DODDINGTREE HUNDRED TWO CENTURIES AGO.

In Sir Thomas Winnington's library at Stanford is a bundle of manuscripts, being a survey of the parsonages and other church livings in the Doddingtree hundred of Worcestershire, date 1665, or returns made to a visitation by order of the Lord Protector Cromwell. These returns include thirty-three parishes or places, namely, Bockleton, Pensax, Knighton-on-Teme alias Kington, Lindridge, Alfrick, Suckley, Little Kyre, Hanley Child, Orleton, Hanley William, Eastham, Tenbury, Cotheridge, Edwyn Loach, Shelsley Walsh, Lower Sapey, Clifton-on-Teme, Acton Beauchamp, Great Witley, Shelsley Beauchamp, Abberley alias Abbotsley, Stanford, Kyre Wyard, Aka alias Rock, Bewdley, Ribsford, Stockton, Martley, Bayton, Mamble, Dodenham, Astley, and Shrawley. As an abstract of some of the details may be interesting, I here present them.

The warrant from the Commissioners, dated October 20th of the above year, required "fower or five sufficient inhabitants of every parrish to enquier by all good wayes and meanes to finde out the trueth and worth of the true value, by the yeare, of church lyvinges, and the qualityes of the severall incumbants," &c. Accordingly the presentments are signed by constables, churchwardens, and, as it is quaintly expressed in some instances, by "other knowinge men of the said parrish." The Commissioners were "the Right Worship'le Edward Pits, Esq., William Jeffreys, Esq., Nicholas Acton, Esq., John Lathum, Esq., Henry James, Gent."

Bockleton.—John Barneby, Esq., had recently obtained a lease of the parsonage house, glebe lands, and tithes, for the lives of his three sons, paying a yearly rent of £8 for the same to the treasurer of Hereford Cathedral. Mr. Timothy Harris was curate at £10 a year, paid by Mr. Barneby. "Hath a very spacious church and seaventy-three houses and ffamilyes within itt." Tithes worth about £50.

Pensax.—Church "supplied by Richard Wilkes, minister of gods holy word, who is an able pracher and doth for the most pte prach twise every Lords day; and hath for his sallary all the profits ecclesiasticall yssuing out of Pensax aforesaid wch doth amount unto eleven pounds p. ann. or thereaboute; and the reason why it is soe small is; because all the tyeth corne and graine (except home closses) formerly belonging to the Deane and Chapiter doth not come to the minister but is leased out to one Henry Pennell worth 20 pounds p. ann. or there aboute; and as for our minister we are very well contented wth him and he wth us and doe desire we may continue as we are, and wee desire the greate tythes may come in for the maintaineance of the minister when the leasse is expired. Item. Our church is scituate wth very great conveniency as neere as may be iudged about the midst of the p'ish where the congregation may come twise in the day in due and seasonable times to heare Gods word taught and prached and is an auncient place of buriall; and yf it should be united to any other church some of our congregation would have two miles and a halfe to the neerest church to us; or there aboute; and besides we have a populous congregation insoemuch that our church is very full upon most Lords dayes; and we have many aged many lame and impotent p'sons of our congregation; wch (yf our church should be annexed to any other p'ish) would be deprived of hearing the word of God the spirituall food of their soules wch is the onely ordinary meanes of salvation."

Knighton.—Chapel appendant to Lindridge; Dean and Chapter of Worcester, patrons; the tithes which came to the minister's share were £20 per ann. "Our mynister is Mr. Edward Shawe whoe preacheth and expoundeth constantly uppon the lords dayes." "The teyth corne and grayne are leased out to on Maior Inet for a terme yet endurynge at a c'teyne yearly rent wch goeth to pay augmentacon in this county as we are informed; the value is aboute thirty pounds a-yeare." "Our townshipp of Knighton and the villages thereunto belonginge are distant from Lindridge church about two myles and some pts thereof three myles and the wayes thereof verry fowle and deepe in the tyme of wynter neyther is the church of Lyndridge large enough to hould or conteyne the one half of Knighton and Lindridge prishioners as hath been heretofore c'tified to the p'liamt[4] by Mr. Jon. Gyles mynister of Lyndridge and div'rs others p'ishion'rs there. Moreover our chappell of Knighton hath all p'ochial rytes belonginge unto it and our chappell is larger then the church of Lyndridge and besydes we have a very fayre gallary therin. There are also in Knighton above threescore ffamylies and div'rs of them very aged, And furthermore Knighton by p'porcon (proportion) is the one half of a towne of oyer, And our chappell standeth neere aboute the middest of Knighton aforesaid and therefore we conceave that o'r chappell is fitt to be made a p'ish church in regard the place is very populous & large as aforesaid, And therefore we conceave if the teyth of corne and grayne might be annexed to the said chappell it would be a considerable meanes to mayteyne a preachinge mynister in regarde it goeth to pay augmentation to other places."

