STRENSHAM
Strengesho (x cent.); Strenchesham (xii cent.);
Strengesham (xiii cent.); Straynsham (xv cent.).
Strensham occupies a very beautiful situation on
the southern boundary of the county, facing the
Malvern and Bredon Hills. It is on the right bank
of the Avon, which forms its eastern boundary, its
northern being the Bourne Brook, which flows east
into the Avon. A road to Pershore from Tewkesbury runs through it from south to north. The
village is at Upper (or Over) Strensham near the
southern boundary, with Lower (or Nether) Strensham
to the north. At the eastern side of the parish is
the church, on a hill overlooking the Avon. It
marks the highest point, 160 ft., the ground sloping
away from it north, west and south, the lowest
points reached being on the banks of the Avon.
The land along the Bourne Brook and the Avon is
liable to floods.
The village is small and contains a few black and
white buildings. The almshouses are a half H on
plan and contain six tenements. They are built of
brick with stone quoins, one story high with attics.
In the centre of the front is a stone coat of arms,
Russell (baronet) impaling Lytton, with the date
1697.
At Lower Strensham is the site of a castle said to
have been destroyed in the Civil War, (fn. 1) with moats
forming a nearly complete square. To the west of
it lies Moat Farm, supposed to have been the gateway of the ancient building. No traces of the masonry
of the castle remain, but the moats are still in excellent condition. (fn. 2) This must be the site of the
mansion-house that Sir John Russell received licence
to crenellate in 1388, (fn. 3) and it may have been here
that the house stood in which James Russell received
licence to build an oratory in 1283. (fn. 4)
Strensham Court, at Upper Strensham, now occupied
by Mr. Gerald Dudley Smith, is near the site of a
Strensham Court which was the home of the Russells
after their house at Lower Strensham was dismantled.
The present house was built in 1824 by Mr. John
Taylor, who then pulled down the older Strensham
Court. It is a large stone mansion in the Greek
manner of the period, and stands in beautiful and
well-planted grounds.
Strensham has an especial interest because Dr.
Treadway Nash, the historian of the county, was lord
of the manor and became rector in 1797. (fn. 5) It has
an interesting connexion with Charles Cotton (1630–
87), the friend of Izaak Walton, whose second wife
was Mary, eldest daughter of Sir William Russell of
Strensham, and widow of the second Earl of Ardglass. (fn. 6)
He added to the Complete Angler, 'Instructions how
to angle for a Trout or Grayling in a Clear Stream,'
and was well known in his day as a poet and wit.
Until about forty years ago there stood in the village
a low timbered building which was the birthplace
in 1612 of Samuel Butler, the author of Hudibras. (fn. 7)
An old trench road is described by Allies as passing
not far from this house through a pasture on the
south side of the Moat Farm, up what is called Green
Hill and the Park grounds, to that part of the hill
where Strensham Church stands, and probably from
thence across one of the fords to Eckington. (fn. 8)
The parish has an area of 1,967 acres, of which
551 are arable land, 1,164 are permanent grass and
64 woods and plantations. (fn. 9) The soil is clay and
loam, the subsoil Lower Lias. The chief crops
grown are wheat, barley and beans.
An Act for inclosing lands and for making compensation for tithes was passed in 1814, (fn. 10) and the award
is dated 25 July 1817. (fn. 11)
Among place-names have been found Boteshull,
Holdegora (fn. 12) (early undated deeds); Barbecroft (fn. 13)
(undated); Horiputte, Tweningesdich, Suthslade,
Lynhamfurlug, (fn. 14) Homfurlungeshouere (fn. 15) (xiii cent.);
Ormesining, Hokewelle, Arwynesleye, Prinnokestyle (fn. 16) (xiv
cent.).
