LINDRIDGE
Lindericgeas (xi cent.); Lynderug, Linderugge
(xii cent.); Lindruge, Lindrigg (xiii cent.); Lyndrugge, Lindriche (xiv cent.); Lynderige (xvi cent.).
The two new ecclesiastical parishes of Knightonon-Teme and Pensax were formed from the ancient
parish of Lindridge in 1843. (fn. 1) In 1879 Menith Wood
was ecclesiastically annexed to Pensax. (fn. 2) Knighton,
which includes 2,593 acres of land, 28 acres of which
are covered by water, comprises the western portion
of the original parish, and Pensax, containing 1,197
acres, occupies the eastern part of the ancient Lindridge. The present parish of Lindridge comprises
2,496 acres of land, of which 21 are inland water.
The River Teme forms the southern boundary of
the parish, which is also watered by the River Rea
and its tributaries the Trapnell and Marl Brooks,
each forming part of the northern boundary, and by
Corn Brook, Dumbleton Brook and other tributaries
of the Teme. An old canal passes through Knighton,
and the Tenbury and Bewdley branch of the Great
Western railway has a station at Newnham Bridge in
Knighton.
The land rises northwards from the valley of the
Teme to heights varying from 300 ft. to 500 ft. above
the ordnance datum on the Mamble border. At
Knighton, which is almost surrounded by brooks and
rivers, the land does not rise much above 300 ft. In
1905 the parish contained 1,225 acres of arable land,
3,382 of permanent grass and 308 of woodland. (fn. 3)
The soil is marl, clay and sandstone, the subsoil
Old Red Sandstone, and large crops of hops are produced, especially on the banks of the Teme, where
there are some of the finest hop gardens in the
county. Fruit and beans are also cultivated, and
some wheat and barley at Knighton and Pensax.
There is much meadow land both at Knighton and
Lindridge.
There is no village at Lindridge, but at Eardiston,
a hamlet about a mile and a half east of the church
on the road to Droitwich, is a small settlement of
red brick cottages. These, however, are of no
antiquity. The church stands on a small but sharp
hill on the north side of the road; the vicarage, the
garden of which adjoins the churchyard on the east,
is a late Georgian red brick building three stories
high with a tiled roof. The oldest building in the
parish appears to be Lower Lambswick, a two-story
red brick farm-house, standing on the east side of a
small by-road leading north about a quarter of a mile
east of the church. It was built in the latter part of
the 17th century, and, although in bad repair, it has
been little altered since its first erection. The plan
roughly resembles a T in shape, the head being represented by a wing running east and west at the north
end of the main block, from the centre of which
projects a brick porch, the upper part forming a bay
to the room over. Both the porch and the western
end of the north wing have shaped gables. The
entrance to the porch has a round head with stone
springing blocks and keystone, and the windows have
flat brick arches with a central wood mullion and
transom to each. At the south-east of the north
wing is a good oak staircase—now painted—with
moulded handrail and string and turned balusters.
Moor Farm House, Eardiston, is a good 18thcentury red brick building. It is of two stories and
is roofed with tiles. Though modernized inside it
still retains its original oak staircase, a fine piece of
18th-century woodwork. The house was originally
surrounded by a moat, but most of this is filled in,
only a part in the north-east corner remaining; this
piece still holds water.
At Pensax the church stands at a height of over
500 ft. on the high land north of the Teme valley.
To the north and east the land rises gently, but on
the south the road descends for a mile, very steeply
in places, to the level of the Teme valley at the
village of Stockton. The western end of the churchyard is on the edge of a precipitous descent where
the land drops to a deep-wooded valley trending to
the west, with fine views across the broken country
beyond. There have been coal-pits at Pensax for more
than 300 years. They were worked in 1744, being
then esteemed some of the best in Worcestershire. (fn. 4)
Three pits were at work in 1868, but were disused
twenty years later. (fn. 5) At present one pit is worked
by Mr. Samson Yarnold.
At Knighton-on-Teme, about half a mile northwest of the church, is the Jewkes, a good half-timber
house with three gables.
Cornwood and Frith Commons were inclosed
under an Act of 1797, the award being dated 1803. (fn. 6)
The Act for the inclosure of Menith Wood is dated
1816 and the award 21 July 1823. (fn. 7)
Edward Milward, physician and Fellow of the
Royal Society, who died in 1757, was buried in
Knighton chapel. (fn. 8) Nash connects John Lowe, who
was Bishop successively of St. Asaph (1433–44) and
Rochester (1444–67), with the Lowe family of the
Lowe in Lindridge. (fn. 9)
Place-names which occur in deeds relating to Lindridge are Pleistude, Seieginchwuck, Stierckewrchelond, Sleddelick, (fn. 10) Menhey, Le Seken, (fn. 11) Havecleg,
Buterden, Linleg, Twichene, (fn. 12) Depecroft, Prothehale, Oxenhale, Cawneie, Espedele, Bikelege, Worthin,
Bordele, Orhope (fn. 13) (xiii cent.); Fortelett (fn. 14) (xvi cent.);
Upper and Lower Warmshall, Ebold, Mallandfield, Tynning, Longstaffe, Menney Wood, (fn. 15) Milne
Leasowes (fn. 16) (xvii cent.).
