TREDINGTON
Tredingctun (viii cent.); Tredinctune (x cent.);
Tredinton (xiii cent.); Tredynton, Tradynton
(xiv cent.).
The parish of Tredington is one of the detached
parishes of Worcestershire and lies to the south-east
of the county proper. Included in this parish are
the township of Tredington and the hamlets of Blackwell, Darlingscott, Newbold-on-Stour and Armscote.
Fosse Way, the old Roman road between Moretonin-Marsh and Leicester, runs through the parish
from south to north and crosses the present high
road from Stratford to Shipston-on-Stour to the
north of the village of Tredington, which is situated
on the latter road. Newbold-on-Stour is also on the
Stratford road, from which a branch leads south
through Armscote, Blackwell and Darlingscott. The
River Stour, flowing north, forms the greater part of
the eastern and northern boundaries of the parish.
The Stratford-upon-Avon and Moreton-in-Marsh
tramway runs through the parish, the Shipston-on-Stour branch joining the main line at Darlingscott.
There are brick-fields and lime-kilns near the tramway.
The area of the parish of Tredington is 5,347 acres, (fn. 1)
of which 1,639 are arable, 3,430 permanent grass and
17 woods. (fn. 2) The chief crops raised are wheat, beans,
barley and oats. The soil is stiff clay and the subsoil
is Lower Lias; in Armscote Field white lias lime-stone is obtainable.
The village of Tredington is situated about 2 miles
north of Shipston-on-Stour upon the main road to
Straford. The church stands on high ground a little
to the east of the main road in a churchyard surrounded by old stone wall with a weathered and
stepped coping. Between the churchyear and the
main road is the rctory; the original building,
which must have been a particularly fine example of
a large 15th-century house, was unfortunately demolished in the 'forties of the last century, when the
present building was erected, a few of the windows
of the old house being re-used. In the window of
the hall, which is an original 15th-century window of
two lights with a square traceried head, is some 17th-century heraldic glass, comprising the following
shieds: (1) Gules a bend or between two scallops
argent impaling gules a cheveron argent between
three cinquefoils argent; (2) Sable a fesse argent
between three sheldrakes in their proper colour impaling the first charge of the foregoing shield; (3) Gules
two swords argent in saltire impaling sable three
crosslerts fitchy on a cheveron or between three stars
or with the crest of a mitre, for William Laud,
Bishop of London; (4) the Stuart royal arms. The
coach-house, to the south-east of the rectory, appears
to be a fragment of the original out-buildings. The
cottages which compose the village are mostly of
stone, with low mullioned windows and stone-slated
roofs after the regular Cotswold type. To the east
of the church is a good stone farm-house two stories
in height, with an attic in the roof, dating from
the early 17th century. To the south-west of the
village are the Tredington Hills, where the land rises
to 300 ft. above the ordnance datum. Armscote is a
pituresque hamlet about three-quarters of a mile
north-west of the church. The manor-house is a
fine L-shaped early 17th-century house of stone, two
stories in height with an attic. The windows
throughout have moulded labels and ovolo-moulded
mullions. The southern or principal front has two
gabled bays, extending above the eaves of the roof
and lighting the attics. The ground stage of the
eastern bay contains the entrance porch. Between
the windows of the first and attic floors is a sundial.
The interior has been much cut about and modernixed.
On a fireback still preserved is inscribed '1631 N/AM.'
Armscote House, known locally as the 'Pool House'
from the ponds to the south-east, is an early 17th-century building of two stories with an attic. H-shaped
on plan, with an original entrance passage on the east
side of the central room or hall. The stairs are at
the north-west of the hall in the west wing. The
fireplaces are mostly of stone, with straight-sided, fourcentred heads. On a beam in one of the rooms in
the east wing is carved the date 1606. The front,
with its stone-mullioned windows, each with a lable,
and its gabled wings at either end, is charateristic
of the period. The roofs are stone-slated on the
front, but tiled at the back, where the windows have
oak frames, mullions and ledges. The chimney stacks
are of stone with moulded cappings. The inclosing
wall of the garden on the entrance side appears to be
of the original date, though the gate-piers, crowned
by ball finials, are probably later. The original farm
buildings still remain.
Armscote House, Tredington, South Front
The hamlet of Newbold, situated about 1½ miles
north of Tredington upon the Stratford road, contains
many moder brick cottages and some older work.
Opposite the church is a good stone farm-house of
the early 17th century, and to the north of this, a
little to the east of the main road, is a small stone
house of c. 1700, with mullioned and transomed
windows of the old type on the principal front, and
a large sash-window, apparently contemporary, in the
gabled end wall on the south.
At Talton near Newbold is Talton House, a
modernized gabled building with sash-windows inserted in the 18th century A short distance to the
west of the house is a water-mill, partly old.
Blackwell, about 1 mile west of Tredington, is
a hamlet of moderate size, containing some good
examples of the Cotswold type of stone cottages.
There is a green at the west end of the settlement,
where the cottages have been largely rebuilt.
Darlingscott, about 1 mile south-west of Blackwell, contains many picturesque stone farm-houses
and cottages of the early 17th century.
Roman remains have been found at Newbold-on-Stour and at Talton. (fn. 3)
An Inclosure Act for Tredington was passed in
1836, the award being dated 26 April 1878. (fn. 4) The
award for Armscote Field is dated 31 July 1865, (fn. 5)
that for Blackwell 24 October 1868, (fn. 6) for Darlingscott
27 August 1846, (fn. 7) and for Newbold-on-Stour 20 June
1850 (amended 9 December 1850). (fn. 8)
Humphrey Owen was rector of Tredington from
1744 until 1763, when he became librarian of the
Bodleian Library. Peter Vannes, Dean of Salisbury,
the well-known Latin secretary to Henry VIII
and Edward VI, was rector of Tredington in 1542.
Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker was younger son of
Hyde Parker, rector of Tredington, and was born
there in 1713–14. (fn. 9)
The following place-names occur in the 14th century: Bithelongesithers, Underchirchehull, Wydycombe, Baldricheswelle, the Chirchehulleweye, (fn. 10)
Menecroft, (fn. 11) and Heyfordusland. (fn. 12)
MANORS
A spurious charter purporting to date
from the 8th century relates that Eanbeorht, under-king of the Hwiccas, and
his brothers Uhtred and Aldred granted land in
TREDINGTON to Milred, Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 13)
Tredington was in the hundred of Winburntree, and
by the charter of King Edgar of 964 was freed from
royal exactions. (fn. 14) In 1086 the Bishop of Worcester
held 23 hides in Tredington. (fn. 15) In 1254 the bishop
obtained in this manor a grant of free warren, which
was confirmed to him in the following year. (fn. 16) In
1351 the bishop complained that though he had
infangentheof and outfangentheof in this manor, as in
all his other Worcestershire manors, some goods found
in the possession of thieves arrested in the manor of
Tredington had been taken away by force by other
malefactors, so that justice had never been done. (fn. 17)
In 1409 he again had reason for complaint, as Richard
Wych, parson of the church of Tredington, late farmer
of the manor of Tredington, with others broke into the
manor-house, dovecot and mill at Tredington, carried
off the windows with their iron fastenings, sealed the
door of the mill, stole the doves, and assaulted the
bishop's servants and Simon Colyns, then farmer of
the manor. (fn. 18)
In 1423 the manor of Tredington, with the watermill and fishery, was leased to Richard Cassey, rector
of Tredington. (fn. 19)
The manor remained part of the possessions of the
see of Worcester (fn. 20) until it was sold by the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1649 to John Baker and
William Dyer, (fn. 21) but the bishop recovered it at the
Restoration. It remained in the possession of successive bishops until 1860, when it was transferred to
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, (fn. 22) who are at present
lords of the manor. (fn. 23)
In 1588 Edmund, Bishop of Worcester, leased the
site of the manor of Tredington and other lands to
Queen Elizabeth for ninety years, after the expiration
of certain leases then running. (fn. 24) A month later she
assigned the lease to her physician Roger Lopes, (fn. 25)
who was attainted and forfeited it in 1590. In 1635
Charles I granted the remainder to William Warmestry
and William Barnes. (fn. 26) In 1633, however, William
Sheldon claimed to hold a lease of the site of the
manor, supposed to have been granted to Katherine
Hornyold, as trustee for the Sheldons, before the
lease to the queen in 1588. (fn. 27) This claim resulted in
long litigation. Bishop Stillingfleet claimed that the
queen's lease began in 1607 and expired in 1697, but
Sir Henry Parker, who held the remainder of this
lease, said that it began in 1642 on the death of Edward
Sheldon, the last life mentioned in Katherine
Hornyold's lease, and therefore the bishop had no
power to lease the manor as he had done to his son
James Stillingfleet. (fn. 28) Bishop Stillingfleet died while
the suit was still pending, and between 1699 and 1703
there were various suits between James Stillingfleet
and Sir Henry Parker, the matter being apparently
decided in 1703–4 in favour of Sir Henry. (fn. 29) In
1710 the bishop granted a lease of the site for three
lives to Sir Henry Parker, in whose family it still
remained at the end of the 18th century. (fn. 30)
BLACKWELL (Blace Wellan, x cent.; Blacanvella,
Blachewelle, xi cent.; Blakewelle, Blacwell, xiii cent.)
was included by King Edgar in his charter of 964
granting the hundred of Oswaldslow to the church of
Worcester, (fn. 31) and was granted by Oswald, Bishop of
Worcester, to his thegn Aelfnoth for three lives in
978. (fn. 32) Within the next few years the monks were
deprived of their holding by Earl Leofwine, whose
son Earl Leofric also kept Blackwell from the monks
for some time, but later he and his wife the Countess
Godiva restored the manor in the time of Wulfstan,
who succeeded as prior on the eve of the Conquest. (fn. 33)
At the date of the Domesday Survey 2 hides were
assigned to the support of the monks of Worcester. (fn. 34)
The manor of Blackwell remained with the prior
and convent until the dissolution of the priory in
1540, (fn. 35) when it passed to the Crown. In 1542 it
was granted to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, (fn. 36)
who continued to hold it until 1654, when it was
sold by the Parliamentary Commissioners to Nicholas
Lockyer of London. (fn. 37) He seems to have made a
bad bargain, for in the following year the Protector's
Council ordered that as these lands were charged with
payments to charitable uses, whereby he could not
have the benefit of his purchase, he should receive the
sum of £2,500 out of any discoveries he might make
for the Committee for Discoveries, and should then
reconvey the manor of Blackwell to the Commonwealth. (fn. 38) A further order was made in 1656 to the
same effect, but it was not carried out. (fn. 39) At the
Restoration the dean and chapter recovered their
estates, and this manor was confirmed to them in
1692. (fn. 40) It is now annexed to the manor of Shipston-on-Stour, and belongs to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. (fn. 41) In the 13th century a full survey of
this manor was taken. (fn. 42)
TALTON (Taetlintune, x cent.; Tatlinton, Tatlington, xiii cent.; Tadlington, Talton, xvi cent.)
was probably included in Tredington at the time
of its grant to the church of Worcester and at the
time of the Domesday Survey. In 991 Archbishop
Oswald (fn. 43) gave to his thegn Eadric 3 hides at Talton
and Newbold for two lives. (fn. 44)
The manor was held of the Bishop of Worcester
of the manor of Tredington (fn. 45) until the 14th century.
