NORTHFIELD
Nordfeld (xi cent.).
The parish of Northfield is situated on the northern
border of the county, but with the exception of the
Bartley Green area, which was annexed to Lapal,
Northfield was incorporated in the city of Birmingham by the Birmingham Extension Act, 1911. It
had in 1901 an area of 6,011 acres, of which 60 acres
were covered with water, 968½ were arable land, 3,486
permanent grass, and 30½ woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
Until the 19th century Northfield was an agricultural parish, but by the rapid expansion of Birmingham
it has become part of that city, and in the ten years
between 1891 and 1901 its population increased
from 9,907 to 20,767. This increase is partly due to
the influx of a suburban population and partly to the
erection of works in the neighbourhood. The change
is manifested most strongly in the northern part of
the parish, where Selly Oak, lying between Northfield
and Birmingham, has sprung into such importance as
quite to dwarf the ancient village of Northfield.
Bournbrook and Selly Park are continuations
north-eastward of Selly Oak; California is a 'village
of brickmakers' on the banks of the Birmingham and
Worcester Canal in the north of the parish.
A supposed Roman road, called the Upper
Saltway, passed from Selly Oak over the Lickey
Hills on its way to Worcester, and can still be traced
along the high road between Birmingham and
Worcester. (fn. 2) This high road is joined in the village
of Northfield by the Alcester and Birmingham road.
The pumping-station of the Birmingham Corporation water-works is at Selly Oak.
The Evans Cottage Homes at Selly Oak were
founded in 1868 by the late Alfred Smith Evans for
ladies of reduced fortunes. The homes consist of a
group containing nine dwellings.
There are some old cottages called The Rookery
in Bournbrook Lane, near Selly Oak, in which the
bricks are disposed in herring-bone fashion. (fn. 3)
Among the place-names are 'Bromewychestude' (fn. 4)
and Hatherleye, (fn. 5) which occur in the 14th century,
and Brokhole tenement (fn. 6) in the 15th century.
MANORS
The manor of NORTHFIELD was
held of the king in chief as part of the
barony of Dudley. (fn. 7) In 1086 it was in
the hands of William Fitz Ansculf, the Norman lord
of Dudley, to whom it had passed from Aelfwold, the
Saxon holder. (fn. 8) No under-tenant is mentioned.
Until the early 14th century this manor descended
with the barony of Dudley (q.v.). During that
period it is sometimes called the manor of Northfield,
sometimes the manor of Weoley. It is clear, however,
that only one chief manor existed, and that it was
divided into the three tithings of Northfield, Selly
and Middleton. (fn. 9) Of these Selly and Middleton were
sub-manors, which owed suit at the court of the
great manor held at Weoley. Selly was already in
existence at the time of Domesday, while Middleton
was carved out of the chief manor during the latter
half of the 12th century.
When John de Somery died in 1322 (fn. 10) the vill
of Northfield was assigned to his younger sister Joan, (fn. 11)
the widow of Thomas Botetourt, and she held it until
her death in 1338. (fn. 12) Her son John being a minor, (fn. 13)
Edward III granted the custody of her lands in 1339
to his kinswoman Eleanor Beaumont, (fn. 14) but in the
following year John Botetourt, afterwards a knight,
had livery of his lands. (fn. 15) He acted as justice of the
peace for the county of Worcester, and as a commissioner of array in Warwickshire, (fn. 16) and died in
1386. (fn. 17) His only son John had predeceased him,
leaving a daughter Joyce, the wife of Sir Hugh
Burnell of Holdgate. (fn. 18) Joyce, therefore, became her
grandfather's heir, and immediately after entering
into possession settled Northfield on herself and her
husband. (fn. 19) She died in 1407 without issue, leaving
as heirs her aunts, Joyce wife of Sir Adam Peshall,
Maud Botetourt a nun in Polesworth Abbey, and
Agnes Botetourt a nun in Elstow Abbey, the sisters
of her father John Botetourt, and her cousins Maurice
Berkeley, the grandson of another sister Katharine,
and Agnes and Joyce Wykes, the granddaughters of
Alice, another sister. (fn. 20) Of these heirs Maud and Agnes
