GRAFTON FLYFORD
Grafton (x cent.); Garstune (xi cent.); Grafton
Ebrandi (xii cent.); Grafton near Flavell (xiii cent.);
Grafton under Fleuerth, Grafton under Flavell,
Grafton Fleuarethe (xiv cent.).
Grafton Flyford has an area of 1,680 acres, of
which 372 are arable land, 1,040 permanent grass,
and 162 woods and plantations. (fn. 1) It is on the
Lower Lias formation, and the chief crops are
wheat, barley, oats, beans and fruit. In the southeast are Grafton Woods, said to be the finest cover
for foxes in the county. The south of the parish,
on the bank of the Piddle Brook, is at about 100 ft.
above the ordnance datum. To the north the land
rises to about 200 ft.
Grafton Flyford is bounded on the south by the
Piddle Brook, and lies to the north of the road from
Worcester to Alcester, which runs through its southwestern extremity. The village lies in the south of
the parish on a branch from this road. At its centre
are the green and the pound, while at its southern
end are the church and rectory. A note in the
church register for 1676–1812 states that 'The Ewy
Treess were sett in Grafton Flyford churchyard Jan. 6.
Anno Dom. 169 6/7 att ye carge of Will Pindar.' (fn. 2)
Prattinton wrote in 1812 of the school-house at the
north-western end of the churchyard as 'an old halftimbered building formerly, as they said, used as a
Court House,' given by Lord Coventry for the use
of the school. (fn. 3) On the north-eastern boundary of
the parish is Manor Farm, an early 17th-century
building of half-timber and brick.
Libbery is a hamlet at the south-western end of
the parish. Near it is Ennick Ford on a stream
which runs into Piddle Brook.
An Inclosure Act was passed in 1779, (fn. 4) the award
being dated 15 January 1780. (fn. 5)
Manor Farm, Grafton Flyford
MANOR
GRAFTON FLYFORD, like Flyford
Flavell (q.v.), must have formed part of
the earliest endowments of the monastery
of Pershore, as five manses here are said to have been
restored to that church by King Edgar in 972. (fn. 6)
They were given by Edward the Confessor to Westminster Abbey and Grafton is entered in 1086
among the manors belonging to the abbot's manor of
Pershore, being held as 2 hides less 1 virgate by the
sheriff Urse. (fn. 7) It was held of the abbey of Westminster,
owing suit to the court of Binholme in Pershore,
until the 15th century. (fn. 8)
Urse had succeeded at Grafton, Alfwine, a free
man, (fn. 9) and his estate passed with his other lands to
the Beauchamps of Elmley Castle, (fn. 10) the manor being
held of them until it was acquired in fee by Thomas
Earl of Warwick in 1350–1. The manor still formed
part of the barony of Elmley Castle in 1505. (fn. 11)
Urse was holding Grafton in demesne in 1086,
but the fact that it was called Grafton Ebrandi (fn. 12) in
the reign of Stephen suggests that the Beauchamps
then had a sub-tenant there who had given the manor
the distinguishing name. In 1231 Richard de
Amberley (fn. 13) was sued by Richard, Abbot of Westminster, for customs in Grafton which he apparently
owed the abbot, and Richard Amberley presented in
1268 to Grafton Church. (fn. 14) Richard seems to have
been succeeded by a daughter Parnel, (fn. 15) who married
Edmund de Grafton. Edmund presented to the
church in 1280, (fn. 16) and was holding the manor in
1297–8. (fn. 17) Parnel's son John de Grafton was dealing
with rent in Grafton Flyford in 1284–5. (fn. 18) From
this time this manor and that of Grafton near
Bromsgrove apparently followed the same descent, (fn. 19)
both being sold in 1350–1 by Roger son of John
de Grafton (fn. 20) to Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick. (fn. 21) Thomas obtained a grant of free warren in
the manor in 1352. (fn. 22) His son Thomas forfeited all
his estates in 1396, and this manor was granted in
1397 to Thomas le Despencer Earl of Gloucester
and his wife Constance. (fn. 23) It was, however, restored
to Thomas Earl of Warwick shortly afterwards, and
descended with Elmley Castle until the death of
Henry Duke of Warwick in 1446. Then, instead of
passing with the rest of the estates of the earldom, it,
as one of the manors which Richard Earl of Warwick
had settled upon his daughters, (fn. 24) passed to the second
daughter, Eleanor wife of Thomas Lord Ros, and
afterwards of Edmund Beaufort, Earl, later Duke, of
Somerset, (fn. 25) and she died seised of it on 4 March
1467. (fn. 26) In an inquisition taken 21 June 1506 it
was stated that her heir was Edward, Lord Ros, son of