It was possibly held by the Bishops of Worcester
in demesne until early in the 12th century, when
Bishop Theulf (1115–23) gave it to William de
Armscote. (fn. 46) William was holding the estate in
1166, (fn. 47) and his son Auger was in possession towards
the end of the 12th century. (fn. 48) He was probably an
ancestor of William son of Auger, who held the
manor at the beginning of the 13th century. (fn. 49) In
1226–7 Thomas son of William gave the manor of
Talton to Clemencia de Broc, widow of William de
Talton, in dower. (fn. 50) Clemencia had two sons, Auger
and Simon, (fn. 51) and in 1255 William son of Thomas
de Talton, who evidently represented the elder branch
of the family, gave the manor to Auger. (fn. 52) The latter
subinfeudated it to Robert Waleraund, who died
seised of it about 1272–3, leaving as his heir his
nephew Robert son of William Waleraund. (fn. 53) The
manor of Talton was, however, assigned to his widow
Maud. (fn. 54) Robert apparently died without issue and
was succeeded by his brother John, on account of
whose idiocy the manor was taken into the king's
hands. (fn. 55) The custody was delivered in 1303 to
Adam de Harvington, (fn. 56) but John Waleraund died
about 1308–9. (fn. 57) His heir of the whole blood was
found to be his cousin Alan Plogenet. (fn. 58)
The interest of the Taltons in the manor passed to
Walter de Gloucester, who died seised of it in 1311,
being succeeded by his son Walter. (fn. 59) The manor
was assigned to Walter's widow Hawisia, (fn. 60) and she in
1323 obtained licence from the king to grant it to
the Abbot and convent of Evesham to find two
chaplains to pray in the abbey church for the souls
of Walter and Hawisia and their family. (fn. 61) In
1329–30 the abbot's right to the manor was disputed by Sybil widow of Alan Plogenet, then wife of
Henry de Penbridge, who claimed a third of the
manor as dower. The abbot appealed to Hawisia de
Gloucester to uphold his claim, but the suit was
decided in Sybil's favour. (fn. 62) The abbot seems to have
recovered the manor shortly after, being in possession
in 1332, (fn. 63) and his successors held until the dissolution
of the abbey in 1540, (fn. 64) when the manor passed to
the Crown. In 1535 the manor, with its members
in Darlingscott, Armscote and Newbold, was valued at
£30 7s. 7d. The site and demesne land of the manor
and a water-mill were leased at a rent of £7 13s. 4d. (fn. 65)
In 1544 the manor was granted to William and
Francis Sheldon, (fn. 66) and they in the same year sold the
site to William Barnes. (fn. 67)
William died in 1562, (fn. 68) leaving the manor to his
widow Alice for life with reversion to his son
William. (fn. 69) William seems to have entered into possession before 1584, (fn. 70) and died in 1621, having
settled the manor on William Barnes, son of his
brother Richard. (fn. 71) William
Barnes, apparently the grandson of this William, sold the
manor in 1663 to Henry
Parker. (fn. 72) Henry died in 1670
and was followed by his son
Henry of Honington, co.
Warw., (fn. 73) who succeeded in
1696–7 to the baronetcy
granted to his uncle Hugh, a
merchant of London, (fn. 74) in
1681. He died in 1713 and
was succeeded by his grandson Sir Henry John Parker, (fn. 75)
who held the manor in 1729. (fn. 76)
and in 1741. (fn. 77) He died in
1771 without male issue, and the baronetcy passed
to his cousin Sir Henry Parker. It is not known
when Talton passed from this family, but it ultimately
came into the hands of Georgica Hawkes, on whose
death in 1878 it passed to one of his daughters,
Mrs. George Lainson Field, the present owner. (fn. 78)
Parker of Honington, baronet. Sable a hart's head cabossed between two flaunches argent.
Two hides of land at ARMSCOTE (Edmundescote,
xiii cent.; Admundescote, xiv cent.; Advescott,
Admyscote, Armyscote, xvi cent.; Armescott, Armscoate, xvii cent.) were granted in 1042 by Lyfing,
Bishop of Worcester, with the consent of King
Harthacnut, to his thegn Ægelric for three lives. (fn. 79)
Mr. Stenton points out that the original text of this
grant has been preserved and is of high importance.
The gift is attested by the king and his mother, the
'hired' of Worcester, Evesham and Winchcomb,
Bishop Lyfing of Worcester, Ælfweard Abbot of
Evesham and Bishop of London, Earl Leofric, 'and
all the thegns in Worcestershire both English and
Danish.' The latter phrase is of extreme interest,
for it shows that under the house of Cnut Danish
settlers formed a recognized element among the
magnates of Worcestershire, a county placed under
a Danish earl. It is also remarkable as an anticipation of the phrase 'all faithful people French and
English,' which is common in post-Conquest grants.
It thus shows that already in 1042 men were accustomed to the presence of alien settlers in the
country, a fact which must have gone far to make
for the acceptance of Norman lords after 1066.
The hamlet of Armscote was at an early date divided
into two moieties. Both were held under the manor
of Tredington, one by the owners of Talton, (fn. 80) the
other by the Croome family. (fn. 81) The first manor, which
included 2 hides of land, followed the same descent
as Talton (with which it seems to have become incorporated in the 14th century) from the 12th century,
when it first makes its appearance, (fn. 82) until 1544. (fn. 83) It
was granted as part of Talton in that year to William
and Francis Sheldon, (fn. 84) and they sold various parcels
of land there in the same year to Thomas Smith, (fn. 85)
William and Richard Morres (fn. 86) and Robert Dave. (fn. 87)
In 1587 Stephen Halford died seised of tenements in
Armscote which had belonged to his father Robert,
and had formerly been parcel of the manor of Talton.