MANORS
The manor of LINDRIDGE was
claimed by the monks of Worcester as
the gift of Wiferd and Alta his wife. (fn. 17)
By Wiferd's grant (781–98) 15 cassata of land at
Newnham, Knighton and Eardiston, in Lindridge,
passed to the church of Worcester, but no mention is
made of Lindridge itself. (fn. 18) From the boundaries
given in this grant it is, however, clear that it included
the whole of Lindridge. This manor became lost to
the monks, and was not recovered until William
the Conqueror restored it to Bishop Wulfstan, who
gave it to Thomas the prior. (fn. 19) This restoration
probably took place before 1086, for at that time
the monks held 15 hides at Knighton and Eardiston,
and these probably included the whole manor of
Lindridge. (fn. 20)
Bishop Simon in 1148 confirmed Lindridge to the
priory, (fn. 21) and the issues of the manor were assigned
to the cellarer. (fn. 22)
King Stephen acquitted 5 hides of land in Lindridge from all temporal exactions. (fn. 23)
King John visited Worcester in August 1207, (fn. 24)
and at the request of the prior he granted to the
convent, among other liberties, sac and soc, tol and
team, infangenthef, quittance from view of tithing,
and from suits at shire and hundred court. (fn. 25) This
seems to have had the effect of constituting Lindridge
a liberty (fn. 26) independent of the hundred court.
Henry III granted to the monks a market on
Wednesdays at Lindridge in 1236 (fn. 27) and free warren
in the manor in 1256. (fn. 28)
In 1291 the prior and convent held at Lindridge
6 carucates of land and two mills, but this included
the whole liberty of Lindridge. (fn. 29) The manor was
not valued separately at the Dissolution, but appears
to have been then included in the manors of Moor
and Newnham, (fn. 30) as it also was in 1542, when the
possessions of the late Priory of Worcester in this
parish were granted to the Dean and Chapter of
Worcester. (fn. 31) The manor after that time remained
in the possession of the dean and chapter (fn. 32) until it
was transferred in 1859 to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the present owners. (fn. 33) The manor of Lindridge cum membris now includes the manors of Moor
with Pensax and Newnham with Knighton.
Habington, in his account of the cloister windows
which in his time still remained at Worcester, gives
the following inscription from the seventh window:
'Huthridus Dux More Nuenham cum …' betokening the gift of the manor of MOOR to the
church of Worcester by Duke Uhtred. (fn. 34) The date
of this gift is not known, but Uhtred joined with his
kinsmen Eanberht, King of the Hwiccas, and Aldred
about 757 in giving Tredington to the Bishop of Worcester, (fn. 35) so possibly Uhtred's grant was made at about
the same time. The manor was evidently leased by
the prior and convent, for in 1215 they prolonged the
lease for sixteen years. (fn. 36) In 1240 'Mora' is entered
among the possessions of the convent as a member of
the liberty of Lindridge. There was at Moor a court
with a chapel and 3 carucates of land. (fn. 37) It would
seem that Moor was the principal manor of the prior
at Lindridge, for in 1280 his subsidy of 5 marks for
this parish was paid for his tenement at 'la More.' (fn. 38)
The manor remained in the possession of the prior
and convent until the Dissolution, (fn. 39) and was granted
in 1542 to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, (fn. 40)
on condition that they should maintain ten poor men
bruised in war, maimed by old age or the like, which
men together with the petty clerks and other ministers
of the church and together with the choristers and
grammar scholars should each receive for their garments (fn. 41) three yards of cloth, at 3s. 4d. a yard.
The manor remained in the possession of the dean
and chapter (fn. 42) until it was confiscated under the
Commonwealth and sold in 1650 to Philip Starkey. (fn. 43)
Philip and his wife Edith and Timothy Robinson
sold the manor in 1659 to Sir Edward Sebright,
bart., (fn. 44) who had obtained a lease for twenty-one
years from the dean and chapter about 1644. (fn. 45)
The manor was restored to the dean and chapter
at the Restoration, and now belongs to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, but it was still held under a
lease by the Sebright family in 1782. (fn. 46) Under
these lessees the manor was long inhabited during the
18th century by the Wheelers. (fn. 47) It now includes
the manor of Pensax and is itself included in the
manor of Lindridge cum membris.