Botetourt apparently could not or did not claim, and
Agnes Wykes died unmarried shortly afterwards, so
that the reversion of the manor after the death of
Sir Hugh Burnell, who held it by the courtesy of
England, belonged to Joyce Peshall, Joyce Wykes,
who became the wife of Hugh Stranley or Stanley, and
Maurice Berkeley. In 1417 Hugh Stranley and
Joyce conveyed the reversion of their third part of
the manor of Northfield to Nicholas Ruggeley and
his wife Edith, (fn. 21) who immediately afterwards sold it
to Joan Lady Beauchamp, widow of William Beauchamp of Bergavenny. (fn. 22) who in 1419 acquired
another third from Sir Adam Peshall and Joyce. (fn. 23)
Maurice Berkeley came into possession of his third on
the death of Sir Hugh Burnell in 1419, (fn. 24) and shortly
afterwards a dispute arose between him and Lady
Beauchamp respecting this and other manors. (fn. 25) The
exact cause of the dispute is not clear, but it may have
arisen because of the difficulty of dividing Joyce
Burnell's property. In 1431 Lady Beauchamp and
Maurice held the manor jointly, (fn. 26) but by subsequent
arbitration it was decided that the castle of Weoley
and manors of Northfield and Cradley should pass
to Maurice Berkeley as well as 40s. out of the manor
of Old Swinford. (fn. 27)
Lady Beauchamp had previously conveyed the
manor to trustees for her grandson James Butler, (fn. 28) and
probably the settlement took place after her death in
1435, since the trustees appear to have acted alone. (fn. 29)
Maurice Berkeley died seised of the manor in 1464
and was succeeded by his son and heir William
Berkeley, (fn. 30) afterwards a knight, who on 7 November
1485 was attainted and forfeited his estates for his
adherence to Richard III. (fn. 31) On 2 March 1486
Henry VII granted it to his uncle Jasper Tudor,
Duke of Bedford, and his heirs male, (fn. 32) but ten days
later sold it to John Lord
Dudley. (fn. 33) This curious double
dealing naturally led to complications, which were increased when in 1489 Sir
William Berkeley was restored
and the reversion of the manor
after the death of the Duke
of Bedford was granted to
him. (fn. 34) It is not clear who
received the issues of the
manor, for in 1495 Edward
Lord Dudley, who had succeeded his grandfather John
Lord Dudley in 1487, (fn. 35) stated
that he was unaware of the grant to Jasper Tudor, (fn. 36)
and it could scarcely have remained unknown to him
if he received no profits from Northfield. The
approaching death of the Duke of Bedford induced
both Lord Dudley and Sir William Berkeley in
1495 to present petitions to the king in the furtherance of their individual interests. (fn. 37) In reply to these
petitions the king in 1495 confirmed the manor to
Lord Dudley. (fn. 38) In spite of this, on the death of the
Duke of Bedford, in December 1495, the king
entered into possession of the manor, and on the
death of Sir William Berkeley granted all his right in
it to Richard Berkeley, son of William, in 1501. (fn. 39)
Under an Act of 1523 Northfield was confirmed to
Lord Dudley, (fn. 40) who dealt with it in 1531 (fn. 41) and sold
it at about this time to Richard Jervoise, citizen and
mercer of London, (fn. 42) 'a man of grete power and
having grete substance and a man of grete possessions.' (fn. 43)
Richard Jervoise did not reside at Northfield, (fn. 44) but
leased the site of the castle to John Churchman of
Northfield (fn. 45) and the park to John Statham. (fn. 46)
Berkeley. Gules a cheveron between ten crosses formy argent.
For nearly three hundred years the manor of
Northfield was held by the Jervoise family of Herriard
and Britford. (fn. 47) On the death
of Thomas Clarke Jervoise in
1809 it was purchased by
Mr. Daniel Ledsam of Edgbaston, Birmingham, (fn. 48) with
whose descendants it still remained in 1902.
Jervoise of Herriard. Sable a cheveron between three eagles close argent.
The CASTLE OF WEOLEY has long since fallen into
decay and little now remains
of it except part of the south
wall. Its site, somewhat difficult of access, is about a mile
west of Selly Oak station
and close to the northern
boundary of the parish. It is surrounded by a large
and deep moat fed by a small stream on the west.