her son Thomas, and that the Earl of Northumberland and others had taken the profits since her death, (fn. 27)
presumably as her feoffees, the presentation to the
church being made in 1479 by the feoffees of the
duchess, and in 1503 by Edward Duke of Buckingham, Earl of Hereford, Stafford and Northampton,
Northumberland's son-in-law. (fn. 28) The taking of this
inquisition was followed on 27 July 1509 by a grant
to Joan Lady Howth, widow of Richard Fry, and
daughter of the late duchess, of the manor, then in
the king's hands by reason of the duchess's death. (fn. 29)
The grant was made for life, with reversion to the
king, (fn. 30) and, after the Lady
Joan's death on 11 August
1518, (fn. 31) the manor was on
18 October 1518 granted to
Sir William Tyler for life. (fn. 32)
Upon his death it was granted
for life to Walter Walshe, one
of the grooms of the privy
chamber, on 20 October
1527, (fn. 33) the patent being surrendered and a fresh grant in
tail made to him and Elizabeth his wife on 1 July 1531. (fn. 34)
In 1538 Thomas Evance
wrote to Cromwell, 'Walter Walshe, sheriff of Worcester, is at this hour either dead or past recovery.
The office would be meet for your nephew Mr.
Richard Crumwell. . . . He has the lordship of
Grafton Flevorde for life.' (fn. 35) This final statement
was clearly incorrect, and the manor was held until
her death by the widow of Walter Walshe, who
afterwards married Sir Philip Hoby. (fn. 36) It was conveyed to her son Walter Walshe (fn. 37) by Henry Earl of
Rutland in 1557. (fn. 38) In 1582 it was granted to
Walter Walshe's son William by Richard Shelley and
Dorothy his wife, (fn. 39) probably William's mother and
her second husband. William Walshe, who was
knighted in 1603, (fn. 40) died on 30 April 1622 without
issue male, and his heir was William son of his
deceased younger brother Walter. (fn. 41) William sold
the manor in 1632–3 to Thomas Lord Coventry,
lord keeper of the Great Seal. (fn. 42) It has since descended with Croome D'Abitôt, (fn. 43) and now belongs to
George William Earl of Coventry. (fn. 44)
Walshe. Argent a fesse between six martlets sable.
The manor of HILL COURT or HULL COURT
(Hulle, xiv cent.; Hulle Place, Hylles Court, xvi
cent.) seems to have been originally held under the
Beauchamps, (fn. 45) having perhaps formed part of the
manor of Grafton Flyford in early times. The
estate, sometimes called the manor of Hill Court
in Woodhousend, is perhaps to be identified with
2 bovates of land in Wodehus and a bovate in la
Hull, and a bovate in Uvertorp, formerly held by
Wulmer Wodehus, which King John granted in
1203–4 to John Pincerne at a fee farm of a mark of
silver. (fn. 46) The estate had passed before 1316 to
Edmund de Grafton, lord of Grafton Flyford, who
was then holding a third of a fee in Hill worth
yearly 100s. (fn. 47) It evidently passed with Grafton
Flyford to the Beauchamps of Elmley, Thomas Earl
of Warwick dying seised of it in 1401. (fn. 48) It then
followed the descent of Elmley Castle, (fn. 49) being conveyed by Anne Countess of Warwick to Henry VII
in 1487. (fn. 50) It was, however, in 1492 said to be in
the king's hands on account of the minority of Edward
Earl of Warwick, (fn. 51) but passed into the king's possession
in 1499 on the attainder of the earl. In 1536 a
carucate of land called Hill Place was included in the
lands sometime belonging to the earldom of Warwick
assured to the king by Act of Parliament. (fn. 52) In June
1545 the manor was granted in fee to John Hall of
Ripple and Henry Sheldon of Abberton, (fn. 53) Hall acting
apparently as a trustee, for Henry Sheldon died seised
of it in 1558, and was succeeded by his son John,
aged four. (fn. 54) John died in the same year, (fn. 55) when
his uncle William Sheldon succeeded, and in the same
year received licence to alienate the manor to Richard
Gardener and John Baker. (fn. 56) Richard and John held
the manor in moieties. Richard Gardener's share
passed with Parkhall in Hanbury (fn. 57) to his granddaughters Anne and Alice. (fn. 58) In 1616–17 they with
their respective husbands, James Harley and Peter
Warburton, conveyed it to John Baker and Raphael
Hunt. (fn. 59) John Baker evidently sold it to Edward
Waldegrave alias Fleete, who died on 26 January
1640 seised of a moiety of Hill Court, his heir being
his daughter Mary wife of John Nanfan. (fn. 60) In 1658
John Nanfan and Mary with
their son Bridges (fn. 61) conveyed
their moiety to Andrew
Baker, (fn. 62) and it seems possible
that the two moieties may
thus have become united.
