UPPER ARLEY
Earnleia (x cent.); Ernlege (xi cent.); Erleia,
Ernelea (xii cent.); Arleg, Erdele, Arnlee de Port
(xiii cent.); Aerley (xv cent.); Over Areley (xvi cent.).
Upper Arley is a parish containing 3,969 acres,
of which 50 acres are covered with water, on the
Shropshire border of the county. It was included in
the county of Staffordshire until 1895, when it was
transferred to Worcestershire. (fn. 1) It is watered on the
west by the Severn and three of its tributaries, and on
the east by a tributary of the Stour. The parish
abounds in woods, especially that part on the right
bank of the Severn which was formerly and is still
partly in Wyre Forest. Shatterford and Arley Woods
in the east of the parish were formerly in Kinver
Forest. (fn. 2) In 1905 the parish included 875 acres of
arable land, 1,945 acres of permanent grass and 838
acres of woodland. (fn. 3)
The village is well wooded and charmingly situated
in the Severn valley, on the left bank of the river, about
5 miles north of Bewdley and 6 miles north-west
of Kidderminster. It is built along the road running
south-west from Shatterford, which after entering the
village runs for nearly 100 yards along the side of the
river, and taking a bend to the north-west rises uphill to the church and Arley Castle, both of which
are built on high ground at the western extremity of
the settlement. It thus takes the form of a horseshoe.
None of the cottages are of any great antiquity, and
are chiefly built of red brick with tile roofs.
The Grange, the residence of the Misses Corser,
is a small 18th-century red brick house on the west
side of the road leading to the church. The roof is
tiled and the house contains a good oak staircase
having a moulded handrail and turned balusters.
The station is on the opposite side of the river to the
village, and is reached by a ferry which was a source
of revenue to the lords of the manor in the 14th
century.
Arley Castle stands on high ground to the east of
the church, and commands a good view of the Severn
valley and forest of Wyre. The greater part of the
present house, now the residence of Mr. R. Woodward, D.L., J.P., was built of sandstone in the Gothic
style by Lord Mountnorris in 1844. The only
ancient feature remaining is a part of the Old Hall,
formerly the dower house of the Lytteltons of Hagley,
now forming the south wing. It is a two-storied
building, erected apparently in the latter part of the
16th century, and enlarged in the reign of James I.
The roof is tiled, and externally the hall has been
refaced with stucco. The windows have been renewed in most cases with sashes, and the moulded
label of the early Gothic revivalists has been inserted
over them. With the exception of two staircases the
interior was entirely remodelled in 1844. Both
these staircases are on the eastern side of the house.
That on the north is Elizabethan, in two flights,
with a moulded handrail, shaped flat balusters and
square newels, capped with turned finials. The
other, or principal staircase, is of a more pretentious
design, and was added early in the 17th century. It
ascends to the first floor in three flights, with square
landings at each turn. The strings and handrail are
moulded, and the newel posts, which have shaped
finials incised with an arabesque enrichment, are
ornamented in a similar manner. The balusters are
shaped and have small Ionic capitals. The panelled
risers are a peculiar feature of the staircase. A considerable amount of 17th-century woodwork has been
re-used in the old part of the house, especially in the
library, a room in the north-west corner of the
original block, where a cleverly constructed fireplace
might be taken for original Jacobean work. Several
tombstones taken from the churchyard have been
utilized in the building of a cellar in the additions
made by Lord Mountnorris.
The soil varies, the subsoil being sandstone rock.
The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and beans.
Cider apples were formerly grown at Arley, and
Sir Henry Lyttelton cultivated vines from which were
produced light wines equal to those of France. (fn. 4) There
is a freestone quarry on the estate of Mr. Woodward,
from which grindstones, millstones and building stone
are obtained. A thin stratum of coal was worked in
the middle of the 19th century. (fn. 5)
There are ancient earthworks in Arley Wood and
Hawkbatch.
