ECKINGTON
Eccyncgtune (x cent.); Aichintune, Akinton (xii
cent.); Ekenton, Ekinton, Ekyngton (xiv cent.).
Eckington lies on the left bank of the Avon, which
forms its boundary on the north and west. The
parish is also watered by the Hammock Ditch, a
small tributary of the Avon. The Birmingham and
Bristol branch of the Midland railway runs through
the west of the parish, with a station to the south of
the village.
The ground falls from Bredon Hill in the southeast, where a height of about 950 ft. is reached, to
the bank of the Avon, where the land is liable to
floods. The Pershore road is carried over the river
at Eckington Bridge, a five-arched stone structure of
the 16th or early 17th century, with cut-water piers.
The eastern piers are carried up to form refuges.
Near it a medicinal spring was found in the latter
half of the 17th century. (fn. 1) In excavating for the
railway traces of British or Roman buildings were
also found here. (fn. 2)
Eckington contains 2,168 acres, of which 1,520½
acres are permanent grass and the remainder mainly
arable land. (fn. 3) Much of it is under cultivation by
market gardeners, and a large portion is let out in
allotments to parishioners. The parish lies on the
Lower Lias, and the chief crops grown are wheat,
barley, beans and fruit. There is a gravel-pit at the
east of the village and quarries at Wollashull. In
1659 William George of Eckington was indicted at
Worcester County Sessions for planting, setting, growing, making and curing tobacco there on 400 poles
of land, and a fine of £400 was inflicted. Others
were similarly fined. (fn. 4)
The village, which lies on the road from Pershore
to Tewkesbury, is of fair size and includes several
black and white houses and cottages. At the north
end is a stone cross of which the base and lower part
of the shaft are ancient, the upper part and head
being restorations of 1897. Pass Street is mentioned
in 1600 and Jarvis Street in 1682. (fn. 5)
Woollas Hall stands high up on the northern slope
of Bredon Hill. (fn. 6) It is a stone-built house, L-shaped
on plan and facing north, and was erected by John
Hanford in 1611. A wing one story high was
subsequently added at the west end. The principal
front is of three stories broken by a deeply projecting porch with a large gable to the east of it and two
small gables to the west. At either end of the front
are screen walls starting at the eaves level and descending by a series of curves to the ground. The porch
has a simple round-headed doorway and bears the
inscription 'Memorare novissima 1611'; the projection is carried up for three stories, the second
floor having a semi-octagonal bay window with stone
mullions and transoms. To the west of the porch
are two large four-light mullioned and double transomed windows lighting the hall, and above them
two smaller windows also of four lights. Each of
the small gables has a two-light window. The gabled
bay east of the porch has a large projecting bay window
of semi-octagonal form, rising three stories high and
finished with an embattled parapet. The stories on
this front are divided by moulded string-courses.
The east front is of simpler treatment with mullioned
and transomed windows, two small gables and a
massive chimney surmounted by three shafts set
diagonally. The front entrance gives access to the
passage behind the screens of the great hall, a large
apartment with a modern ceiling and a later fireplace
on the south side having above it a panel with a large
achievement of the Hanford arms. Projecting to the
north at the west end is a square oriel window with
mullions and transoms. At the east end is the
handsome Jacobean oak screen, five bays wide and
divided by fluted Ionic pilasters supporting an entablature with a fluted frieze. The two doorways
have round arches springing from consoles and having
carved spandrels. The gallery above the screens has
a balustraded rail. Preserved in this room is a curious
bedstead now transformed into a cabinet; it is fully
described in the Gentleman's Magazine. (fn. 7) The dining
room to the east of the screens has moulded oak
beams to the ceiling and a handsome Jacobean fireplace in the east wall. The latter is flanked by
engaged Doric columns, and above are four richly
carved arched panels with three demi-figures. The
upper part of the overmantel has Corinthian columns
and a further range of two arched panels, and is
finished with a deep projecting cornice. The house
contains several interesting portraits, particularly those
of Sir George and Lady Winter and of Henrietta
Maria. The stables to the east of the main building are of 17th-century date, and the brew-house
behind with a large fireplace is also ancient. (fn. 8) The
house is the property of Major Robert Thomas
Hanford.
