HADZOR
Hadesour (xi cent.); Headdes Ofre (xii cent.);
Haddesour, Hadeshore, Hadesovere (xiii cent.);
Haddeshore, Haddesore (xiv cent.).
Hadzor is a small parish, well wooded in its western
part, occupying an area of 996 acres, which in 1905
included 166¾ acres of arable land, 542 acres of permanent grass, and 32½ acres of woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
The old road called the Salt Way, now the high road
from Droitwich to Alcester, forms the northern
boundary of Hadzor, and another road from Droitwich to Oddingley forms part of the western boundary,
a branch from it crossing the parish and joining a
road from the village.
The village of Hadzor is situated about a mile to
the east of Droitwich, southward of the Alcester road.
It is somewhat scattered and contains a few half-timbered cottages. The church stands within the
park close upon the east side of Hadzor House,
which is an 18th-century building with an addition
designed by Matthew Habbershaw in 1827. The
gardens were laid out at the same time. It is the
residence of Major Hubert George Howard Galton,
R.A., J.P., and contains a valuable collection of
pictures and statuary. The Court Farm is an early
17th-century brick house much modernized.
The Roman Catholic chapel of St. Richard and
St. Hubert, beautifully situated in Hadzor Wood, was
built by the late Mr. T. H. Galton in 1878. (fn. 2)
Attached to it is a small school, the only one in the
parish. The Protestant children of the parish attend
the school at Oddingley, which was annexed to
Hadzor for ecclesiastical purposes in 1864. (fn. 3)
Dean Brook rises in Hadzor and flows south-east
to Himbleton, and the Gitton Brook divides the
parish from that of St. Peter, Droitwich. The
Worcester and Birmingham Canal passes through
Hadzor to the east of the village, and joins the
Droitwich Junction Canal on the northern boundary.
The parish is undulating, and lies at a height of about
200 ft. above the ordnance datum, the highest parts
being in the south-west.
The parish was inclosed under an Act of 1773, (fn. 4)
and the award, which is now in the custody of the
clerk of the peace at Worcester, is dated 2 July
1773. (fn. 5) Agriculture is now the only industry, but
salt (fn. 6) and clay were formerly worked. The soil is
principally a stiff marl and the subsoil clay. The
Bristol and Birmingham branch of the Midland
railway passes through the parish, but the nearest
passenger station is at Droitwich.
Among the early place-names are Shirreveshale, (fn. 7)
found in the 13th century, Ovewood (fn. 8) in the 15th
century, and Blackmore, Butts Field and Cookescroft (fn. 9)
in the 16th century.
MANOR
Before the Conquest Brihtwine held
HADZOR 'as his paternal inheritance
for which he owned service to no one
but the King.' (fn. 10) He granted it to the priory of
Worcester when his grandson Edwin became a
monk there, and Bricsmaer, his son, the father of
Edwin, confirmed the gift. (fn. 11) After the Conquest,
however, William Earl of Hereford took it from the
priory and gave it to his servant, Gilbert Fitz
Turold, (fn. 12) who was holding it in 1086. (fn. 13) The
descent of Gilbert Fitz Turold's land is obscure, and
it is believed that he forfeited his fief. (fn. 14) Much of
the land which he held in 1086 subsequently belonged to the honour of Gloucester, (fn. 15) but Hadzor
passed into the possession of the family of Toeni, and
the manor was held of their barony in the 13th
century. (fn. 16) The overlordship passed from the Toenis
to the Beauchamps (fn. 17) in the same way as that of
Elmley Lovett, but lapsed in the middle of the 14th
century, when the tenancy of the manor was acquired
by Thomas Earl of Warwick, the manor after that
time being held directly of the Crown. (fn. 18)
Walter, son-in-law of Gilbert Fitz Turold, was
holding the manor as tenant under Gilbert in 1086, (fn. 19)
but there is no record of his successors until the beginning of the 13th century, when William Fitz Warin was
holding half a knight's fee in Hadzor. (fn. 20) In 1217–18
Hubert Balistarius granted to William Fitz Warin of
Hadzor a wood in Hadzor called Shirreveshale, (fn. 21)
and in 1256–7 an agreement was made between
William Fitz Warin de Wick and William son of
William Fitz Warin, by which the former was to hold
land at Hadzor and elsewhere for life with reversion
to the latter, who was probably his son. (fn. 22) William
son of William Fitz Warin was in possession of the
manor in 1300, (fn. 23) and in 1310 John de Burwell is
called lord of Hadzor, (fn. 24) and was still holding the