Place-names occurring in deeds relating to Upper
Arley are Elarenesland, le Wheolares, (fn. 6) Rylondbrugge,
Wudres (xv cent.), (fn. 7) Quateway, Frenchman Street,
Whitnells, Popehouse Lane (xvi cent.). (fn. 8)
MANORS
The manor of UPPER ARLEY was
given to the college of Wolverhampton
by Wulfrun, the founder, about 996. (fn. 9)
The clerks of Wolverhampton held 2 hides at Arley
in 1086, and to this manor belonged half a hide in
'the other Arley,' which Osbert Fitz Richard took
by force from the canons. (fn. 10)
The college of Wolverhampton with all its possessions was granted by William Rufus to Samson Bishop
of Worcester. (fn. 11) Samson gave the college to the Prior
and convent of Worcester, (fn. 12) and from them it was
unlawfully taken by Roger Bishop of Salisbury in the
reign of Stephen. (fn. 13) The college was restored to the
priory of Worcester by King Stephen, but Upper
Arley was apparently given by Bishop Roger to
Henry de Port, for his son Adam was in possession
in 1166–7, (fn. 14) and it appears that Henry de Port had
formerly held it. (fn. 15) Adam de Port forfeited all his
possessions in 1172, (fn. 16) when Upper or Over Arley
passed to the Crown. During the early years of the
reign of Richard I it appears to have been farmed by
the men of the manor, (fn. 17) but in 1194 it was granted
to William de Braose at a rent of £15 10s. 7d.
yearly. (fn. 18) He held it until
1198–9, when it was resumed
by the Crown, probably on
account of the debts owned by
William to the king. (fn. 19) In
the following year it was
granted by King John to
Thomas de Burgh. He held
it of the king in chief for the
service of one knight's fee, (fn. 20)
and from that time it was
always held of the king in
chief either for knight service
or at a fee-farm rent. (fn. 21) Thomas
de Burgh was still holding the manor in 1225, (fn. 22) but
in March 1227 it was granted by the king to Hubert
de Burgh, Earl of Kent, brother of Thomas, (fn. 23) and
the grant was confirmed in 1228. (fn. 24) In 1232 the
king freed from regard of the forest the wood of
Arley belonging to Hubert de Burgh in the forest of
Kinver. (fn. 25) On the fall of Hubert in 1232 he surrendered all his possessions to the king, (fn. 26) and, though
they were restored to him in the same year, (fn. 27) this
manor was granted in June 1233 to Anketil Mallore
and his heirs, to be held at a fee farm of 10 marks
yearly. (fn. 28) In 1235–6, however, as the result of an
action between Hubert and Anketil, the manor was
restored to the earl, (fn. 29) who was succeeded in 1243 by
his son John. (fn. 30) John de Burgh granted this manor
to Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who
surrendered it to King Edward I. (fn. 31) In 1274 the
king granted it to Letard Hanyn and his issue, (fn. 32) and
in 1276 Letard obtained licence to grant it to Roger
de Mortimer. (fn. 33) It passed from Roger to his son
Edmund in 1282, (fn. 34) and was granted by the latter to
his daughter Iseult and her first husband Walter de
Balun for their lives. (fn. 35) After Walter's death Iseult
married Hugh de Audley, and on his forfeiture in
1322 the manor was granted by the king to Iseult, (fn. 36)
who held it until her death about 1339–40. (fn. 37) The
reversion after her death, during the minority of
Roger de Mortimer, had been granted in 1336 to
William de Bohun (fn. 38) Earl of Northampton, who had
married Elizabeth widow of Edmund de Mortimer,
grandson of the Edmund who had granted the manor
to Iseult. (fn. 39) Roger came of age about 1348, but
Elizabeth held the manor until her death in 1356,
when it passed to her son Roger, (fn. 40) who had become
Earl of March by the reversal of his grandfather's
attainder in 1354. (fn. 41) It passed with the title of Earl
of March (fn. 42) until it was sold by Richard Duke of
York and Earl of March in 1448 to William Boerley
or Burley. (fn. 43) William died in 1458–9, (fn. 44) but he had
apparently before his death conveyed the manor to
trustees for Thomas Lyttelton, who had married Joan,
William's eldest daughter and co-heir. (fn. 45) Sir Thomas
died seised of the manor in 1481, when he was
succeeded by his son William. (fn. 46) From him it passed
in 1507 to his son John, (fn. 47) and from that time the
descent of the manor is identical with that of
Frankley (q.v.) until the death of Thomas Lord
Lyttelton in 1779. (fn. 48)
De Burgh. Gules seven lozenges vair.
The manor then passed to his sister Lucy Fortescue,
wife of Sir Arthur Annesley,
Viscount Valentia. (fn. 49) She and
her husband were dealing with
half the manor in 1782–3, (fn. 50)
but she died in 1783, (fn. 51) and
the manor passed to her son
George, (fn. 52) who succeeded his
father as Earl of Mountnorris
in 1816. (fn. 53) He built the present Arley Castle in 1844,
but died in that year at Arley
without surviving issue. (fn. 54) The
manor then passed to his
nephew Arthur Lyttelton
Annesley, (fn. 55) who sold it in 1852 to Robert Woodward. He died in 1882, when Arley passed to his son
Robert, (fn. 56) the present owner of the manor.