Eckington Bridge
To the south-east of Woollas Hall is the site of
St. Katherine's Chapel, with St. Katherine's Well to
the west of it. (fn. 9)
An Inclosure Act was passed in 1810, (fn. 10) the award
being dated 22 May 1813. (fn. 11)
There is a Baptist chapel in Eckington, built in
1840.
MANORS
ECKINGTON formed part of the
original endowments of Pershore Abbey,
16 manses here being said to have been
restored by King Edgar's charter of 972. (fn. 12) It was
again lost by this church, being granted to the
abbey of Westminster by Edward the Confessor
with part of the manor of Pershore. At the date
of the Domesday Survey 16 hides in Eckington,
of which 9 less 1 virgate were in demesne, were
included among the lands of St. Peter of Westminster. (fn. 13) The date at which the abbots began to
farm out the land which they had in 1086 held in
demesne is not known, but it was before 1193–5,
when William de Leigh held the manor, (fn. 14) which
was afterwards known as ECKINGTON POER or
ECKINGTON CLIFFORD. He and his successors
paid for it an annual rent or fee farm amounting in
1288 to 13 marks, (fn. 15) in 1391 to 14 marks, (fn. 16) in 1424
to £8 14s., (fn. 17) and in 1455 to £8. (fn. 18)
The property held by William de Leigh in 1193–5
may have been identical with half a knight's fee in
Hindlip and Eckington which was recovered by
Margaret de Hindlip in 1196 against John D'Abitot
and Maud his wife. (fn. 19) William de Leigh was succeeded
by a daughter, Constance de Leigh. (fn. 20) It seems probable that before 1279 this half fee in Eckington
was in the hands of the Poers, as in that year John
Poer of Eckington appears as witness to a deed, (fn. 21) and
he contributed 20s. to the subsidy about 1280. (fn. 22) In
1285 Isabel de Beisin, Robert her son, and Walter
Hacket and Isabel his wife complained that William
Poer had ejected them from this manor, which they
held of him under a lease. (fn. 23) There are indications
that the Hackets had held the manor or land here
before this date. In 1226–7 Ralph Hacket granted
to Alda, widow of Thomas Hacket, as dower, a rent
of a mark yearly in Eckington received from Baldwin
and Oliver Hacket. (fn. 24) Baldwin Hacket had a son
William, alive 1234–50, (fn. 25) who may have been the
father of the Thomas Hacket who contributed to
the subsidy in Eckington about 1280, (fn. 26) in which
year he also granted an annual rent of a penny and
other services received by him from William de
Ormsby and his heirs for a tenement in Wollashull
called Foleslond, to William Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick. (fn. 27) Thomas still held in Eckington in 1282, (fn. 28)
and may have been the father of the Walter Hacket
who was the tenant above mentioned in 1285. In
1288 Sir William Poer granted to Walter Berthover
or Berton the manor of Eckington for an annual rent
of £30 to himself and his heirs, and an annual rent
of 13 marks to the Abbot of Westminster. (fn. 29) Alina,
daughter of Sir William Poer, recovered this estate
as the manor of Eckington Poer in 1297 against
Walter Berton and John de Bredon, clerk. (fn. 30) Alina
thereupon seems to have granted the manor to
Edmund Mortimer and his wife Margaret. (fn. 31) Edmund
died about 1303–4 (fn. 32) and in 1314–15 his widow
Margaret reconveyed the manor to Alina, to hold
for her life with reversion to John son of Edmund
Mortimer. (fn. 33) At about this time considerable confusion seems to have arisen as to the ownership of
the manor. Sir Thomas Berkeley was dealing with
it in 1358–9, (fn. 34) and his widow Katherine claimed a
third as dower in 1366–7, (fn. 35) but in 1361 the manor
was successfully claimed by Sir Roger Clifford, (fn. 36) who
stated that his grandfather Robert Clifford, who died
in 1314, (fn. 37) had held the manor and granted it for a
term of years then expired to Alina Poer. (fn. 38)
Eckington Village and Cross
From this date it descended in the Clifford
family (fn. 39) in the same way as Severn Stoke (fn. 40) (q.v.)