manor in 1318, when it was settled on himself and
Maud his wife. (fn. 25) The manor must shortly afterwards have passed to the Cassys, for John Cassy of
Droitwich and his son Thomas presented to the
church, the advowson of which was annexed to the
manor, in 1325 and 1329, (fn. 26) and Thomas Cassy was
patron in 1349. (fn. 27) In 1357–8 Thomas Cassy and
others granted certain land in Hadzor to John Alewy
for life with reversion to Thomas Beauchamp Earl of
Warwick. (fn. 28) Thomas Cassy had previously in 1348–9
settled the manor and advowson of the church on
himself with reversion to his son John and Elizabeth
his wife. (fn. 29) John probably died
without issue, for Thomas had
evidently before 1352 granted
the reversion after his death
to Thomas Beauchamp Earl
of Warwick, who in that year
obtained a grant of free warren
over the manor. (fn. 30) Thomas
Cassy was still holding the
manor in 1361, when the
earl settled it on himself for
life, and on his son Thomas
in tail-male. (fn. 31) From Thomas
Beauchamp it followed the
same descent as Elmley
Castle (fn. 32) (q.v.) until it passed into the possession of
Henry VII in 1487. (fn. 33) Hadzor was among the lands
settled in 1533 on Katherine of Aragon, under the
name of Katherine, Princess Dowager. (fn. 34) It was
granted in 1546 to Richard Cupper, (fn. 35) who in the
following year sold it to John Pakington of Westwood
Park and Thomas Pakington his nephew. (fn. 36) The
latter died in 1571, (fn. 37) and his son John sold the
manor in 1579 to Nicholas Lewknor of Haseley, co.
Oxford. (fn. 38) By his will dated 1 June 1580 Nicholas
Lewknor left one-third of Hadzor, consisting of the
site of the farm and manor, to his wife Mary, and the
remaining two-thirds to his brother-in-law Thomas
Copley, on condition that with
part of the income of the
estate he should build and
endow an almshouse at Alvechurch. (fn. 39) Thomas Copley
died in 1593 and his eldest son
John, who succeeded him, (fn. 40)
died without issue in 1606,
leaving the two-thirds of Hadzor to his brother Thomas
Copley, (fn. 41) who sold it to
William Amphlett in 1633.
The other third of Hadzor
passed after Mary Lewknor's
death to her husband's sister
and heir Jane, wife of Anthony
Sheldon, on whom it was
settled in 1581. (fn. 42) Anthony survived his wife and
held her share of the manor until his death in 1584,
when it passed to their son William, (fn. 43) who settled it
on his wife Cicely in 1592, (fn. 44) and sold it in 1633 to
William Amphlett, mentioned above.
Cassy. Argent on a bend gules three buckles or.
Galton. Ermine a fesse engrailed between six fleurs delis gules with an eagle's head razed argent between two bezants on the fesse.
The manor remained in his family until the beginning of the 19th century, (fn. 45) when it was sold to John
Howard Galton, fifth son of Samuel Galton of Dudson,
Birmingham, whose grandson Hubert George Howard
Galton is now lord of the manor. (fn. 46)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN BAPTIST
consists of a chancel 20ft. by 14ft. with
a modern vestry to the north of it, nave
33 ft. by 20 ft., and a small modern west tower over a
porch 7 ft. by 4 ft. These measurements are all internal.
The building is a fine example of the middle of the
14th century, and except for the modern additions is
almost completely of that date. It has undergone
several restorations, the first being in 1835.
The east wall appears to have been refaced outside,
and the exterior of the three-light east window is apparently all new. It
has a two-centred
traceried head and
moulded labels stopping on grotesque
heads. On either
side of the window
inside are canopied
niches with flattened
ogee heads under
crocketed gables terminating in carved
finials. The foliated
brackets of the niches
appear to be modern
restorations. In the
south-east corner is
a piscina recess. The
side windows of the
chancel, two on the
south and one on the
north side, are each
of two lights with a
quatrefoil over. The
moulded labels, both
inside and out, have
ogee points and
carved finials. The
internal labels on
the south stop on carved human heads and on the
north side on beasts' heads. A moulded string runs
all round the chancel externally under the window
sills, and below it, in the south wall, is a small
rectangular low-side window now blocked up and
invisible internally. The two-centred chancel arch
has continuously moulded jambs, and a moulded
label on the west face, which terminates in an
ogee point and a foliated finial.
