ST. MARTIN
The parish of St. Martin lies in the east part of
the city of Worcester and stretches into the country
as far as the borders of Spetchley and Bredicot. It
contains about 1,093 acres, of which about twothirds are under permanent grass, rather less than
one-third arable and the rest woodland. (fn. 1) The
parish, or the greater part of it, was at one time
within the limits of the forest of Feckenham. Some
of the plantations lie about Woodgreen and Elbury
Hill, but the greater part of the woodland is on the
lower ground in the south of the parish. The
southern boundary skirts the edge of Perry Wood
close to the battle-field of 1651 and passes along the
Alcester road almost as far as the hamlet of Swinesherd, which stands a little to the south of Nunnery
Wood, and is said to have formed one of the boundaries of the Cudley estate as early as 974. (fn. 2) A footpath branching off from this road about a quarter of
a mile beyond Swinesherd leads to Cudley Court,
which is connected by another path with the road
from Crowle. This road passes through the hamlets
of Newtown and Ronkswood, and runs almost due
west across the parish, entering the city close by
Shrub Hill station on the Great Western line. The
ground rises gradually from the east and south-west,
the highest point in the parish being reached at
Leopard Hill about a quarter of a mile south of the
Tolladine road, which there forms the northern
boundary.
Leopard Grange, about 2 miles east of the city
by this road, is a rectangular brick house of two
stories and an attic built in 1705, with a later 18thcentury addition on the north and a modern singlestory wing on the east. On a keystone of an upper
floor window are the date 1705 and the initials
W… M., the second letter being obliterated. The
house contains a fine oak staircase with moulded handrail and twisted balusters. Ponds on the east and
west of the house and a depression filled with soft
earth on the north are probably the remains of an
encircling moat.
Nunnery Farm north of the junction of the
Alcester and Pershore roads is a two-story early
18th-century brick house with a 19th-century threestory addition.
The soil is partly alluvium, the subsoil Keuper Marls.
The following place-names occur in local records:
Goldbourn, (fn. 3) Æglardes Marsh (fn. 4) (? xi cent.); Red Hill, (fn. 5)
Losemere, (fn. 6) Scomeleswey, Stocking, (fn. 7) Endel' (fn. 8) (xiii cent.);
Incentis Lane, Pirie Brook, (fn. 9) Le Oeure (fn. 10) (xiv cent.);
Twenty Lands, Plackmedowe, the Pike, Woodgreen,
Stockt Coppice, Wallreadinge (fn. 11) and Windmill Hills (fn. 12)
(xvii cent.).
MANORS
The church of Worcester was in
possession of CUDLEY (Cudinclea,
x cent.; Cudelei, xi cent.; Codeley,
Cudeleg, Codele, xiii cent.; Cudley Bethnall, xvi cent.)
before the Conquest, and it is said that as early as
974 the bishop had certain lands there, which St.
Oswald leased to Brihtlaf for three lives. (fn. 13) At the
time of the Domesday Survey Urse D'Abitot held
1 hide there of the bishop's manor of Northwick (fn. 14) ;
it had previously been held by Ælfgifu the nun. (fn. 15)
The bishop's overlordship is mentioned about 1212, (fn. 16)
but seems to have been allowed to lapse during
the 13th century; there is no reference to it after
this date. The lordship of the Earl of Warwick, the
descendant of Urse, is mentioned in 1315. (fn. 17) In
1212 Cudley was held of William de Beauchamp
by John de Cudley, (fn. 18) who with his wife Maud
unsuccessfully claimed common of pasture in Leopard
against the Prior of Worcester. (fn. 19) John was perhaps
succeeded by Jordan de Cudley, whose name appears
in various deeds about 1259, (fn. 20) but before 1282
Thomas de Cudley seems to have been the chief
landholder there. (fn. 21) Before 1297 John de Cudley,
called also John de Everley, was in possession of the
manor. (fn. 22) He married Philippa de Spetchley, (fn. 23) by
whose name his descendants were sometimes known.
