PEOPLETON
Piolincgtune (x cent.); Pipplenton (xii cent.);
Puplintone (xiii cent.); Pepylton (xv cent.); Publington (xvi cent.).
This small parish
lies on the left bank
of the Bow Brook, to
the north-east of the
road from Evesham
to Worcester. (fn. 1) Its
western boundary is
formed by Bow
Brook and its eastern
by the Piddle Brook.
The ground has a
uniform level of
about 100 ft., falling
slightly on the east
to the bank of the
Piddle Brook. The
village consists mostly
of modern cottages
with a few of black
and white work. The
church is at the south
end of the village.
The old rectory,
which stood to the
south of the churchyard, has been pulled
down, but the moat
is still to be seen. Norchard House is an 18thcentury building of some pretensions and near it
is an old black and white house. A little to the
west of the church is the mill, on Bow Brook.
Barrel Bridge is about half a mile north of the mill,
and at the same distance to the south is Stonebow
Bridge.
Norchard House, Peopleton
The parish is 1,539 acres in extent, 970 acres in
1905 being arable land, 470 acres permanent grass
and 3 acres woods and plantations. (fn. 2) The soil is chiefly
clay, loam, gravel and sand, on a subsoil of Lower
Lias. It produces wheat and other cereals.
Peopleton was inclosed under the general Acts of
1836 and 1840, the award being dated 7 August 1841. (fn. 3)
Among place-names have been found Stonebow (fn. 4)
(xvi cent.); the Churchwey, Sutch Lane, Toll Hey, (fn. 5)
Upper Seabridge Meadow (fn. 6) (xvii cent.); Good
Mother Meadow (fn. 7) (1808).
MANOR
Three manses in PEOPLETON were
included in the charter ascribed to King
Edgar and dated 972 restoring to the
abbey of Pershore the property previously granted to
that abbey by King Coenwulf at the request of the
ealdorman Beornoth. (fn. 8) By 1086 Peopleton had
become a berewick of the manor of Pershore, which
belonged to the church of Westminster, (fn. 9) and of that
abbey it continued to be held as of the manor of
Binholme. (fn. 10) After the Dissolution it was held of
the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, (fn. 11) whose overlordship was acknowledged as late as 1634. (fn. 12)
At the date of the Domesday Survey 4½ hides in
this berewick were held in demesne by the Abbot of
Westminster, (fn. 13) but no later reference has been found
to any estate so held. It may, perhaps, be identical
with the land afterwards held by the Spetchley family,
or may have become merged with an estate held in
1086 by Walter Poer, afterwards the principal manor
in Peopleton. In 1280–1 John de Everley and
Philippa his wife were holding with the manor of
Spetchley a messuage and land in Peopleton which
they then settled on their children, John, Thomas
and Agnes. Like Spetchley this estate seems afterwards to have passed to the Spetchley family. Roger
Spetchley did suit at the court of Binholme for land
in Peopleton in 1388–9 (fn. 14) and between 1391–2 and
1429–30 (fn. 15) and Robert Spetchley, apparently as heir
of William Spetchley, in 1469. (fn. 16) The heir of Robert
Spetchley owed fines for suit of court in 1504–5 (fn. 17)
and 1506–7. (fn. 18) At this date the ownership of the
property seems to have been contested by the widow
and daughters of Robert, proceedings being instituted against Richard Lord Beauchamp as feoffee of
the estate, then called the manor of Peopleton,
which was in dispute between Margery widow of
Robert Spetchley alias Margery Acton, widow, and
the daughters of Robert, i.e., Elizabeth, Margaret,
Eleanor and Anne, (fn. 19) of whom Elizabeth subsequently
married William Fisher, Margaret, John Garald, and
Anne, Nicholas Scott. John Garald and Margaret
his wife and Nicholas Scott and Anne his wife conveyed two parts of the 'manor of Peopleton' to Henry
Durant in 1506–7. (fn. 20) After this time no further trace
has been found of this estate.
Walter Poer (Ponther) in 1086 was holding 3 hides
at Peopleton, and half a hide which never paid geld,
previously held by Godric, as well as a hide which
Ælfwig had previously held, Walter's whole estate
being worth 50s (fn. 21) The overlordship of this property remained with the Poers as late as 1273, (fn. 22) but
after that time their connexion with the estate seems
to have ceased.
While in the hands of the Poers this land was
held of them by under-tenants, of whom Philip de
Kenefare, holding land in the abbot's fee in 1193–5,
may have been one. (fn. 23) On 9 February 1266 John
de Churchill, a rebel, who held land at Peopleton of
William Poer's fee, was in prison, and part of his
estates were given to his wife Maud, (fn. 24) to whom a
further grant was made in 1273. (fn. 25) In 1274–5 land
in Peopleton was granted to Maud by Ralph de
Abbehale, (fn. 26) who was holding land and the advowson
of Peopleton already in 1271–2. (fn. 27) Maud paid half
a mark to the subsidy about 1280, as did Ralph de
Abbehale and also William de Peopleton. (fn. 28) This
manor must have passed to William de Peopleton,
for he held the advowson, which appertained to it.
