A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOUSE

Parmoor was referred to as Pyremere in the 14th century, Permer in the 15th century and Permer and Parmor in the 18th century. It was sometimes written Parmour. Parmoor appears in Hambleden records as a manor in the later half of the 15th century, but was not regularly called a manor for another 50 years.

The estate, in the Chiltern hills above the lovely valley of Hambleden, was in possession of the Knights Templar originally (says Langley), was probably surrounded by wild open moorland country, and must have been an isolated place in those days. The magnificent cedar tree in the grounds was reputedly grown from a seed collected from the Lebanon during the Crusades.

Subsequently the property was owned by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, to whom the Advowson certainly belonged in the reign of Henry VI. At that time it possessed a ‘messuage and a parcel of land'.

Fragments of past ownership have been uncovered, and a few names and dates have been established which show that it has passed through several families over the years.

The manor came to Henry Edmund de Malyns and Reginald de Malyns, and in 1384 it passed from Sir Reginald de Malyns to Sir Robert Whitingham, a supporter of the Lancastrian cause, for which reason it was later confiscated.

An Anne Doyle was buried in Hambleden in 1639. John Saunders of Lower Parmoor (obviously the original "Little Parmoor", an old flint building behind the present William and Mary style house) died in 1634, as recorded on a brass plate in Hambleden church on the north side of the Lower Arch. He left £5 to the parish. The last Doyle (John), mentioned in the Hambleden records, was buried in 1806.

The ancient manor of Parmoor then passed to George Romsey and Ambrose Stephenson, who sold it to Henry William Cripps Q.C. in 1860. His son, Charles Alfred Cripps, later became Sir Alfred Cripps and finally Lord Parmoor. Sir Stafford Cripps, Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1947 - 1950, was born in the house in 1889.

In the Doyle's time the house was in two parts; one part being an old farmhouse, the only relics of which are the oak beams in the kitchen and the oak used for the banisters and newels in the hall staircase and some of the bookcases in the library. This oak was considered to be of great age.

The house itself was extensively altered by the Cripps who added a new kitchen, servants hall (later the sisters' refectory) and entirely remodelled the remainder. They later added the large panelled room which is now the chapel. Little Parmoor, the William and Mary period (red brick) house nearby, was very obviously built to be the Dower House, and contained four panelled rooms, a powder closet, a fine four flight staircase and a vaulted brick cellar. This house was built on the plot of garden belonging to the old flint farmhouse adjoining. Little Parmoor was occasionally used as a bothy for gardeners, but it fell into disrepair. On February 8th 1892 the Revd. Richard Wallace Deane of Skirmett Manor sold Little Parmoor to Henry Cripps Q.C.

The first Lord Parmoor died in 1941 and Parmoor House was then let to King Zog of Albania, who was forced into exile when Mussolini invaded Albania in 1939. King Zog lived with his Hungarian wife Queen Geraldine, their young son Prince Leka, members of his family, their servants and pets.  His retainers lived in Little Parmoor, and his Ministers and their families were billeted to houses around Lane End.  Later some of his family moved to Henley-on-Thames.  King Zog used to travel frequently into London for meetings, either by one of his cars, or by train from High Wycombe.

King Zog had new kitchens and a bathroom installed at Parmoor House, but otherwise left it unaltered.  Parties were held at the house, and visitors included members of the Cripps family, government officials and sometimes other exiled heads of state.Queen Geraldine and other Catholic members of the group, attended the Catholic chapels at Wheeler End and Marlow. King Zog and Queen Geraldine often attended the cinemas in Marlow and High Wycombe.  Prince Leka had a Swiss governess, and some local people remember being invited to play with him at Parmoor House when they were children. He was tutored by the headmaster of Lane End School.

King Zog relinquished Parmoor House in January 1946, when he moved to Egypt.  The house then lay vacant for a year.

On February 11th 1947 the second Lord Parmoor sold the house and 12 acres to the Community of St. Katharine of Alexandria, a High Anglican Religious Community who had been bombed out of their previous home in Fulham, London . They were to remain there for 51 years. A great deal of alterations had to be made, including converting the banqueting hall into a chapel. The original work of the Sisters, which was looking after the poor and girls needing help, was no longer able to be the main secular work of the Community. Caring for elderly ladies continued however, and twenty ladies could be accommodated within the house. The sisters took part in parochial activities and ran a Sunday School at Hambleden church and Women's Fellowship in the parishes. Mass was said daily, with a Sung Mass on Sunday and other Holy Days.

The patron saint of the Community of St. Katharine, who was born AD 307, is the only Saint to have a firework named after her! Known for her deep knowledge of Religion and Philosophy, she was sent into exile by Emperor Maxentius for thwarting his infamous conduct. Tradition tells us that her tormentors sought to break her spirit by tying her to the wheel of torture, but she was miraculously released. She is now everlastingly remembered by the firework named after her - the “Katharine Wheel".

The last surviving member of the Community, Mother Christine, died on March 17th 1998 and is buried in the Sisters cemetery, which is in a corner of the garden, alongside the other sisters of the Order.

In 1995 The Sue Ryder Prayer Fellowship took over Parmoor, now a Grade 2 Listed Building. The Fellowship was conceived by Lady Ryder to be a "spiritual powerhouse" for the needs of others. People from all walks of life come to Parmoor and in the spirit of ecumenism and reconciliation we welcome those of all denominations, or none, for day and residential visits.

The house currently has a small permanent staff which is supplemented by volunteers, most of whom come from eastern Europe. With their help the house is slowly being renovated and refurbished. The main ground floor rooms now provide pleasant venues for large or small meetings, seminars and retreats. The house is occasionally used for weddings and private functions, but most guests come in parties or individually to enjoy the rural tranquillity.

In the grounds, the walled garden is still being used to grow vegetables and fruit for the kitchen, and an interesting variety of chickens provide the eggs. The outline of a formal garden, perhaps an old knot garden, has been uncovered, and a large sunken garden awaits renovation.

Lady Ryder cherished frugality, compassion, respect for the contribution of volunteers, and the spiritual dimension of charitable work. Her loss is keenly felt but her memory lives on in Parmoor.

 

Please pray for us in our endeavour to provide a small oasis in a busy world