Thomas de Cudley, who seems to have been the
second son of John de Everley, (fn. 24) held the manor in
1315. (fn. 25) He died before 1330, at which date another
John de Cudley was lord of the manor, which he
and his wife Alice settled on Marjory the wife of
Philip de Peopleton, probably their daughter, and
her heirs. (fn. 26) This Philip was no doubt the Philip de
Spetchley who held the manor in 1346, (fn. 27) at which
date Spetchley itself was still held by William de
Everley, the son of John and Alice. (fn. 28) William de
Everley died in 1349, (fn. 29) and his property afterwards
came to William de Spetchley, who was perhaps the
son of Philip and Marjory. This William in 1363
settled all his lands in Cudley and Spetchley on himself and his wife Parnel and their children with remainder to William, rector of Peopleton, and his
heirs. (fn. 30)
The descent of the manor during the 15th century
is very difficult to trace. Habington says that it
descended to the Hubauds, (fn. 31) but does not give the
date at which they became possessed of it. It was,
however, held in his own day by Sir John Hubaud, (fn. 32)
who sold it between 1553 and 1585 to Ralph Wyatt,
at one time high bailiff of the city of Worcester. (fn. 33)
He was succeeded at Cudley by his son William
Wyatt, (fn. 34) whose daughter and heir Frances married
Richard Wyatt. (fn. 35) They sold the manor to Sir
Robert Berkeley in 1635, (fn. 36) and it has ever since
followed the descent of Spetchley (fn. 37) (q.v.). The present
owner is Mr. R. V. Berkeley, who holds it as part of
the Spetchley estate. (fn. 38)
The earliest reference to LEOPARD (Lipperd,
x cent.; Lippard, xiii cent.; Luppard, Lyppard,
xiv cent.; Lypards, Lypperdes Farm, Lippiards,
xvi cent.; Leppards, Leopards, xvii cent.) occurs in
a charter dated 969, where it is mentioned among
the boundaries of Battenhall. (fn. 39) It is also given among
the boundaries of Perry in a charter of Wulfstan
Bishop of Worcester between 1003 and 1016, (fn. 40) but
is not entered as a separate manor in Domesday
Book. (fn. 41) Probably it was at that time included in
Whittington and Warndon, for in 1236 part of
it was said to have been given to the priory of
Worcester by John Poer (fn. 42) and part by Sir H.
Poer (fn. 43) ; while another half-virgate near Whittington,
for which the priory paid 1d. yearly to the heirs of
Adam de Throckmorton, (fn. 44) had been the gift of
Richard Marmion. (fn. 45)
In 1204 Randulf Prior of Worcester obtained from
Robert de Bracy a quitclaim of his rights of common
of pasture in Leopard, and in return quitclaimed to
Robert his own common rights in Warndon. (fn. 46) The
prior's manor was disafforested in 1224, according to
the annals of the monastery, (fn. 47) and in 1256 he and
his monks obtained a grant of free warren in their
demesne lands 'without the bounds of the king's
forest.' (fn. 48) These bounds, however, seem to have
been still somewhat doubtful, for it is recorded in
the perambulation of 1297 that Leopard ought to be
disafforested according to the charter of Henry III. (fn. 49)
The prior and convent remained in possession of
Leopard until the Dissolution, (fn. 50) and the manor was
afterwards granted to the dean and chapter, (fn. 51) who
remained in possession until the 17th century. (fn. 52)
The manor of PERRY (Pirian, Pirie, xi cent.;
Purie, Perye, xiv cent.) belonged before the Conquest
to the Bishops of Worcester, though according to the
monastic chartulary it had been granted to the monks
by 'Sexwulf the first bishop of Worcester' before
680. (fn. 53) It was leased for three lives to Wulfgifu by
Wulfstan Bishop of Worcester between 1003 and
1016, (fn. 54) and was afterwards held by Godric (fn. 55) ; at the
time of the Domesday Survey Herlebald was the
tenant. (fn. 56) The manor passed before 1212 to William
de Beauchamp, of whom it was perhaps held by
Stephen de Beauchamp. (fn. 57) The
overlordship of the bishop is
mentioned for the last time
at this date (fn. 58) ; the Beauchamps
were afterwards regarded as
the overlords until 1350,
when the Earl of Warwick
resumed a moiety of the
manor. (fn. 59) Perry was held in
the 14th and perhaps the
13th century by a family who
took their surname from the
place; William de Perry is
mentioned in 1241 (fn. 60) and Ralf
de Perry in 1292. (fn. 61) Before
1307 Nicholas de Perry had succeeded to the manor,
which he settled in that year on himself and his wife
Agnes, with successive remainders to his sons John
and Richard. (fn. 62) Before 1334 John de Grafton was
in possession of Perry. (fn. 63) He afterwards granted half
the manor to the hospital of St. Wulfstan (fn. 64) ; the
remaining moiety was perhaps already in the hands
of his son Roger, who settled it in 1350 on himself
and Thomas Robins for life, with reversion to the
Earl of Warwick. (fn. 65) In 1352 the earl received from
Edward III a grant of free warren in his demesne
lands there. (fn. 66)
Perry. Argent a bend sable with three pears or thereon.
