HALLOW
Halhegan, Heallingan, Halnegan (ix cent.);
Halhegan, Hallhagan (xi cent.); Hallawe, Hallaye,
Hallag (xiii cent.).
The parish of Hallow, now known as North
Hallow, lies to the north-west of Worcester, part of it,
including Henwick, having been comprised in the city
of Worcester by the Extension Act of 1885. (fn. 1) The
parish of North Hallow contains 3,358 acres, 950
being arable land, of which the chief crops are wheat
and beans, and 2,257 acres permanent grass. (fn. 2) The
subsoil is Keuper Marl. There are no extensive
woods, but the copses and plantations cover 32 acres.
The inclosure award for Hallow is dated 16 August
1816. (fn. 3)
The land on the banks of the Severn is low-lying
and subject to floods, being not more than 44 ft.
above sea level at Henwick. It rises considerably to
the west, and at Peachley a height of 205 ft. is
reached. The Severn forms the eastern boundary of
the parish. Laughern Brook waters the northern
part, flowing in an easterly direction until it reaches
Hallow Mill, where it turns to the south. No railway lines pass through Hallow, but the main road
from Stourport to Worcester enters the parish on the
north, and, after passing through Hallow Heath,
reaches the village which lies on either side of it. The
church of St. Philip and St. James is to the south, and
near it is the village pound. Behind the church is
Hallow Park, an old house remodelled in the 18th
century. The road from Worcester to Tenbury runs
north-west from the city through Lower Broadheath
and Peachley.
Hallow, while in their possession, was one of the
retreats of the monks of Worcester. Habington in
the 17th century described the house as being raised
on a small hill at a short distance from the river, 'so
that it was nowaye annoyed with the contagion
vaporinge from the water.' (fn. 4) It was placed in a
little park 'whose higher ground aboundinge in mynte
yeeldethe a sweete savor, and whose sandy pathes are
eaver drye, in so muche as Queene Elizabethe huntinge theare (whylest the abundance of hortes beatinge
the mynt dyd bruse but a naturall perfume) gave it
an extraordinary commendation, a deynty situation
scarce secound to any in England.' (fn. 5)
Parkfield, near the city boundary, was built by the
late Mr. Charles Wheeley Lea, a member of the firm
of Lea &; Perrins, makers of the celebrated Worcestershire sauce. His widow now resides there, and has
purchased a great deal of the parish, including
Hallow Park. A working men's club hall for local
meetings and a house for a district nurse were established by Mrs. Lea in 1904
Sir Charles Bell, the discoverer of the distinct
functions of the nerves, died at Hallow Park in 1842.
He was staying there, and was buried in the churchyard of the parish. There is in Hallow Church a
tablet to his memory with an English inscription by
Lord Jeffrey. (fn. 6)
Among former place-names in the parish were
Lamput, (fn. 7) Bradeburn, Chiseburn, Dorlingeshall,
Denesmedwe, Gateslegercroft (fn. 8) (xiii cent.); Flanebrok, Cumbwelle, Sparkebroc, La Roedinge, Hetherwelleforlong, Le Schawe, Orleye, Hunwaldeleye,
Aunsacre (fn. 9) (? xiii cent.); Wickenshorne (fn. 10) (xvii cent.).
MANORS
HALLOW was evidently acquired by
the church of Worcester before 816, when
Coenwulf, King of the Mercians, freed it
and all its vills on the west of Severn from all secular
services except building of bridges and strongholds
and military service. (fn. 11) This manor had apparently
become the property of the monks by the 10th century, being included in their lands as set forth in
King Edgar's charter. (fn. 12) In 1086 the priory held
7 hides at Hallow and Broadwas, to which belonged
ten houses and a salt-pan at Droitwich. (fn. 13) Hallow
with all its members was confirmed to the prior by
Bishop Simon in 1148. (fn. 14) In 1240 the demesne of
the manor, consisting of a court and 2 carucates of
land, was leased to the villeins at farm for a rent of
grain of different kinds. (fn. 15) In 1256 the prior obtained
a grant of free warren here. (fn. 16) The history of the
manor is the same as that of Grimley (fn. 17) (q.v.), and it
is now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
Among the rights of the Prior of Worcester in
Hallow was that of the service of riding men. In
other manors these rod-knights usually compounded
with him for a sum of money in the 13th century,
but at Hallow Simon de Peachley still performed the
service, and Nicholas David and Osbert de Barbourne
rode in turns for the tenement which they held. (fn. 18) It
is interesting to find that the prior still claimed a sum
of money in the place of service of the villeins in
the vineyard in the 13th century, (fn. 19) although the
vineyard had ceased to exist.