Annesley, Viscount Valentia. Paly argent and azure a bend gules.
The lords of the manor of Arley claimed there
pleas of the Crown, free warren, market and fair and
waifs and strays, view of frankpledge, infangenthef
and gallows. (fn. 57) There is no indication, however, that
a market or fair was ever held at Arley. There was
a wood belonging to the manor in the bounds of
Wyre Forest, (fn. 58) and the weirs and fishing in the
Severn and a ferry over the river formed valuable
appurtenances of the manor. (fn. 59) In 1602 'a passage
called the Ferry boate' over the Severn was held by
the parish at the will of the lord of the manor. (fn. 60)
A water corn-mill at Arley is first mentioned in
1425, (fn. 61) and in 1602 the site of the old mill is
mentioned, together with mills near Bulfield and
Arley Wood. (fn. 62) Mills are also mentioned in the
17th and 18th centuries. (fn. 63) There is now a disused
corn-mill called Worralls on a tributary of the Severn
on the Kidderminster boundary, and Arley Mill, a
corn-mill, on another tributary, is on the east of the
park at Arley Castle.
The manor of EXTONS (Heyston, xiii cent.;
Hexston, xiv cent.) was held of the manor of Upper
Arley. (fn. 64) It originated in land held by a family
named Hexton or Hekstane, probably as early as the
12th century. Hubert de Burgh, who became lord of
Arley in 1227, granted to Robert son of Robert de
Gloucester all the land in Arley which Robert had
held of Thomas de Burgh, and which had formerly
been held by Osbert de Hexton. (fn. 65) Robert gave this
land to Dametta de Hexton (fn. 66) for life, with remainder
to Avelina de Hexton. Dametta seems to have died
about 1292, when Avelina successfully sued Henry
de Hexton for a messuage and lands. (fn. 67) Roger son
of Henry de Hexton received a grant of land in
Arley from William de Gerrus in 1295. (fn. 68) It was
probably this Roger who in 1312–13 obtained from
Henry son of Henry de Hexton, his brother, a
recognition of his right to land in Arley. (fn. 69) His
widow Idonea was holding the estate in 1327, (fn. 70) but
it had passed by 1332–3 to Henry de Hexton,
probably son of Roger. (fn. 71) Before 1383 the Hextons
had added to their estate at Arley a tenement called
Silvestres, formerly belonging to John Gunny, (fn. 72) and
at that date John de Hexton granted to his son
William the reversion of a tenement which John atte
Brok and his wife Maud then held. (fn. 73) William was
succeeded by a son John, (fn. 74) who settled his land in
1406. (fn. 75) Isabel his wife appears to have survived him
and granted the estate to trustees, who gave it in
1439 to John Hexton and his wife Agnes daughter
of John Horewode. (fn. 76) John Hexton was dealing with
land at Arley in 1449, (fn. 77) and in 1482 his son Thomas,
a merchant and burgess of Bristol, leased 'Hextons
Place' to Thomas Holowey of Alveley, co. Salop,
and Joan his wife, at a yearly rent of £5. (fn. 78) Three
years later he granted it to John Alcock, Bishop of
Worcester, and others (fn. 79) in trust for the Dean and
college of Westbury. (fn. 80) In 1496 the dean leased
'the manor in the lordship of Arley called Hexteyns
Place' (fn. 81) at a rent of £80 to Thomas Wildecote of
Highley, co. Salop, with the condition that if Thomas
should cause to be appropriated to the college any
church in the diocese of Worcester of the annual
value of 10 marks the rent should be returned to
him. (fn. 82) This or some similar condition may have
been fulfilled by Thomas, for in 1501 the dean released to him all his estate in Arley, (fn. 83) and Thomas
sold the manor in 1520–1 to John Pakington. (fn. 84)
John gave the estate to his daughter Bridget on her
marriage with John Lyttelton, lord of Arley, (fn. 85) and it
apparently afterwards followed the descent of the
manor of Upper Arley, though it is not mentioned
in deeds relating to the manor until 1707. (fn. 86)
The value of the estate at Hextons increased
greatly about 1680, when freestone was discovered
there (fn. 87) suitable for making grindstones, which were
much in demand in the neighbourhood owing to the
local hardware trade.