He was succeeded by his son John. (fn. 88)
The second manor of Armscote, which also consisted of 2 hides of land, was given to Adam de
Croome with Tidmington by Bishop Samson (fn. 89) (1096–1112). It followed the same descent as Tidmington, (fn. 90)
being granted with that manor in 1365 to the Abbot
and convent of Evesham. (fn. 91) The manor seems to have
retained its separate identity until about 1428, (fn. 92) but
probably became merged soon after in the abbot's
other estate at Armscote.
A hide of land at DARLINGSCOTT (Derlingiscote, Berlingescote, Derlyngescot, xiii cent.; Darlingascote, Derlescote, Derlyngscott, xiv cent.) was held
with Talton by William de Armscote, in the time of
Henry II, of the manor of Tredington. (fn. 93) It followed
the same descent as the manor of Talton, (fn. 94) passing
with it to the Abbot of Evesham, (fn. 95) and was in 1535
a parcel of that manor (fn. 96) (q.v.).
Another estate at Darlingscott belonged to the
Bishop of Worcester. In 1284 he granted to William
de Westhill a messuage and land in Darlingscott, (fn. 97)
which had formerly belonged to Simon de Throckmorton, at a rent of 1d. (fn. 98) William sold the estate
in 1292 to Matthew Checker. (fn. 99) At the same date
Matthew transferred his interest in the estate to
Godfrey, Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 100) This land was
afterwards acquired by William Chiriton, Abbot of
Evesham (1317–44), (fn. 101) who doubtless added it to
his other estate at Darlingscott. In 1331 the abbot
acquired land in Darlingscott of Henry de Ombersley. (fn. 102)
LONGDON (Longedun, xi cent.; Langeton, xiii
cent.; Longdon Travers, xiv cent.; Longdon Travers,
Longdon Parva, xvii cent.) was held of the manor of
Tredington, this overlordship being mentioned for the
last time in 1629. (fn. 103)
In 969 Oswald, Bishop of Worcester, granted
4½ manses there to one Byrnicus for three lives. (fn. 104)
Before the Conquest Leofric the reeve held 4 hides
at Longdon at the will of the bishop. In 1086 this
estate was held by Gilbert son of Turold. (fn. 105) Ralph
Travers held it in 1166, (fn. 106) having received it from
Bishop Theulf (1115–23), (fn. 107) and he or a descendant of the same name was in possession in
1174–5. (fn. 108) Towards the middle of the 13th century
it belonged to William Travers. (fn. 109)
It was probably this William who was succeeded by
a son William and a grandson Alexander. The last
going to Ireland and marrying there a daughter of
Reginald de Hanwood, gave to Reginald his land at
Longdon for life in exchange for land in Ireland. (fn. 110)
Reginald paid a subsidy at Longdon in 1280 (fn. 111) and
died about 1297, (fn. 112) and Maurice Travers son of
Alexander gave the Bishop of Worcester 6 marks for
an acknowledgement that he was Reginald's heir to
this land. (fn. 113) The manor, however, passed to Geoffrey
Spenser, (fn. 114) who paid a subsidy of 6s. 8d. at Longdon
in 1327, (fn. 115) and had been succeeded before 1346 by
Sir William Spenser. (fn. 116) In 1367–8 John son of Sir
William conveyed the manor to Alina widow of
Thomas de Newynton. (fn. 117) The next mention of the
manor occurs in 1398, when Robert Walden of
Warwick granted it to the chaplain of a chantry which
he had founded in the previous year in the church of
Tredington. (fn. 118)
In 1487 John Brown, John Smith, Humphrey
Coningsby and Richard Palmer recovered a manor
of Longdon Travers against Richard Burdet. (fn. 119) In
1533 an estate called the manor of Longdon Travers
was assured to Elizabeth widow of Sir William
Compton, then the wife of Walter Walshe, (fn. 120) and two
years later Edward Conway and Anne his wife conveyed the manor to Thomas Burdet and others, (fn. 121) but
this does not seem to have been the same estate as that
held by the chantry priest of Tredington, as that still
belonged to the chantry in 1535, (fn. 122) and was granted
in 1547 to Sir Philip Hoby, who had married Elizabeth widow of Walter Walshe. (fn. 123) In 1551–2 Sir Philip
sold the manor to Thomas
Andrews of Charwelton, co.
Northants, (fn. 124) who was knighted
before 1555 (fn. 125) and died about
1564. (fn. 126) He was followed by
a son Thomas, who settled
the manor in 1603 upon his
son John on his marriage
with Anne daughter of John
Reade. John succeeded on
his father's death in 1609, (fn. 127)
and, as Sir John, he obtained
livery of a third of the manor
in 1610, probably on the
death of his mother. (fn. 128) Sir
John continued to hold the manor until 1634, when
he and his wife Mary conveyed it to William Loggin
and others. (fn. 129) In 1705 and 1715 the manor belonged
to William and Thomas Baldwin, (fn. 130) and in 1743
Thomas Baldwin and William Baldwin and his wife
sold it to Joseph Townsend. (fn. 131) In 1809 Gore Townsend and Thomas Townsend conveyed it to William
Waltham Atkinson. (fn. 132) The later descent of this estate
is not known, and it is believed that the manorial
rights have now lapsed.
Andrews of Charwelton. Gules a saltire or voided vert.