The Prior of Worcester obtained licence to inclose
and impark 60 acres of land and 40 acres of wood in
Hallow in 1312. (fn. 20) Leland in his Itinerary enumerates
among the places belonging to the priory 'Halow, a
park without a howse, a two myles from Worcester.' (fn. 21)
Hallow Park does not seem to have been granted
with the other possessions of the priory to the Dean
and Chapter of Worcester, but was given with the
manor in 1547 to Nicholas Heath, Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 22) It remained in the possession of the Bishops
of Worcester, being leased with the site of the manor
from time to time until 1648, when it was sold
by the Parliamentary Commissioners to William
Combe. (fn. 23)
A lease of the site of the manor and park of
Hallow, granted by the bishop in 1550 to William
Hett, afterwards came into the possession of John
Habington, who held it at the time of his death in
1582. (fn. 24) Queen Elizabeth visited him there and
hunted in the park. (fn. 25) This lease expired in 1620,
and in 1648 Anne Fleet was holding the site and
park under a lease for fifty-one years granted by Queen
Elizabeth in 1583. (fn. 26) In 1678 the park was held
by the co-heirs of Thomas Fleet, Magdalene wife
of Richard Williams and Anne wife of Ambrose
Scudamore. (fn. 27) Before the end of the century it had
passed to Edward Bull, who died there in 1700. (fn. 28)
In the 19th century Hallow Park was the property
of the Lygons, Earls Beauchamp, and remained in
their possession until it was sold by the present earl
in 1912 to Mrs. C. W. Lea. (fn. 29)
There were two mills in the manor of Hallow in
1086, (fn. 30) and mills seem to have existed at Hallow and
at Henwick in the 13th century, for the men there
were forced to take their corn to be ground at Broadwas when they were unable to grind it at their own
mills. (fn. 31) There was a mill at Eastbury at that time,
and one in Woodhall in 1648 which had belonged to
the Bishop of Worcester, and was then sold by the
Parliamentary trustees to William Combe. (fn. 32) Water
corn-mills still exist in Hallow, Henwick and
Woodhall.
Bishop Ealdred in the middle of the 11th century
gave to the priory of Worcester fisheries at Hallow,
known in the 13th century as Chiterling and Scadewell. (fn. 33) These two fisheries were confirmed to the
priory by Bishop Simon in 1148. (fn. 34) In the 13th
century Walerand, a sokeman of Henwick, owed service at the fish-pools. The prior made complaint in
1346 against men of the town of Worcester that they
not only attacked him and his monks with bows and
arrows and tried to burn down their priory, but they
also fished in his fishery at Hallow and hunted and
carried away hares and rabbits from his warren
there. (fn. 35)
Though not mentioned by name in the charter,
HENWICK (Hynewike, xiii cent.) is said to have
been included in Coenwulf's grant freeing Hallow and
its vills from all secular services. (fn. 36) It was probably
included in Hallow in the Domesday Survey, but is
mentioned as a separate manor in Bishop Simon's
confirmation grant of 1148. (fn. 37) In 1206 Henwick
was leased to the men of the vill for fifteen years at a
rent of grain, (fn. 38) and this term was prolonged by twelve
years in 1217. (fn. 39) In 1240 the manor consisted of a
court and carucate of land in demesne, (fn. 40) and eight
years later the prior added to his estate the land of
John Chiterling at Henwick. (fn. 41) Henwick was among
the manors in which the Prior of Worcester obtained
a grant of free warren in 1256. (fn. 42) In 1261 the
grange of Henwick was destroyed by a great storm. (fn. 43)
The manor of Henwick, though it must still have
belonged to the Prior of Worcester, was not separately
valued in 1535, and is not mentioned in the grant of
the priory land to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester
in 1542. It must, however, have been included in
that grant, as the dean and chapter ceded it to the