The Beauchamp moiety of the manor followed
the descent of Elmley Castle (q.v.) until 1487, (fn. 67) when
Anne Countess of Warwick released her right in it to
Henry VII. (fn. 68) It was afterwards held on lease from
Henry VIII by Richard Came, (fn. 69) but was granted by
the king in 1545 to William Forthe and Richard
Morrison. (fn. 70) Probably Forthe shortly afterwards released his right to his coparcener, for two weeks later
Morrison, who had obtained a grant of the other
moiety of Perry on the dissolution of St. Wulfstan's
Hospital, (fn. 71) exchanged the whole manor with the
Crown for other lands. (fn. 72) In the following year
Henry VIII granted it to the Dean and Chapter of
Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 73) who were still the owners at
the end of the 18th century. (fn. 74) All manorial rights in
connexion with this estate have now apparently lapsed.
Frog Mill is mentioned as an appurtenance of the
manor of Perry in 1423 (fn. 75) ; it followed throughout
the descent of the Beauchamp moiety. (fn. 76)
CHURCHES
The church of ST. MARTIN is in
the Cornmarket, and was rebuilt in red
brick with stone dressings in 1771 from
the designs of Anthony Keck. (fn. 77) It consists of nave
with vaulted aisles in five bays and carried by Ionic
columns with entablatures. There is a tower at the
west end, finished through the grant of £300 by the
Rev. Benjamin Lane. The fittings are old, but the
seats, font and east window are recent. The entire
cost of building the church was £2,215, including the
old materials. (fn. 78) The old church had three aisles, with
three gables to the south, an open timbered south
porch with a parvise, and a western tower capped
with open balustrades and corner urns. (fn. 79) Sir Robert
Berkeley, the judge, gave twenty trees towards the
rebuilding of the north aisle in 1616, and spent over
£100 in rehanging the ring of bells and adding the
tenor and treble bells in 1640. (fn. 80)
The bells are six in number: the first by Thomas
Rudhall, 1780; the second by Thomas Mears of
London, 1833; the third is of the 14th century,
probably cast at Lichfield, and is inscribed 'Sancte
Martine Hora Pro Nobis'; the fourth and fifth are
by Hugh Watts of Leicester, inscribed respectively
'Durantia Dona in Honorem, 1638,' and 'The
Gifte of Robert Durant for the honour of God,
1638'; the tenor is by the same founder, inscribed
'Deo Gloriam et Gratias Sono Berkeley, 1640.'
There is also a 'ting-tang' inscribed 'The gift of
Richard Durant, 1621.'
The plate consists of a modern cup, paten and
large flagon, which are reported to have been made
out of the old plate. (fn. 81)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms 1538 to 1634, burials 1545 to 1626,
marriages 1538 to 1628; (ii) all entries 1637 to
1680; (iii) all entries 1681 to 1744; (iv) baptisms
1745 to 1788, burials 1745 to 1775; (v) baptisms
1788 to 1812, burials 1789 to 1812; (vi) marriages
1776 to 1807; (vii) marriages 1807 to 1812. Two
volumes of marriages, 1754 to 1762 and 1762 to
1776, are missing. (fn. 82)
The new church of ST. MARTIN in the London
Road now supersedes the old one in the Cornmarket
as the parish church. It was consecrated on 18 April
1911 and was erected from designs by Mr. G. H.
Fellowes Prynne. The old church has been united
to the parish of St. Swithun.
ADVOWSON
It is possible that St. Martin was
the church mentioned among the
boundaries of Perry in the charter
of Bishop Wulfstan. (fn. 83) The advowson belonged to
the priory of Worcester until the Dissolution, (fn. 84) and
was granted in 1542 to the dean and chapter, (fn. 85)
who are still the patrons. (fn. 86) A chantry was founded
in this church before 1349 (fn. 87) ; the advowson belonged
to the rector. (fn. 88) It is mentioned in 1355, (fn. 89) but seems
to have been disused before the Dissolution; there is
no reference to it in the chantry certificates, though
the profits from the leases of certain tenements were
employed for the celebration of an obit. (fn. 90)
CHARITIES
The united charities are regulated
by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners 4 January 1910. They
comprise the charities of:—
1. Alice Houghton, gift before 1673. The endowment consists of an inn, known as the 'Swan with
Two Necks,' situate in New Street, Worcester, let at
£30 a year.