A hide of land at NEWBOLD-ON-STOUR
(Neoweboldan, x cent.; Neubolde, Neubolt, xiii cent.;
Nuwebolde, xiv cent.) was granted with Talton by
Oswald, with the consent of the monks of Worcester,
to Eadric for two lives in 991, (fn. 133) and like Talton was
probably included in 1086 in the 23 hides in Tredington held by the Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 134)
Two hides at Newbold were granted with Talton
to William de Armscote. (fn. 135) The estate followed the
same descent as the manor of Talton, to which it
seems at an early date to have become annexed, until
1544. (fn. 136) It was granted as part of the manor of
Talton to William and Francis Sheldon, (fn. 137) but they
in the same year sold some land there to Henry Sych
or Such. (fn. 138) The Such family continued to hold land in
Newbold-on-Stour for many years, (fn. 139) the last mention
of their estate being in 1714, when Robert Such
was the owner. (fn. 140)
In 1086 there were three mills in the bishop's
manor of Tredington (fn. 141) ; one of these was probably
at Talton (see below). There seems to have been
only one mill in Tredington Manor in 1291, and it
was worth £1. (fn. 142) The mill was broken into by
thieves in 1409. (fn. 143) It is not mentioned in the valor
of the manor in 1535, but a water corn-mill was sold
by the Parliamentary trustees in 1649 as a parcel of
the manor of Tredington to Sir Edward Estopp. (fn. 144)
Later in the same year another mill at Tredington
was sold with the manor to John Baker and William
Dyer. (fn. 145) At the present day there are two corn-mills
on the Stour, one to the north, the other to the
south of the town.
The water-mill at Talton is first mentioned in
1308–9, when it formed part of the possessions of
John Waleraund. (fn. 146) It passed with the manor to the
abbey of Evesham, (fn. 147) and was repaired several times by
Abbot Roger Zatton (1379–1418). (fn. 148) In 1535 the
mill was leased with the site of the manor and demesne lands. (fn. 149) It passed with the manor into the
possession of the Barnes family. (fn. 150) The present
Talton Mill is on the Stour in the north of the parish.
A mill at Armscote is mentioned in 1328–9, when
Simon de Croome excepted it from a grant of the
manor to his son John. (fn. 151)
In 1240 the Prior and convent of Worcester had
a mill at Tredington belonging to the manor of
Blackwell which was leased to W. the miller at a
rent of 16s. (fn. 152) In 1291, however, the mill brought
in only 8s. (fn. 153) Another mill at Tredington was purchased by the prior in 1259 of William de Tredington. (fn. 154) Possibly this last was the water corn-mill at
Tredington sold in 1654 by the Parliamentary
trustees with the manor of Blackwell. (fn. 155) There is no
mill at Blackwell at the present day.
The mill at Newbold-on-Stour, which was leased
for 26s. 8d. in 1299, (fn. 156) is a corn-mill on the Stour
on the northern boundary of the parish.
CHURCHES
The church of ST. GREGORY
consists of a chancel 45 ft. by 21½ ft.,
with a north vestry 16½ ft. by 12½ ft.,
nave 58 ft. by 21 ft., north aisle 16 ft. wide, south
aisle 17 ft. wide, north porch, and western tower 16½ ft.
square; these dimensions are internal.
The remains of the Saxon church consist of the
ranges of windows above the nave arcades, which
were discovered at the last restoration of the church.
Of this building a unique feature was the high gallery
at the west end, the doorways to which still exist in
part, and could only have been approached by
external staircases or ladders. A window in either
wall at a higher level than the others lighted this
gallery.
Late in the 12th century (c. 1170–80) aisles were
added on both sides, the arcades being inserted in
the earlier walls and the Saxon windows and doorways closed up. In the beginning of the 14th
century the chancel was lengthened and entirely
rebuilt, beginning with the east wall. The dedication
of the high altar (and a chapel), which cannot now
be located, at Tredington (Trediton) is recorded in
1315. (fn. 157) The west tower was erected about the
same time. About 1360 both aisles were rebuilt and
widened, the 12th-century doorway being reset in
the later south wall. A block of masonry west of
the porch marks the west wall of the north aisle,
which was doubtless re-erected partly on the old
12th-century foundations, but both aisles were extended westwards to the tower about thirty years
later, an additional half-bay being added to either
arcade to match the rest. The clearstory, north
porch and vestry are all additions of the 15th century,
but the two latter appear to have been altered in
the 17th or 18th century. The west wall of the
south aisle also appears to have undergone a later
rebuilding. Several restorations have taken place
during the past century, the last and most extensive
being in 1899.
The east window of the chancel is of five lights
under a two-centred head filled with modern tracery;
the jambs have shafts on the inner face with foliated
capitals and with the arch are of 14th-century date.
Internally on either side of the window are contemporary niches with moulded ogee heads. Both the
window and the niches show traces of red colour.
In the north wall are three tall 14th-century windows,
each of two lights with a quatrefoil above in a
pointed head having a moulded drop rear arch. The
easternmost window now looks into the vestry.
The 15th-century doorway into the vestry has a
two-centred arch of a single chamfered order. The
vestry is lighted by an east window of three lights
under a square head, the moulded label of which has
been reset with the vertical parts reversed, the
return ends being turned inwards. In the north
wall near the west angle is a small blocked window
of two lights under a square head, set low down in
the wall, its iron bars remaining inside. Above it is
a modern window of two lights, and in the west wall
a modern door. The three south windows of the
chancel are contemporary with those opposite and of
similar detail. Below the middle one is a 14th-century
priest's doorway with a pointed head, and west of the
third window is a small low-side window of lancet
form. There was also one opposite, but this is
now blocked and is not visible outside. Stone
benches stopping at the low-side windows are built
against the side walls in the western part of the
chancel. The walling of the chancel is of ashlar;
the two east and the south-east buttresses are of two
stages, the lower with a gableted offset, but the other
side buttresses are without the gablet. The chancel
arch is sharply pointed and of two chamfered orders,
the inner continuous from the floor, the outer dying
on the jambs; the stonework is perhaps of the
13th century, but the arch has been subsequently
widened, probably when the chancel was rebuilt.
The arcades to the nave are of three and a half
bays on each side; the columns are round with
moulded bases, square scalloped capitals, and chamfered
abaci. The arches are pointed and of two square
orders with chamfered labels on both sides. The
half-round west responds of the original arcades were
completed to form circular piers when the western
half-arches were inserted in the late 14th century.