king in 1546, (fn. 44) and it was given by Edward VI in
1547 to the Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 45) In 1648 the
manor was sold as a late possession of the bishopric
of Worcester to William Combe. (fn. 46) It was restored
to the bishop at the Restoration, and still belonged to
the see at the end of the 18th century. (fn. 47)
The manor or farm-house of Henwick was held
during the 16th and 17th centuries under leases from
the bishop by members of the
Hall family. John Hall seems
to have acquired the remainder
of a lease about 1575 from
Edward Darnell, but both
Thomas and John Hall, father
and grandfather of this John,
appear to have been seated at
Henwick. The lease was renewed to Edward Hall son of
John in 1610 for the lives of
his sons Edward, Arthur and
John, and about 1638 the
lease was again renewed for
the lives of John, Edward and
Richard Hall. (fn. 48) The Halls' lease was surrendered to
the bishop in 1665 by Nicholas Bayly and his wife
Dorothy, who held it by grant of Martha Hall. (fn. 49)
A third of the site of the manor of Henwick was
conveyed in 1785 by John Barneby, Bartholomew
Lutley Sclater, and Penelope Lutley Sclater to Abraham
Winterbottom. (fn. 50)
Hall of Henwick. Argent crusilly azure three talbots' heads razed sable.
The Prior and convent of Worcester had a conduit
from Henwick over Worcester Bridge, and in 1407
they obtained the king's protection when repairing the
conduit on the lands of other people. (fn. 51)
A cassate of land at GRIMHILL (Grimanhylle,
x cent.; Gremanhil, xi cent.; Grimhull, xiii cent.;
Grymmyll, xvi cent.) evidently belonged to the church
of Worcester before 957, when Cynewold, Bishop of
Worcester, granted it to the priest Behstan for four
lives. (fn. 52) This vill was invaded by Urse when he
became Sheriff of Worcester, and, fearing his power,
the monks gave it up to him on condition that he
would discharge all service due for it to the king. (fn. 53)
In 1086, however, a hide at Grimhill was held by
Urse of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Wick
Episcopi, and it was said that Eddid (Edith) had held
it before the Conquest, rendering customary dues
to the church. (fn. 54) Urse's interest in the manor passed
with his other estates to the Beauchamps, lords of
Elmley, and Grimhill continued to be held of the
barony of Elmley until 1601, when the overlordship
is mentioned for the last time. (fn. 55)
In 1086 Godfrey held this land under Urse. (fn. 56)
About the middle of the 13th century Richard de
Grimhill held it under the Beauchamps. (fn. 57) He must
have been succeeded shortly after by Robert de Grimhill, under whom land in Grimhill was held by Robert
de Hallow. Robert de Hallow, who was a mason,
on leaving the country in pursuit of his business, left
this estate in charge of his brother Peter. Peter,
however, became a leper, and Robert on his return
committed the care of it to another brother Reginald.
The latter failed to carry out his charge, and the land
being left waste was taken by Robert de Grimhill, the
overlord, who cultivated part of it himself and gave
part to Master Matthew de Grimhill. On the death
of Robert de Hallow his daughters Ingreth and Mabel
wanted to enter upon this land, but were not permitted to do so by Robert de Grimhill. A jury in
1220–1, however, found in their favour, and Robert
was ordered to compensate Matthew de Grimhill with
other land. (fn. 58) In 1276 Simon son of Master William
de Grimley tried to recover his land at Grimhill
which had been taken by the king on account of his
default against Matthew de Grimley. (fn. 59) A Richard de
Grimhill died about 1307–8, leaving three daughters
his co-heirs, (fn. 60) but it is doubtful whether he was an
owner of this manor, for it remained in the family
of Grimhill, being held in 1315 by Richard de
Grimhill. (fn. 61) In 1335 John le Young was lord of
Grimhill. (fn. 62) The next mention of this manor occurs
in 1346, when William Brown was in possession.