Fifteen 'cassata' of land at Knighton, NEWNHAM
(Neowanham, x cent.; Neweham, xiii cent.) and
Eardiston were granted to the church of St. Peter
of Worcester by Wiferd, (fn. 48) ealdorman of the Hwiccas,
and Alta his wife. (fn. 49) This grant was claimed by the
monks of Worcester to have been made in the time
of King Offa during the bishopric of Heathored
(781–98), (fn. 50) but the date and position of Wiferd
(O.E. Wigfrith) are both uncertain. No person of
rank bearing this name is recorded in the Mercia of
the 8th century, and 'Wiferd' cannot possibly have
been ealdorman of the Hwiccas in this period. Most
probably Wiferd lived in the 10th century. (fn. 51) The
boundaries of the land mentioned in this grant were
from Temede to Cornabroc (fn. 52) ; along the brook to
Cornwood, from there to Cornlith; along that lith
to the other Cornabroc, and along the middle of the
stream to Nen (fn. 53) ; from Nen to Maerabroc, (fn. 54) and
thence along Momele (fn. 55) boundary to Suthintun (fn. 56)
boundary; from that boundary between Stilla dune (fn. 57)
to Holanbrok, (fn. 58) and to the boundary at Holignan;
from Holigena boundary to the brook and to Worfesleahges (fn. 59) boundary and so to Stoctune, (fn. 60) and from
Stoctune east to Temede. (fn. 61) Newnham was also
included in Duke Uhtred's grant of Moor to the
church of Worcester. (fn. 62)
The manor is not mentioned in the Domesday
Survey, but was probably then included in the 15
hides of land at Knighton and Eardiston held by the
Prior and convent of Worcester. It was confirmed
in 1148 to the prior and convent by Bishop Simon, (fn. 63)
and assigned to the cellarer. (fn. 64) In 1215 the prior
prolonged the lease of Newnham for sixteen years. (fn. 65)
In 1241 the prior made peace with the parson and
freemen of Newnham concerning the assart of Cornwood. (fn. 66) In 1240 there were at Newnham a court
and chapel with 3 carucates of land in the demesne. (fn. 67)
At the Dissolution the manor was valued at
£47 17s. 8d. clear. (fn. 68) It was granted in 1542 to the
Dean and Chapter of Worcester, (fn. 69) and was confirmed
to them in 1608–9 by James I. (fn. 70) The manor was
confiscated under the Commonwealth, and sold in
1649 to George Cony of London. (fn. 71) It was restored
to the dean and chapter on the accession of Charles II,
and remained with them until
1859, when it was transferred
to the Ecclesiatical Commissioners. (fn. 72) It now includes
the manor of Knighton, and
is itself included in the manor
of Lindridge cum membris.
Wheeler of Newnham. Or a cheveron between three leopards' heads sable.
Newnham Court has long
been the residence of the
Wheeler family. Vincent
Wood Wheeler of Kyrewood
House was sometimes resident
at Newnham Court. He was
succeeded in 1853 by his son
Edward Vincent Wheeler, (fn. 73)
father of Edward Vincent Vashon Wheeler, D.L.,
J.P., now of Newnham Court. (fn. 74)
The manor of KNIGHTON-ON-TEME (Cnithtatun, x cent.; Cnistetone, xi cent.; Cnichteton,
xii cent.; Knichteton, Knihteton, xiii cent.) was
granted by Wiferd and Alta his wife to the monks
of Worcester, (fn. 75) and was held by the prior and convent at the Domesday Survey and in the time of
Henry I, when it was assigned to the support of
the monks. (fn. 76) They seem to have subinfeudated or
sold the estate to the Knightons. Alexander de
Knighton was holding in Worcestershire in 1180–1, (fn. 77)
and Ketelburn de Knighton held the manor in the
reign of Henry II. Half a hide of land at Knighton
passed from him to his son Thomas, and from
Thomas to his son Hugh, who gave it to the Prior
of Worcester in 1208. (fn. 78) This gift was confirmed by
his mother Miracula. (fn. 79) Half a virgate at Knighton
descended to Osbert de Knighton son of Ketelburn,
and passed from him to his son Ralph. This half
virgate was held of the Prior and convent of Worcester, and Ralph granted it to them about 1195–
1205, retaining for himself a life interest which expired on his death in 1220. (fn. 80) A rent of 60s. from
the manor was adjudged in 1211 by the prior to the
infirmarer of the priory. (fn. 81) Richard, another son of
Ketelburn de Knighton, unsuccessfully claimed part
of the manor in 1220–1. (fn. 82) In 1229 the prior made
an agreement with Christine de Knighton, who was
possibly the widow of Hugh de Knighton, that she
should give up all claim in the manor in exchange for
a yearly portion of three 'crannocks' of wheat during
her lifetime. (fn. 83) By an undated charter William, Prior
of Worcester, confirmed to Adam Parmentarius of
Knighton all the land in Knighton which he had
bought of Hugh de Knighton, paying yearly to the
prior and convent 7s. at the four terms. (fn. 84) The
manor appears subsequently to have become annexed
to Newnham, (fn. 85) whose descent it follows. (fn. 86)
EARDISTON (Eardulfestun, x cent.; Ardolvestone, xi cent.; Eardulfestun, xii cent.) was granted
with Knighton and Newnham by Wiferd to the
monks of Worcester, (fn. 87) and was held by them at the
time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 88) It is not subsequently mentioned as a manor, and it seems probable
that it became incorporated in the manor of Moor.
