Remenham

Remenham is a village and civil parish on the Berkshire bank of the River Thames opposite Henley-on-Thames in southern England. It is particularly well known for its steep approach, known as Remenham Hill or White Hill (due to the chalky nature of the land), into Henley.

Remenham hosts both start and finish points of the Henley Royal Regatta, along with the facilities for rowers and most of the viewing enclosures. Several prestigious rowing clubs occupy bank-side locations within the parish, and the rowing course is closest to the Remenham bank.

History

Manor

The manor mostly had main landowners, some of whom not only held the estate but also lived in it as one of their main residences, including a medieval Earl of Warwick and Duke of Buckingham, passing for many years down the lines of the De Montford family. Indeed, by the time of his fall from grace in 1496, it was Simon de Montford who possessed it. Possibly Simon de Montfort's widow Anne was the Anne Preston who with her husband, John, released the manor in 1503 to Richard, Bishop of Winchester and other trustees for Sir Reynold Bray, who was effectively the absolute purchaser with the monarch's consent. Bray effectively sold or quit in favour of William Norreys whose nephew-in-law, soon to be heir was Sir William Sandys – later created Baron Sandys (de Vyne) who died in 1542.

It remained with the Lords Sandys until 1612–13 when it was conveyed to Sir William Lovelace – later created Lord Lovelace of Hurley. Later heir John Lord Lovelace in 1693 died heavily in debt, and in 1695 Sir Henry Johnson, executor of him and his wife, daughter of Lord Lovelace and administratrix of Anne and Katherine Lovelace her sisters, were paying off debts due on account of the manor to Sir William Whitlock and others.