Over the arcades and partly cut away for the
arches are the remains of the Saxon clearstory
windows. There are three main windows on each
side, visible both in the nave and the aisles; the
easternmost on the south has been opened out and
shows the jambs to be splayed on both sides of the
wall. The arches are of lias rubble and are chamfered like the jambs, and although they are roughly
semicircular the voussoirs do not radiate from the
centre, necessitating the insertion of wedge-shaped
keystones in the crowns of the arches. The eastern
jambs and part of the arches of both Saxon doorways
to the western gallery remain in position immediately
west of the third windows over the second piers from
the east. They are of oolite stone with hollowchamfered jambs and semicircular arches, the continuity of the chamfer being broken by projecting
square blocks or imposts at the springing level of the
arch. This springing level is 18ft. above the ground
floor and the heads of the windows 20½ ft., the outer
arrises being about 2½ ft. apart. The windows to
the west of the doorway on either side are higher
than the others and apparently of slightly less width.
The 15th-century clearstory has five windows a side,
each of three lights under a square head. In the
eastern respond of the south arcade is a corbel which
supported the former rood-loft. The square-headed
entrance to the loft is through the wall above the
north-east respond, being approached by a stairway from the north aisle; the lower doorway in the
east wall of the aisle retains its wood door, but the
stair has been removed.
Plan of Tredington Church
The late 14th-century east window of the north
aisle has three lights with tracery above in a pointed
arch and the north-east window is similar. To the
north of the window in the east wall is a small
square recess, probably once a locker, and near it in
the north wall, to the east of the north-east window,
is a large plain niche for a figure with a trefoiled
segmental arch. (fn. 158) The north doorway is contemporary
with the aisle; it has a two-centred arch and a richly
moulded segmental rear arch. The wood door is
old and has vertical ribs studded with square nailheads. To the west of it is the 15th-century doorway
to the stair leading up to the chamber over the porch.
It has a four-centred arch and a wood door with a
traceried head. The north-west window has two
lights with a quatrefoiled spandrel within a two-centred
arch, and is probably mainly a restoration. The west
window has three lights and three quatrefoils above of
a late 14th-century form under a two-centred head.
There is no east window to the south aisle. The
first south window is very close to the east wall; it
is original and has three lights under a pointed head
filled with flowing tracery. Below it is a trefoiled
piscina with an ogee head, a shelf and a multilated
basin. (fn. 159) The second window is old and of similar
design to the east window of the north aisle. The
south doorway is of late 12th-century date reset; it
has two orders, the outer with modern shafts in the
angles, the capitals of which are original and crudely
carved with foliage. The arch is semicircular with a
roll between the cheveron enrichment on the face
and soffit, the cheverons being carved with foliage.
The south-west window is of two lights with a
quatrefoil above in a two-centred head, and the west
window of this aisle is similar to the corresponding
window of the north aisle. This wall has apparently
been rebuilt and has not been reset on the former
plinth, the northern part of the wall being moved
more to the east.
The tower is of three stages with square buttresses
to the north and south flush with the east face, and
diagonal buttresses to the western angles. The two-centred tower arch has plain splayed jambs, on to
which die the three chamfered orders. The stair
turret recess is in the south-west angle and the west
window has two lights with cusped tracery above in
a pointed head. Below the first string-course on the
north and south sides are small trefoiled loops, and on
the west face a disused diamond-shaped clock dial.
The marks of the old steep gabled roof of the
nave show on the east external face of the tower.
The belfry is lighted in each wall by a window of
two sharply pointed lights with a quatrefoiled
spandrel in a two-centred arch. The parapet is
pierced with quatrefoils and at the angles are square
pinnacles with embattled cornices and plain pointed
finials. Above the tower rises a tall stone spire
divided by string-courses into three stages; at the
foot are four gabled spire lights of two openings with
a quatrefoil over. There are also diminutive lights
near the top of the spire, which terminates in a
carved finial.
The north porch is lighted on either side by
windows; the western has two lights under a square
head, the eastern was originally similar, but has been
altered into three lights. Both have shouldered
rear arches, the eastern having shields carved on
the jambs in addition. The archway of the outer
entrance has moulded jambs and head, with a wide
hollow containing carved flowers with angels at the
apex. Over the archway is a canopied niche with
the remains of the figure of the patron saint. The
bracket has three pointed corbels below. Above
the niche is a blocked square-headed window formerly
lighting the parvise. The porch has a plain moulded
parapet and the roof is flat below and panelled with
moulded ribs and carved bosses. The chancel roof
is gabled and modern. The nave roof is of very low
pitch and retains most of its 15th-century timbers;
the tie-beams are moulded and are strengthened with
curved braces and moulded jacks resting on stone
corbels carved with grotesques. The roof of the
south aisle is of the same low pitch and has a moulded
stone wall-plate, the tie-beams being supported by
braces and jacks on moulded wood corbels. The
north aisle has old moulded tie-beams, wall-plates and
purlins.
The 15th-century font is octagonal with traceried
sides to the bowl. Across the chancel arch is a low
stone wall faced with modern wood panelling towards
the west, and above it is the remaining portion of the
traceried 15th-century rood screen. The pulpit with
its canopy is a good example of 17th-century work.
The oak lectern is also old; the chains were formerly
attached to the copy of Jewell's Apology, which now
rests upon it. The church contains many 15th-century
bench ends and pew fronts with traceried panels and
moulded top rails.
In the chancel is a brass effigy of a priest with a
marginal inscription incorrectly fitted together, the
date and name being lost. This is given by Nash as
Richard Cassey, rector, who died c. 1427. There is
also a brass, with a kneeling effigy and inscription in
Latin to Henry Sampson, rector, died 1482, and a
figure of a lady in ruff, full skirt and puffed sleeves,
with a fragment of an inscription, the only remains of a
brass to William Barnes, died 1561, and Alice his wife.
