GRAFTON MANOR
Grastone (xi cent.).
The parish of Grafton Manor situated to the south-west of Bromsgrove covers an area of 1,510 acres, of
which 456 acres are arable land, 1,064 permanent
grass and 41 woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
The ground is undulating, Breakback Hill, one of
the highest points, being about 400 ft. above the
ordnance datum. The soil is clay on a subsoil of
clay and marl. Agriculture is the only industry.
Grafton originally formed part of the parish of
Bromsgrove. The tithes of the chapel were separated
from the church of Bromsgrove in the time of Bishop
William de Blois (1218–36), (fn. 2) and it was probably at
this time that Grafton Manor became extra-parochial.
It became a civil parish in 1857. (fn. 3) Part of it was
transferred to Bromsgrove in 1894. (fn. 4) There is no
village or church and the only important building is
the manor-house, standing in the south of the parish
about a mile from Bromsgrove.
The present building is of L-shaped plan, with a
main block running from east to west, and a wing at
the west end projecting southwards. At the end of
this wing, but quite independent of it, is the chapel.
The greater part of what now survives of the original
building appears to be of early 16th-century date.
The house as then constructed would probably have
consisted of a hall, with the great parlour at the east
end, and the existing west wing containing the private
apartments, with a small building connecting it with
the chapel, which is of the early 15th century. In
1567 an important reconstruction was entered upon
by John Talbot, who added the present entrance
porch, inserted a new fireplace and south window in the
great parlour, and refaced and put in new windows to
the east wall of the west wing. All that portion lying
between the entrance porch and the west wing, which
probably contained the hall, was totally consumed by
fire in 1710, the basement story alone surviving. No
records remain to show what appearance the house
presented previous to the fire, but it seems tolerably
certain that this too was refaced in 1567. After the
fire the west wing alone was inhabited, and in this
ruinous state the building continued till the sixth
decade of the last century, when the destroyed portion
was rebuilt and the interior wholly remodelled, hardly
an original feature surviving above the basement with
the exception of the large shield in plaster over the
fireplace in the great parlour, which is now known as
the 'music room.' In the rebuilding some of the
old mullions appear to have been re-used. A good
deal of the old panelling, &c., was taken away by
the owner, Lord Shrewsbury.
The house is of two stories with a basement on the
north and an attic floor in the roof. The west
elevation of the west wing has remained untouched
by the Elizabethan reconstruction. It is of red brick
with occasional diapering of blue bricks, raised on a
sandstone base with a chamfered plinth. The four
windows of the attic floor are of two lights with
chamfered stone mullions inclosed in stepped gables
of brickwork with weathered copings. The chimney
shafts consist on plan of two intersecting squares, a
type common in the neighbourhood. The windows
of the ground and first floors are modern, and many
of the original openings have been blocked up. The
interior of this wing has been so totally modernized as
to completely obscure the original plan.
The entrance front of the house presents no features
earlier than the Elizabethan period, with the exception of the stepped brick gable of the great parlour
and a small window in the east wall of the ground
floor with a trefoiled ogee head. The buildings
between the entrance porch and the west wing are
entirely modern and are designed in harmony with
the Elizabethan façade of this side of the wing, which
is of brick with stone dressings, and has large two-light windows with ovolo-moulded mullions, and a
doorway with flanking pilasters fancifully carved with
strapwork. The whole has been crowned by a
modern pierced parapet and is somewhat monotonous
in appearance. The red sandstone entrance porch
has a doorway with a semicircular head, with moulded
imposts and archivolt, flanked by coupled and fluted
Doric columns, elevated on pedestals and supporting
an entablature proper to the order. Over the doorway are the arms of Queen Elizabeth carved with
great spirit and beneath them the date 1567. The
inner doorway appears to belong to the earlier work.
It has moulded jambs and a depressed four-centred
head. Above the porch is a small room lit by two
transomed windows of two lights each, the entablature
and pediment over being supported by three fluted
Ionic pilasters. The five-light transomed window of
the great parlour to the east of the porch is contemporary with it in date and is finished with an
entablature and pediment, the latter carved with the
hound of the Talbots, and fiat volvntas tva inscribed
below. On the frieze is the following quaint
inscription: 'PLENTI: AND: GRASE: BI: IN: THIS: PLASE:
WHYLE: EVERI: MAN: IS: PLESED: IN: HIS: DEGRE: | THERE: IS:
BOTH PEASE: AND: VNETI: SALAMAN: SAITH: THERE: IS: NON:
ACORDE: WHEN: EVERI: | MAN: (WOULDE: BE: A:
LORDE).' The portion in brackets is continued on the
frieze to the east of the window, which is partially
obscured by ivy, so that the exact spelling cannot be
vouched for.