He may have belonged to the family mentioned below
as holding an estate here from the 12th century. (fn. 29)
William appears as free tenant of Feckenham Forest
in 1261–2 and in 1297. (fn. 30) In 1290 he presented to
the church (fn. 31) presenting again in 1293 with Mabel
his wife. (fn. 32) Nicholas Russell, lord of Strensham, was
patron in 1317 (fn. 33) and obtained a grant of free warren
in the manor in 1328. (fn. 34) The manor was held by the
Russells of Strensham (fn. 35) (q.v.) until in 1658 it was
conveyed by William Russell, Mary Russell, widow,
and Sir William Russell, bart., to John Tompson,
clerk. (fn. 36) The Tompsons held it until 1682, when it was
purchased of Richard Tompson and Dorcas his wife by
Mark Dineley, (fn. 37) who bequeathed it to Sir Edward
Dineley and his heirs male,
and died childless on 10 September 1682. (fn. 38) He had
married his cousin Mercy,
daughter of Edward Dineley
of Charlton and sister of Sir
Edward Dineley, kt. (fn. 39) The
latter, who inherited the
manor as mentioned above,
purchased Norchard House
in Peopleton in 1692 from
Knightley Tompson, son and heir-apparent of Richard
Tompson of Horley (co. Oxford). (fn. 40) He presented to
the church in the same year, (fn. 41) but seems to have
been dead before 1717, when the presentation was
made by Josiah Dineley. (fn. 42) Josiah may have been
the brother or nephew of Mark Dineley, purchaser
of the manor. (fn. 43) The younger Josiah presented in
1746 (fn. 44) and was dealing with the manor in 1753. (fn. 45)
His son Josiah, sheriff in 1776, (fn. 46) died on 25 October
1790. (fn. 47) In the following year a conveyance of the
manor was made by the latter's widow, Mary
Dineley, and his children, John Dineley and Mary
his wife, George Dineley and Elizabeth his wife,
Josiah Dineley and Mary his wife, William Dineley,
Mary wife of Moses Jennins, Thomas Dineley, and
Sarah wife of James Haynes. (fn. 48) In 1808 it was
advertised for sale, (fn. 49) but it remained in the Dineley
family, passing to Frederick Dineley, son of George
and Elizabeth Dineley above mentioned. (fn. 50) He was
lord of the manor in 1850, but before 1868 the
manor had passed into the hands of John Parker of
Worcester, (fn. 51) partner in the firm of Goldingham,
solicitors, who failed. The manor was then sold, and
all manorial rights in connexion with it have lapsed.
Dineley. Argent a fesse sable with a molet between two roundels sable in the chief.
At the date of the Domesday Survey Urse the
sheriff was holding a hide at Peopleton which Ælfwig
had formerly held. There was nothing there but
2 acres of meadow,
and yet it rendered
a hundred pence. (fn. 52)
The tenants of the
manor owed suit at
the Abbot of Westminster's court of
Binholme in Pershore. (fn. 53)
Peopleton Mill
This estate is not
mentioned among
those which William
Beauchamp held of
the Abbot of Westminster in the 12th
century, but the
mesne lordship seems
to have passed, like
that of North Piddle,
from the Beauchamps
to Richard Fitz John,
who held it at his
death in 1297. (fn. 54)
No further reference
has been found to
this mesne lordship.
Under these overlords the manor was
held by the Peopleton family, Richard de Peopleton holding land in
the abbot's fee in 1193–5. (fn. 55) Richard, who was
Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1190, (fn. 56) was still alive in
1199, (fn. 57) and may have been succeeded by Nicholas de
Peopleton, who granted two messuages and 2 virgates
of land in Peopleton to William de Peopleton in
1253–4 (fn. 58) Walter son of Thomas de Peopleton,
who contributed to the subsidy about 1280, (fn. 59) in
1282–3 granted to John his son the reversion of
land and rent in Peopleton after his death and that
of Alice his wife. (fn. 60) Parnel 'la Seneschal' held the
estate in 1299. (fn. 61) John de Peopleton, who contributed 12d. to the subsidy in 1327, (fn. 62) was probably
the John above mentioned and the father of John de
Peopleton, jun., and of Philip de Codely his brother,
who in 1336 paid 40d. fine for entry into a messuage
and carucate of land which formerly belonged to
John their father. (fn. 63) About 1388–9 John Pewyn
bought of Alexander de Besford a messuage and a
carucate of land at Peopleton (fn. 64) which passed from
him about 1403 to John D'Abitot. (fn. 65) It was perhaps
the same land as that held by Henry Wybbe in
1408–9 and subsequently, (fn. 66) and by Thomas Wybbe
in 1429–30 by knight service. (fn. 67) Its further descent
is not known.