MANORS
Ten manses at
STRENSHAM
are said to have
been granted to the abbey of
Pershore by King Coenwulf
at the request of the ealdorman Beornoth, and after being
lost to that abbey to have
been restored to it by King
Edgar in 972. (fn. 17) Strensham
was afterwards granted to the
abbey of Westminster by
Edward the Confessor as belonging to the manor of Pershore. It is not entered by
name in the Domesday Survey, but from another survey
made shortly after it appears
that it is to be identified
with a berewick of 10 hides belonging in 1086
to the manor of Comberton. Under the abbey of
Westminster it was held by Gilbert Fitz Turold as
successor to Ulf and Ansgot, (fn. 18) and Gilbert's interest
in the manor seems to have passed at an early date
to the Abbots of Westminster.
The Abbots of Westminster apparently held this
manor, afterwards known as NETHER STRENSHAM, in demesne, until Abbot Walter (ob. 1191)
granted it to Geoffrey de St. Leger to hold for service
of two knights' fees. (fn. 19) The St. Leger family held for
a short time, Reginald de St. Leger confirming a
grant to Tewkesbury Abbey of land held of his fee
in Strensham by an undated deed. (fn. 20) Engelm de
St. Leger also granted land at Strensham to Tewkesbury Abbey, (fn. 21) but forfeited his estate here for some
reason in the reign of John. (fn. 22) Hugh de Fokinton or
Fulketon was holding Strensham in 1210–12, (fn. 23) but
Engelm's land was restored in 1216. (fn. 24) It seems
possible that the St. Legers and Fokintons may then
have held Strensham between them, as Geoffrey de
Fokinton was holding land in Strensham in 1226–7. (fn. 25)
In 1232 certain land in Strensham forfeited by
Robert de Dicleston, an outlaw, was held of William
de Englefield, (fn. 26) who in 1248–9, with Margery his
wife, granted a messuage and a carucate of land in
Strensham to Andrew son of William de Englefield. (fn. 27)
John la Warr and Olimpia (fn. 28) his wife and William de
Englefield and Margery his wife were holding the
manor jointly in 1254–5. (fn. 29) In 1276 Margery,
relict of William de Englefield (one of the justices of
England), paid a subsidy of 20s. in Strensham. (fn. 30)
Roger son of John la Warr, (fn. 31) who was holding the
advowson in 1278, (fn. 32) received a grant of free warren
in his demesne lands of Strensham on 2 January
1285, (fn. 33) and sold the manor in that year to Godfrey
de Auno in exchange for the manor of Rushall (co.
Wilts.). (fn. 34) In 1298–9 Godfrey and Joan his wife sold
the manor to James Russell, (fn. 35) who had probably
acquired the Englefields' moiety before 1283, when
he obtained licence to build an oratory in his house
at Strensham. (fn. 36) James was still alive in 1300, (fn. 37) but
had been succeeded before 1312 by his son Nicholas, (fn. 38)
who presented to the church at that date. (fn. 39) He was
appointed collector of the aid for the county in
1322, (fn. 40) and on 27 January 1328 he received a grant
of free warren in his demesnes of Strensham and
Peopleton. (fn. 41) In 1337–8 he settled the manor on
his heirs by his wife Agnes with contingent remainders
to his children John, Edmund, Robert, Christine,
Margaret de Appurleye and Margery de la Bourne. (fn. 42)
He must have died before 1346, when his widow
Agnes was holding the two knights' fees which he
had formerly held. (fn. 43) John son of Nicholas died in
1349, and as Edmund his brother was already dead
without leaving issue the third brother Robert succeeded. (fn. 44) Robert Russell of Strensham received
exemption for life on 9 October 1353 from being
put on assizes, juries, &c., against his will. (fn. 45) He
married Catherine daughter of John Vampage, (fn. 46) and
must have been living as late as 1361, when he presented to the church. (fn. 47) He was succeeded before
1376 by his son Sir John Russell, Master of the
Horse to Richard II. (fn. 48) In 1383 Thomas Earl of
Warwick gave him a yearly
rent of £20 in time of peace
and £40 in time of war from
the earl's manor of Chedworth, with bouche-au-court for
himself, a chamberlain, three
grooms and five horses in time
of war, in return for bachelor
service. This was inspected
and confirmed by Richard II
on 25 April 1383. (fn. 49) In 1388
he received licence to crenellate his mansion-house at
Strensham, (fn. 50) and in 1397
confirmation of the grant of
free warren made to Nicholas in 1328. (fn. 51) A grant
of land and rent in Strensham, made to him by
Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, before the
forfeiture of his lands, was confirmed to him in the
same year, (fn. 52) and in 1398, (fn. 53) for gratuitous good service.