PICKARDS TENEMENT and THE MORE
originated in land granted by Letard de Hanyn to
Hugh de Picard, also known as Hugh de Waban. (fn. 88)
In 1276 an assize was taken to find whether Letard
and Hugh had disseised Roger de Cruce of land in
'Shutenearelegh,' or South Arley, (fn. 89) and Roger de
Mortimer, to whom Letard sold the manor in that
year, granted to Hugh for his homage and service all
the land which Alexander de Colrugge held in Arley
Manor, with land called 'terra de la More' held by
Richard Hyrlaund and his wife Maud. (fn. 90) John
Picard, son and heir of Hugh, leased the estate called
the More and a carucate of land in Arley in 1323 to
Thomas son of William Bromley of Arley and Margaret
his wife for their lives, and his grant was ratified by
his daughters Isabel and Joan in 1338. (fn. 91) In the
following year Thomas and Margaret granted their
interest in the estate to Thomas Lestrange. (fn. 92) Nothing
further is known of it until 1357, when Roger son of
Hugh de Wyre gave to his son Richard all his land
in Arley called 'More or Woddus or Pykaslonde'
with contingent remainders to Richard and John,
brothers of the grantor, and to his sisters Juliana and
Margaret. (fn. 93) In 1460 John Kocke granted 'Le More and
Le Wodehouse alias Picarslond' to Gilbert Talbot
and others, (fn. 94) evidently in trust, for in 1476 John
Goode recovered this property from John Cokkes of
Chetton, probably to be identified with the above
John Kocke. (fn. 95) In 1485 John Goode's son Thomas
sold a messuage called Lee Pykardes with land called
Lee Doddes and Lee Annottes Ruddyng to Thomas
Wildecote and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 96) Pickards Tenement from that time followed the descent of Extons. (fn. 97)
The name still survives at Pickard's Farm, to the
north of the village of Upper Arley.
A weir at Arley and a messuage and a carucate of
land at LE BOURE, sometimes called a manor, belonged in the 13th century to Adam de la Bure or
Boure. He granted the weir in 1236 to Laurence de
Alveley at a rent of 2s. yearly, (fn. 98) and at the same date
Laurence released to Adam a curtilage at Arley. (fn. 99) In
1304–5 and 1326 weirs and land belonging to
Adam de la Boure were excepted from the estate
of the Audleys in Arley, (fn. 100) and in 1331–2 their
custody was granted to Iseult de Audley. (fn. 101) On her
death it passed under her will to William de Bohun
Earl of Northampton. (fn. 102) In 1333 it was found by
inquisition that the land at la Boure was member of
the manor of Cleobury and that Edmund de Mortimer
had died seised of it in fee. (fn. 103)
Upper Arley Church from the North-west
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a modern chancel, south vestry and
organ chamber, a nave 32 ft. 5 in. by
19 ft. 5 in., a north aisle 51 ft. 10 in. by 14 ft. 2 in.
(the full length of the nave and extending eastwards
nearly to the end of the chancel), a south porch and
a tower 18 ft. by 17 ft. 3 in. at the west end of the
nave. These measurements are all internal.
Though the earliest detail in situ dates from the
beginning of the 14th century, some small pieces of
Norman ornament built into the south nave wall at its
eastern end (when it was heightened early in the 16th
century) point to a church of 12th-century erection.
This building no doubt consisted of a nave and
chancel only, and the thickness of the south wall
of the present nave suggests that it belongs to the
original structure.
The first enlargement appears to have taken place
circa 1325, when a north aisle was added and at the
same time the chancel arch was rebuilt. Early in the
16th century the aisle was extended eastward and the
walls of the nave were heightened by the addition of
a clearstory, probably necessitated by the building
of a 15th-century tower which kept out the light
previously obtained through a large west window.
The present tower was not built until late in the 16th
century, but the foundations of the earlier one can still
be seen. At the same time as the raising of the nave
walls the church was reroofed and the aisle wall
heightened by the addition of an embattled parapet.
No further structural alterations appear to have been
made until 1885, when the present chancel was built
together with the vestry, organ chamber and south
porch, while at the same time the building was
generally restored.
These modern enlargements have been made in red
and grey sandstone from the Hexton quarries, a stone
used throughout in the original building.
Between the chancel and the north chapel is a
modern arcade of two pointed arches. The chancel
arch is pointed and of two orders, the mouldings of
the outer being continuous and those of the inner
stopped on the capitals of the respond shafts. The
latter are half-round on plan with moulded bases on
square plinths.