until 1546, when Henry Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, sold or mortgaged it to William and Baldwin
Sheldon. (fn. 41)
The Sheldons must have conveyed the manor to
William Parsons, who is said to have purchased it of
Henry Earl of Cumberland in 1542–3, (fn. 42) and William
was succeeded by his son Ralph Parsons of Overbury. (fn. 43)
According to a statement made by the defendants in
a suit of 1569, (fn. 44) Ralph Parsons on 23 June 1559
conveyed the manor to his brother John, but the
conveyance referred to is probably one of a moiety of
the manor made in 1562 by Ralph Parsons to John
Parsons. (fn. 45) John Parsons shortly after granted certain
tenements in the manor to Richard Pates and John
Richardson, (fn. 46) who seem afterwards to have acquired
the manor, for in 1573 they were in possession of
it, (fn. 47) and in 1583–4. John Richardson and his wife
Dorothy sold it to John Russell of Strensham. (fn. 48) It
then followed the descent of Strensham (fn. 49) (q.v.) until
1697, when Sir Francis Russell gave it as part of the
endowment of the almshouses at Strensham. (fn. 50) To
this charity it still belongs.
In 1086 4 hides less 1 virgate at Eckington were
held of the abbey of Westminster by the Sheriff Urse,
and had been previously held by Dunning. (fn. 51) This
estate was held of the abbey by the sheriff's descendant
William Beauchamp in the 12th century. (fn. 52) The
overlordship of the abbey was acknowledged until the
beginning of the 15th century, when the greater part
of the estate was acquired by the abbot in fee. (fn. 53)
The Beauchamp interest, ultimately that of mesne
lord, followed the descent of Elmley Castle (fn. 54) until
the beginning of the 15th century. (fn. 55)
In 1195–8 William Beauchamp appears to have
been holding this estate in demesne, (fn. 56) but during
the 14th century part of it (fn. 57) was held under the
Beauchamps by the Saltmarsh family. (fn. 58) Peter de
Saltmarsh died about 1316 holding land in Eckington, (fn. 59) and this must have passed with the Saltmarsh
estate at Longdon (q.v.) to the Grendours. About
1395 Henry Grendour was holding this land, (fn. 60) which
passed with the Grendour lands at Longdon to the
abbey of Westminster in 1397. (fn. 61) This estate remained in the possession of the abbey of Westminster
until the Dissolution, (fn. 62) and was granted in 1542 to the
Dean and Chapter of Westminster. (fn. 63) It followed the
descent of the rest of the dean and chapter's lands (fn. 64)
until 1650, when it was sold to Sir Cheney Culpeper. (fn. 65) At the Restoration this manor was recovered
by the dean and chapter, and it remained in their
possession (fn. 66) until it was transferred in 1869 to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who are the present
owners. (fn. 67)
An estate of 1 hide at Eckington was held in 1401
of the Earl of Warwick by John Russell. (fn. 68) William
Russell held this land in 1409, (fn. 69) and it afterwards
apparently passed to Robert Arderne, who owed suit
to Lord Clifford's court at Eckington in 1442–3 and
1448. (fn. 70) This estate, called in 1525 and subsequent
deeds the manor of Eckington, (fn. 71) passed from Robert
Arderne to his son Walter Arderne, (fn. 72) and followed
the descent of Pedmore (fn. 73) to Thomas Arderne. (fn. 74) It
seems to have formed part of the estate settled on his
son William, who died in 1544, (fn. 75) but must have
passed shortly after his death to John Vampage, who
settled it in 1546 on himself and his wife Anne for
their lives with remainder to Thomas Winchcombe
and Dorothy his wife (sister of John) and John
Hugford, son of Dorothy, successively. (fn. 76) Since that
date it has followed the descent of Wollashull (fn. 77) (q.v.).