In 1526–7 a relief of 25s. was paid to the lord of
Elmley on the death of John Valaunce, who had
held Grimhill. (fn. 63) The manor, however, returned to
the Grimhills, (fn. 64) and in 1537–8 Robert de Grimhill
sold it to John Gower, (fn. 65) who settled it in 1544 upon
himself and his wife Anne. (fn. 66) On John's death in
1548 the estate passed to his son John, then six
months old. (fn. 67) This boy died in 1561, and his stepsister Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Ingram, inherited
his property. (fn. 68) Elizabeth died in 1601, (fn. 69) and ten
years later her son William sold the manor to Thomas
Cheatle, (fn. 70) whose grandson Thomas sold it in 1653
to Anthony Ball, of whom it was purchased in 1655
by Edward Hall. (fn. 71)
In the following year Edward sold to John Corbett
for a sum of £1,245 the manor of Grimhill with the
messuage called the Hall House, Henry Ingram and
Henry Gower being parties to the conveyance. (fn. 72)
The name Grimhill has now disappeared, but the
manor is known to have extended into Grimley, and
the site may perhaps be marked by the present
Greenhill Farm, which lies near the Grimley
boundary.
Two estates at EASTBURY (Earesbyri, Esebyr,
ix cent.; Eresbyrie, xi cent.; Esseburi, xiii cent.;
Estbury, Aylesbury, xvi cent.) were claimed by the
monks of Worcester as having been included in
Coenwulf's grant freeing Hallow and its vills from all
secular services. (fn. 73) Later they stated that an estate at
'Earesbyri' had been taken from them by Æthelwig,
Abbot of Evesham, (fn. 74) who had in turn been deprived
of it by Odo of Bayeux. (fn. 75) Another account, which
may refer to the other estate, recounts that Eastbury
was subject to the church of Worcester in the time of
Edward the Confessor until Urse took it, and it was
lost by the church. (fn. 76) Neither of these accounts is
borne out by the Domesday entry for Eastbury, which
represents it as half a hide of land held of the manor
of Hallow by Walter de Burh, as successor of Aelfric. (fn. 77)
From the subsequent history of the manor it seems
probable, however, that Urse did hold some estate at
Eastbury, for, though the mill of Eastbury belonged
to the Prior of Worcester in the middle of the 13th
century, (fn. 78) the monks held no manor there, and the
manor of Eastbury became part of the barony of
Elmley, (fn. 79) the honour of Urse's descendants, the
Beauchamps.
The tenants of the manor under the lords of Elmley
are not known until 1315, when John de Kekingwik
held this manor and Kenswick for two knights' fees. (fn. 80)
The descent of Eastbury is identical with that of
Kenswick (fn. 81) (q.v.) until about the middle of the 16th
century, (fn. 82) when it was sold by Humphrey Stafford to
Thomas Hall. (fn. 83) Thomas was succeeded between
1616 and 1631 by Edward Hall, probably his son, (fn. 84)
on whose death in 1636 the messuage or farm of
Eastbury passed to his son John. (fn. 85) John was probably
succeeded by a brother Thomas Hall, for, in answer to
a request from Thomas Habington for information
about his title to the manor, Thomas Hall, the owner
in 1641, stated that it had been purchased by his grandfather Thomas Hall. (fn. 86) The further descent of the estate
has not been traced until 1826, when it belonged to
Thomas Henry Cookes. (fn. 87) Thomas Cookes of Bentley
held the manor at the end of the 18th century, (fn. 88)
but the manorial rights of Eastbury have now lapsed.