On the west wall of the south aisle is a 17th-century painted scroll with the inscription, 'One
thing is needfull. They have chosen that good part.'
There are six bells: the treble by Matthew
Bagley, 1683; the second by Mears, 1858; the third
and fourth by George Purdye (Purdue), 1622; the
fifth dated 1624, and tenor (undated) by George
Purdye with the inscription 'Drawe neare to God.'
The communion plate includes a silver cup with a
cover paten, large paten and two flagons, all except
the cover bearing the inscribed date of 1638. The
hall mark on the large paten is for the same year, but
the others have the hall mark for 1591; there is also
a second modern cup.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms and burials 1541 to 1781 and marriages
1541 to 1784; (ii) baptisms 1781 to 1812 and
burials 1782 to 1812; (iii) marriages 1754 to 1788;
(iv) the same 1789 to 1812.
The chapel or church of ST. GEORGE at Darlingscott consists of a chancel, nave, north porch and
a western bell-turret containing one bell. There is
also a south transept, used as a schoolroom, which
opens into the church by folding doors. The
style is of the 13th century, and the material stone,
with the exception of the transept, which is of brick
The earlier pre-Reformation chapel may have been
demolished as early as the 16th century.
The church of ST. DAVID at Newbold-on-Stour
consists of a chancel, north vestry, nave, north aisle
and north-west tower. The design is in the style of
the 13th century, and the tower is surmounted by an
octagonal lead-covered spire.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of Tredington belonged to the Bishops of Worcester, (fn. 160)
and remained in their hands until
1328. (fn. 161) In January of that year a collation to the
rectory made by Wulstan, Bishop-elect of Worcester,
was confirmed by the king, (fn. 162) but in March of the
same year this presentation was revoked, and the king
presented Master Adam de Harvington, (fn. 163) giving as his
reason that Tredington was in his gift because of the
late voidance of the see. (fn. 164) The king, having again presented in 1339 (fn. 165) during a vacancy of the see, seems to
have claimed the advowson as his right, but this was
disputed by Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester. He was,
however, unable to prove the right of the see of
Worcester to the advowson, which the king recovered
by a judgement in the courts. (fn. 166)
In 1345 a writ was issued against certain persons
who had assaulted Thomas de Baddeby, whom the
king had presented to the living. (fn. 167) In the following
year the appointment of Thomas de Baddeby was
ratified, (fn. 168) and in 1347 a commission was appointed
to arrest all those who prosecuted appeals contrary to
the judgement of the Bench. (fn. 169) In May of the same
year the king, being informed that certain persons
meant to induct one Thomas Dunclent, (fn. 170) who had
been appointed by the pope, (fn. 171) issued a commission to
arrest them. (fn. 172) In June a band of men entered the
house of the king's nominee, Thomas Baddeby,
collected the tithes, (fn. 173) and prevented the holding of
the sessions. (fn. 174) There were probably further proceedings in the courts, and finally the king had to
give way, for in January 1348 Thomas Dunclent, (fn. 175)
the nominee of Rome, was appointed parson, the
presentation by the king to Thomas de Baddeby was
revoked, (fn. 176) and in August 1348 all those concerned in
the riots were pardoned. (fn. 177)
From this time the advowson of the church of
Tredington remained in the hands of the successive
Bishops of Worcester (fn. 178) until 1549, when it passed by
exchange to John Earl of Warwick. (fn. 179) He was created
Duke of Northumberland in 1551, but was attainted
and executed in 1553, (fn. 180) when all his estates were
forfeited. In 1558–9 the advowson was granted to
Bridget Morrison, (fn. 181) but the queen presented in 1581
by a lapse. (fn. 182)
The advowson afterwards passed to the Sheldons,
the grantee of Ralph Sheldon presenting in 1606 and
1607. (fn. 183) Though the king presented in 1620 and
again in 1660, (fn. 184) the advowson seems to have remained
in the Sheldon family until 1702, when Ralph and
Edward Sheldon sold it to Sir Henry Parker. (fn. 185) The
presentation was made in 1703 by John Verney and
Richard Freeman, (fn. 186) and in 1706 by John Verney. (fn. 187)
The advowson was purchased in 1713 from Sir
Thomas Cooke Winford of Astley, Robert Hyde of
Hatch (co. Wilts.), Harry Parker of the Inner Temple
and Nathaniel Pigot for £1,540 by the Principal of
Jesus College, Oxford, with whose successors it still
remains. (fn. 188)
During the 18th century it appears to have been
the practice to present two clerks to the church of
Tredington, one being called the senior and the other
the junior portionist. (fn. 189) The latter was probably a
perpetual curate.
The pope in 1399 (fn. 190) granted an indulgence to
those who should visit the chapel of St. Mary the
Virgin in the church of Tredington, where there was
great devotion to an image (ymaginem) of our Lady
of Pity (Pietatis) holding a figure of Christ crucified. (fn. 191)
In 1415 Richard Cassey, rector of Tredington,
obtained licence to have a portable altar. (fn. 192)
In 1397 Robert Walden of Warwick founded
a chantry of one chaplain in the parish church of
Tredington to pray for the king and his progenitors
and Thomas Dunclent, late rector of Tredington. (fn. 193)
The chantry, later called Walden Chantry or St.