There are three windows on each side of the nave,
the tracery of which is more varied than that of the
chancel windows. They are all original, except the
one to the north-west, which is a modern copy, possibly
replacing the north doorway mentioned by Dr. Prattinton in 1825 as being then blocked up. The
internal labels are similar to those in the chancel
and stop on human heads. To the south-east is
another piscina recess with a trefoiled head and ogee
apex.
Between the first and second windows on the north
side of the nave is an elaborate 14th-century tomb
recess now occupied by a modern tomb. The wide
two-centred arch has a moulded label finished with a
carved finial. Above this is a niche for a figure, with
a crocketed, finialled and gabled head, flanked by two
other canopied niches of similar character, An outer
crocketed label, in the form of a gable (springing
from a grotesque head), with flanking pinnacles completes the composition, the space between it and the
arch being filled in with blind tracery.
The vaulted porch under the tower and the west
doorway are both modern. The small modern tower
rises a single stage above the nave roof. The belfry
is lighted by lancet windows.
The walling of the exterior generally is a mixture
of white and red sandstone, ashlar faced. The
western parts of the side walls of the nave seem to
have been rebuilt when the tower was erected. There
are two old buttresses at each corner of the chancel
with moulded offsets, finished with trefoiled gablets.
The similar buttresses at the angles of the nave have
been more or less restored. The plinth, which surrounds the building, batters inward.
Hadzor Church from the South-east
The external cornice is moulded with a hollow
containing square flowers. Most of it is original, but
the raking portion to the east gable is modern.
The roofs with the font, pulpit and altar table
are all modern.
All the monuments to members of the Galton
and Amphlett families and others are of the 18th and
19th centuries.
The three windows on the north side of the
nave contain a few fragments of fine 14th-century
stained glass worked up with modern glass. Of the
Annunciation in the westernmost window the old
portions are the head of our Lady and a part
of her dress. The head of St. Elizabeth and a few
other fragments in the second window depicting the
Visitation are old. The easternmost, representing
the Purification, is all modern except a few pieces of
the border.
In the head of the east window are remains of
heraldic glass with the arms of Mortimer, Despenser,
Beauchamp and Daubeney.
There is one bell, (fn. 47) recast in 1894. The inscription of the original bell has been reproduced
upon it, and is as follows: 'John Grine Frances
Hount 1668. Soli Deo Gloria, Pax Hominibus.'
Below on a shield are the founder's initials, 'J.M.,' for
John Martin.
The plate includes a cup of peculiar pattern, with
hall mark 1812, the gift of Rev. R. H. Amphlett,
1816, and a salver paten with the inscription on the foot
'The humble gift of Ester Paul to Hadzor Church
August 4 1816.'
The registers previous to 1812 are as follows:
(i) all entries 1554 to 1746; (ii) baptisms and burials
1750 to 1812, marriages 1750 to 1754; (iii) marriages 1754 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson followed the descent
of the manor, (fn. 48) and now belongs to
Major H. G. H. Galton. Although
the church is known to have existed in 1268, (fn. 49) it is
not mentioned in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas in
1291. At the time of the Dissolution its value was
£6 11s. 6d. (fn. 50)
In 1315 the bishop consecrated an altar at Hadzor. (fn. 51)
An acre of meadow which had been given for the
maintenance of lights in the church of Hadzor was
valued in the middle of the 16th century at 20d. (fn. 52)
CHARITIES
William Amphlett, by his will
(without date), gave to the poor the
sum of £3 6s. 8d. to remain as a
certain stock for ever. No payment is now made in
respect of this charity.
In 1745 Mrs. Mary Wood, by deed, conveyed to
trustees 2 a. called Hempland upon trust out of the
rents and profits to pay 20s. yearly to the poorest
housekeepers, and the residue of the rents to the
rector of the parish.
The land so charged is understood to be occupied
by the rector for the time being, but the annuity is
not now paid.