Oxfordshire, from which it is divided on the S.E by the river Thame, a tributary of the Thames, into which it flows at Dorchester. Worminghall is 5 miles from Thame, and 10 miles from Oxford; the nearest station to it is Haddenham on the Chiltern Line which runs between London Marylebone , and Birmingham Snowhill. It is in the union and county court district of Thame, the hundred of Ashendon, the rural deanery of Waddesdon, the archdeaconry of Buckingham and the diocese of Oxford.

The derivation of the name Worminghall is very uncertain; it is variously spelt in old documents, being sometimes written as Wermlle, Wrmehale, Wormehale, Wormenhall, and Worminghall. Colloquially speaking however, it is more often Wornall than Worminghall. Its history can be traced back in ancient documents to the early part of the eleventh century.

A.D. 1066 – In the reign of Edward the Confessor, Eddeva, wife of Wlnuard, held this manor under Edith the Queen Consort.

A.D. 1084 – At this time the Bishop of Constance held Wermelle.

A.D. 1100 – After the forfeiture of the lands of the Bishop of Constance, this estate is said to have been given by Henry I to his natural son Robert Mellant

A.D. – 1315 – The manor of Worminghall was held by John de la Rivere, who obtained a charter for a weekly market on Thursday, and annually on the feast of St. Peter, June 29th, a fair and free warren.

A.D. 1827 – The estate of Worminghall was sold to the Hon Henry Lord Clifden, Baron Mendip. From him the property descended to his grandson Viscount Clifden son of Lord and Lady Dover. Under Lady Dover the whole manor was fenced, drained and new roads were made. A vicarage was also provded for a resident vicar; a farmhouse was converted into a school and later to become the Village Hall.

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British History Online