On the last occasion he was described as 'long keeper
of the king's great horses.' In 1399 he settled the
manor and advowson on his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 54) His
son William ratified the estate of Elizabeth, his
father's wife, in the manor in 1400–1, (fn. 55) and in
1405 Sir John died at Letheringham in Suffolk,
according to the inscription on his tomb at Strensham,
on which are recorded also the names of his three
wives, Elizabeth, Margaret and Agnes. Elizabeth
survived him and as Lady de Clinton held the manor
until her death in 1423. (fn. 56) William Russell followed, and was succeeded by his son Robert, who
was holding the manor in 1428 (fn. 57) and 1431, (fn. 58) and
married Elizabeth daughter of Sir John Throckmorton. (fn. 59) She was holding the manor with her
husband in 1433–4, when it was conveyed by them
to John Throckmorton and others for purposes of
settlement. (fn. 60) The manor, described as having been
forfeited by John Russell in 1461, (fn. 61) was granted to
the king's kinsman Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick,
in 1462. (fn. 62) On 7 June 1471 Elizabeth Russell of
Strensham, widow, received a general pardon for all
offences committed before 5 June last, (fn. 63) and the
manor must have been restored to her, for in 1483–4
a warrant was issued to hinder all persons from
hunting in the park of Strensham without her special
licence, the king (Richard III) desiring to have the
park replenished with game. (fn. 64) She settled the manor
by her will on her son Robert, and enfeoffed Robert
Throckmorton and others for execution of this settlement and for providing portions for the sons and
daughters of Robert Russell. (fn. 65) Robert, who married
Joan daughter of Sir Kinard de la Bcere, succeeded
to the manor, and was followed at his death in 1493
by his son Robert, who married Elizabeth daughter of
Thomas Baynham (fn. 66) and died in 1502. (fn. 67) Robert's
son John, who then inherited the manor, married
Edith Unton. (fn. 68) In 1523 he and his son Thomas
were appointed surveyors of the lands of the bishopric
of Worcester. (fn. 69) He died in 1556, (fn. 70) and was succeeded
by his son Sir Thomas Russell (knighted in 1549), (fn. 71)
who in 1557 made a settlement on his wife Frances
daughter of Sir Roger Cholmeley, and in 1572 settled
Strensham on his son John at the marriage of the latter
with Elizabeth daughter of Ralph Sheldon of Beoley.
He died at Worcester on 9 April 1574 (fn. 72) and was
succeeded by his son John, afterwards Sir John, who
suffered attainder, his lands being granted in 1588 to
Walter Coppinger and others. (fn. 73) Sir John's lands
were, however, restored before he died in 1593. (fn. 74)
His son Thomas, who succeeded him, and who was
knighted in 1603, (fn. 75) was in 1624 engaged in a suit to
recover documents dealing with the manor from a
former servant or clerk, William Dingle or Dinely. (fn. 76)
In the same year he made a settlement on his son
William and his heirs male by Frances daughter of
Sir Thomas Reade, (fn. 77) and on his death in 1632 this
son, then Sir William, succeeded. (fn. 78) He had been
created a baronet in 1627, (fn. 79) and suffered imprisonment and heavy losses of property for his zeal in the
Royalist cause. (fn. 80) After the Restoration he was one
of the knights nominated for the projected order of
the Royal Oak. (fn. 81) He died in 1669 and was succeeded by his second but first surviving son, Sir
Francis Russell, bart., who married Anne daughter of
Sir Rowland Lytton of Knebworth. (fn. 82) Sir Francis
Russell was the last male representative of his line,
and at his death in 1705 left Strensham equally
between his three daughters: Anne, who married,
firstly, Sir Henry Every, secondly, Richard Lygon of
Beauchamp Court, and thirdly, Sir John Guise of
Elmore; Mary, who married Thomas Jones; and
Elizabeth, who married William Dansey. (fn. 83) According to Nash, two shares were soon re-united by the
death of one of the sisters, and descended to Catherine Dansey, daughter and sole heir of the third
sister Elizabeth and of her husband William Dansey.