Nicholas Chantry, was dedicated to St. Nicholas, (fn. 194)
and the chantry priest was bound every year on
the day of the anniversary of Thomas Dunclent to
celebrate Requiem Mass and say the full office of the
dead, i.e. Placebo and Dirige (Sarum Use), and on all
other high days and feasts to say service according
to the Sarum Ordinal. (fn. 195) The advowson of the
chantry was vested in Robert and his heirs, (fn. 196) and
probably passed from him to John Walden of Warwick,
for in 1465 John Upton of Warwick, who had
married Agnes, one of the daughters and heirs of John
Walden, presented to the chantry. (fn. 197)
Isabel daughter and heir of John Upton married as
a second husband Hugh Dalby, and in 1507–8 sold
the advowson of Walden chantry to John Spenser. (fn. 198)
The advowson remained with the Spensers until the
chantry was dissolved in 1547. (fn. 199) At that time the
clear yearly revenue of the chantry was £14 4s. 7½d. (fn. 200)
The chantry with the capital messuage and endowment was granted in 1547 to Sir Philip Hoby, (fn. 201)
who sold it in 1551–2 to Thomas Andrews. (fn. 202) Land
in King's Norton belonging to the chantry was
granted in 1571–2 to William James and John Grey, (fn. 203)
and in 1582–3 the chantry and lands belonging were
granted to Theophilus and Robert Adams. (fn. 204) It may
afterwards have passed to the Sheldons, for the Chantry
Farm House in Tredington was among the estates
forfeited by William Sheldon and discharged from
sequestration and bought of the treason trustees in
1653. (fn. 205) The name of the purchaser of the estate is
not given.
There may have been a second chantry in the
church of Tredington, for in 1487 John Upton presented to the chantry of our Lady and St. Michael, a
pension of 4 marks from the revenues of the chantry
being assigned to the retiring chaplain. (fn. 206)
The chapel of Blackwell was in existence before
1240. It was a demesne chapel (dominica capella) of
the Prior of Worcester, but belonged to the church of
Tredington. Service was celebrated there by a chaplain
of Tredington on the day of dedication (26 January),
on the day of the deposition of St. Wulfstan
(19 January) and on the feast of St. Anne (26 July). (fn. 207)
There were other chapels belonging to the church
of Tredington at Newbold, Armscote and Darlingscott, (fn. 208)
but the date of their foundation is not known. The
four chapels were granted in 1549 to Richard Field
and others, (fn. 209) and were probably demolished.
In 1833 Newbold and Armscote were constituted
a separate ecclesiastical parish, and a church, parsonage-house and churchyard were built at Newbold. (fn. 210) The
living is a rectory in the gift of Jesus College, Oxford.
Shipston-on-Stour and Tidmington were chapelries
of Tredington until 1719, when they were formed
into a separate parish and endowed with a third of
the rectory of Tredington. (fn. 211)
The Society of Friends hold a meeting at Armscote
on the first Sunday in August. The Quakers seem to
have been established there at an early date, for George
Fox and his friend Thomas Lower were arrested there
in 1673 and imprisoned at Worcester Gaol for more
than a year. (fn. 212) In 1689 the house of John Bennett at
Tredington was licensed for Quaker worship. (fn. 213)
CHARITIES
In 1831 John Jordan by a codicil
to his will, proved in the P.C.C.
25 November, bequeathed (among
other things) such a sum of money as would purchase
sufficient Government stock to produce £50 a year to
be applied towards the support of a day school. A
sum of £1,666 13s. 4d. 3 per cent. consols was
purchased, and the endowment is now represented by
a like amount of 2½ per cent. consols, producing
£41 13s. 4d. yearly, with the official trustees. Threefifths of the income is applied in aid of the National
school of Tredington and two-fifths for the National
school in the hamlet of Newbold.
In 1859 the Rev. William Hopkins, by his will
proved at London 8 September, gave a sum of
money, now represented by £314 18s. 10d. consols
with the official trustees, the dividends to be applied
for the benefit of the poor. The annual dividends,
amounting to £7 17s. 4d., are distributed in coal
and money doles. In 1909 coal was distributed
among fifty-three families.
This parish is entitled to a twenty-first part of the
dividends arising from several sums of stock forming
the endowment of Richard Badger's charity founded
by will, proved at London, 7 December 1907. A
moiety of the proportion due to this parish is applicable for church purposes and the other moiety for
the poor. In 1910 a sum of £37 4s. 2d. was
received. (See under Shipston-on-Stour.)
Hamlet of Newbold.
—In 1773 Thomas Eden by
deed provided for the instruction of poor children in
three several parishes in the county of Gloucester, in
one parish of the county of Warwick, and in the
hamlet of Newbold. An annual payment of about
£8 a year is made by the trustees of the charity at
Pebworth, Gloucestershire, and applied in aid of the
National school.
A sum of £16 13s. 4d., being two-fifths of the
dividends of John Jordan's charity, is applied for the
same purpose. (See under Tredington.)
Henry Eden, a son of Thomas Eden above mentioned, by his will dated in 1788, and by a codicil
dated in 1791, proved in the P.C.C., made certain
bequests for schools and the support of the Methodist
cause which do not appear to have come into operation.
In 1859 the Rev. William Hopkins, by his will
proved at London 8 September, bequeathed £200,
now represented by £209 14s. consols with the
official trustees, the annual dividends, amounting to
£5 4s. 8d., to be distributed in coal.
This hamlet with Armscote is entitled to receive
one twenty-first part of the dividends from the
endowment of Richard Badger's charity, founded by
will proved 7 December 1907. In 1910 a sum of
£37 4s. 2d. was so received and applied as to one
moiety for church purposes and the other moiety
in the distribution of coal. (See under Shipston-on-Stour.)
Hamlet of Darlingscott.
—In 1872 T. Edwin
Gibbs, by his will proved at London 22 April,
bequeathed £294 6s. 10d. consols with the official
trustees, the annual dividends, amounting to £7 7s.,
to be applied towards the salary of a mistress and maintaining a preparatory school at Darlingscott for younger
children unable to attend the school at Tredington.
This hamlet with Blackwell is entitled to receive
one twenty-first part of the dividends from the
endowment of Richard Badger's charity, founded by
will proved 7 December 1907. In 1910 a sum of
£37 4s. 2d. was so received, of which £10 was
applied for church purposes and £27 4s. 2d. distributed in coals to the poor on St. Thomas's Day.