"At a very early period we find mention of different Manors in Amersham, the names of which still exist. The first which appears to be distinctly mentioned is Raans. In 1235, John de Ran, or Rane, held the fourth part of a knight's fee, and payed 3s. 4d. scutage for lands in Aumodesham. Jordanus de Raan was father of Ricardus, whose son Walter de Raan, or Raans, held the Manor of Raans, with other lands in Amersham. His daughter Alice married Thomas de la Grove, and their daughter and heiress Agnes by marriage brought the estate to William Brudenell, of Aynho. This William had three sons, Edmund, clerk of the Parliament in the reign of Edward III., who at his death without issue in the reign of Henry VI., ordered his body to be buried in Agmondesham Church; William, and Henry. This Henry, by his will, 1430, left Shardeloes and other Manors to his son John, with remainder to his other son Edmund, who was ancestor to those of the name seated at Shardeloes, which terminated in a daughter and heir, Elizabeth, married to Thomas Cheney. From his third son, Robert, descended the Brudenells, of Stoke Mandeville. William, brother of Henry, by marriage with Agnes Bulstrode, obtained the Manors of Hedgerley and Chalfont St. Peters. Their son Edmund (first cousin to Edmund Brudenell, of Shardeloes) was lord of Raans, Coleshill, Chalfhunt, &c., and patron of Missenden Abbey. His daughter by his first marriage was wife to Richard Waller, son of that Richard Waller who distinguished himself at Agincourt, and ancestor of the poet. He was married secondly to Philippa Englefield, by whom he had two sons, Drue and Sir Robert. He died, having made his will, 1457, in which are some curious particulars relative to Amersham. He directed his body to be buried in Agmondesham Church, near his wife, Philippa, and leaves to the making of a new bell in the Church, £G 13s. 4rf., besides 66s. 8d. given by Agnes Bonvalet; to the provosts of the Church for the maintenance of the great light before the cross 20s., also to the maintenance of the light before St. Catherine's cross, 3s. 4d,; to the poor of Amersham, £4.; to the reparation of the highway to Ailesbury and Wendover, £40, towards which he wills that his gold cup, his two silver basons, and his great piece of gilt plate, with the cover, and three silver candlesticks be sent to the Tower of London to be melted down. He bequeaths to his son John, Chalfhunt, Eure (Iver), Denham, and Fulmer. To Edmund, Raans and Stoke; to Drue, the Manor of Hugeley (Hedgerley), and lands in various places, one of which is Amersham. To Sir Robert, founder of the family of Brudenell of Dean, Earls of Cardigan, he bequeaths his lands in Horton and Stanwell." [W.H. Hastings Kelke, "Amersham" in Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society, Records of Buckinghamshire, Vol. 2, Aylesbury: J. Pickburn, 1863, p. 333-353 at 336-337]