Two tenants, each holding half a virgate of land in
Peopleton, were entered in the accounts of the priory
of Worcester in 1240 (fn. 68) and 1291–2 as paying 5s.
rent. (fn. 69) At the Dissolution the prior was receiving
a rent of £1 3s. 4d. from Hillhampton and Peopleton. (fn. 70) All lands in Peopleton belonging to the late
priory were granted to the Dean and Chapter of
Worcester in 1542, (fn. 71) and are now perhaps represented
by the freehold estate which the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners hold in this parish. No manorial rights
are connected with this holding. (fn. 72)
Four parts of a mill in Peopleton were held by
Ralph de Abbehale and Maud his wife in 1271–2. (fn. 73)
Reference occurs to the water corn-mill called
Peopleton Mill in 1609. (fn. 74) It was held by Knightley
Tompson in 1692. (fn. 75)
CHURCH
The church of ST. NICHOLAS (fn. 76)
consists of a chancel 29 ft. 6 in. by
19 ft., nave 41 ft. 3 in. by 19 ft. 3 in.,
a north porch, west tower built within the nave walls
and a vestry on the south-west. The measurements
are internal.
The church appears to be an early 13th-century
building with considerable 14th-century alterations,
when the east end was perhaps rebuilt and various
windows inserted. The existing tower replaced a
former bellcote early in the 19th century and the
church has since been restored and the vestry and
north porch added.
The chancel has a pointed east window of three
lights, modern externally but of 14th-century work
within. In the side walls are two pairs of windows,
the eastern being of the 14th century, with two
trefoiled lights under a square head; the western
pair are plainly chamfered lancets of the 13th
century. In the north wall is a blocked doorway,
formerly opening into an adjoining schoolhouse, now
removed, and under the first window is a blocked lowside. Between the two windows in the south wall is
a small priest's door, probably of early 13th-century
date, with a round head and an internal wooden
lintel. The chancel arch is modern, as is the piscina
in the south wall. The roof is of semicircular
wagon form with a moulded wall-plate. The nave
has in the north and south walls a square-headed
window of three ogee-headed lights. The north
door is restored and the south door opposite has a
plain pointed head. In the west wall are two 14th-century windows, both of two lights with a sexfoil in
the head, and divided externally by a central buttress
of three stages. Built within the nave at this end is
the early 19th-century brick tower, resting on three
arches; it is three stages high and is finished with a
pyramidal roof. The vestry adjoins the nave on the
south-west and in the doorway is fixed the mediaeval
door of oak formerly in the south doorway. The
nave roof is similar to that over the chancel, but at
the west end is a beam with uprights and curved
struts beautifully carved on the east face; the beam
has a running design of foliage and the curved
supports are carved with foliage on the north and
vine ornament on the south. The walls of the nave
are of small rubble with larger stones at the base and
are probably of the 13th century; the sill of an
original single-light window remains in the south
wall below the later window. On the north wall of
the chancel is a tablet to Mark Dineley (d. 1682),
with a shield of his arms; there are later monuments
to the same family. The fittings include a 17th-century communion table with turned legs, rails of
the same date with turned balusters and carved rail,
and a late 14th or early 15th-century font with plain
octagonal bowl and stem and a moulded base. On
the east gable is fixed an old gable cross.
There are three bells, the tenor inscribed, 'Jesus bee
our speed 1631, T.P., I.H.,' the second uninscribed,
and the treble, 'Rob't Merrell, Francis Simkins
Chwardens A.R. 1758.'
The plate includes a cup of 1880 and a plated
paten also modern.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms and burials 1632 to 1646, marriages 1632 to
1645; (ii) all entries 1662 to 1721; (iii) baptisms
and burials 1722 to 1812, marriages 1722 to 1753;
(iv) marriages 1754 to 1812. The churchwardens'
accounts begin in 1672.
ADVOWSON
The reversion of the advowson of
Peopleton after his death was granted
by Richard de Abbehale in 1271–2
to Ralph de Abbehale and Maud his wife. (fn. 77) Before
1290 it must have passed to William de Peopleton,
who then presented, (fn. 78) and it afterwards followed the
descent of the Russells' manor until the death of the
Rev. George Dineley in 1844. The manor was then
held by his son Frederick, the advowson belonging
to another son, the Rev. George Dineley, who in the
same year became incumbent, (fn. 79) and seems to have
held the advowson until 1855. From 1855 to 1889
the Rev. James Cook was patron and incumbent, and
his trustees held the advowson until 1892. From
1893 to 1899 it was held by the Rev. C. Dillon,
and from 1900 to 1902 by the Rev. H. Saunders,
whose trustees are now patrons. (fn. 80)
CHARITIES
It is stated in the Parliamentary
returns of 1786 that one Baggett
gave £14 for the use of the poor
The trust fund now consists of £25 in the Worcester
Savings Bank.
The Parish Lands, founded by deed poll 6
November 1633, consist of 28 acres in Peopleton
Furze, let in allotments, producing about £38 yearly,
which is applied in the repair of the lanes and other
public uses within the parish.
In 1844 the Rev. George Dineley, then rector, by
his will proved at Worcester, bequeathed £100, the
interest to be applied towards the support of the
Church Sunday school.
The same testator bequeathed a furthersum of £100,
the interest to be distributed at Christmas time among
poor widows of the age of sixty years and upwards.
The legacies are represented by two sums of
£100 15s. 2d. consols with the official trustees, the
annual dividends of which, amounting to £2 10s. 4d.
in each case, are applied in accordance with the trusts
of the charities respectively.