PEACHLEY (Peceslcia, Petcheslee, xii cent.;
Petchesleg, xiii cent.) is said to have been bought
by Alfstan, Prior of Worcester, brother of Bishop
Wulfstan, for the priory of Worcester. (fn. 89) It does not
appear that there was ever a manor at Peachley, but
an estate there was in the 13th century owned by
the priory of Worcester, (fn. 90) to which portions of it
were given at different times by Nicholas the son
of David de Peachley, John Murieweder, Henry de
Dumbleton, Richard de Peachley and others. (fn. 91)
Margaret the wife of David de Peachley and Alice
the wife of William Hibernius or Ibernius appear to
have been daughters of a certain Ingram, from whom
they had inherited property here in 1194. (fn. 92) The
heirs of William Hibernius were holding land at
Peachley in 1240. During the 13th and 14th
centuries the prior obtained licence to acquire land
in Peachley on many occasions. (fn. 93) The Peachley
estate formed part of the manor of
Hallow, and Peachley Farm was sold
with Hallow Manor in 1648 to John
Corbett. (fn. 94) An estate there consisting
of 30 acres of land and an orchard was
sold in 1625 by Thomas Saunders and
his wife Mary to John Elfe. (fn. 95) In 1632
Thomas sold half of Peachley Farm to
Henry Best. (fn. 96) A messuage in Peachley
was settled on Samuel Pytts by his
mother Katherine Pytts in 1699, (fn. 97) and
in 1732 Peachley Farm was owned by
Edmund Pytts. (fn. 98)
Hallow Church from the South
Habington states that in the mansionhouse of Peachley, belonging to the
Peachley family, there was a chapel. (fn. 99)
There existed at one time a manor of
WOODHALL (Wodehalle, xiii cent.)
which in the 13th century was a possession of the priory of Worcester. In
1240 it consisted of a court and 2
carucates of land, (fn. 100) and in 1291 was
included in the valuation of Broadwas. (fn. 101)
In 1256 the prior obtained a grant of
free warren in this manor. (fn. 102) It was
evidently given in 1542 to the Dean
and Chapter of Worcester, though not
mentioned by name in the grant,
for in 1547 they surrendered it to
Edward VI. (fn. 103) A few months later the
king gave it to the Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 104)
The Bishops of Worcester remained in
possession of this estate, which formed
part of their manor of Hallow, until it
was confiscated under the Commonwealth and sold to William Combe in
1648, the manor being then held under
lease by the Evett family. (fn. 105) Thomas
Chambers and his wife Joan and Thomas
Allen were probably lessees under the bishop in 1720,
when they conveyed the manor to William Worth. (fn. 106)
The manorial rights have long since lapsed.
CHURCH
The church of ST. PHILIP AND
ST. JAMES consists of a chancel 36 ft.
by 17½ ft., a nave 60 ft. by 18 ft., north
and south aisles 10½ ft. wide, a south porch and a
western tower 14½ ft. square, all measurements being
internal. The church was built in 1869, the material
being of the local red sandstone. The original
building, which was destroyed in 1830, stood on a
site some 300 yards to the north-east and was replaced
by an aisleless building pulled down when the present
structure was erected. Judging from the sketches
preserved in the vestry neither of these older
churches was of any architectural importance.
The present chancel is designed in the style of the
14th century, the east window being of three lights.
The nave of four bays is in the style of the 13th
century and has a series of five stone pointed arches
supporting the roof. The thrust is taken by flying
buttresses arching over the aisles. The nave has a
clearstory with four windows on each side. The
principal entrance is on the south with an open
arcaded porch, and in the west wall is an elaborate
window of three lights, with geometric tracery.
The tower is surmounted by a stone broach spire
and angle pinnacles.
The church contains some interesting monuments
removed from the old building. In the south aisle
is a small slab to John Pardoe, who died in 1680,
his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Bund, and
their daughter Anne, with a well-designed border of
flowers and fruit. Near it is a slightly earlier slab
with a characteristic border of the scrolled-leather
type to John Evett (died 1657). In the tower is an
elaborate monument to Edward Hall (died 1616)
with columns, pediment and a kneeling figure. The
inscription, which had become completely defaced,
has been restored, from the account of the monument
given by Nash. A mural tablet to Edward Bull, died
1700, is an excellent and typical example of the period.
There is a ring of eight modern bells. The
original 16th-century bell from Hallow Chapel was
taken to Broadheath Chapel in 1901.