Catherine Dansey married John Ravenhill, and these
two shares passed to their daughter and sole heir
Frances Ravenhill, who married as her first husband
Richard Russell Nash, D.D., brother of Dr. Treadway Nash, the historian of Worcestershire. (fn. 84) Dr.
Richard Nash and his wife Frances conveyed the
manor in 1754 to Dr. Shipley and Dr. Treadway
Nash, (fn. 85) apparently in execution of some settlement.
But according to the historian's own work they were
only holding two-thirds of it, he himself having
acquired the remaining third in 1775, after it had
passed through various hands, and the reversion of
his sister-in-law's two-thirds after her death being
bequeathed to him by his brother, whose wife survived him and married as her second husband Charles
Trubshaw Withers. She presented to the church
with Charles Trubshaw Withers in 1774, (fn. 86) and both
were living in 1781. (fn. 87) She apparently died before
1795, when Dr. Treadway Nash was holding the
whole manor. (fn. 88) He died in 1811. His only
daughter and heir Margaret married John Lord
Somers, (fn. 89) who held the manor in 1811 (fn. 90) and 1812. (fn. 91)
By him it was sold in 1817 to Mr. John Taylor, (fn. 92)
eldest son of Mr. John Taylor of Bordesley Park and
Moseley Hall, a most successful Birmingham button
manufacturer. He died childless, and was succeeded
by his brother James, who died in 1852. He was
followed by his son James Arthur Taylor, M.P. for the
eastern division of Worcestershire from 1841 to 1847.
His son, Mr. Arthur James Taylor, who succeeded on
his death in 1889, (fn. 93) is now lord of the manor.
Strensham Court
Russell of Strensham. Argent a cheveron between three crosslets fitchy sable.
The manor of OVER STRENSHAMwas held of
the abbey of Westminster, the overlordship of the
dean and chapter, as successors
to the abbot, being acknowledged as late as 1594. (fn. 94)
Land in Strensham was
granted to the monastery of
Tewkesbury by various donors.
William de Mare and Mabel
his wife and Robert their son
gave a virgate (1137–61),
Reginald de St. Leger gave
half a hide in his fee, William
de Buckingham gave half a
virgate granted to him by
Engelm de St. Leger, and
Robert son of Hugh de Dicleston, and Robert de Dicleston
and his wife gave land. (fn. 95) This
must have been the free tenement in Strensham which Nicholas Russell was holding of John de Mare, and John de Mare of the Abbot
of Tewkesbury in 1327, (fn. 96) and the origin of the
manor of Over Strensham which this monastery was
holding at the Dissolution. (fn. 97) In July 1545 this
manor was granted in fee to James Gunter and
William Lewes, (fn. 98) who in the same month received
licence to alienate it to John Russell of Over Strensham. (fn. 99) This alienation does not seem, however, to
have taken place, and in 1547 the manor was
conveyed by James Gunter and Anne his wife to
Sir Roger Cholmeley, kt., chief baron of the Exchequer. (fn. 100) On 14 October 1557 Sir Roger
Cholmeley gave this manor to Sir Thomas Russell
and his wife Frances, Sir Roger's daughter, retaining
for himself a life interest. (fn. 101) The manor of Over
Strensham seems ultimately to have become merged
in the capital manor. (fn. 102)
Taylor of Strensham. Argent sprinkled with drops sable and a chief indented sable with a pale argent therein and three scallops counter coloured.