Sir William Smith, bart., resided at Eardiston
House from the 18th to the middle of the 19th
century. His estate was purchased shortly before
1868 by Mr. George Wallace, (fn. 89) who resided at Eardiston House until his death. The house is now
occupied by the Misses Wallace.
The manor of PENSAX (Pensex, xiii cent.; Pensokes, xvi cent.) was given to the Prior and convent
of Worcester by Ralph son of Osbert de Knighton
by a charter of 1195–1205. (fn. 90) Ralph retained a life
estate in the manor, but he died in 1220, (fn. 91) and in
1230 the monks leased the manor for life to Edwin,
a wheelwright, for the third sheaf. (fn. 92) In 1240 Pensax
was a member of the liberty of Lindridge, and in
demesne there were a grange and 1 carucate of land. (fn. 93)
It followed the same descent as the manor of Moor,
to which it is now annexed. (fn. 94)
An estate at Pensax was held in the 18th and 19th
centuries by the Clutton family, who resided at
Pensax Court. (fn. 95) The Clutton heiress married a Mr.
Brock, whose son, Colonel Brock, sold it about the
middle of the 19th century to John Higginbottom.
In 1868 there were coal-pits at work on his estate
which produced between 3,000 tons and 4,000 tons
annually. (fn. 96) Mr. Higginbottom resided at Pensax
Court. He apparently purchased part of the manorial
rights of Pensax, as he is called lord of the manor in
1872 and 1876. He sold all his interest in the
property to John Joseph Jones, who had purchased
the Abberley estate. It has since passed with Elmley
Castle and now belongs to Mr. James Arthur Jones of
Abberley Hall. Pensax Court is occupied by Captain
Baldwin John St. George.
Land at PENHULL
(fn. 97) in Lindridge was apparently
given with Knighton and Newnham by Wiferd to
the church of Worcester. (fn. 98) Like Lindridge this land
was lost by the convent before the Conquest, but
was restored by King William to Bishop Wulfstan. (fn. 99)
This estate was held in the reign of Henry III by
Alured de Penhull, but in consequence of debt the
property became mortgaged to the Jews, and Alured
being freed from his obligations to them by the Prior
of Worcester granted his estate about 1231 to the
convent in exchange for an undertaking by the prior
to provide him with a 'crannock' of grain, half wheat
and half siligo, every six weeks during his life, and a
rent of half a mark at Michaelmas during the lifetime
of his mother, and 10s. at the same feast every year
after her death. Alured was also to retain a house
and croft belonging to the dower of his mother, to
inhabit during his life. (fn. 100)
Habington assigns a very ancient lineage to the
family of Lowe, who held THE LOWE in Lindridge
until 1724. He states that
their ancestor was one of the
captains who fought under
Duke William of Normandy
in the conquest of England,
'as appeareth in a Rowle
most carefully and exactly
kept in Flanders.' (fn. 101) In the
time of Henry III, Stephen son
of Alan Lowe (de Lawa) 'being
detained in heavy chains [by
the Jews] and compelled to
make payment by exquisite
torments,' was released owing
to the exertions of the Prior
of Worcester on his behalf. In gratitude for this
benefit Stephen gave the prior part of his land at
'Lawa.' (fn. 102) At about the same time Stephen granted
to the prior and convent all the land which he held
of them in Moor in Lawefield. (fn. 103) In a survey of the
liberty of Lindridge taken in 1240 there were many
sokemen 'of the land of Stephen' paying rent for land
at 'Lawa.' (fn. 104)
Lowe of The Lowe. Or a bend cotised sable with three wolves' heads razed or on the bend.
