Edgcot (St. James)

EDGCOT (St. James), a parish, in the union of Brackley, hundred of Chipping-Warden, S. division of the county of Northampton, 6¼ miles (N. E. by N.) from Banbury; containing 83 inhabitants. The parish comprises 1340 acres, of which about 1060 are pasture, and 230 arable land; it is bounded on the south-east by a portion of Oxfordshire. In a vale called Danesmoor, south of the village, a battle was fought between the Saxons and the Danes; and in the time of Edward IV. a conflict took place between the houses of York and Lancaster, when, the former being defeated, the Earl of Pembroke and his two brothers were made prisoners, and beheaded at Banbury. In 1642, Charles I., with his two sons, and a part of his army encamped here previously to the battle of Edge-Hill, and returned the following day: the bed in which the king slept is preserved in the present manor-house, a handsome stone edifice in a secluded situation. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £12, and in the patronage of Miss Carter; net income, £300. The church adjoins the manor-house, and consists of a nave, south aisle and porch, and chancel, with a tower entered under a beautiful crocketed ogee arch. This edifice is remarkable for its Domus inclusa, still in entire preservation, approached by a door on the north side of the chancel, and containing a room on the ground floor, and a dormitory above: it is now used as a vestry. In the church are some interesting monuments of the Chauncy family, formerly lords of the manor. The churchyard is divided from the lawn of the mansion by an invisible fence.