ALDERMINSTER
Sture (ix cent.); Aldermanneston, Aldermoneston,
Aldermaiston, Aldremoneston (xiii cent.); Aldermeston, Aldermonston (xiv cent.); Aldermarston
(xvi cent.).
Alderminster is a detached portion of the county,
being surrounded on the north, east and west by
Warwickshire, the River Stour forming its western
and southern boundaries. It has an area of 3,229 acres,
of which, in 1905, 894 were arable land, 1,380
permanent grass, and 157 woodland. (fn. 1) It lies chiefly
on the Lower Lias beds, a small part on the west
being on Keuper Marl. The soil is various, producing
crops of barley, wheat, oats and beans. The parish
was inclosed in 1735–6 (fn. 2) the award being dated
18 February 1736. (fn. 3)
The village lies on the road to Shipston-on-Stour
from Stratford on Avon. The old cottages have for
the most part been pulled down and modern brick
dwellings with slate or tile roofs erected in their stead
by Mr. James Roberts-West. Some 17th-century halftimber cottages, however, still remain on the east side
of the road, and on the same side, at the south end of
the village, are two fine 18th-century brick tithebarns with tiled roofs. The church stands on the
west side of the road near the centre of the village.
The vicarage, which stands a little distance back from
the road on the opposite side to the church, is an
L-shaped house, two stories in height with an attic,
dating from the late 17th or early 18th century, and
is built of stone and brick with tiled roofs. There
is a large central chimney stack and a wide fireplace
in the room which was formerly the kitchen, while
the original staircase with its turned balusters, moulded
handrail and square newels still remains, together with
some original moulded doors which are probably of
oak but are now thickly painted. The house has
been considerably added to and the staircase is said
to have been removed to its present position from the
entrance hall. The track of the derelict Stratford on
Avon and Moreton-in-Marsh railway, one of the earliest
lines in England, passes through the parish by the road
side. The present house at Upthorpe Farm, near
Eatington, 1½ miles south-east of the village, is modern,
but near it is a large half-timber barn of about 1600.
Goldicote House, the residence of the Hon. Claud
Berkeley Portman, with its fine grounds, is pleasantly
situated on the Banbury road, 3 miles north of the
church.
A Romano-British fibula was discovered at Goldicote in the limestone rock under a second bed of
stone more than 5 ft. deep. (fn. 4)
Among ancient place-names have been found:
Bernewelle, Berehulle, le Helde, Heyhulle, Horeputte,
Peselond, le Rugweye (xiii cent.) (fn. 5) ; Brygmede, Knovehull (xv cent.) (fn. 6) ; Strangmedowe, Homwey (xvi cent.) (fn. 7) ;
Lake Meadow (xvii cent.) (fn. 8) ; Ramblamb Bushes (xviii
cent.). (fn. 9)
MANORS
The present ALDERMINSTER has
been identified with ten 'manses' at
Sture which are said to have been confirmed by Edgar in 972 to the abbey of Pershore. (fn. 10)
Unlike so much of the land confirmed to the abbey
by this grant, Sture remained in the possession of the
abbey, and an estate of 20 hides there belonged to
the abbot in 1086. (fn. 11) In 1251 the abbot received a
grant of free warren in this manor, (fn. 12) and in 1291 he
held at Alderminster 5 carucates of land and a mill
worth 6s. yearly. (fn. 13) The manor was in lease to John
Davies, the collector, in 1490. (fn. 14) In 1537 a lease for
lives to Roger Davies and Elizabeth his wife, and to
John, William and Nicholas their sons, of the parsonage
and manor became forfeit. On 3 December 1538,
the abbot leased the parsonage and manor with its
members Goldicote and Upthorpe to Sir John
Russell, (fn. 15) who continued as lessee of the Crown after
the dissolution of Pershore Abbey in 1539. (fn. 16) He
was succeeded by his son Sir Thomas. (fn. 17)
In 1560 the manor was granted by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, (fn. 18) who died in
1571, having bequeathed this manor to his second
son Arthur, (fn. 19) who was knighted in 1596. (fn. 20) He
settled the manor in 1596 on his wife Anne, with
contingent remainders successively to Sir Thomas
Wotton and his wife Mary, eldest of the four
daughters of Sir Arthur, and to Ann, Elizabeth and
Catherine, his other daughters. (fn. 21) He died at Paulerspury (Northants.), in 1626, (fn. 22) and the manor passed to
his youngest daughter, Catherine, who married in 1627
Edward Partriche (Partheriche, Partheridge) of Bridge,
in Kent, and died 1 July
1632. (fn. 23) Her husband, Sir
Edward Partriche died between 1650 (fn. 24) and 1677, his
son Edward being in possession of the manor at the latter
date (fn. 25) and in 1681. (fn. 26) It was
probably this Edward who in
1705 barred the entail on
this manor, (fn. 27) which in 1727
was still held by him or a
descendant of the same name, Edward Partriche, sen.