In 1220–1 John Lowe (de la Lawe) conveyed land
in the Lowe to Alditha widow of David Lowe. (fn. 105) At
the beginning of the 16th century a suit took place
between Thomas Pakington and John Walker as to
the ownership of a messuage and land called the Lowe
in Lindridge. (fn. 106)
Nash in his history (fn. 107) gives a pedigree of the family
of Lowe from very remote times. The estate at
Lowe, now consisting of a single farm, Lowe Farm,
was held by this family until the death of Arthur Lowe
in 1724. (fn. 108) It passed to his daughter Elizabeth, who
had married Joshua Lowe. Her two sons died without issue, and on her death in 1727 the estate passed
to her daughters, Elizabeth wife of the Rev. William
Cleiveland, and Mary Pakington Lowe. Mary died
unmarried in 1768 and Elizabeth died in the following year, when the estate devolved upon her son, the
Rev. William Cleiveland, who was the owner in
1782. (fn. 109) This property now belongs to the Eardiston
Farming Co., Ltd.
The estate now represented by UPPER and
LOWER WOODSON FARMS belonged during the
16th and 17th centuries to the Penell family. Habington mentions a William de Wodeston, who died in
1302, and a John Pascall of Wodeston, who 'in his
pious charity to the priory of Worcester granted them
by consent of his wife Christine for the benefit of
their souls' land at Lindridge, Wodeston, Wodenhull (fn. 110)
and elsewhere—i.e. his lands in Lindridge, a noke in
Wodenhull held of Godfrey de Wodenhull (fn. 111) with
Pulecrosse and a noke between Munckmedowe and
Godmer and other lands held of Godfrey de Wodenhull and half a yardland in Wodeston. (fn. 112) There are
several monuments to the Penells of Woodson in
Lindridge Church, (fn. 113) and Nash in his history gives a
pedigree of the family. (fn. 114) Elizabeth daughter of
Edward Penell, who died in 1666, married Acton
Cremer, and joined with her son Henry in 1704
in selling this estate to Thomas Baker, in whose
family it still remained in 1782. (fn. 115)
Lindridge Church from the South
Mr. James Adams held the Woodson House estate
in 1872, and twenty years later it had passed to
James Adams Partridge. Mr. Charles George Partridge is a landowner at Lindridge at the present day,
but Woodson House is the residence of Mr. Edward
Francis Ingleby.
There were a mill and a fishery on the prior's
estate at Knighton and Eardiston in 1086. (fn. 116) In the
reign of King John, Ralph son of Osbert de Knighton
granted to the Prior and convent of Worcester all his
right in the mill of Newnham, (fn. 117) and in October
1212 this mill was granted to O. Bolt for ten years
for 60s. (fn. 118) Besides this mill at Newnham there were
also two mills at Moor in 1240, one outside the
court and the other called the mill of Medeweye, and
another at Pensax. (fn. 119) The three former mills were
exempt from vicar's tithes by an agreement made
between the Prior of Worcester and the vicar of
Lindridge in the time of Giles Bishop of Hereford
(1200–15). (fn. 120) In 1291 only two mills are mentioned
at Lindridge in the survey of the prior's lands there
at that date. (fn. 121) There is still a corn-mill at Newnham
on the River Rea, and another, Meadows Mill, on
the Teme in the south of Eardiston. This is doubtless on the site of the ancient Medeweye Mill. There
is a disused corn-mill in Pensax on a tributary
of the Teme. Cutmill House, on Dumbleton
Brook, may perhaps mark the site of the second
mill at Moor.
CHURCHES
The church of ST. LAWRENCE consists of a chancel,
north vestry and organ chamber, nave with south aisle of two bays and a
south-west tower, in the south wall of which
is the main doorway. The present building
was erected in 1861 on the site of an earlier
church, from which four brass tablets survive:
the first to Elizabeth wife of John Giles (died
1651); the second to William Penell of
Woodson (died 1623); the third to Margaret
wife of Edward Penell (died 1625); and the
fourth to Edward Penell (died 1666). They
bear the following coats of arms: the first, on
a fesse three sheaves with a molet for difference
impaling Rowndon, a griffon; the second,
Penell quartering a wolf passant for Lowe,
impaling quarterly 1. and 4. Rowndon, 2. six
martlets, 3. on a bend cotised three stags'
heads caboshed. Margaret Penell's brass has
two shields: Penell impaling Greville and
Penell quartering Lowe with an escutcheon of
pretence of Greville. The fourth brass bears:
Penell and Lowe quarterly with Greville in
pretence impaling a fesse ermine within a
border engrailed ermine for Acton, with a
greyhound's head for crest.