[4] "Parliament" probably.

Lindridge.—"The Dean and Chapter of Worcester had the presentation thereof, but now wee know not in whose presentation it is." Mr. John Gyles present incumbent; "profits" received by him £70 a year.

Alfrick.—The Lord Protector patron; tithes, great and small, £30. "Wee p'sent that the cure is carfully supplyed twice ev'y Lords day, dayes of thanksgiveing and humiliation, by Mr. John Slade, a preaching minister, and hath from the (now) Incumbent Mr. Litleton for his sallery xxiv. marks p. ann." Hamlet consisteth of three score and ten families (beside other) at present uninhabited and most of them being aged people. "Lastly wee p'sent, that wee have a decree for a resident minister to bee amongst us." Chapel distant two miles from parish church.

Suckley.—Lord Protector patron. Tithes, great and small, of Suckley, Alfrick, and Lulsley, £90. "The cure carefully supplyed twice every Lord's day, dayes of thanksgiving and humiliation, and that Aufricke is supplyed we believe with a preachinge minister at the charge of Mr. Thomas Littellton the now persone." Lulsey by one William Doughty, not a preaching minister; salary £5 paid by Mr. Littleton.

Little Kyre.—In the gift of Lord Protector, and united to Stoke Bliss; glebe worth £5; tithes, £10; Edward Russell, incumbent.

Hanley Child.—Sir Gilbert Cornwall patron; glebe worth £4; tithes, £10. Edward Benson, incumbent.

Orleton.—Chapel to Eastham; patron, Sir G. Cornwall; tithes, £16; Mr. Benson incumbent, who paid a preaching curate £8 yearly.

Hanley William.—Sir G. Cornwall patron; Mr. Benson incumbent; tithes, £15. Mr. John Phillips, "an able preacher, doth supply the cure." Orleton is represented as fit to be united to Hanley William:

Eastham.—In gift of Sir G. Cornwall. Glebe and tithes worth £67. 17s. 2d. Minister, Mr. Edward Benson, "an honest man and a preacher of the gospel." Hanley William, Hanley Child, and Orleton, are chapels. Parish very populous. Two curates, Mr. John Phillipps, who received £20 for serving the two Hanleys; Orleton curate, £8; the tenths £3. 8s. 5d.

Tenbury.—Robert Lucy, of Charlcote, patron; Joseph Smith the preaching minister. "That there is belonginge to the sayd vicar the vicaredge house and backside, and the churchyard, worth by the year £2;" tithes, £38. "That there is a p'sonage impropriate, wch was for the most part soulde by the ancestors of the sayd Robert Lucye long since, and the rest leased out for lives, worth by the yeare £40." Tithe of corn and grain in Tenbury town and foreign, and Berrington, which Robert Lucy received, £50. Rochford, a member of Tenbury church, worth £30.

Cotheridge.—Appropriated to William Berkeley, Esq., "who doth hire Mr. Theophilus Cooke to supply the cure there, who is an able preaching minister;" salary, £4; tithes, £40.

Edvin Loach.—Fitzwilliam Coningsby, Esq., patron; Richard Jay, minister, "and an able painfull man in his office." Glebe, £5; tithes, £10. Tedston Wafer is united to Edvin Loach.

Shelsley Walsh.—Patron, Thomas Foley, Esq.; Mr. Edward Lane, incumbent, "who pracheth duely and constantly at convenyent tymes;" house, glebe, and tithe, £17. 10s.