and Edward Partriche, jun. then dealing with it. (fn. 28)
Edward Partriche was still lord of the manor in
1736, (fn. 29) and John son of Edward Partriche died in
1783. (fn. 30) It is not clear who was the next owner,
but Prattinton, writing in
1829, says that Mr. Partriche's property came to a
Mr. Campane of Shennington. (fn. 31) On 15 July 1819
Alderminster Manor was advertised for sale. (fn. 32) Before
1868 it had passed to Mr.
James Roberts-West of Alscot
Park (co. Glouc.), (fn. 33) who died
in 1882 and was succeeded
by his son, the present lord
of the manor, Mr. James
Roberts-West. (fn. 34)
Partrichi. Checky argent and sable a bend gules.
West of Alscot. Argent a fesse dancetty sable ermined or.
A rent of £3 4s. 5½ d. reserved when the manor was granted in 1560 to
Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (fn. 35) was vested in the
trustees for the sale of fee-farm rents in 1670, (fn. 36) and
sold by them to John Jones of Whitehall in 1672. (fn. 37)
In 1807 a rent issuing out of the manor was held by
Miss Frances Hearne Bettesworth. (fn. 38)
At the Public Record Office there are Court Rolls
and accounts of the manor of Alderminster temp.
Henry VI, (fn. 39) Henry VII, (fn. 40) and Henry VIII, (fn. 41) and a
Court Roll for 1630 is at the British Museum. (fn. 42)
These show that the men of Goldicote and Upthorpe
owed suit at these courts.
The manor of GOLDICOTE(Goldicot, Caldecote,
xiii cent.) was held of the manor of Alderminster. (fn. 43)
It was probably represented in 1086 by the 2
hides held 'with two radmans' by a knight in the
manor of Alderminster. (fn. 44) In 1210–12 the Abbot of
Pershore was holding two knights' fees in Goldicote
and Beoley. (fn. 45) There are many early 13th-century
fines and deeds relating to land in Goldicote in the
chartulary of Pershore Abbey, (fn. 46) and at this time the
manor seems to have been held of the abbey in
moieties by the families of Goldicote and Wyke.
William son of Robert de Goldicote appears to have
been in possession of one moiety in 1216 (fn. 47) and
1226, (fn. 48) and also in 1234–5. (fn. 49) He was probably
succeeded shortly after by his son Lawrence. (fn. 50) This
family seems to have continued to hold at Goldicote
as late as 1311–12, when William son of Walter de
Goldicote gave land in Goldicote to Warin Giffard of
Goldicote and his wife Isabel. (fn. 51) Before this time this
moiety of the manor must have passed out of the
possession of the Goldicotes, and it was possibly their
estate which was conveyed in 1278 by Henry le Fenn
and Isabel his wife to Walter Giffard, Archbishop of
York. (fn. 52)
Cooksey. Argent a bend azure charged with three cinqfoils or.