There are four bells in all: the first cast by
Robert Oldfeild, 1626; the second by Abraham
Rudhall, 1702; the third by John Martin,
1663; and fourth an ancient sanctus bell, the only
relic of the mediaeval church. It is inscribed in
very small Lombardic capitals: + AVE MARIA GRACIA
PLENA DOMINVS TECVM, with stamps representing royal
heads, perhaps Henry VI and Queen Margaret. The
letters are the same as on the second bell at Wichenford, and the bell was cast at Worcester about 1480.
The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten,
both of 1698—the cup is inscribed 'Lindridge';
a silver flagon of 1771, inscribed 'The Gift of Mrs.
Mary Winwood Widd. of Eardiston to the Parish
Church of Lindridge,' while in the middle of the
inscription is a shield charged with a cross fleury
impaling ermine a lion rampant; and two silver
credence patens, one a little larger than the other,
but both of the same date and engraved with the
same inscription and arms as the flagon.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1574 to 1612; (ii) (fn. 122) baptisms 1638 to 1711,
marriages 1648 to 1711; (iii) burials 1654 to 1728,
baptisms 1712 to 1728, marriages 1712 to 1727;
(iv) a paper volume in which are also entered many
parish collections and rates, births and burials 1695 to
1706, marriages 1696 to 1706; (v) baptisms 1728
to 1786, burials 1728 to 1787, marriages 1728 to
1753; (vi) marriages 1754 to 1812; (vii) baptisms
1786 to 1812, burials 1787 to 1812. There are
also two loose parchment leaves; the one, though
almost illegible, appears to contain all entries from
1636 to 1641, and the other all entries from 1628
to 1633.
The church of ST. MICHAEL at Knighton-onTeme consists of a chancel 22 ft. by 18¼ ft., a nave
54 ft. by 21¾ ft. and a wooden west tower, the lower
part of which has been inclosed by walls forming an
extension of the nave 25¾ ft. long and approximately
of the same width as the rest of the nave. These
measurements are all internal.
Plan of Knighton on Teme Church
The earliest church of which portions now remain
dated from the early 12th century, (fn. 123) and consisted of
a chancel and nave probably of the same size as those
now existing, with perhaps an external wood tower at
the west end.
The present nave as far west as the external
pilaster buttresses, together with the chancel arch and
an adjoining portion of the south chancel wall,
represent the remains of the original building. The
rest of the chancel dates from the end of the 12th
century, when it was rebuilt, the north wall being
made thicker than the south, which conforms to the
earlier portion remaining. Probably at the same
period the west end of the nave was rebuilt, the
pilaster buttresses covering the junction.
This rebuilding would include the west wall, which
occupied the position of the present wood partition.
The walling of this date has a plinth, which is not
used in the earlier work. The exact date of the
present wood tower is uncertain, but the rough construction, with the four massive oak struts, indicates
early work. The later inclosing walls, which probably date from the 15th century, indicate the
existence at that period of a similar feature. The
wooden doorway in the screen which now separates
the nave from the tower is perhaps of the same date.
The two lancet lights in the west tower wall are
probably late copies of the original windows of the
church.
The eastern wall of the chancel has two modern
wide round-headed single-light windows. In the
north wall are two single-light windows, the heads of
which appear to have been changed from round to
pointed. In the south wall is a modern trefoiled
piscina, with a shelf and a two-light window with
quatrefoil tracery, of about 1360. The modern sedile
formed in the sill represents an ancient feature, as the
west jamb is also cut away. The south door has a
plain segmental inner arch, and to the west of it is a
small square window, probably of the 14th century;
it is rebated for a shutter, the hooks of which
remain. The sill is splayed downwards, and there
are two cinquefoils painted in dark red on the soffit
of the window head. The chancel arch, which has
a flattened semicircular head, is of two orders, each
enriched with a line of sunk star work, and has jamb
shafts with cushion capitals and chamfered abaci to
the inner order on the nave side. The abaci, which
have been cut back flush with the capitals on the west,
are elsewhere enriched with star work. The shafts
have conical bases with spurs. On either side of the
arch, and possibly of slightly earlier date, are small
wall arcades, each of two bays, with small round arches
formed out of single stones supported by columns
with cushion capitals without abaci and conical bases,
the complete arcade being inclosed in a round arch
with the tympanum thus formed left quite plain and
unornamented.
The first window in the north nave wall is of two
lights and is similar to that in the south chancel wall.