The manor of WOLLASHULL or WOOLLAS
HALL (fn. 78) (Wllaveshulle, Woloueshull, Wlhaueshulle,
Wllashulle, xii cent.; Wolaweshull, Wolaushull,
Wulloshill, xiii cent.; Volashulle, Wolarshull, xiv cent.)
is perhaps to be identified with land in Eckington
bequeathed by Wulfric in 1002 to Morcar. (fn. 79) It
was probably represented in the Domesday Survey
by the 3 hides held of the abbey of Westminster by
Turstin Fitz Rou as successor to Brictric. (fn. 80) The
manor was subsequently held of the abbey of Westminster, as of the manor of Binholme in Pershore, (fn. 81)
the last mention of this overlordship occurring in
1617–18. (fn. 82)
Turstin's estate at Eckington appears to have
passed shortly after to Hugh de Holonsella, (fn. 83) but
before 1175–6 it had probably passed to the family
of Wollashull, William de Wollashull paying a forest
fine in the county at that date. (fn. 84) Mention is made
of the lordship of Alfred de Wollashull in 1193–5. (fn. 85)
The Muchgros family, which later held this manor,
appeared in Eckington in 1234–5, when Maud
daughter of Philip granted to Richard de Muchgros
two parts of a virgate of land in her own possession,
and, at the petition of John le Fol, one third of the
same virgate held for life by Mabel his mother as
dower. (fn. 86) In the same year a rent in Eckington was
granted to Walter Beauchamp by Roger de Ormsby,
whom Richard de Muchgros vouched to warranty. (fn. 87)
This Richard de Muchgros
was probably the Richard of
that name who built Wollashull Chapel (fn. 88) and confirmed
to Pershore Abbey tithes it
had been accustomed from of
old to receive 'from my land
of Wollashull and from my
men of the said vill,' the
'curtilage of my demesne of
Wollashull' being excepted. (fn. 89)
It is probable that he was
succeeded by Robert de Muchgros of Wollashull, who in
1256 received respite from knighthood for five years
at the instance of the Countess of Cornwall. (fn. 90)
Woollas Hall: the North Front
Muchgros. Or a lion gules.
William de Muchgros, lord of Wollashull, witnessed
undated charters of 1268–98
and 1280–1312. (fn. 91)
Mary, lady of
Wollashull, probably the widow of
William de Muchgros, paid 1 mark
to the subsidy about
1280. (fn. 92) Robert
de Muchgros had
succeeded before
1308, (fn. 93) and occurs
as a witness to a
deed of 1312–13. (fn. 94)
In 1343 he settled
the manor upon
himself for life, with
remainder to his
children, William,
Richard, Nicholas,
Katherine, Eleanor
and Alice, in tail. (fn. 95)
He was holding the
manor in 1346, (fn. 96)
and in 1387–8 Sir
Maurice Russell
paid relief for the
manor of Wollashull 'as mesne between the abbot and Robert
Muchgros.' (fn. 97) In 1398 Robert de Muchgros of
Wollashull and Margaret his wife granted to William
son of Robert de Muchgros of Wollashull, and Elizabeth daughter of John Moraunt, a rent issuing out of
the manor. (fn. 98) In 1428 William Wollashull held the
manor. (fn. 99) He was probably William Muchgros, the
son of Robert, as the previous grant suggests. (fn. 100) He
was still holding the manor in 1431. (fn. 101) In the Visitation of 1569 he was described as 'Garden of the
Flette,' and his daughter and heir (Joan or Catherine) married Sir John Vampage of Pershore, a settlement
of property upon their marriage being made on 10 August
1436 by the parents of both. (fn. 102)
John Vampage, the son of
Sir John, was succeeded by
his son Robert, (fn. 103) and the
manor followed the descent
of Ryall in Ripple (fn. 104) until the
death of John Vampage in
1548. (fn. 105) His heirs were Edmund
Harewell, son of his sister
Margaret (by Thomas Harewell of Besford), his sister
Mary and his sister Dorothy, then wife of Thomas
Winchcombe. Dorothy had previously married