Lower Sapey.—John Cliff, minister and patron; glebe, £9; tithes, £30.

Clifton-on-Teme.—This place is called "the borough and parish of Clifton," it being a place of some importance, and constituted a borough by Edward III, when it was privileged with fairs (now again revived, 1855), a weekly market on Thursday, and many other franchises and immunities, by a charter granted to Mortimer. The house, glebe, and tithe, worth £26. 6s. 8d. William Jeffreys, Esq., patron. "Also since the sequestration of Mr. John Greene, the late minister, one Mr. Samuell Ffiler was by the order of the comittee of the county of Worcester made minister thereof, who is an able preaching minister, and Mr. John Hill doth in his absence supply the cure and preacheth duely every Lords day twice, and receaves the proffitts." Shelsley Walsh worth £17. 10s., and Sapey Pritchard £39; both fit to be united to Clifton.

Acton Beauchamp.—Rectory, endowed with all tithes, and hath glebe. No chapels annexed; nor any payments but the tenths, being 8s. a year. W. Berkeley, Esq., patron; Mr. George Fyncher, preaching minister, who received the profits and dues of tithes, and was also rector of Thornbury, Herefordshire, of which place, as also of Stanford (a chapel belonging to Bromyard), he likewise received the profits and tithes. One Mr. Richard Todd, a young man, was employed by the rector to preach at each of those places, but what salary the poor hard-worked curate obtained from the wealthy pluralist the deponents knew not; "but betweene them both wee at Acton Beachamp aforesayd have preachinge some tymes in the morninge onely, and nothinge at all in the eveninge, and some tymes noe excercise in the morning nor eveninge of the Lords day or dayes of humiliation; but are forced to goe to other places."—Profits and tithes of Acton Beauchamp worth £37, but the house greatly decayed. Glebe, £13. "We humbly desier that wee may not bee constrayned to goe to any other parish or chappell for the causes aforesaid, and in regard it hath cure of sowles and wee are at least fower and ffortie familyes, poore, aged, and weake people, and the soyle very hilley and durtie in the winter tyme and the out side of Worcester Shire and dioces, and remote from Thornebury aforesayd, which is in the county and dioces of Hereford, or any other church in the county or dioces of Worcester. Suckley is the nearest, which is two miles distant at least from church to church in our estimations."

Great Witley.—Thomas Russell, Esq., patron; Francis Marshall the "very able minister for the cure of soules." Living worth £50. No chapel. The inhabitants of Hilhampton, a hamlet in Hartley parish, had been in the habit for some years of coming to Witley church on the Lord's day, burying their dead there, and receiving the sacrament.

Shelsley Beauchamp.—A rectory in the patronage of Mr. John Travell, merchant, of London; incumbent, Mr. Charles Nott. Glebe lands and tithes, £60, whereof £4 paid yearly to a free school at Stourbridge.

Abberley.—"A rectory in the presentation as we suppose of on Mr. Joseph Walsh esquier whose ancesters were wont to pr'sent. That our present minister is on Mr. John Dedicott an able constant preacher of the word and a man of unblameble life and co'versation." Profits of the rectory £50, which would be more if the lord of the manor had not detained some of them. Only an acre of glebe.

Stanford.—Tithe, glebe, and profits, £30, out of which 16s. 8d. paid yearly to the vicar of Clifton. Patron, Edward Salwey, Esq.; Thomas Steadman, incumbent, by whom the cure was "sufficiently served."

Kyre Wyard.—Edward Pytts, Esq., patron. The parsonage is reported to have "alwaies ben an entire thinge of it selfe and not united unto any other, beinge distant from any other church one mile and a halfe." Glebe, £10; tithes, £20. Hugh Thomas, the minister, "preacheth twice every Lord's day."

Rock.—Parish is three miles and a half in length and two and a half in breadth. Tithes, £120; glebe, £8. 6s. 8d. Chapelry of Heighington belonging to it, which, containing thirty families, it was desired, should be made a parish of itself. "The p'sent incumbent is Edward Partington m'r of Artes and minister of the Ghospell hee was p'sented by the right and title of John Newce, Esq., late lorde of the ma'or of Rocke. The p'sente patrons (as wee conseave) are Edward Partington, Clearke, and Charles Cornwalis, Gent. in right of theyre wives Mary and Edith dawteres and coheires of the said John Newce, Esq. The cure at Highingeton chappell is supplied by George Boraston m'r of Arte for w'ch he is allowed by Edward Partington Rector all the tithes belonging to that hamlet, both small and greate, to the value of £30."