Grafton Manor House: West Front with Chapel
In the gable over is a blocked two-light window of
the earlier 16th-century date. Near the ground is a
fanciful wall-fountain of carved stone with a semi-domed hood and a projecting fluted basin. An early
16th-century brick chimney stack (rebuilt at the top)
on the east wall of the same building shows that the
original house was
conterminous, in this
direction, with the
present structure.
The north or back
elevation of the main
block is devoid of
interest, with the exception of the stone
basement story,
which is that of the
original house, and
has two four-centred
doorways which have
remained untouched.
In the basement
beneath the great
parlour is a large
room with a central
octagonal post supporting a beam carrying the floor above.
The great parlour
itself has been entirely modernized,
the south window and the large shield of the Talbots
over the fireplace alone surviving. The original staircase was destroyed in the fire. The roofs throughout
the house are tiled.
The chapel is connected with the west wing by a
small brick two-storied building of early 16th-century
date, containing the sacristy and a priest's room over
it. The chapel itself, measuring about 53 ft. by 17 ft.
internally, is entirely of stone and dates from the first
half of the 15th century. Though gutted by the fire,
the tracery of the windows has survived. Those to
the east and west are of four lights, each with vertical
tracery under a two-centred head. In the north wall
is one window and in the south two, all of similar
character. In the north wall is a modern doorway
opening into the later sacristy, and to the west of it
the original north doorway with moulded jambs and
four-centred head. At the west end of the same
wall is a blocked doorway with an external two-centred head and a richly moulded rear arch. Immediately opposite in the south wall is a similar entrance
with an original stoup to the west of it. The porch
into which this opens is an early 19th-century addition.
The eastern angles and the centres of the side walls
are supported by buttresses of two offsets each. Over
the west gable is an original stone bellcote containing
one bell. In the north-west window are many pieces
of 17th and 18th-century glass, including some
Flemish medallions and a fine 16th-century shield of
the royal arms encircled with the garter and ensigned
with a crown. A shield with the arms of Worcester
is probably of early date. To the south-west of the
chapel is a large brick barn of the early 16th century
similar in style to the earlier parts of the house. The
walls are of red brick with occasional diapering and
stand on a sandstone base. In the west
wall are some original stone-mullioned
windows, but the large doorway in the
south wall is a modern insertion. On
the south side of the chapel is a small
burial-ground which has been disused
since Grafton Manor ceased to be the
head quarters of a Roman Catholic
mission.
The disposition of the terraced
gardens on the west side of the house
does not appear to have been changed
since the early 16th century. The
walls are all of early bricks with diapering of blue brick, and the grounds are
arranged in two broad terraces communicating with each other by stone steps,
and leading down to a large lake at the
bottom. In the lower terrace is the
stew-pond, with rectangular sides of
masonry, and stone steps in the centre
of the west side, while on the border
of the lake is a large circular dovecote
of stone with a pyramidal tiled roof,
still retaining its original stone cells.
MANOR
Before the Conquest
GRAFTON, a member of
the manor of Bromsgrove,
was held of Earl Edwin by five thegns,
'who could not withdraw from the
lord of the manor.' (fn. 5) In 1086 Grafton
was held of Urse D'Abitot by one of
his knights called Roger. (fn. 6) The overlordship followed the same descent as
Elmley Castle (q.v.) and is last mentioned in 1419. (fn. 7) In 1367–8 the
manor was said to be held of the
Bishop of Worcester, and in 1369–70
and 1517 of the king in chief. (fn. 8) During the 12th and 13th centuries Grafton belonged to a family who derived
their name from the manor and may
have been descendants of the Domesday tenant Roger.
Henry de Grafton, who held a knight's fee of William
de Beauchamp in 1166, (fn. 9) may have been succeeded
by Richard de Grafton, whose name occurs on a
Pipe Roll of 1166–7. (fn. 10) In the reign of King John
Grafton belonged to Ralph de Grafton (fn. 11) and afterwards to his son and grandson John. (fn. 12) Edmund de
Grafton was holding it in 1315, (fn. 13) and in 1349–50
his son and successor John made a settlement of the
manor. (fn. 14) He must have been succeeded shortly
after by his son Roger, who granted the manor in
1350–1 to Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, (fn. 15)
who obtained a grant of free warren there in 1352–3. (fn. 16)
John de Hastings died seised of it in 1367–8,
leaving two daughters Maud and Joan. (fn. 17) Grafton
was assigned to Maud, who married Ralph Stafford, (fn. 18)
and passed after the death of the latter in 1409–10
to their son Humphrey. (fn. 19) He was succeeded in
1419 by his son John Stafford, (fn. 20) who also inherited
Upton Warren and died seised of both manors in
1422. (fn. 21) From his brother and successor Humphrey (fn. 22)
the manor passed in 1449–50 (fn. 23) to his son Sir Humphrey, (fn. 24) who was attainted
and executed for treason early
in the reign of Henry VII.