Baker. Argent a saltire engrailed sable charged with five scallops argent and a chief sable with a lion passant argent therein.
The other moiety of the
manor passed on John Baker's
death in 1577 to his son
Francis, (fn. 63) who obtained livery
of it in 1579–80. (fn. 64) Francis
was succeeded by his son
John, on whose death in 1631
the estate passed to his son
Francis. (fn. 65) He mortgaged it
in 1633 to George Monnox, (fn. 66)
and afterwards conveyed it in
trust to his cousin Mary Guynett, who subsequently
became the wife of Henry Brownjohn. (fn. 67) Mary afterwards refused to fulfil the trusts, and evidently took
possession of the manor, (fn. 68) which she and her husband
sold in 1638 to George Townsend, attorney of the
court of King's Bench. (fn. 69) George conveyed it in
1651 to Richard Baker, merchant. (fn. 70)
Robert Baker was in possession of the whole manor
in 1687. (fn. 71) Andrew Baker, son of Andrew Baker of
Hill Court, died on 11 October 1703. (fn. 72) Robert
Baker of Hill Court was one of the commissioners
for the county in 1713. (fn. 73) In 1777 Edward Baker
of Salwarpe was holding the manor, described as the
manor of Woodhouse End, with the farm called Hill
Court, and he then purchased from Kempe Bridges
of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, the reversion on Edward's
death without issue male, this reversion being held
by Kempe. (fn. 74) About 1760 there was considerable
litigation between Edward Baker and his mortgagees,
and later the mortgagees sold all the interest of the
Bakers of Hill Court to various purchasers. (fn. 75)
Prattinton, writing in 1812, referred to 'Baker's
Isle' in the church of Grafton Flyford, and to the
family pew belonging to Squire Baker of the Court in
the church of Flyford Flavell. (fn. 76)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN BAPTIST
consists of a chancel 26½ ft. by 15¾ ft.,
nave 44 ft. by 21 ft., north chapel, south
porch, and west tower 11 ft. square. These measurements are all internal.
The church, with the exception of the 14th-century
tower, was entirely rebuilt in 1875, but the old work
appears to have been very largely re-used. The
modern work is already getting into a very bad state
of repair.
The chancel has a 15th-century east window of
three lights with a segmental pointed head. In the
north wall is a square-headed 14th-century window
of two ogee trefoil-headed lights. In the south wall
are two square-headed two-light windows and a priest's
door, mostly modern. On this side is a single sedile
with a cusped head, and near it a pointed piscina
with the bowl missing. An internal string-course,
largely modern, is carried round the chancel. The
chancel arch is of two chamfered orders dying into
the wall; the voussoirs are small and regular and are
of late 13th or early 14th-century date.
In the north wall of the nave is a pointed 14thcentury arch of two chamfered orders opening into a
small chapel with a single-light window on the east
and west. Further west is a pointed window of the
same date with two lights and a traceried head. In
the south wall are two windows, each of two lights
and similar to that on the north of the chancel;
between them is a plain pointed door. All these
features have apparently been restored and reset.
The 14th-century tower is faced with ashlar and
three stages high with low diagonal buttresses to the
western angles of the ground stage. The tower arch is
acutely pointed and of two chamfered orders. This
stage rests on a deeply moulded plinth and has a pointed
15th-century west window of three cinquefoiled
lights. The second stage is lighted by loops only, but
the third stage has a pointed 14th-century window of
two trefoiled ogee lights in each face. The parapet
is embattled, with carved gargoyles at the angles of the
string and panelled and crocketed pinnacles rising
above them. From within it rises a low octagonal
pyramid of stone capped by a truncated pinnacle set
diagonally.
