The early history of the village centres on the foundation of a chapel at St Leonards. A charter of Henry de Crokesley from around 1187 refers to him granting the manor at Dundridge to Missenden Abbey and setting aside land for the chapel-of-ease at St Leonards.
The chapel was dedicated to St Leonard of Noblac also recorded as "Leonardi de Blakemere" in 1250.
The choice of Leonardus or Leonard may have been in recognition of a hermit associated with Missenden Abbey known as the 'Hermit of the Woods', according to the Pipe Rolls of 1196. However this has not been verified and the choice of St Leonard might have been because the hermit was instead connected with St Leonard's Hospital in Aylesbury.
Most of the current church was built in the 15th century, though a piscina and sedile are of 14th century design and were probably saved from the earlier building.
Despite the Dissolution of the Monasteries the church continued in use as a chapel-of-ease until after 1586 when an inquisition was held in the name of Queen Elizabeth into why the chapel and lands had not reverted to the crown. However following successful pleas from Silvester and Henry Baldwin,from 1587 services were held there once again, for the benefit of local woodsmen, because Aston Clinton church was a good hour's walk away, and the long journey stopped them from getting on with their work.
By 1640 the church had fallen into disrepair The building was largely rebuilt in a simple Queen Anne style around 1700, paid for by the brother of John Wood, the then minister.
Within the church one of two large commemorative memorials to the Wood family, is a marble bust of General Cornelius Wood who as benefactor was responsible for the major restoration of the church at the end of the turn of the 16th century. Wood was also Colonel of the Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Horse until his death in 1712. His generosity also enabled the chapel to be freed from the control of the Bishop, and Trustees were given autonomy to appoint the incumbent.
The cache which is a short walk away and not in the churchyard ,can be found within one metre of at
N 51 45.ABC W 00 41.DDF
Where
A is the number of surnames on the war memorial that begin with a ‘G’
Walk towards the field and away from the door behind the church
Our darling daughter Polly Brazil died aged BD weeks April 19FF
In memory of Vicky adored daughter of Michael and Pippa Watts died 12 April 195C
GPS signal is variable, I went to check the coordinates following 2 DNF and my first sweep gave a sightly different set but a second sweep gave the ones I had when I placed it so i have left the clues as they are.
Congratulations to smokeypugs on FTF
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