Bewdley.—"The presentment or certificate of the constables, churchwardens and burgesses of the borrough of Bewdley given in ye 7th Novem. 1655. Wee p'sent and certify yt neere the middle of the towne of Bewdley afforesad wee have a decent chappell w'ch was heartofore (as wee are informed) a free chauntery and had revenewes belonging to it, to the value of £200 p. ann. untill the same was transferred to the Crowne by Acte of Parliament, made in the raigne of King Edward the Sixte; since w'ch time the minister of the said chappell hath had an allowance of eight pounds p. ann. heartofore paied by the Auditors or Receivors (out of the King's revenue) and now paied out of the Rectory of Ombersley.

"That the said minnister before the incorporation of the said towne was elected by the townesmen there, as wee are informed, and since the incorporation theareof by the Bayliffe and Capital Burgesses. That Mr. Henry Oseland is our present minnister there in such sorte elected, who of right can onely claime the said annuity of eight pounds, forth of w'ch alsoe is deducted and the said minnister is forced to allowe, for portage and taxes two and twenty shillings and eight pence now by the yeare, and when assessments are more the disbursement is greater (besides w'ch) he hath an augmentation of fifty pounds p. ann. graunted to him soe longe as hee officiats there.

"That the said towne is a populous markett towne, whearein there are fifteene hundred or more fitt to be taught; that it hath been reputed to be within the parrish of Ribsford, that the parrish church is allmost a mile distant from the towne, that Mr. John Borraston is rector theareof, and hath out of our said borrough to the value of £48. 15s. 8d. p. ann. or thereabouts. And the said Mr. Borraston nor his predecessors have not given any mainetenance to the minnisters of the chappell aforesaid, neither have had the choice of the minnisters to yt place as wee have heard.

"Alsoe we humbly conceive there is a necessity that wee should have both places continued and minnisters to supply them for these reasons following:

"1. Because neither of the places will contayne the whole people of the towne and parrish.

"2. Because of the inconveniences yt a whole towne should goe neare a mile to the publick ordinance many being aged sicke and weake, when there is a convenient chappell in the midst of the said towne, that will contayne most of the people there.

"3. Because the chappell hath had for neare 60 yeares past praching minnisters successively (as we are credibly informed) And now wee have in the chappell a very godly man, well affected to the p'sent government, whom the Lord hath made an instrument to bring in many soules (wee hope) to Christ.

"4. Because of the greatness of the number of the people the worke of the minnistery will be too much worke for one man and the incombes of the p'sonage to little for the maintenance of two minnisters, thearfore we shall humbly pray that the augmentation of £50 p. ann. alreaddy graunted with the stipend of £8 p. ann. may be made up a competent mainetenance for the present minnister of the chappell and soe for succession of minnisters there, w'ch being done will conduce much to the glory of God and good of the place.

"Furthermore wee humbly desire that both the meetinge places at Bewdley and Ribsford be kept up and each have its p'ochall bounds fixed, the fittest and most convenientst way (as we humbly conceive it) for the parrish of Ribsford to conteyne the whole Lordship of Ribsford entire, and the division to be onely in the borrough as followeth.

"To begin at Seavern side where the towne liberties end; w'ch is at the lower end of the Lady meadowes, and soe along by Bewdley parke wall as its bounded by the Lordship of Ribsford and soe about the parke end to John Monnop his house at Blakemans Sitch; and from his house crossing the way to the outside bounde of the lande belonging to John Clare called Blakeman's Sitch; and soe from thence to Goodwater Brooke, and then downe the brooke to Dowles Brooke to the bounds betweene the Borrough and Dowles, down to Seaverne-side to the bottome of the Lady meadowes where we began.

"The tithes of yt parte w'ch belonge to the borrough wee conceive fittest to be settled one ye minnisters at the chappell (after ye decease of the p'sent incumbent at Ribsford), and the tithes belonging to the parrish w'ch is cutt of from the borrough may be continued to the minnister of Ribsford.