John Hugford of Dixton (co. Gloucs.), by whom she
had a son John, then living, and a daughter Margaret, finally the sole heir of her mother. (fn. 106) John
Vampage's widow Anne married Sir Thomas Baskerville, (fn. 107) and in 1561 Joyce (Jodocus) Harsey and
Mary his wife, alias Mary Vampage, granted her a
third of the manor. (fn. 108) In 1567
Sir Thomas Baskerville and
Anne his wife granted this
third to Thomas Hanford,
who had married Margaret
Hugford, mentioned above. (fn. 109)
Thomas Hanford thus became
possessed of two-thirds of the
manor, which he held in 1578,
when his estates were confiscated by the Crown for the
payment of his fines as a
popish recusant. (fn. 110) His wife
Margaret died seised of a third
of the manor on 18 November 1594, and was survived by her husband, (fn. 111) who, according to Habington,
'dwelled and dyed at Wollashull.' (fn. 112) The Harewells
were still holding their third of the manor in 1605, (fn. 113)
when Sir Edmund Harewell sold a rent from it to
Sir Rowland Berkeley, but they must afterwards
have conveyed it to Thomas Hanford or his son
John, the latter of whom built the now existing hall
in 1611, and died there on 17 August 1616. (fn. 114) His
son Francis, who succeeded him, had disputes about
common of pasture with Sir William Russell and
with Richard and John George, and other tenants
of the manor, in 1630 and 1642. (fn. 115) His widow,
after his death in 1643, married Ayliffe White,
barrister-at-law, in 1648, (fn. 116) and they appear as
claimants on the estate of her late husband and of his
son Walter, who succeeded him, in various petitions
to the Committee for Compounding between the
years 1650 and 1652. (fn. 117) In 1669 Elizabeth White,
then a widow, was engaged in litigation with her
son concerning annuities from the manor. (fn. 118) Walter
Hanford died on 16 July 1679 (fn. 119) and was succeeded
by his son Francis. The latter settled the manor
in 1680 in tail male on himself and his brothers
Henry and Compton. (fn. 120) Henry died unmarried in
1681, and Francis died in 1682 leaving a daughter
Frances as his heir. (fn. 121) Wollashull then passed to
Compton, who settled the manor and chief mansionhouse in 1711 upon his son Edward. (fn. 122) Edward
Hanford at his father's death in 1722 inherited
Wollashull. He made various mortgages and assignments of the manor in 1752, 1756 (fn. 123) and 1764. (fn. 124)
Edward was the son of Compton's first wife
Elizabeth, only daughter and heir of Sir Robert
Slingsby, bart., of Newsells (Herts.), and niece of
Francis Earl of Derwentwater. He died in 1766
and was succeeded by his son Edward, who died
unmarried in 1797. (fn. 125) In the following year
Charles, brother of the latter, who had succeeded
him, was dealing with the manor. (fn. 126) Charles died
childless in 1816, when the estates passed to his
cousin Charles Edward Hanford. (fn. 127) He was succeeded
in 1854 by his son Compton John, on whose
death unmarried in 1860 (fn. 128) the property passed to
his only surviving sister Frances, who had married
in 1847 William Lloyd Flood of Farmley (co. Kilkenny). (fn. 129) Mr. Flood assumed the additional name
of Hanford in 1861, and died on 3 May 1892,
Mrs. Hanford-Flood having predeceased him on
21 February 1875. Their son, Colonel John
Compton Hanford, C.B., who assumed the name and
arms of Hanford only, by royal licence, in 1893, (fn. 130)
died in 1911, when he was succeeded by his brother
Major Robert Thomas Hanford-Flood. He also
assumed in 1912 the name and arms of Hanford in
lieu of Hanford-Flood, (fn. 131) and is the present owner of
the manor of Wollashull.
Vampage. Azure an eagle argent with beak and legs or in a flowered tressure or.
Hanford. Sable a star argent.
