John Hampden was born in 1594, and at an early age inherited from his father the family estate of Great Hampden. His early schooldays were spent as a boarder at Lord Williams’s School until 1610 when he was admitted to Magdalen College, Oxford, at the age of 15. He married in 1619 Elizabeth Symeon of Pyrton Manor, who predeceased him in 1634.

In 1635, the Ship Money Writ was issued and extended to inland counties. A meeting of protest was held in the vestry of Great Kimble church on 11 January 1636, with John Hampden in the chair. It was agreed that the tax should not be paid and as a result John Hampden came into conflict with Charles I. This led to an attempt by the King to arrest five members of the House of Commons for high treason including John Hampden on 3 January 1642.

During the early days of the Civil War, John Hampden raised a regiment on foot for the Parliamentarians. He served under Lord Essex. Early in June 1643, Essex formed a plan to attack the King in Oxford. Having taken Reading as a preliminary, he quartered his troops in the district around Thame. On the night of 17 June, Prince Rupert left Oxford with 1000 horses and as many foot soldiers in an attempt to intercept a convoy bringing money from London as payment for the Parliamentarian troops. The carts carrying the money are said to have been driven into a wood. Somehow they escaped.

Prince Rupert, returning at daybreak, fell upon the Parliamentary Quarters at Postcombe and Chinnor, burning the latter. John Hampden, who had spent the night at Watlington (it is said at the Hare and Hounds Inn) hurried to the scene of action.

Rupert had sent some of his men forward to secure the bridge at Chiselhampton, to ensure his route back to Oxford. Hampden engaged some of Prince Rupert’s soldiers at Chalgrove, a battle that would have long been forgotten were it not for the tragic consequences - Hampden received a mortal wound.

Local tradition asserts that he rode in the direction of Pyrton, his wife’s home, but being unable to reach there because of Royalist troops, crossed the Haseley brook and, after riding nearly 10 miles in intense pain, succeeded in reaching Thame via Tetsworth and Moreton.

He stayed in Thame at the Greyhound Inn (the house was still an inn as late as 1840) and survived six days. He died on 24 June and was buried in Great Hampden church on 25 June.

The John Hampden Society was founded in 1992 to promote the achievements of this great patriot.

www.johnhampden.org

Maurice Kirtland

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