In 1671 Sir Francis Russell bought for £5 8s. 3d.
a fee-farm rent of 6s. 2d., which must have been
reserved by the Crown on the grant of 1545, as it
was said to have been lately paid by James Gunter. (fn. 103)
Land in Strensham, parcel of the manor of Alderminster, was held by the abbey of Pershore, to
which abbey grants were made by various donors
in the time of Abbots Roger (1234–50), Eler
(1251–64), and William (1290–1307), (fn. 104) and in
1392. (fn. 105) On 3 December 1538 John Abbot of
Pershore granted to Sir John Russell all messuages,
lands, &c., within the manor of Strensham parcel
of the manor of Alderminster, (fn. 106) and these were on
7 March 1617 granted to Sir Arthur Throckmorton
of Paulerspury, being then or late in the occupation
of Samuel Butler, (fn. 107) the father of the author of
Hudibras. (fn. 108) Lands in Strensham called Throckmorton's Lands, formerly in the tenure of Samuel Butler,
were held of the king in chief in 1634 (fn. 109) by Sir Thomas
Russell at his death.
A mill was held with the manor in 1400–1. (fn. 110) A
dispute having arisen between Sir John Russell of
Strensham, owner of 'ancient water corn mills called
Strensham Mills and Eckington Mills,'and Thomas
Hanford, owner of Nafford Mills, it was agreed that
Hanford should convey the mills in Nafford to Sir John
Russell, whose son Sir Thomas was engaged in a dispute with the Hanfords about this agreement in 1622. (fn. 111)
Two mills were held with the manor in 1658 (fn. 112) and
in 1812, (fn. 113) and there is still a corn-mill on the Avon
at Strensham.
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN BAPTIST (fn. 114) consists of a chancel 29 ft. 6 in.
by 14 ft. with north vestry, nave 57 ft.
by 25 ft. 6 in. with south porch and west tower. The
measurements are all internal.
The building was apparently largely rebuilt and
perhaps lengthened towards the west in the 14th
century. There is no detail of an earlier period.
Several windows were inserted in the 15th century
and the church has been restored in modern times,
when the north vestry was added and the south chancel
wall refaced.
The chancel has a three-light 14th-century east
window with a pointed head. The north wall is
blank, but the south wall has a square-headed 15thcentury window of two lights with a moulded piscina
below it of the 14th century. Further west is a
projecting bay built to receive a tomb and a pointed
priest's door partly restored. The 14th-century chancel
arch is of two chamfered orders, the inner springing
from a moulded corbel. The roof, which is of wagon
form and ceiled, has two tie-beams.
The nave has three windows in the north wall,
the first of two lights and the second of one, both
apparently of the 14th century. The north door
and the third window on this side are modern restorations. The windows in the south wall, three
in number, are all similar to those opposite and the
south door is modern, plain and pointed. The roof
is of wagon form with moulded ribs and three heavy
moulded tie-beams. On the soffit of the first is fixed
a painted angel holding a shield, party palewise,
Russell and Lytton, and evidently repainted late in
the 17th century. The other ties have raised shields
in the centre with obliterated painted coats of arms.
The 14th-century west tower is of three stages with
diagonal buttresses at the western angles, and has a
lofty pointed tower arch, now blocked up. The 15thcentury west window is of three lights with a pointed
and traceried head; below it is a door of the same
date with a four-centred head. The second stage
has a pointed single light in the west face and the
bell-chamber is lighted by a 14th-century window in
each face of two lights with a quatrefoil in the head.
The embattled parapet has been repaired in brick on
the east side. The south porch has a 14th-century
outer arch dying into the plain jambs. The walls of
the nave are of small rubble, rough-cast, and the
tower is also of rubble, with a projecting stair turret
at the south-east angle.
At the west end of the nave is a 15th-century oak
screen, now forming a gallery front and resting on
two free posts, the faces of which have niches with
crocketed and finialled canopies and side pinnacles;
the moulded beam above is supported on curved
braces, each carved with rich foliage of differing designs.
