The Wagstaffes’ of Banburyshire

Banburyshire is a traditional name for the area around the town of Banbury which lies in the three counties of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.

There were a number of Wagstaffe families who inhabited the area some coming from the east , Northampton; while others came from the north, Warwickshire.

The Warwickshire family originated in and around the village of Harbury, (Herberbury) and the town of Southam circa 1500. In Harbury they were the landed Gentry owning the ancient manor and setting up The Wagstaffe School near the church, which took its first scholars in 1611. The school is still there but is now a house.

One notable member of this family was Sir Joseph Wagstaffe who fought on both sides of the English Civil War eventually gaining the rank of Major General in the service of King. Charles 1st.

The family spread out from Harbury, one arm moving onto Farnborough (Warwickshire) via Knightcote. In Farnborough they were living in the Manor House next to the church. As well as having excessive lands in Farnborough, Knightcote they had various properties in London; where they were Dyers. In The Church of St.Botolph in Farnborough there is a brass memorial which goes as follows:-

Here Lieth the body of Mrs. Mary Wagstaffe
Daughter of Mr. John Biker and Mrs. Anne Biker
And wife of Mr. William Wagstaffe
Shee was born The 15 of October 1626
And deceased the 1st. of January 1666.

Ten Children on their Mother are Berest
And them for pledges shee A Saint Hath left
With Their Father Still it Please God to Call
For those Deare Pledges and Himselfe and All
A Better Friend, A Wife, And A Mother
Could Never Bee:She Shew Mee SUCH ANOTHER
Now for to lose such A good wife as this;
JUDG YOU HOW GREAT; AND WHAT A LOSSE WAS HIS:
THEN IF A SAINT ON EARTH YOU EVER SEE;
THINKE YOU OF HER; FOR SUCH A ONE WAS SHE.

While still holding the other properties William Wagstaffe moved into Banbury living in Calthorpe in the latter part of the 1600s’

Calthorpe House (Manor) is a fine example of an Elizabethan building still surviving in Banbury.

In Banbury in 1655 there were a large number of members of The Society of Friends (Quakers) who used to meet in private houses. Their leaders being James Wagstaffe, Edward Vivers and Bray Doyly.

In 1657 the first Quaker meeting house was set up in Banbury in the rear garden of The Fleur de Lis or (Flower de Luce) where James Wagstaffe was the licensee with his wife Mary. The public house was sited at the High Street end of Broad Street until its closure in 1975, when it was converted into a house.

James was a man of influence as he had previously been a Tithingman and Constable. In November 1660 James Wagstaffe and Edward Vivers were imprisoned in Oxford Goal for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance.

James was licensee from 1651 until he died in 1675, the licence was then taken over by his son William born 1638 and died 1702, William was also a Quaker, along with other members of the Wagstaffe family.

In the Banbury Museum there is a “TOKEN” which was issued by James Wagstaffe of The Fleur de Lis Public house in the 1600s’

This Token was used within the Fleur de Lis in place of coin of the realm.

Another Wagstaffe of repute was Thomas Wagstaffe born the youngest son of Quaker parents Thomas and Sarah Wagstaffe of Banbury in 1724.

Thomas was married at the Quaker Meeting House in Milton under Wychwood Oxfordshire, But moved to London where he was a renowned Clockmaker, having premises at Carey Street and 33 Gracechurch Street, London between 1756 and 1793.

Thomas became a member of The Merchant Taylors’ Company, but he was not a member of The London Clockmakers’ Company.

When they visited London, members of The Society of Friends (Quakers.) used to stay at his house. In a number of instances American visitors would take back with them fine examples of his clocks.

Thomas also wrote several publications including “Piety Promoted or “Brief Memorials of the Quakers, parts 8 and 9”He also wrote about the life and gospel labours of William Becket of Wainfleet, Lancs. (1776), also another book which covered 66 records of deceased Friends (1796).

Thomas retired when he was well into his 70s and moved to Stockwell in Surrey to continue his literary work. Finally he went to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire where he had relatives and died there in 1802.

Examples of watches which Thomas has made are on display in a number of museums including The British Museum and The Metropolitan Museum, New York. Musical bracket clocks, Longcase clocks in the H.P. Strause collection and others in the United States.

In the village of Aynho ( Northamptonshire) just a few mile south east of Banbury another Wagstaff family were taking up residence in circa 1700.

These Wagstaffs’ were people of the soil, being farmers and over the next 150 years they worked the soil in and around Aynho for the Cartwright family who were the Lords of the manor.

But as time went on members of the Wagstaffe families in Banburyshire gradually moved south to the City of Oxford and surrounding area where there was more work in the Colleges and Industry. So gradually the name of Wagstaffe disappeared from the area and only their monuments in the churchyards and recordings in the Parish Records were left to remind the passers by that there had been Wagstaffes’ in the area.