The other moiety of the
manor, which had been held
in 1216 by Peter, son of
Robert de Wyke, (fn. 53) and about
1240 by Peter de Wyke, (fn. 54)
was perhaps identical with the
manor of Goldicote which
Peter de Lench and Margery
his wife conveyed in 1283–4
to Robert Burnell, Bishop of
Bath and Wells. (fn. 55) In 1286–7
Walter Cooksey was holding the manor of Robert
Burnell, (fn. 56) and in 1307–8,
Hugh son of Walter Cooksey granted it for four
years to his father's widow Elizabeth. (fn. 57) In 1310
Hugh acquired a messuage and land in Goldicote
from John de Pebworth of Evesham, (fn. 58) releasing the
same to the said John's son Thomas and Roberga his
wife in the following year. (fn. 59) He was holding the
manor in 1318, (fn. 60) and received a grant of free warren
there in 1335. (fn. 61) From that time the manor followed
the same descent as that of Cooksey in Upton
Warren (fn. 62) (q.v.) until the death of Thomas Cooksey
at the end of the 15th century. His heirs, Robert
Russell of Strensham and Robert Winter of Huddington, were holding Goldicote Manor in 1500,
when they conveyed it to Richard Emson and
others, (fn. 63) possibly trustees for Robert Lawrence and
his wife Margaret, who sold
the manor in 1511 to Edward
Greville. (fn. 64) This sale appears
to have been followed by a
dispute as to the title of the
manor, for Edward Greville
on 24 July 1511 agreed that
Thomas Lucy, who disputed
his title, should occupy the
premises for a year. (fn. 65) Sir
Edward Greville died seised
of the manor on 22 June
1528 and was succeeded by
his son John, (fn. 66) who in the
previous year had married
Eleanor, daughter of Sir Ralph
Verney. (fn. 67) John Greville settled the manor on his
son Edward and Margaret, daughter of William
Willington, and their heirs male, on 8 July 1531, at
their marriage, (fn. 68) and died in 1547, when Edward
succeeded. (fn. 69) Abraham Greville, who was dealing
with the manor in 1558, (fn. 70) probably held it under
some trust, for in 1562 he conveyed it to Lewis
Greville, (fn. 71) who had succeeded his father Edward
in 1559. (fn. 72) Lewis Greville died seised of the manor
on 14 November 1589, when he was succeeded
by his son Edward (fn. 73) who conveyed it in 1595
to Thomas Bowyer and John Norton. (fn. 74) Dugdale
writes of Edward Greville that he so wasted his
estates, and his debts were so great, that leaving issue
only daughters, his lands were exposed for sale by Sir
Arthur Ingram, a Yorkshire knight, husband to Mary,
the fifth of them, (fn. 75) but in the case of Goldicote the
process was begun by himself with the assistance of
Sir Arthur Ingram, the conveyance to Bowyer and
Norton being possibly effected in the course of transferring it to John Woodward, who on 13 November
1601 died in London seised of the manor, with a
chief messuage called Goldicote House and a park
called Goldicote Park. (fn. 76) John Woodward was succeeded by his son John, to whom Sir Edward Greville
confirmed the manor in 1603. (fn. 77) By him it must have
been transferred before 1622 to Sir Arthur Ingram
and Mary his wife, and William Ferrers and Susan
his wife, who in that year
conveyed it to Lionel, Lord
Cranfield, Lord High Treasurer. (fn. 78) Lionel was created
Earl of Middlesex in September 1622, (fn. 79) and the manor
was confirmed to him under
that title by Sir Edward
Greville in the following
year. (fn. 80) In 1624 he was impeached for corruption in his
office of Lord Treasurer and
found guilty. A fine of
£50,000 was part of his heavy
sentence, which banished him
for ever from public life. (fn. 81)
The park and manor of Goldicote were proposed
as securities by the earl to creditors of the office
of the ordnance, and the proposal was under
consideration on 7 October 1624. (fn. 82) This forfeiture
was probably the cause of another conveyance of
the manor in 1629 by Sir Edward Greville to the
earl. (fn. 83) He died in 1645, when his son James
succeeded. (fn. 84) James died without male issue in 1651,
and this manor instead of going to his daughter, passed
with the title to his brother Lionel, who was dealing with it in 1653. (fn. 85) By a conveyance of 1654,
Sir Christopher Wray, bart., and Anne his wife,
widow of James, Earl of Middlesex, (fn. 86) probably
released their claim in the manor to Lionel, Earl of
Middlesex, who was holding it in 1655 (fn. 87) and sold
it in 1667 to Sir Walter Walker. (fn. 88) He was judge
advocate to the queen consort Catherine, and died in
1674, when his son George succeeded. George
Walker was knighted in 1676 and created a baronet
in 1680. (fn. 89) He wasted his fortune, and sold his
estates, Goldicote being purchased in 1680 by Daniel
Colwall and James Hudson as the manor of Goldicote
and Alderminster. (fn. 90) In 1752 half of the 'honour,
manor and park of Goldicote' was conveyed by
Samuel Finney and Sarah his wife to George Goodwin, (fn. 91) who with his wife Mary sold the whole to
Thomas Lintall (fn. 92) in 1773. In 1804 Charles Henry
Hunt and Eliza Anne his wife were holding the
manor, which they then conveyed to Edward Ravenscroft. (fn. 93) It had passed before 1849 to Gustavus
Thomas Smith, (fn. 94) who is said to have purchased it of
the Finneys, and it was sold by his representatives
about 1886 to Charles Hylton Jolliffe. Goldicote
was purchased in 1906 of Mr. Jolliffe by the Hon.