The arcade between the nave and aisle is in three
bays with pointed arches of two chamfered orders
carried on piers, quatrefoil on plan with a small roll
between each shaft and having moulded capitals and
bases of simple section. The responds are similar
and almost the whole arcade is original 14th-century
work. In the east end of the south nave wall is a
small blocked doorway with a drop rear arch, which
probably opened into the rood-stair, as it is invisible
outside. Immediately over this doorway is a blocked
window, its opening visible externally. The doorway
within the modern porch is new, but in the wall
above can be seen the segmental relieving arch of an
older opening.
The clearstory on each side is pierced with two
pairs of square-headed four-light windows with vertical
tracery in the heads. The jambs of these windows
differ slightly on the two sides of the church.
The added clearstory on the north is slightly
thicker than the wall below, the junction being
masked by a small chamfer. The embattled parapet
to the north and south walls, which is also returned
across the east wall of the nave, is original, with a
continuous coping. The merlons are enriched by a
sunk trefoiled panel under a pointed head. A
massive buttress terminates the south wall of the nave
towards the west.
Of the aisle windows, the eastern retains its original
opening with a segmental head, but the mullions, &c.,
are modern. Of the three in the north wall, the
first from the east has three lights and a square head
with panelled spandrels. The other two date from
the 14th century, having two lights each with a
quatrefoil in the head. Further west is a blocked
pointed doorway with a segmental rear arch, which
has been restored externally.
The west window of the aisle is similar to the two
last described in the north wall. Externally the
nave aisle is finished with a chamfered plinth and
supported by five simple buttresses terminated with
gabled copings. The parapet is similar to that of
the main nave walls; at the west end it is sloped up
to meet the tower, but the east wall of the quire
aisle has a low gable.
The tower stands on a moulded plinth, and is
externally divided by moulded strings into four
stages and crowned with a low parapet. At the
south-east angle is an octagonal stair turret, and from
the western corners project diagonal buttresses, stopping at the level of the bell-chamber windows, the
string-courses being carried round them. The
pointed tower arch, of two square orders, springs
from square responds with moulded bases and abaci.
The west window is modern, though set within the
pointed head and jambs of the original work. In
the north and south walls of the first stage is a small
pointed window of a single uncusped light, with an
external moulded architrave stopping on a slightly
projecting sill. Under the tower was formerly a
gallery (removed in recent years), and the set-offs
which supported it are still visible. The ringing
chamber is lighted by two small windows similar to
those in the ground stage, while in each wall of the
bell-chamber are coupled semicircular openings with
plain imposts and key-stones, which seem to have been
inserted in the 18th century. The floor of the bellchamber appears to have been raised at some period,
as shown by the holes in the east and west walls of
the ringing chamber for the reception of the joists of
the older floor.
The roof of the chancel is modern, but the roofs
(both of elm) over the nave and aisle are of the early
16th century, though the latter has been considerably
restored. The nave roof is of very low pitch, and is
divided into four bays by heavy moulded rafters.
Those against the end walls and in the centre are
supported by carved spandrel braces and wall-posts
carried on stone corbels. The corbels to the centre
one are carved with saltire crosses, but the others
are plain. The ridge, wall-plates and purlins are all
moulded. The aisle roof is flat, and is divided into
five main bays, each of which is further subdivided
into four panels by moulded beams. All the roofs
are covered with lead.
The font and the pulpit are both modern.
Built high up in the north wall of the nave is a
small stone on which is carved a circle inclosing a
dove. In the floor of the aisle under the easternmost
arch opening into the chancel are a few mediaeval tiles.
Over the chancel arch is a very dilapidated wall
painting of the Judgement. In the centre of the
picture, seated on a rainbow and clad in a red robe,
is the figure of the Almighty with both hands upraised.
The figures of the doomed are on the south side of
the arch, with the righteous to the north. The
painting was uncovered in 1884, but has since that
date much faded, and is now very indistinct.
Under the west arch opening into the chancel is a
fine effigy of an early 14th-century knight. The
figure, set on a modern base, is in the attitude of
prayer, the legs crossed and resting on the back of a
small lion. Over the mail is a long surcoat, and upon
the head, which rests on a cushion, is a bascinet.
The sword hangs at the left side, and on the left arm
is strapped a shield charged with his arms, (fn. 104) barry
dancetty, which are also repeated on the ailettes.