The plate comprises a cup and cover paten, of
mid-17th-century shape, with a large handle paten
of perhaps the same date, the marks being defaced,
a flagon made in 1807 and a modern cup with cover
paten.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms from 1583 to 1644, burials 1596 to 1651,
marriages 1584 to 1647; (ii) baptisms from 1644 to
1702, burials and marriages 1652 to 1702; (iii)
baptisms from 1703 to 1797, burials 1703 to 1799,
marriages 1703 to 1751; (iv) baptisms from 1798
to 1812, burials 1800 to 1812; (v) marriages
from 1754 to 1790; (vi) marriages 1791 to 1812.
A chapel of ease was erected at Broadheath in
1837. It consisted only of a nave and was reseated
and improved in 1861. It is now used as a schoolroom. A new church, CHRIST CHURCH, was
built in 1904. Broadheath was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1910, and the living is a
vicarage in the gift of the Bishop of Worcester.
There is also in Broadheath a chapel belonging to
Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, which was built in
1825.
ADVOWSON
Hallow was a chapelry annexed
to the church of Grimley (fn. 107) until
1876, when it was constituted a
separate vicarage, (fn. 108) in the gift of the Bishop of
Worcester.
A supposed claim by the Prior and convent of
Worcester to archidiaconal rights in Hallow (fn. 109) was
probably due to confusion between this manor and
Broadwas, the two being closely connected. In the
latter the prior had archidiaconal rights.
There was a chapel dedicated to St. Giles in
Peachley in the 13th century. (fn. 110) In 1448 an indulgence was granted to all assisting in the construction,
repair and maintenance of the chapel. (fn. 111) It was still
in existence in 1535, when the oblations from it
amounting to 6s. were paid to the chapel of Hallow. (fn. 112)
In 1574 a cottage and a parcel of land called
St. Giles Chapel Yard were granted to John and
William Marsh. (fn. 113)
CHARITIES
John Fleet, as stated on the church
table, gave a tenement with a close,
orchard and gardens in Henwick, a
moiety of the rents to be paid to the minister for
preaching every other Sabbath, and the other moiety
for the poor at Easter and Christmas. The property
is now represented by a house in Henwick Road
known as 'The Cedars,' which is subject to a groundrent of £27 10s. 2d. yearly.
The church table further recorded that Thomas
Fleet, Henry Evett, by will 1768, John Ingram, and
four other donors gave for the poor donations
amounting together to £42, which with considerable
additions from the parish stock were in 1689 laid
out in the purchase of a tenement and about 6 a. at
Broadheath. The trust property now consists of
3 a. 1 r. 3 p. at Broadheath let in allotments, a
cottage and garden, and a warehouse, bringing in
a rental of about £20 a year. Also £76 13s. 2d.
consols and £264 Furness Railway 4 per cent.
preference stock, arising from sales of land in 1894
and 1903 held by the official trustees, producing in
dividends £12 9s. 6d. yearly.
It was further recorded on the church table that
Thomas Tillam, by will 1689, gave £3 to the poor,
Magdalen Evett, relict of Henry Evett in 1692, gave
£10, Susannah Ingram, relict of John Ingram, by
will 1701, gave £10, Mrs. Harrison gave £55, £1
to be paid to the minister for a sermon on 10 May
yearly, and that Richard Bourne in 1811 gave £20,
the interest to be given in bread to the poor on
St. Thomas's Day.
A sum of £98, comprising the gifts of Thomas
Tillam and others, above referred to, was in 1857
invested in £105 4s. 8d. consols with the official
trustees, producing £2 12s. 4d. yearly.
The above-mentioned charities are administered
together, a moiety of the income of John Fleet's
charity being paid to the minister, who also receives
£1 for a sermon on 10 May. The distribution of
the remaining income is made chiefly in money, also
in bread and coals, and in clothing for poor widows.
This parish is entitled to two-fifths of the income of the
charity of Anna Bull for educational purposes amounting to £28 17s. 4d. (See under parish of Grimley.)
The official trustees also hold a sum of £650
consols arising from the sale of land belonging to the
Free School, producing £16 5s. yearly.