Claude Berkeley Portman, who is the present owner, (fn. 95)
but all manorial rights have lapsed.
Greville. Sable a cross engrailed or charged with five roundels sable within a border engrailed or.
Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex. Argent a pale azure with three fleurs de lis argent thereon.
The manor of UPTHORPE(Upthrop, xiii cent.;
Opthorp, xiv cent.) was not mentioned by name in
the Domesday Survey, and was probably included in
the 20 hides belonging to the manor of Alderminster,
of which it was a member and of which it was held. (fn. 96)
It contributed separately, however, to the subsidy
c. 1280, Martin de Upthrop paying 2s. 6d. (fn. 97) Robert
Moryn, who evidently held the manor in right of
his wife Margaret, settled it in 1313–14 on his
children by her, with contingent remainder to her
right heirs. (fn. 98) It next appears as the property of
William son of Nicholas of Warwick, who in 1334–5
granted it to Richard son of Richard de Sowe of
Chesterton in exchange for lands and tenements in
Chesterton. (fn. 99) The manor seems to have been next
in the hands of Hugh Cooksey. John French of
Goldicote granted lands, &c., in Upthorpe and Alderminster in 1343 to Hugh Cooksey and Denise
his wife, (fn. 100) and Hugh Cooksey died seised of the
manor in 1356. (fn. 101) It then followed the same descent
as Goldicote (q.v.) until the
death of Thomas Cooksey. (fn. 102)
It evidently formed part of
the Winters' share of the
Cooksey inheritance, and in
1519 it was settled on Roger
Winter of Huddington, with
remainders successively to the
heirs of his father Robert, to
John Russell of Strensham,
and the heirs of Robert Russell, grandfather of the said
John, and to Sir Edward
Greville. (fn. 103) Upthorpe then followed the descent of Huddington (fn. 104) (q.v.) until the
death of George Winter in 1594. (fn. 105) It was forfeited
with the rest of his possessions by George's son
Robert, and never seems to have been recovered by
the family.
Winter. Sable a fesse ermine.