It contains some fragments of original glass consisting
of canopy and border work. The second and third
windows are pointed lancets, both probably insertions of the 13th century, and between them is the
north door, now blocked, showing an external segmental arch, which has been altered. At the south-east
is a window of two lights similar to the corresponding
window in the north wall. The south door is narrow
and high, measuring 9 ft. to the spring of the external
arch and 11½ ft. to the spring of the rear arch. It is
of two round-arched orders, the outer set in a projection from the wall which rises above the doorway
and includes a wall arcade. This order is enriched
with sunk star work, and springs from cushion capitals
and plain shafts. The inner has a double line of
cable moulding. The eastern jamb and shaft are cut
away for a stoup. Above the doorway are the remains
of a billeted string-course, upon which is a row of
five circular shafts carrying a small wall arcade. The
arches are cut from single stones and worked with a
tooth moulding. The capitals, without abaci, are of
differing designs, and the shafts, which have cushion
bases, are enriched with cheveron, spiral and sunk
star designs.
West of the doorway is a two-light 15th-century
window. The west end of the nave is cut off from
the tower by a 15th-century wood partition, in which
is an ogee-headed doorway, which leads into the
central part of the ground floor of the tower, now
used as a vestry. It is lighted from the west by two
pointed lancets with sills cut down and contains some
18th-century pews taken from the nave and an old
chest of plain oak planks.
Flanking the vestry are two narrow spaces, from
the southern of which, entered by a doorway in the
south wall, access is obtained to the upper stages of
the tower. In these spaces are the struts or legs of
the tower framework, which rise slantwise across
each other.
The nave roof is of the 15th century, with moulded
tie-beams; the wall-plates and purlins are moulded,
and the principals have moulded cambered tie-beams,
with braced collars and plain struts above.
The eastern bay has canted boarding in panels,
with moulded battens painted alternately red and green
and embattled wall-plates. Originally, to allow an
uninterrupted view of the rood-loft, there was no tiebeam across the eastern bay, but a modern beam has
now been inserted. On the battens is a spiral pattern,
and the panels have been diapered. Nailed to the
jacklegs below the ties are reversed shields bearing
crowned tuns and roses. The west end is wattled in
above the wood partition. Above the chancel arch
are two beams which once carried part of the roodloft.
The font has a shallow bowl and a baluster stem,
with a round moulded base. The communion table
has late 17th-century baluster legs, and the rails are
of 18th-century date.
On the north chancel wall is a monument to John
Cecil, High Sheriff of Bristol, who died in 1697.
Externally the older walls are built of red sandstone,
the later of red sandstone and tufa. The southeastern nave window has a label with large worn
stops, and above it an angel holding a defaced shield,
the lower part of which seems to bear a cheveron
with a molet in base. The roof is tiled and the sides
of the tower boarded.
In the churchyard to the south of the church are
the steps and lower part of the stem of a cross. On
the west face of the steps is a niche with a crocketed
gable and side pinnacles.
There were formerly three bells: the first cast by
John Martin, 1661, the second mediaeval, dedicated
in honour of St. Michael, and the third dated 1625.
At present only two exist, a bell originally of 1625
recast by James Barwell of Birmingham in 1885, and
a small 'ting-tang' without inscription. (fn. 124)
The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten
of the Elizabethan period, which have no plate-marks,
but the paten bears the date 1577, and a chalice,
paten and flagon of 1865.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1559 to 1642 (an unbound parchment volume,
much decayed and in places illegible); (ii) all entries
1653 to 1700 on parchment and 1703 to 1716 on
paper (this too is an unbound volume); (iii) all
entries 1717 to 1748; (iv) baptisms and burials 1748
to 1789; (v) baptisms and burials 1790 to 1812;
(vi) marriages 1757 to 1811.
The church of ST. JAMES at Pensax was built in
1832 and is of little architectural interest. The
building consists of a chancel with north vestry and
organ chamber, nave and west tower with a porch on
the south. The east window is of five lights in 15thcentury style. The chancel roof is panelled in oak.
The chancel arch has shafted jambs. On each side of
the nave are three windows of 15th-century type,
and there is a similar window in the west wall of
the tower.
There are three bells: the treble, by John Martin
of Worcester, is inscribed with the three churchwardens' names and the date 1669; the second is
inscribed '1627 I.P. God is my hope'; the third, by
John Martin, is inscribed 'All praise and glory be to
God for ever' with a churchwarden's name, 1681.
The plate comprises a large chalice and paten
given by Priscilla Childe, 1720, and made in the
preceding year, and a modern plated flagon.