The Birmingham and Worcester Canal skirts its
northern side and is separated from the moat by a
narrow strip of land. To the south of the moat is
Weoley Castle Farm, into the buildings of which a
part of the stone belonging to the castle has been
built. (fn. 49) The island on which the castle stood is now
laid out as the kitchen garden of the farm. The
area covered by the castle and moats is said to have
been about 4 acres. (fn. 50)
Of the origin of Weoley Castle little is known. It
is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey, and
doubtless its history as a castle dates from the latter
half of the 13th century, when in 1264 Roger de
Somery had the royal licence to crenellate his manorhouse of Weoley. (fn. 51)
In 1322 Weoley Castle was assigned with Northfield Manor to Joan Botetourt, (fn. 52) but it is not mentioned in the extent of the manor taken at her death in
1338. (fn. 53) Weoley Castle descended with the manor of
Northfield and was involved with it in the dispute
between Maurice Berkeley and Joan Lady Beauchamp.
The Berkeleys resided there, Maurice Berkeley being
described as of Weoley in 1464–5. (fn. 54) His son Sir
William Berkeley also made Weoley Castle his home (fn. 55)
until deprived of it by his attainder. Probably its
decay dates from that period because of the uncertainty
as to ownership which must have followed the king's
various grants (see under Manor). Richard Jervoise
apparently never resided there. Some Chancery
proceedings of Elizabeth's reign refer to the site
of the castle (fn. 56) as if it had passed out of use as a
residence.
It was probably in ruins by the middle of the
17th century, as Habington mentions no castle as
being then in existence, and in draft particulars for a
contemplated sale dated at about that time it is
described as 'a ruyned castell.' (fn. 57)
In a survey of 1432–3 it is described as 'the
Castell of Weoley with a water called the mote compassing the 1st Castell, in which is a great halle with
a great chambre in the upper ende, … a Chapell
set by hitselfe in the north part of the Castell covered
wit lead, and a vestre adjoining the same Chapell, …
vi turrets of stone whereof the gate at the entre of the
3d Castell is one with 6 chambres and chymies in the
same.' (fn. 58)
A deer park was in existence at Weoley as early as
1273. (fn. 59) In 1275–6 Sir Roger de Somery was said
to have inclosed within it 40 acres of the common
pasture. (fn. 60) The park appears to have been well stocked
at that time, for in August 1273 the king sent John
son of John to take venison in the park and to cause
it to be salted and kept in barrels in a safe place until
further orders, (fn. 61) and in the following year the keeper
of the park was ordered to allow Robert Tiptot to
have twenty does. (fn. 62) In 1291, however, it was stated
that there were no deer in Weoley Park. (fn. 63) In 1386
it was returned that the pasture of the park was worth
20s. yearly beyond the sustenance of the animals
there. (fn. 64) In 1425 William Lovecock was presented
for shooting arrows at the lady's wild deer in the park
and having his greyhound continually running there
without licence, while John and Thomas Preston of
Harborne chased hares, martens and 'fysshers' or
polecats in the park. (fn. 65) When Richard Jervoise purchased the manor of Northfield there were about
100 deer in the park, but in a few years George
Walsh, his bailiff, decreased their number to twenty. (fn. 66)
The park is not mentioned after this time.