The gallery front above has a series of twenty-three
panels, each with a traceried head, and a painted saint
on a red ground. The figures have been considerably
repainted and from north to south are as follows:
(1) St. Anthony with a tau cross on his cloak,
(2) St. Stephen, (3) St. Laurence, (4) a king,
(5) a bishop, (6)—(18) the twelve apostles, including
St. Paul, with our Lord in the centre, (19) an archbishop, (20) St. Edmund the king, (21) a bishop,
(22) St. John Baptist, (23) an archbishop. The
font is modern and the plainly panelled hexagonal
pulpit is apparently of early 18th-century date; the
desk beside it is of earlier woodwork re-used. The side
walls of the nave have 16th-century linen-fold panelling with a row of hat pegs along the top. The pews
of the same date are very massive with moulded rails
and buttressed ends, with linen-fold panels. At the
east end is a large square pew with Jacobean enrichment round the top and fluted consoles. The nave
is largely paved with 15th-century slip tiles with
much of the pattern defaced. A large number of
foliage designs are still intact, and several heraldic tiles,
including the arms of Berkeley, Edward the Confessor,
Beauchamp, Gloucester Abbey, St. John and a set of
four tiles, each bearing paly of eight pieces a cheveron
with three crosslets thereon, and a mitre in chief, for
John Carpenter, Bishop of Worcester (1444–76).
The church contains an unusual number of interesting monuments, mostly to members of the Russell
family. The earliest are two brasses on the chancel
floor, one of about 1390 to Robert son of Thomas
Russell of Strensham, showing an armed figure in
camail with his feet on a lion; the marginal inscription had shields at the angles, all now gone. The
second brass is to Sir John Russell, who died in
1405, and his three wives, Elizabeth, Margaret and
Agnes. It represents a knight in armour under a
crocketed ogee canopy with side pinnacles; the
marginal inscription has the evangelistic symbols at
the angles, one being missing. A third brass to
Robert Russell and Elizabeth (Baynham) his wife,
1502, is now placed in a modern slab against the
north wall. It has an armed figure with one of the
wife. Against the same wall at the east end is a
panelled altar tomb, with a marble slab, to Sir John
Russell, 1556, and Edith (Unton) his wife, 1562;
the sides have diamond panels, formerly with brass
shields, all now lost. At the head is an upright panel
crested with Tudor flower and having small kneeling
brass figures of Sir John and his wife, both in heraldic
dress, with a son behind and three shields above.
The first bears the arms of Russell quartered with
de la Planche, Hodington, Golafre, Cassy, Cooksey,
Thorgrim and Cromlyn, the second bears Unton
quartered with Fettiplace, the third shield bears the
first two impaled. On the wall at the back is an
oval tablet to Sir William Russell, bart., who died in
1669, and above it a tablet to Sir C. T. Withers,
1804, who married Frances Ravenhill. Further west
is a large monument in grey and white marble to
Anne daughter of Sir Francis Russell and widow of
Sir John Guise, bart., who died in 1734, with a
recumbent figure in marble, and still further west is
an elaborate monument in black and white marble
to Sir Francis Russell, bart., 1705, with a semirecumbent effigy in full wig; his wife Anne kneels
at his head and the cornice at the back supports a fully
quartered and impaled coat of arms. Against the
south chancel wall is a handsome Jacobean monument in alabaster to Sir Thomas Russell, 1632, and
Elizabeth his wife, 1668, daughter of William Spencer
of Yarnton (co. Oxon.). The recumbent effigies rest
on an altar tomb under a rich canopy with a coffered
arch and Corinthian columns, the drums of which are
enriched with vine ornament. Beneath the altar
tomb in a large recess is an oval-shaped urn with
scroll feet and enrichments. The monument bears
elaborate heraldry, the principal shield having Russell
impaling Spencer. Behind the columns are numerous
small coats, each bearing one of the Russell quarterings.
Further west is a small tablet to Samuel Ward, rector,
who died in 1705, with a coat of arms.