In 1641 Edward Underhill, a member of the
family of Underhill of Eatington (co. Warwick) is
stated to have removed to Upthorpe, where his family
remained for some years. (fn. 106) Upthorpe Manor may
have been purchased by the Underhills before 1630,
however, as in that year Sir Edward Underhill, kt.,
uncle of the above-named Edward, was holding 8
virgates of land within the manor of Alderminster. (fn. 107)
He died childless in 1641, and his nephew Edward
resided at Upthorpe, dying on 14 April 1670. (fn. 108) His
son George apparently succeeded to Upthorpe. He
died in 1685, (fn. 109) and is mentioned in the same year as
having held a lease of tithes of Upthorpe Farm on
the expiration of a similar lease made to Edward
Underhill. (fn. 110) His brother John is described as 'of
Upthorpe,' but his son Thomas was not so described. (fn. 111)
In 1805 the manor was in the hands of Thomas
Grove, senior, and Thomas Grove, junior. (fn. 112) It afterwards passed to the Shirleys of Eatington, and now
belongs to Mr. Evelyn Charles Shirley, though part
of the land near the house is held by Mr. James
Roberts-West of Alscot Park. (fn. 113)
Two mills worth 17s. 6d. were held with the
manor of Alderminster in 1086, (fn. 114) and the Abbot of
Pershore was in possession of one mill in 1291. (fn. 115) It
was stated in 1490 that there was no rent that year
from the water-mill because it was totally destroyed. (fn. 116)
On 1 April 1527 Humphrey Jennetts claimed to have
a common way to his mill, 'where he ought by right
to have no way,' and also had made a certain bridge
on the land of the lord leading to his mill 'where
there ought to be none.' (fn. 117)
A fishery in the Stour at Alderminster was held by
the Abbot of Pershore in 1490. (fn. 118) A free fishery
belonged to the manor in 1650, (fn. 119) 1681, (fn. 120) and 1705. (fn. 121)
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY AND
HOLY CROSS consists of a chancel
measuring internally 36 ft. by 19 ft. 6 in.,
central tower about 16 ft. square, north transept
18 ft. 4 in. wide by 21 ft. 7 in. deep, south transept
of the same width and 21 ft. 9 in. deep, nave
47 ft. 5 in. by 18 ft. 8 in., and a modern north
porch.
The earliest building on the site appears to have
been erected early in the 12th century, and portions
of its walls, with fragments of two small windows,
survive in the nave of the present church. Towards
the close of the century an eastward enlargement
was begun by the demolition of the original chancel
and the erection on its site of the four arches of the
central tower with the north transept. Early in the
13th century the south transept was added and a
little later the chancel was rebuilt and the upper
stages of the tower completed. About the middle
of the 14th century new windows were inserted at
the south-east of the chancel and at the eastern end
of the north wall of the nave. In 1873 and 1884
the church was restored with melancholy results, every
piece of old stone that could possibly be removed
under any pretext being taken out and new work
inserted. The eastern portion of the south wall
having fallen down, the nave was then rebuilt. The
walling throughout the building is of sandstone rubble
with wrought quoins and dressings, the internal face
being plastered. The roofs are all modern and are
covered with tiles.
The east wall of the chancel, which has been
entirely refaced, if not rebuilt, contarns a triplet of
modern lancets with a chamfered external sill-string
beneath, returned round the side walls, parts of
which are original 13th-century work. In the north
wall are four lancets, very much restored, arranged in
pairs, the eastern pair having their sills slightly
raised. An internal string-course with a few old
stones runs beneath their sills and is dropped for the
western pair. At the north-east is an aumbry of the
original date of the chancel, with a trefoil head
rebated continuously with the jambs. At the west
end of the same wall is a second aumbry with a twocentred head, but only the east jamb is original 13thcentury work. The arrangement of windows in the
south wall is similar, with the exception that the
easternmost window has been replaced by a squareheaded 14th-century window of two trefoiled ogee
lights with pierced and foliated spandrels. Beneath
the sill is a fine mid-13th-century piscina with an
elaborately moulded trefoil head and filleted jambshafts with moulded capitals and water-holding bases.
The label is returned horizontally at the springing
and cut off, suggesting that the original intention was
to continue it as a string-course. The present stringcourse, which runs beneath the sills of the windows
of this wall and is moulded with a double chamfer
like that on the opposite side of the chancel, is interrupted by the piscina and returned on itself on
either side, a circumstance which leads to the conclusion that the wall has been very considerably
tampered with at one or other of the restorations.
Between the two pairs of windows is a small doorway
with some original jamb-stones and a modern head.
The south-east angle is occupied by the lower part of
the tower vice, which was originally entered from the
chancel by a plain square-headed doorway now
blocked. This portion of the vice is no longer
used, and a modern turret, reaching to the ringingstage of the tower, has been built to replace it in the
angle made externally by the chancel with the south
transept. In the western external jamb of the easternmost lancet of the south wall is an old dial-stone.