The fittings include a 17th-century communion
table with turned legs, a 15th-century semi-octagonal
pulpit (on a modern base) having a moulded rail and
traceried heads to the panels, and a modern font. In
the north chapel is a broken marble monument to
Roger Stonehall, who died in 1645. Under the
tower are roughly designed paintings on boards of
the evangelistic symbols with black letter labels,
perhaps of the 16th century; here is also a painted
achievement of the royal arms of Charles II inscribed
1687 C.R. In the tracery of the east window are
some fragments of 15th-century glass tabernacle work
and in the north chancel window are two shields, one
with the arms of Mortimer and the other imperfect
with those of Beauchamp. In the west window are
fragments of white and yellow 15th-century glass in
the tracery.
There are five bells, all cast by John Martin in
1676: the tenor is inscribed, 'All men that here
my roring sound repent before you ly in ground,
M. Robert Baker 1676'; the fourth, 'We wish in heven
theer souls may sing that caused us six here for to ring,
Amell Doxly, Richard Haynes C.W. 1676'; the third,
'Be it known to all that doth wee see John Martin of
Worcester, he made wee 1676'; the second, 'All prayse
and glory be to God for ever 1676'; and the treble,
'Jesus be our good speed, God Save the King 1676.'
The plate includes a cup and cover paten, London,
1571, and a plate, London, 1679, inscribed 'Grafton
Flyford.'
The registers are in one volume as follows: baptisms 1676 to 1813, burials 1676 to 1812, marriages
1678 to 1777.
ADVOWSON
The earliest reference to the
church occurs in 1268, when Richard
Amberley presented. (fn. 77) The advowson has always been held with the manor. (fn. 78)
The rectory and all glebe lands, tithes, &c., belonging to the same were on 1 October 1554 (fn. 79) leased for
twenty-one years at £20 yearly by David Gyttins,
parson of the parish church, to William Willettes,
Richard Hyde and Henry Okeleye, who on 18 June
following brought a suit against his successor, William
Kymbarley, to recover the rent of the mansion-house
and glebe from him and to compel him to inhabit
the same. (fn. 80)
At the Dissolution a yearly rent of 12d. out of
certain lands and tenements was returned as having
been given for the maintenance of certain lights. (fn. 81)
A rent of 12d. was also given for the maintenance
of obits, whereof 4d. was paid to the poor. (fn. 82) Land
for anniversaries in Grafton Flyford was granted to
Thomas Reve and John Herdson on 15 May 1550. (fn. 83)
CHARITIES
The Charity Estates include the
following charities, namely:—
1. The benefaction of Sir John
Grafton, kt., recorded on the church table put up in
the year 1731, consisting of five closes, containing
18 a. or thereabouts;
2. The charity of the Rev. Roger Stonehall, a
former rector, founded by will dated in 1639, consisting of 10 a. 3 r. 16 p. known as the School Closes,
3 r. 20 p. and two cottages;
3. Allotment under the Inclosure Act in 1813,
being 4 a. of land at North Piddle;
4. The charity of the Rev. George Harris, a former
rector, founded by will dated in 1719, consisting of
7 a. 2 r. known as Bookey's Leasow, held for the
residue of a term of 2,000 years.
The Charity Estates, the original endowments of
which have by exchanges and inclosures undergone
considerable changes, were in 1819 the subject of
Chancery proceedings, whereby heavy liabilities and
loss to the charities were incurred.
The charities are now administered under the
provisions of a scheme of the Charity Commissioners,
13 June 1899, and by an order dated 29 January
1904 a moiety of the income of Sir John Grafton's
charity and the land known as the School Closes
were constituted the Grafton and Stonehall Educational Foundation. One-fourth of the income of Sir
John Grafton's charity is applicable for the repairs of
the church and the remaining fourth of the same
charity, together with the income of other properties,
is applicable for the benefit of the poor. In 1905–6
the income of the Charity Estates amounted to about
£50, of which £20 was applied for educational purposes, £4 5s. for church purposes, and the balance of
the net income for the poor.
In 1721 Andrew Baker, as stated on the church
table, by his will gave 20s. to the poor to be paid
out of his estate in Flyford Flavell yearly, and given
in bread at Easter by the minister and churchwardens.
The other benefactions for the poor also recorded
on the church table, namely, William Dugard's,
Bridget Darby's, and the charities of Mary George
and Elizabeth Soley, cannot now be identified;
they may have been absorbed in the Charity Estates.