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Details
of Campton and Shefford Manor can be found on the County Archive Website
click here
In 1560 Queen Elizabeth granted the manor to Joan Ventris. The Ventris family
built the manor house in 1591 partially on the foundations of an older building.
Although added to and much altered, the manor house can be seen and admired
to this day.
In 1645,
Sir Charles Ventris and his family were living in the house. Sir Charles
was a Knight Banneret (for he had been knighted on the field of battle for
bravery during the Civil War between King Charles' armies and the Roundheads).
Knowing the occupant of the Manor House to be an ardent Royalist, a small
armed band of Roundheads came by night to Campton, crept up to the house,
peeped through the leaded windows and saw Sir Charles in the main downstairs
room. One of the band drew his firearm and fired. Fortunately his aim was
poor and he missed and the shot was embedded in the oak panelling. The damaged
panel, now covered with glass, is still to be seen.
In 1778
the manor - house and land was sold to Sir George Osbourn Bart whose family
had been in possession of the Chicksands manor since 1578.
In 1797
the house became a private school, hence the bell tower. Later in the 19th
century it became the dower house of the Osbourn family.
Mr. Gerald
King bought the house from the Osbourns in 1967 less the land on either side
of it. This land now occupied by Grange Gardens and Elm Close.
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