A mill was held by Urse at the date of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 132) This passed with his holding to the
Earls of Warwick, and was granted by Guy Earl of
Warwick in 1302–3 to James Russell of Strensham. (fn. 133)
It followed the descent of the Russell estate, (fn. 134) but
was reserved when that manor was given to the almshouses at Strensham, and Sir Francis Russell left it
by his will (1705) to his wife. (fn. 135) There are now
two disused mills in the south-west of the parish on
the Avon. A reference to Wollas Mill occurs in
1620. (fn. 136)
Certain islands and fisheries in Eckington were
among the possessions of Thomas Earl of Warwick,
forfeited on his attainder, and granted in 1397 to
Sir John Russell, (fn. 137) by whom they were immediately
sold to Roger Walden and others. (fn. 138) After the earl's
restoration he kept the fishery in his own hands, (fn. 139) and
it passed with Elmley Castle to the Crown, and was
granted with that estate to Christopher Savage in
1544. (fn. 140) The free fishing in the water of the Avon
at Eckington was conveyed to Sir William Russell by
William Moore and Alice his wife and by Isabella
Woodward, widow, in 1634, (fn. 141) but in 1727 it was
held by the owner of the mill. (fn. 142)
CHURCH
The church of HOLY TRINITY
consists of a chancel with north organ
chamber, nave with north and south
aisles and tower at the west end of the south aisle.
The earliest work in the existing building is the
west wall of the nave and the south arcade, which
are of late 12th-century date. There was then no
north nave aisle, and the western bay of the north
wall is also of that period. Early in the 13th century
the chancel was apparently rebuilt, and the east
window of the south aisle dates from rather later in
the same century. At the end of the 13th or the
beginning of the 14th century the east and north
walls of the chancel were rebuilt, and in the following
century the west window was inserted and the tower
added. About 1830 the north aisle was built and
about 1887 the north arcade was rebuilt. Other
modern alterations include the rebuilding of the south
aisle with the old materials and the addition of the
organ chamber.
The east window is pointed and of three trefoiled
lights. In the north wall is an early 14th-century
window of two lights with a pointed head, removed
here from the north wall of the nave. Further west
is a modern opening to the organ chamber. In the
south wall are two lancet windows, of which the first
is of the early 14th century with moulded jambs and
an external label ornamented with small ball flowers.
The second is of the 13th century and has chamfered
jambs; between them is a small square-headed priest's
doorway of late date. The chancel arch is a poor modern
imitation of 12th-century work and the roof is also
mostly modern, but retains some ancient tie-beams.
In the east wall of the modern organ chamber is a
pointed two-light window of 14th-century date,
formerly in the north chancel wall, and in the north
wall is a second similar to the north chancel window,
and removed here from the north nave wall.
The nave has a modern north arcade of three bays
resembling that on the south, and to the west of it is
a blank bay of late 12th-century masonry. The south
arcade is also of this date, the arches consisting of two
plain orders resting on cylindrical columns with circular
fluted capitals of differing designs, one resembling a
large linen fold. The western arch springs from a large
15th-century angel corbel on the east face of the
tower. The wide north aisle, a poor example of the
early Gothic revival, has three windows in the north
wall. The south aisle has apparently been reconstructed and has a 13th-century east window of two
trefoiled lights. The three windows in the south
wall are all modern. The west wall of the nave has a
four-light traceried and pointed 15th-century window,
and below it is a late 12th-century doorway formerly
in the north nave wall. It is round-headed and of
two orders, the inner with lozenge ornament and the
outer with lozenge and cheveron; the inner jambs
have a quarter-round shaft and the outer a free
shaft, both with foliated capitals. Flanking the west
window were two small lancets deeply splayed within;
of these the northern remains entire and has billet
ornament externally; the southern is blocked and
cut into by the later tower, only one splay being
visible inside. The nave roof is very good 15thcentury work; the principals and purlins are moulded
and have square foliage bosses at the intersections.
Alternate principals are brought down on to modern
corbels, the others resting on tie-beams. Each truss
is tied at the collar, alternate collars being supported
on curved struts and the others having vertical boarding above; the faces of collars, struts and boarding
are carved and panelled.
The tower is of mid-15th-century date, and opens
into the church on the north and east by arches with
attached shafts to the responds, with moulded capitals
and bases carrying the inner order of the arch above.
The west window is of three lights, pointed and
traceried, and in the south wall is a modern door.