2. Unknown donor, gift before 1672. Endowment originally a house in New Street, which was
sold in 1893 and proceeds invested in £508 Great
Western Railway 4½ per cent. debenture stock.
3. Edward Thomas Moore. Founded by deedpoll 1613. The property consists of a shop and
yard, a warehouse adjoining, and two cottages in
Silver Street, a workshop in Watercourse Alley, and
a warehouse, the whole producing £47 4s. 6d.
yearly.
4. Charities of Robert Bell and others, comprised
in deed 19 October 1685, in which it was recited
that certain charitable donations, amounting in the
aggregate to £189 13s. 4d., were given for the poor,
including £100 by Joshua Gun, £10 by Robert
Berkeley, £5 by Robert Bell, and £25 by Mary
Salway for the instruction of poor children. The
principal was laid out in the purchase of land. The
trust estate now consists of 13 a. 2 r. 13 p., called
'The Greens,' at Upton-on-Severn, an allotment of
2 a. 1 r. at Upton Ham, and 1 a. 2 r. 33 p. adjoining,
of the gross yearly rental of £44.
5. Richard Durant. Will 20 October 1617.
6. John Greenway, date unknown, but before
1830. The property of these two charities consists
of a house and land called 'The Vineyards' at
Powick, producing £35 yearly.
7. Mrs. Johnson. Will before 1772. The endowment consists of Lake House Farm, Welland, containing 11 a. 2 r. 26 p., an allotment in Tildridge
containing 3 a. or. 4 p., and 1 acre of land known
as Upper Tildridge, Upton-on-Severn, the whole
producing £43 yearly.
8. Sir Robert Berkeley. Gift before 1685, consisting of a rent-charge of £5 10s. out of Red
Witchend Estate at Much Cowarne.
9. Mrs. Ann Moore. Will in or about 1638,
being a rent-charge of £2 10s. out of Red Witchend
Estate at Much Cowarne, co. Hereford.
10. William Bagnall. Will 1654, being a rentcharge of £4 for the parishes of St. Martin and St.
Nicholas, issuing out of the Old Pheasant Inn, Worcester, applicable in apprenticing in these parishes
alternately. There is also a sum of £99 1s. 4d.
consols, representing accumulations belonging to the
parish of St. Martin.
11. John Pomfrey. Will before 1718, being a
rent-charge of £1 15s. out of Gaunt's Land, at Martin
Hussingtree.
12. Elizabeth Mary Grismond. Deed 1726, being
a rent-charge of £1 5s. out of the Mile End Estate
at Kempsey.
13. John Woodward. Gift before 1830, being a
rent-charge of £2 12s. out of the Railway Bell Inn,
Worcester.
14. Ann Russell. Will 1792, a legacy of £100,
which, together with an addition from the parish,
was invested in £200 consols.
15. Robert Vellers. Will 1815, trust fund £91
5s. 7d. consols.
16. George Wingfield and Anne Summer. Will
before 1813, trust fund, £149 18s. consols.
17. Christopher Henry Hebb. Codicil to will,
1849, trust fund, £200 consols.
18. Susan Hartshorne. Will proved at Worcester
14 November 1879, trust fund, £198 0s. 4d.
consols.
The several sums of stock are held by the
official trustees, producing in dividends £46 6s. a
year. The scheme directs that after providing for a
'Repair Fund' one-eighth of the net yearly income
of the charities of Robert Bell and others shall be
applied to education and called the Educational
Foundation of Mary Salway; and that one-half of
the net income of the charities of Richard Durant
and John Greenway and Alice Houghton, and the
unknown donor's charity, together with the yearly
sum of £2 13s. out of the income of the charity of
Sir Robert Berkeley, shall be applied towards the
maintenance, &c., of the parish church, the remaining
income being applicable for the general benefit of the
poor.
In 1910 £4 10s. was paid to poor widows
(Hartshorne's charity), £13 4s. 2d. in relief tickets,
£4 15s. 6d. in travelling expenses of patients to
hospitals, &c., in clothes, &c., and in relief in money,
£3 4s. in maintenance of patients at convalescent
home, and the balance in subscriptions to certain
institutions.