The four late 12th-century arches which carry the
central tower are two-centred and of two chamfered
orders, the outer orders shafted and labelled on the
internal faces of the tower and towards the nave, but
chamfered continuously, like the inner orders, on the
chancel and transept sides, where there are no labels.
The jamb-shafts have scalloped capitals of late types,
and their bases, which stand upon plinths, are moulded
with a single small roll. The floor of the ringingchamber, which ceils the crossing, is modern, and is
carried upon beams which take their bearing upon
modern stone corbels. The upper stages of the
tower, which are of the early 13th century, present
externally a particularly imposing appearance. A
buttress-like projection at the south-east angle contains the vice, and the bell-chamber, which is divided
from the ringing-stage by an external chamfered
string-course at the level of the roof-ridges, is lighted
by a pair of lancets in each wall. The plain parapet
with its gargoyles and pinnacles is probably an
addition or repair of the 15th century. It is pierced
in the centre of each face by a quatrefoil, and its
mouldings are continued round the vice-turret, which
is crowned by a weathered stone roof, surmounted by
a crocketed pinnacle with a square embattled stem
like those at the other three angles. The ringingchamber is lighted by modern quatrefoil piercings.
In the east wall of the north transept is a modern
window of two lancet lights. The north window,
which is of three trefoiled lancet lights under a
common rear-arch, is also modern, though the
external double-chamfered string-course beneath the
sill is largely of original date. The west window, a
single round-headed light, is probably contemporary
with the tower arches. The east and south walls
appear to have been rebuilt at some period subsequent
to the original erection of the transept, foundations of
earlier walls being visible externally. The south
transept is lighted from the east by a lancet window
with a few old stones in the jambs, and from the
south by a triplet of trefoiled lancets similar to the
corresponding window of the north transept, with
some old jamb-stones. Below the sill externally is a
chamfered set-off, surmounted by a roll, and at the
base of the wall is a chamfered plinth. Neither of
these features is returned on the side walls. The
west window is a lancet of original early 13th-century
date, comparatively unrestored.
At the north-east of the nave is a small roundheaded light of the early 12th century, much restored.
To the west of it is an original 14th-century window
of two trefoiled ogee lights with a circle filled with
cusped running tracery above in a two-centred head
inclosed by a plain double-chamfered label. The
remaining two windows of the north wall, a single
lancet and a coupled lancet window, are modern.
Between them is a doorway of original mid-12thcentury date with a plain round rear-arch and a rollmoulded external order of the same form springing
from jamb-shafts with scalloped capitals and inclosed
by an engrailed and pelleted label. The jamb-shafts
with their bases are modern, but the capitals have been
left untouched. The doorway itself is square-headed,
and the tympanum is modern, but a plain incised
wheel cross, probably from the original tympanum,
has been let into it. The two eastern windows of
the south wall, which are each of two lights, and the
westernmost window, a single lancet, are modern.
The south doorway, which is of the same type as the
north doorway, is entirely modern with the exception
of two stones of the label. To the west of it is a
small light like that at the north-east, but little besides
the head is original. In the west wall is a tall narrow
13th-century lancet with an original label, but otherwise much restored. There are string-courses externally and internally at the sill-level, the former
moulded with an overlapping roll and the latter with
a double chamfer; both are largely original. The
font and furniture are all modern.
On the west wall of the north transept is a mural
tablet to Catherine Partriche, wife of Edward Partriche
of the county of Kent, the youngest daughter and
one of the co-heirs of Sir Arthur Throckmorton of
Paulerspury, Northamptonshire; she died in 1632
and was buried at Hollingbourne, Kent. On the
same wall is a mural monument to John Partriche,
'Lord of the manor of Alderminster,' who died in
1783 and was buried at Stratford Church. On the
east wall of the south transept is a marble tablet to
John Kettle, who died in 1803, and to other members
of his family. On the south wall of the chancel is
a tablet commemorating James Kettle, who died in
1806, and is described as having been for many years
minister to a Nonconformist congregation at Warwick,
and his wife, who died in 1814.
