Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for BYFLEET

BYFLEET, a village and a parish in Chertsey district, Surrey. The village stands near the river Wey, the Junction canal, and the Southwestern railway, 2 miles SSW of Weybridge r. station, and 2½ WNW of Cobham; and has a post office under Weybridge station. It is a curious picturesque place; and includes several old mansions. The parish comprises 2,068 acres. Real property, £3,991. Pop., 770. Houses, 153. The property is subdivided. The manor belonged anciently to the Crown; was given by Edward II. to Piers Gaveston; came again to the Crown; and was settled by James I. on Anne of Denmark. Byfleet Park, now a farm house, is said to have been built by the Black Prince, and both it and Dorney House in the village are alleged to have been the nursing place of Henry VIII. A mansion was founded on the manor by Anne of Denmark, and completed by Sir James Fullerton. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Winchester. Value, £295.* Patron, the Lord Chancellor. The church is good; and there are a national school, and charities £23. Stephen Duck, the poetical protegé of Queen Caroline, and Joseph Spence, the author of "Polymetis," were rectors.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Byfleet CP/AP       Chertsey RegD/PLU       Surrey AncC
Place: Byfleet

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