In the reign of Henry VI there are said to have
been eight beer-tasters within the manor. (fn. 67) About
the same time many of the manorial offices, such as
constable, beadle and reeve, were held by women;
thus in 1444 Margery Vytteshalle, widow, was elected
reeve and Elizabeth Thicknesse constable, the latter
appointing a male deputy. (fn. 68)
Two water-mills and a fishery were held with the
manor in 1272–3 and 1338, (fn. 69) while in 1368 there
were three mills worth 30s., a fishery worth 20s. at
Weoley and two fishponds worth 6s. 8d. (fn. 70) One water
corn-mill was sold with the manor to Richard Jervoise, (fn. 71)
and still formed part of it in 1789. (fn. 72)
Two entries occur in Domesday Book respecting
'Escelie'; both may refer to SELLY OAK (Selleie,
xii cent.; Selley, (fn. 73) xiii cent.), although it is also
possible that one may be identifiable with the
later Weoley, which is not otherwise mentioned in
the Survey. Both 'Escelies' were held by William
Fitz Ansculf. The larger and more valuable of the
two contained 4 hides, and to it belonged the berewick
of Bartley Green. (fn. 74) It was held under Fitz Ansculf
by Wibert, who had succeeded one Wulfwine, by
whom it had been bought for three lives from the
Bishop of Chester. Although Wulfwine's last wish
was that when his wife died the manor should return
to the church from which he had it, and his son, the
Bishop of Lichfield, knew of this wish, to which the
chief men of the whole country could testify, (fn. 75) his desire
remained unfulfilled, and once it had passed into the
hands of the Norman lord of Dudley it remained in
his possession and descended with his lands. The
other 'Escelie' contained I hide, and had been held
by Tumi and Eleva as two manors; from them it
had passed to Robert, the Domesday under-tenant. (fn. 76)
Only one Selly, held of the manor of Northfield, (fn. 77)
is afterwards mentioned. Although from 1086 until
the middle of the 13th century there is no definite
evidence to show who held Selly, its subsequent
history shows that for a considerable part of that time
it was held by a family who sometimes bore the name
of Selly and sometimes that of Barnack, from the
parish of that name in Northamptonshire, where they
also held land. In 1166 Gervase de Barnack was one
of the knights of Gervase Paynel. (fn. 78)
In 1231 Richard son of Gervase de Barnack
made an agreement with the Abbot of Peterborough
concerning a certain rent in Barnack, (fn. 79) and possibly
he was the Richard de Selly who was one of the
collectors in Worcestershire of the aid for the
marriage of Isabella sister of Henry III. (fn. 80) Richard
was succeeded by his son Peter, who in 1254 received
a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of Selly
and Barnack, (fn. 81) and was followed by Richard Selly,
probably his son, who paid 20s. for his lands in
1280. (fn. 82) In 1274–5 it was presented that Richard
Selly had made a warren at Selly, and that he was
of full age, but not yet knighted. (fn. 83) A few years
later Richard died, leaving a son John, a minor. (fn. 84)
In 1291 John de Selly held half a knight's fee in
Selly, (fn. 85) and in 1319–20 had been succeeded by his
son Geoffrey, (fn. 86) who was accused in 1328 of having
broken into the houses of Thomas de Blaunfront at
Alvechurch, (fn. 87) and in 1331 aided in besieging the
castle of Dudley. (fn. 88) He did not lose prestige by these
misdeeds, however, for in 1338–9 the king committed
to him, under the name of Geoffrey de Barnack, jointly
with Roger de Aylesbury, the custody of John Botetourt. (fn. 89)
After this the descent of Selly for some years is
obscure. A Geoffrey de Selly and his son John were
living in Northfield in 1362–3. (fn. 90) According to the
Visitation of Surrey, (fn. 91) Geoffrey de Barnack was succeeded by his son John, who left a daughter and
co-heir Joan, the wife of Thomas Vincent. The
manor of Barnack certainly passed to the Vincent
family, (fn. 92) but Selly followed a different descent. In
1402–3 a third part of it was in the hands of Henry
Prest and his wife Joan, as the right of Joan, who
then conveyed it to Henry Wybbe. (fn. 93) In 1482 the
whole manor was in the hands of Thomas Jennett,
who according to the Visitation of Worcester of
1569 married Alice the sister of Henry Wybbe, (fn. 94)
and probably acquired the manor of Selly in this
way. Thomas Jennett died in 1482, leaving a son
William who had been an idiot since his birth, but
who nevertheless entered into possession of the
manor, (fn. 95) and jointly with Agneta or Anne his wife
dealt with land there in 1502. (fn. 96)
In 1508 William Jennett and Anne conveyed the
manor to Sir Robert Throckmorton, Richard Throckmorton and Henry Durant. (fn. 97)
In 1520 it had passed to
William Gower and his wife
Agnes. (fn. 98) William was succeeded in 1546 by a son
Henry. (fn. 99) From Henry Gower
the manor descended to his
son William, whose son John
appears to have been in possession in 1597. (fn. 100) John Gower
was apparently succeeded before 1601 by his brother
Robert, (fn. 101) and the manor
evidently followed the same
descent as Colmers in King's
Norton (q.v.) from that time until 1719–20, when
half the farm called Selly Hall was settled on William
Gower of Colmers in King's Norton for life with
reversion to John Gower. (fn. 102)
Gower. Azure a cheveron between three wolves' heads razed or.