There is a ring of five bells, inscribed as follows:
Treble, 'Mr. Tho: Millward Ch: Warden 1714 A. R.'
(for Abraham Rudhall); (2) 'God be our good
speed H. B. 1653' (for Henry Bagley; the last
figure of the date is placed upside down); (3)
'Henry Bagley made mee 1668'; (4) 'RichHydn
WPhipps Churchwarden A. R. 1716' (for Abraham
Rudhall); tenor, 'Henry Bagley made mee 1676.'
The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten
of 1635.
The registers previous to 1812 are as follows:
(i) baptisms 1628 to 1689, burials 1650 to 1687,
marriages 1641 to 1688 (there are no entries between
1638 and 1654); (ii) baptisms and burials 1691 to
1794, marriages 1699 to 1754; (iii) marriages
1754 to 1791; (iv) baptisms and burials 1795 to
1812; (v) marriages 1793 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The church of Alderminster was
appropriated to the abbey of Pershore
by Henry de Soilli, Bishop of Worcester (1193–5), and this was confirmed by Pope
Celestine III (1191–8) and Hubert Archbishop of
Canterbury (1193–1207). (fn. 122) A portion of 50s. was
then assigned to the vicar. (fn. 123) The rectory and advowson remained in the possession of successive Abbots of
Pershore until the Dissolution, (fn. 124) except for a period
before 1269, when the abbey must for a time have
been deprived of it, as it was then restored at the
petition of Walter Giffard, Archbishop of York, by
his brother Godfrey Giffard, Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 125)
After the Dissolution the advowson was granted to
Richard Bishop of Worcester by Queen Mary on
14 November 1558, (fn. 126) Queen Elizabeth depriving him
of it on her accession. It then remained in the
Crown (fn. 127) until in 1876 it was acquired by J.Williams
of Edgbaston. It remained in his family until 1890,
when it passed to R. W. Thrupp, of whom it seems
to have been purchased in 1908 by the Society for
Maintenance of the Faith, in whose patronage it
now is. (fn. 128)
The rectory was held on lease with the site of the
manor by John Davies in 1490, (fn. 129) and both continued
to be leased together as late as 1570, when they were
the subject of a lawsuit instituted against Sir Thomas
Russell by the Crown, (fn. 130) a grant of the rectory having
been made in the previous year to John Prestwick. (fn. 131)
In 1606 the rectory was granted to George Lord
Carew and others, (fn. 132) and a fee farm rent of £10 2s. 6d.
then reserved was in 1620 granted to Laurence
Whitaker and Henry Price. (fn. 133) William Deane died
seised of the rectory on 9 September 1620. He was
succeeded by his son William, aged two. (fn. 134) Richard
Harrison and Dorothy his wife were in possession in
1648 (fn. 135) and in 1650, when they granted it to John
Yardley and Henry Goodcheape. (fn. 136) By 1670 Thomas
Milward was impropriator of the rectory, and in that
year was engaged in a suit brought against him by
the vicar, Nathaniel Swan, (fn. 137) on the ground that he
had withheld tithes and instigated other parishioners
to do the same. (fn. 138) Thomas Milward appears to have
died a year or two later and to have been succeeded
by his son James. (fn. 139) In the course of further litigation it appeared that the tithes of corn and grain
were held in 1677–8 by Mr. Milward and Mr. Cady,
that some agreement about the payment of tithe had
been made by the parishioners with their landlord
Edward Partriche, the lord of the manor, that
a penny called 'smoak penny' had been paid to the
vicar in satisfaction of wood, furze and fuel tithe, (fn. 140)
and that a customary rate of 40s. yearly paid to
the vicar and the keeping of a mare and colt in 'a
great ground called the Park' for some part of the
year had been accepted in lieu of tithes from
Goldicote, which paid no tithes to the impropriator. (fn. 141)
The Milwards still owned the rectory in 1736, (fn. 142) but
later it passed to the Kettles of Birmingham, (fn. 143) and
since the end of the 19th century has been held by
the lord of the manor.
CHARITIES
There are apparently no endowed
charities subsisting in this parish.