Grafton Manor House: Entrance Porch and Great Parlour
Stafford. Or a cheveron gules.
Grafton and Upton Warren
were granted in the same year
to Sir Gilbert Talbot, second
son of John Earl of Shrewsbury, (fn. 25) who died in 1517, (fn. 26)
and was succeeded by his sons
Gilbert (fn. 27) and John in turn. (fn. 28)
John Talbot, grandson of the
latter, who inherited the
manors from his father John Talbot in 1555, (fn. 29) was
imprisoned for many years as a recusant. In 1580
he was placed in the custody of the Dean of Westminster in order 'that he might not be forced on
the soddaine to alter the Relligion he hathe ben
broughte up in and ever professed, untill by conference
with some learned men he might be resolved in conscience touching the Relligion now professed within the
Realme.' (fn. 30) By the following year John Talbot had been
removed to Aldersgate Street, but owing to the Plague
he was allowed to choose another house within 12
miles of London, where he was to remain a prisoner
during the queen's pleasure. (fn. 31) In 1587 he was at
Mitcham, co. Surrey, and he was allowed the liberty
of going 'aboute the citie or suburbes of London.' (fn. 32)
He was still a prisoner in 1588, but was allowed bail
to go to Grafton on account of the 'longe sickenes
and indisposicion' of his wife, (fn. 33) while in 1589 he
was allowed to 'enjoy the libertie of six miles compasse' about his house in Clerkenwell on account of
his own illness and on condition that he did not go
to 'publicke places of assemblie of people as Paules
Church and Westminster Hall.' (fn. 34) In 1592 he was
sent to the prison at Ely, (fn. 35) and about 1596 to
Banbury Castle. (fn. 36) During this time there are several
licences allowing him to go into the country on
private business, one occasion being a 'dangerous
deseaze' for which he had 'great need to use the
benefit of the Bathes,' (fn. 37) and another the death of his
wife. (fn. 38) He appears to have been finally set at liberty
in 1597–8, but in 1603–4 was still paying £20 a
month for licence to be absent from church, (fn. 39) and
later in the same year the benefit of his recusancy
was granted to Sir William Anstruther. (fn. 40) The latter
obtained for him a pardon for his recusancy and a
discharge from all the forfeits and penalties which he
owed, (fn. 41) but in 1606 he was again paying £260 a
year. (fn. 42) He died in 1611, leaving a son George, (fn. 43)
who succeeded to the title of
Earl of Shrewsbury in 1618. (fn. 44)
Both Grafton and Upton
Warren have since remained
in the possession of the Earls
of Shrewsbury (fn. 45) and forming
part of the estates settled by
the Shrewsbury Estate Act,
on the death of Bertram
Arthur, the seventeenth earl,
in 1856, passed with the title
to the Earl Talbot, and did
not pass under his will to
Lord Edmund Howard. They
now belong to Charles Henry
John Chetwynd-Talbot twentieth Earl of Shrewsbury.
Grafton Manor House: Terraced Garden and Lake
Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. Gules a lion and a border engrailed or.
In 1542 there were two parks, called the Old and
New Parks, in the manor of Grafton, (fn. 46) but they are
not mentioned in any later documents.
CHAPEL
The profits of the chapelry of Grafton
annexed to the church of Bromsgrove
were granted by William of Blois, Bishop
of Worcester (1218–36), to the sacrist of St. Mary's,
Worcester, who had to provide a taper to burn
before the tomb of King John. (fn. 47) In 1275 there was
a dispute about the advowson between John de
Grafton, who claimed by descent from Ralph de
Grafton, his grandfather, and the priory of St. Mary's, (fn. 48)
but finally the former gave up his claim on payment of
35 marks. (fn. 49) Though the appropriation of the profits
of the chapel of Grafton to the sacrist had been made
with the consent of the convent, (fn. 50) in 1289 they
complained that Bishop Godfrey Giffard had extorted
from them the chapel of Grafton, and appropriated
it to the use of the sacrist, without making any
allowance for the expenses, amounting to £200, to
which they had been put in recovering that chapel
in the king's court. (fn. 51) The advowson next appears
in the hands of the Staffords, and was among the
possessions of Humphrey Stafford at the time of his
attainder, and included in the grant to Sir Gilbert
Talbot, kt., in 1486. (fn. 52) It then followed the same
descent as the manor (fn. 53) (q.v.). The chapel, which
was dedicated to St. Michael, (fn. 54) was still used in the
time of Habington, who describes the arms and
monuments of the Talbot family in it, (fn. 55) but it was in
ruins before the end of the 18th century. (fn. 56)
In 1292 a sum of £10 was expended in rebuilding
the chancel. (fn. 57)
There are no endowed charities.