The north-east angle of the tower is cut away to
form a canopied niche with a trefoiled head and
ribbed vault; in the north-west angle is the vice.
The bell-chamber is lighted by a two-light window
with a four-centred head in each face, and the tower
is finished with an embattled parapet.
Against the east wall there was formerly a south
porch, said to have been removed when the south
aisle was reconstructed.
The 13th-century font has a circular bowl and a
stem of four engaged shafts divided by deep hollows
and having a moulded necking and base. Against
the north chancel wall is a large Jacobean monument
to John Hanford of Wollashull (d. 1616) and Anne
his wife, who was daughter and co-heir of Richard
Rake of Allesley, with a round-arched canopy and
Corinthian columns supporting an entablature;
beneath are large kneeling figures of a man and wife
at a prayer-desk. Round the base are kneeling figures
in high relief of eight daughters and five sons. On
the centre of the cornice is a shield of the Hanford
arms and two other shields, Hanford impaling Argent
a cheveron engrailed between three wolves' heads razed,
for Rake, and Sable a cheveron between three scallops
and a bordure engrailed or impaling the same coat.
On the spandrels of the arch are Hanford and Rake,
and behind one son a shield of the third coat. On
the south wall is a tablet to Christian Kenrick, vicar
(d. 1711). In the second window on the south of
the chancel is a small kneeling angel in red of 15thcentury glass. Other ancient fittings include an
early 17th-century communion table, a reading-desk
of 17th-century woodwork cut down, an old parish
chest under the tower formed of a 'dug-out' log,
and some 17th-century pewing in the south aisle,
now cut down.
The tower contains a ring of six bells by Richard
Sanders of Bromsgrove. The first is inscribed
'Edward Hanford Esqr Flock Kendrick 1721'; the
second, 'Thomas George of Overberry gave this
guinny'; the third, 'Richard Sanders made us all
6 1721'; the fourth, 'John Thistellwheat Vicar
1721'; the fifth, 'Richard Woodward Joseph Boulter
Churchwardens 1721'; the sixth, 'My masters
doupted of my sound Ile please them all when we
ring round 1721' (with Sanders's trade-mark, a bell
with R S).
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1571 and two patens, a cup and a flagon, all
modern. There are also a pewter flagon and three
plates of the same material, inscribed, 'Thomas
Fisher and John Checits Churchwardens of Ekinton
1630.'
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1678 to 1756, marriages to 1754 only;
(ii) marriages 1754 to 1812; (iii) baptisms and
burials 1757 to 1800; (iv) baptisms and burials
1800 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
In May 1217 the patronage of
Eckington Church was confirmed to
the Prior and convent of Great
Malvern, (fn. 143) to whom it had probably been granted
by the Abbot of Westminster, Great Malvern being
a cell of that abbey. In 1232 the advowson was
successfully claimed against the Prior of Great Malvern by Constance de Leigh, (fn. 144) who afterwards
bequeathed her body with the advowson of the church
to the convent of Pershore during the rule of Abbot
Roger (1234–50). (fn. 145) This gift was evidently disputed
by the Prior of Great Malvern, but in 1251 he revoked
the presentation which he had made in opposition to
the abbot, and gave up all his right in the advowson. (fn. 146)
From that time until the Dissolution the right of
presentation remained in the possession of successive
abbots. (fn. 147) In 1344 the abbot and convent received
royal licence at the request of John Beauchamp to
appropriate the church. (fn. 148) After the Dissolution the
advowson passed to the Crown and was granted by
Queen Mary with the manor to the refounded abbey
of Westminster in 1556–7. (fn. 149) The abbey being again
dissolved by Queen Elizabeth, the advowson was
granted to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster in
1560. (fn. 150) The Bishop of Worcester presented in
1614, (fn. 151) Sir George Shersey, bart., in 1621, (fn. 152) and
Anne Hanford in 1625, (fn. 153) these presentations apparently having been made by permission of the Dean
of Westminster, who, with the Bishop of Rochester,
presented in 1671, (fn. 154) the Bishop of Rochester presenting alone in 1681, (fn. 155) and the Bishop of Worcester
in 1711 and 1715. (fn. 156) Since that date the presentation has been made by the Dean and Chapter of
Westminster.