On the south wall of the nave is a mural monument to Sir Henry Lyttelton, bart., who died
24 June 1693. The monument also record: the
burials of Captain William Lyttelton, brother of the
above, and his nephew Henry son of Sir Charles
Lyttelton.
There is a ring of six bells by Abel Rudhall, 1753.
The treble is inscribed 'When you us ring we'll
sweetly sing a.r. 1753'; the second 'Peace and good
neighbourhood A.R. 1753'; the third 'Prosperity to
this Parish A.R. 1753'; the fourth 'Abel Rudhall
cast us all 1753'; the fifth 'Wm. Hill and Thomas
Brooks Churchwardens A.R. 1753,' and the tenor
'I to the Church the living call and to the grave do
summon all. A.R. 1753.'
The plate consists of two silver cups, two silver
patens—one large – and a silver flagon, each inscribed
'The Gift of George Mountnorris to the Parish of
Over Arley 1817,' and stamped with the date letter
of the previous year, a small glass water-cruet having
a plated stopper, and a modern brass almsdish.
The registers previous to 1812 are as follows:
(i) all entries 1564 to 1719; (ii) baptisms and
burials 1720 to 1812, marriages 1720 to 1754;
(iii) marriages 1754 to 1799; (iv) marriages 1799
to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
Upper Arley was originally annexed
to the manor and was given in the
middle of the 12th century to the Dean and Chapter
of Lichfield by Adam de Port and his wife Sybil. (fn. 105)
The church was confirmed to the dean and chapter
by Pope Honorius III in 1221 (fn. 106) and by Boniface
Archbishop of Canterbury (1245–70) (fn. 107) and Alexander Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (1224–38). (fn. 108)
In 1225 Thomas de Burgh, lord of the manor, unsuccessfully claimed the church of Arley. (fn. 109) The
advowson was included in the grant of the manor to
Anketil Mallore in 1233, (fn. 110) and it would appear that
the de Burghs also claimed it, for in 1259–60 the
king, at the instance of John de Burgh, acknowledged
the dean's right, (fn. 111) and in 1260 John confirmed this. (fn. 112)
The dean had again to make good his right against
the king in 1292–3. (fn. 113)
Upper Arley Church: Tomb with Effigy of a Knight
The dean and chapter remained in possession of
the advowson and rectory until 1548, (fn. 114) when they
were sold to Gilbert son of John Lyttelton. (fn. 115) They
then followed the descent of the manor (fn. 116) until the
sale of the latter to Robert Woodward. The rectory
passed with the manor, but the advowson was retained
by Arthur Lyttelton Annesley and now belongs to
his son Lieut.-Gen. Sir Arthur Lyttelton LytteltonAnnesley.
In 1676 the Dean of Lichfield claimed the advowson and rectory of Arley on the grounds that they
were held by the Lytteltons under a lease only. On
search being made in the cathedral registers a memorandum was found by which it appeared that Gilbert
Lyttelton had purchased the advowson in fee, a condition of the purchase being that he should pay to the
dean and vicar annual rents of £10 each and should
entertain the former as often as he came to visit the
church. (fn. 117) In 1675 Sir Henry Lyttelton gave the
vicar the great tithes of the part of the parish which
lies on the west side of the Severn, together with the
small tithes of the whole parish, in lieu of the yearly
pension of £10. (fn. 118)
CHARITIES
The Poor's Land.
—The parish is
in possession of two cottages with
gardens at the Herne, three cottages
with gardens at Arley, and a house and 10 a. at Nash
End, derived in part from the benefaction of a Mr.
Longmore and of other donors, bringing in an income
of £50 a year or thereabouts. The trustees have also
a sum of £110 2s. on deposit at a bank arising from
accumulations of income. In 1909 a sum of £33 was
distributed among fifty-five poor people.
In 1811 Thomas Corbyn by his will bequeathed
£60, the interest to be distributed among the poor
on St. Thomas's Day yearly. The legacy with an
addition by the executors is now represented by £100
consols. In 1909 the annual dividends of £2 10s.
were divided among five poor women in sums varying
from 5s. to 15s.
In 1886 the Rev. Edward Whieldon by a codicil
to his will proved at London 28 September bequeathed £100, now represented by £99 2s. 8d.
consols, the annual dividends amounting to £2 9s. 4d.
to be distributed among aged and descrving poor.
In 1910 the distribution was made among seven
widows in sums varying from 4s. to 12s. 6d.