The registers are as follows: (i) mixed entries
1563 to 1707, which is bound up with a fragment
of a 13th-century manuscript; (ii) 1707 to 1746;
(iii) 1747 to 1771, the marriage entries extending
only to 1754; (iv) marriages 1754 to 1811; (v)
and (vi) baptisms and burials 1772 to 1791 and 1791
to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The Prior and convent of Worcester claimed the church of Lindridge as the gift of Wiferd. (fn. 125) There
was a priest on the prior's estate at Knighton and
Eardiston in 1086, (fn. 126) but it does not appear whether
he ministered at the church at Lindridge or at
the chapel of Knighton. Possibly when the monks
lost the manor of Lindridge the church was also
taken from them, for in 1132 Robert de Bethune,
Bishop of Hereford, 'to make a perfect union of
charity between the Prior of Worcester and the
church of Hereford,' gave to David, Prior of Worcester, and the monks the parsonage of Lindridge for
ever. (fn. 127) This grant was confirmed by Pope Lucius
(1144–5) and by Pope Innocent. (fn. 128) In 1205 Giles
Bishop of Hereford confirmed to the monks a pension
of 40s. from the church of Lindridge, (fn. 129) and in the
following year an agreement was made between the
parson of Lindridge and the prior, by which the
prior was to receive yearly 10s. from the church
and the parson was to have all the tithes of Moor
and Newnham except tithes of hay. (fn. 130) The presentations were made by the prior and convent, (fn. 131) and in
1307 they obtained licence to appropriate the church
in order to augment the convent by three monks and
to find two wax lights continually burning before the
shrine of St. Wulfstan. (fn. 132) The vicarage was ordained
in 1310. The vicar was to have a court with a
garden and dovecot which the rector of the church
formerly had as a rectory; he was also to have 24s.
from the chapel of Knighton and 8s. from the chapel
of Pensax, besides the support of two chaplains, 20s.
from the mother church of Lindridge, and tithes
from certain fields and a fulling-mill. The houses
in which the chaplains of Knighton and Pensax had
been accustomed to live were to be at the disposition
of the vicar, so that his chaplains might live there
without paying rent. The vicar was to appoint
suitable chaplains to serve the two chapels. (fn. 133)
The advowson was granted in 1542 to the Dean
and Chapter of Worcester, (fn. 134) and has remained in
their possession ever since. (fn. 135)
In the time of Henry III Godfrey de Dodenhull
gave an acre of land in Benhales field to maintain
the light on the altar of St. Mary. (fn. 136) Land to the
yearly value of 8d. was held for the support of lights
in the church at the time of the dissolution of the
chantries. (fn. 137)
The chapel of Knighton was attached to the
church of Lindridge in the time of Edward I, (fn. 138) and
was served by a chaplain appointed by the vicar of
Lindridge. (fn. 139) In the time of Edward VI it was
returned that there were 160 'houselyng people' at
Knighton and there was a chantry of our Lady in
the church there. (fn. 140)
In the return made to Parliament during the
Commonwealth the inhabitants of Knighton stated
that their chapel of Knighton was appendant to
Lindridge; that the township of Knighton and the
village thereunto belonging were distant from Lindridge Church about 2 miles and some parts 3 miles,
'and the ways thereof very fowle and deepe in time
of winter'; that the church of Lindridge was not
large enough to contain half the parishioners of
Knighton and Lindridge; that as their chapel was
larger than the church of Lindridge and had a fair
gallery and had all parochial rights belonging to it,
and stood near about the middle of the township,
they conceived it fit to be made a parish church. (fn. 141)
The parish was not, however, ecclesiastically separated
from Lindridge until 1843. (fn. 142) Since that time the
living has been a vicarage in the gift of the vicar of
Lindridge.
A parcel of land given for the maintenance of
certain lights in the church at Knighton was granted
in 1550 to William Winlove and Richard Feld. (fn. 143)
The date when Pensax chapel was first built is not
known. It was a chapel of Lindridge in the time of
Edward I, (fn. 144) and was served by a chaplain appointed
by the vicar of Lindridge. (fn. 145) Nash says, 'Pensax
chapel stands very high with a small spire. It has
the privilege of burials.' (fn. 146) This old chapel under
the invocation of St. James was of the Norman period,
and was pulled down in 1829. (fn. 147) Pensax was formed
into an ecclesiastical parish in 1843. (fn. 148) The living is
a vicarage in the gift of the vicar of Lindridge.
There is a Wesleyan chapel at Frith Common.
There is also a mission church at Menith Wood
where services are held on Sunday evenings.
CHARITIES
In 1718 Arthur Lowe, by his will,
directed six penny loaves to be distributed among six poor people, also
that £1 a year should be paid to the vicar for
preaching a sermon on St. Thomas's Day and Good
Friday.
The testator also directed that the same six people
should every third year receive a garment, a coat for
men and a waistcoat with long skirts for women.
These payments were charged on a tenement and
lands belonging to the Lowe Estate in the Upper
Clay Wood, lying above the Lowe, and are duly made.