The tower contains six bells. Originally five cast
by Abraham Rudhall in 1704–5; the fourth and fifth
being broken were recast in 1911 by John Taylor,
and a new treble added. The inventory of 1552
shows that three bells were originally bought by
Sir John Russell at the Dissolution from Bordesley
Abbey to replace three others sold 10 years before. (fn. 115)
The plate consists of a cup and paten of 1571, a
paten of 1692, a flagon of 1665 and a copy of the
1571 cup and paten cover for general use made in
1908.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms
1569 to 1694, burials 1573 to 1695, marriages 1573
to 1694; (ii) baptisms 1700 to 1732, burials 1703
to 1729, marriages 1704 to 1731; (iii) baptisms and
burials 1732 to 1790, marriages 1732 to 1753;
(iv) marriages 1754 to 1812; (v) baptisms and burials
1791 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
Strensham seems originally to have
been a chapelry of the church of
Holy Cross, Pershore, for in 1236
an ordinance as to tithes between the chapel of
Strensham and church of Pershore was made, (fn. 116) and
in 1535 a portion of the tithes was still paid to the
church of Holy Cross. (fn. 117) The advowson was mentioned
for the first time about the middle of the 13th century,
when Richard de Berking, Abbot of Westminster
(1222–46), is said to have purchased it. (fn. 118) The
presentations were, however, made later in the same
century by the lords of the manor, Sir Roger la
Warr presenting in 1278 and 1279. (fn. 119) He excepted
the advowson from the sale of the manor to Godfrey
de Auno, (fn. 120) but it must have passed to James Russell
shortly after his purchase of the manor, for he presented in 1300, and the advowson subsequently
followed the same descent as the manor. (fn. 121)
In 1392 appeal was made by the abbey of Pershore
against the rector of Strensham Chapel, who compelled the inhabitants to be buried in his chapel
instead of in the parish church of Holy Cross in Pershore Abbey. (fn. 122) In 1395 an indult was granted to
the inhabitants, who had previously obtained licence
to have their dead buried at Strensham in time of
flood or when Pershore was otherwise inaccessible, to
have their dead buried here at any time whatever, (fn. 123)
the churchyard at Strensham having been dedicated
in 1393. (fn. 124)
In 1482–3 Elizabeth widow of Robert Russell
founded in the parish church of Strensham an obit
or anniversary, for the endowment of which she gave
15 acres called the Court Close in Peopleton. (fn. 125)
CHARITIES
The almshouses consist of six tenements for poor widows, founded and
endowed by Sir Francis Russell, bart.,
by deed 30 October 1697, and three tenements,
founded and endowed by will of Lady Anne Guise,
daughter of the said Sir Francis Russell, by will dated
in 1733.
The nine almshouses are endowed with the manor
of Eckington (excluding the mill and the mill acre),
producing in chief rents £9 4s. 6d. yearly, a fishery
in the River Avon let at £3, a rent-charge of £7 out
of the manor of Chipping Campden (co. Gloucester),
a rent-charge of £21 out of the Strensham Court
estate, and 2 a. 1 r. 24 p. situate in Eckington,
awarded in 1813 on the inclosure in that parish, let
at £5 a year. The net income is expended on coal,
clothing and bread for the inmates, and each inmate
receives a gift of 3s. at Christmas.
In 1709 Lady Anne Russell, by a codicil to her
will, charged a farm in Strensham with an annuity
of £10 for teaching twelve poor children and providing them with books and clothing. In 1726
Lady Anne Guise, daughter of the said Lady Anne
Russell, by deed poll, granted to trustees a piece of
ground with the schoolhouse erected thereon partly
out of the income of the charity and partly out of
money added by herself. The official trustees also
hold a sum of £61 15s. 6d. Local Loans 3 per cent.
stock, producing £1 17s. yearly, arising from accumulations of income.
The foundation is now regulated by a scheme of
the Charity Commissioners, 14 February 1873.
In 1794 Sir Charles Trubshaw Withers, kt.,
bequeathed to the churchwardens a sum of £100,
the interest to be applied in the distribution of coal
among the poor. The personal estate being insufficient
to pay the debts and legacies, Thomas Blayney,
the testator's nephew and devisee of part of his real
estate, made good the charitable legacy with interest
thereon at 5 per cent.
In 1813 a sum of £130 with some accumulation of
interest was invested in £200 reduced 3 percent. annuities, now represented by £200 consols with the official
trustees, producing £5 a year, which is duly applied.
The church and poor land consists of 2 a. of land,
allotted in 1817 on the inclosure in this parish in
lieu of two pieces of land, one of which was said to
have belonged to the church and the other to the
poor. The land is let at £4 a year, which is applied
towards the church expenses.