Under the Commonwealth an augmentation of
£30 was granted to the minister of Eckington in
1657. (fn. 157)
On 14 September 1538 the Abbot and convent of
Pershore demised to Edward Morgan, late of Comberton, the reversion of the tithes of corn and hay in
the parish of Eckington, with the reversion of the
tithe grange there, immediately after the death,
forfeiture or yielding up of William Vampage (in
whose tenure they were) for three years. (fn. 158) At the
Dissolution the tithes of grain and hay belonged to
Pershore Abbey and were valued at £12 13s. 4d. (fn. 159)
In August 1542 the tithes and tithe grange in
Eckington (the latter in the tenure of William
Vampage) were granted to the Dean and Chapter of
Westminster, (fn. 160) and remained in their possession until
the end of the 18th century. (fn. 161)
The chapel of Wollashull called St. Katherine of
the Rock is first mentioned in an undated deed
of Richard de Muchgros confirming the tithes of
Wollashull to the abbey and convent of Pershore. (fn. 162)
The grantor was probably the Richard de Muchgros living in Eckington in 1234–5. (fn. 163) He speaks of
the chapel as having been built in 'my court of
Wollashull' with the consent of Pershore as mother
church, whose permission was to be obtained before
the corpse of anyone dying 'within my court or
without it' was brought into the chapel for masses
to be celebrated. (fn. 164) Habington wrote of 'Wolashull's
Chappell' as 'below Nafford, on the same hill'
(Bredon). (fn. 165) The advowson of this chapel followed
the descent of the manor, being mentioned for the
last time in 1617. (fn. 166) As the Hanfords were Roman
Catholics, they possibly used the chapel for Roman
Catholic service. (fn. 167) It had entirely disappeared by
1781, but may have been in use in Habington's
time, for he gives an account of the arms then existing
in the chapel.
The abbey of Pershore in 1193–5 was holding
half the tithes of corn of the lordship of Alfred of
Wollashull, (fn. 168) and Richard de Muchgros (circa 1234)
confirmed to the abbey all the tithes received by it
from of old from 'my land of Wollashull.' (fn. 169) In
1589–90 the tithe and glebe lands belonging to the
late monastery of Pershore and to the chapel called
St. Katherine of the Rock in Wollashull were granted
to William Tipper and others, (fn. 170) and they must later
have been granted to Sir Thomas Hanford, or his
son John, the latter dying seised of tithes in Wollashull
in 1616. (fn. 171)
In 1428 the Abbot of Pershore accused the inhabitants of Eckington of burying a parishioner in
their parish church in infringement of the rights of
the church of Pershore. (fn. 172)
CHARITIES
Richard Chamloar—as stated on
the church table—by his will dated
23 November 1600 gave 3s. yearly
out of his land called Muncorne Barn for the poor.
In 1646 John Jennings, by his will, charged a close
called Grove with an annuity of 40s. for the poor.
These annuities are now paid out of lands allotted
on the inclosure of the parish in 1810 and are
applied in money doles.
The Church and Bridge Lands (fn. 173) acquired under
a grant in 1572–3 for the maintenance of the
church and bridge are regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners 9 March 1900. The trust
property now consists of 12 a. 2 r. in Eckington
awarded on the inclosure in lieu of the original land
let at £25 a year and £375 7s. 2d. consols with the
official trustees, arising from the sale in 1879 of
2 r. 26 p. and some cottages in Eckington, and of
land in Bredon's Norton allotted on the inclosure of
that hamlet in 1814. The annual dividends, amounting to £9 7s. 8d., together with the net rent, are
applied in repairs to the church and payment of
churchwardens' expenses.
The Church of England Sunday school is endowed
with £113 4s. 9d. India 3 per cent. stock, by will of
Joseph Crump, proved at Worcester 21 May 1864,
and with £95 12s. 4d. consols, by will of Miss Priscilla
Arabella Attwood, proved at Worcester 6 April 1875.
The sums of stock are held by the official trustees
producing together £5 15s. 4d. yearly.