"Our reasons for the division thus made (amongst others) are these.

"1. In this way provision will be made for each auditory to have two sufficient congregations for two able men to preach unto and allow for private inspection and oversight.

"2. In this way provision may be made for a competent maintenance for two approved preachers in both parrishes if the augmentation and the other supplies before-named be continued and settled one the minnister at the said chappell.

"3. By this way the people that are devided from the borrough and settled in Ribsford parrish are all (within a very few houses) as nigh to Ribsford meetinge place as Bewdley chappell and many neerer.

"4. In this way there is no devision of houses yt are contiguous but those yt are united in one parrish and those yt are scattered in the other parrish.

"THO. BOYLETON "WALTER ABOLER "FRANCIS BROMWICH "HUMFREY WATMORE "JOHN SOLEY all sworne."

Ribbesford.—Consisteth of two manors or lordships—Ribbesford and Bewdley, Sir Henry Herbert, patron; John Buraston, incumbent. Tithes in Ribbesford manor, £30; in Bewdley, £48; glebe, £2. Said John Buraston preacheth and catechiseth every Lord's day. Bewdley chapel is declared to be altogether unfit to be made a parish church, because there was no land attached to be made into a burying place.

Stockton.—Mr. Edward Walsh, patron, "whose forefathers have for many generations p'sented clerks[5] unto the same." Tithes, £30; glebe, £6. Mr. Thomas Roberts, rector, "supplyeth the cure himselfe and is a constant preacher of the word." "The tenths yearly payd out of the sayd parsonage is the sum of ten shillings eleven pence halfpenny farthing, and that the sayd tenths are payd to the use of the co'mon welth of England." Pensax chapel (belonging to Lindridge) is declared as fit to be united to Stockton.

[5] Clergymen.

Martley.—Parsonage without a chapel; John Clent, Esq., patron; house, glebe, and tithes, £100; Mr. Thomas Clent, incumbent, "who receaves the p'ffits of the said p'sonage, and by reason of his being weake and sick he hath one Mr. Charles Godwin who supplyes the cure under him and hath for his sallery about 20 pound and he preacheth constantly at due tymes."

Bayton.—A vicarage, value £20; patron, Lord Protector; John Simons vicar, "an able and painfull[6] teacher," who received all the profits of the living. The "church is very well situated in a hansum and convenient place for a p'ish church, there is noe convenient place for a church to bee built in our liberty."

[6] Painstaking.

Mamble.—Vicarage, with house, garden, and tithes, worth £25; patron, the Lord Protector; incumbent, Daniel Mullurd, "who by reason of his age and weakness is not able to supply the cure but hath p'vided Tymothy Pyp (?) to officiate there who preacheth duely ev'y Lord's Day and receaveth the p'ffiitts for his sallary and paynes takeing there."—Bayton is in this return said to be worth £30, and the church "is fitt to be united to Mamble (it being the more convenyent church both for largeness and fittness for the people to meete there)" [They were accordingly united March 6, 1669.]

Doddenham.—"Imprimis, the parsonage of Doddenham and Knightewicke have ever time oute of minde belonged to one man. They are very unfitt (as wee conceive) to bee divided having ever beene united and are both very well worth £60 p. ann. Reprizes goeing oute of the same wee knowe none butt only 2s. 8d. a yeare that is paid to Mr. Henry Pitt of London." Glebe and tithes, £30. The Dean and Chapter were formerly the patrons, "butt since the sale of Deane and Chapter land, wee conceive Mr. Henry Pitt to be the patron thereof. The cure of both parishes Mr. Tayler beeing sequesterd is now supplyed by Mr. Mathew Boulton whoe receiveth the profittes thereof, whoe is an honest man, an able scoller, and a sound devine, as wee suppose him to bee." In Knightwick there were twenty families, and in Doddenham thirty-one.

Astley.—Rectory, worth £110. John Winford, Esq., patron; Mr. Samuel Bowater, the "able minister, who constantly preacheth twice a day."

Shrawley.—Patron, the Lord Protector; value, £80; Mr. John Jordan the "preaching minister." The living not fit to be united or divided.