There are no later documents relating to this
manor, which is not mentioned as such by Nash, and
had probably before that time (1782) become merged
in the manor of Northfield, as Mr. J. F. Ledsam was
said to be lord of Selly Oak about the middle of the
19th century.
In 1835 Selly Park Farm was advertised for sale. (fn. 103)
The old manor-house at Selly had been converted
into three cottages before 1896. (fn. 104)
It is probable that the manor of MIDDLETON
(Middeltune, xii cent.) originally formed part of that
of Northfield, of which it has always been held. (fn. 105)
During the latter half of the 12th century Ralph
Paynel gave 'the land of Middletune and lahaie,'
the latter being probably the modern Hay Green, to
Bernard Paynel. (fn. 106) Bernard was probably the Bernard
son of William Paynel who occurs about 1187. (fn. 107)
Between that date and 1194, when Gervase Paynel
died, Bernard received from Gervase a confirmatory
grant of Middleton and 'lahaie.' (fn. 108)
It is not clear how or when Middleton passed
away from Bernard Paynel, but towards the end of
the 13th century it was held by a family taking
their name from the place. A John de Middleton
occurs in 1273, (fn. 109) and in 1291 held the township of
Middleton. (fn. 110) The Middleton family held the manor
for a considerable time, but, as several members bore
the name of John, it is not easy to distinguish one
generation from another. John de Middleton occurs
in 1298 (fn. 111) and in 1310. (fn. 112) In 1315 John son of
Philip de Tessall granted to John de Middleton and
his heirs a rent of 20d. from land in Northfield. (fn. 113)
In 1322 John de Middleton held a quarter of a
knight's fee in Northfield. (fn. 114)
The manor of Middleton was settled in 1325–6
on John de Middleton for his life, with remainders
to his sons Adam, Thomas and John. (fn. 115) Adam de
Middleton probably, therefore, succeeded his father,
and was followed in turn by his son Richard. The
latter made a grant of land in Middleton in 1366, (fn. 116)
and ten years later the 'manor of Middleton and
Le Hay' was settled on him and his wife Margery. (fn. 117)
Margery survived her husband, and afterwards married
one William Ockam or Hoccam. (fn. 118) Richard Middleton had left no son, and Middleton was claimed by
four co-heirs, apparently daughters of Richard, (fn. 119)
Alice wife of Gerard Kyngeley, Joyce Pepwall, Alice
wife of William Merston and Margaret wife of John
Mollesley. (fn. 120) Margaret Ockam probably held the
manor while she lived, under the settlement mentioned
above, and when she died, about 1435, William
Ockam prepared to sell it. (fn. 121) The co-heirs intervened,
stating that the manor had descended to them as the
heirs of Adam Middleton on Richard Middleton's
death. (fn. 122) In exchange for a surrender by William
Ockam of all his claim in the manor the co-heirs
granted it to him for his life at a yearly rent of
6 marks. (fn. 123) Possibly Ockam died a few years later,
as on 25 April 1443 one John Merston did homage
to the lord of Northfield and Weoley for a moiety of
the manor of Middleton, and for the other moiety
was summoned with Gerard Kyngeley and John
Mollesley also to do homage. (fn. 124)
John Merston is described as a goldsmith of
London. (fn. 125) It is not clear how he came to hold a
share in the manor. He had some interest in it as
early as 1437–8, when he joined with Richard
Middleton's co-heirs in resisting William Ockam's
claims. (fn. 126) He could not have inherited Alice
Merston's share, as she was still living in January
1456, when she 'in her pure widowhood' was
holding land in Northfield, (fn. 127) and in April of the
same year John Merston settled the manor on himself
and his heirs. (fn. 128)
William Merston, son of Alice, dealt with lands
there in 1473, and in 1477 with the whole manor of
Middleton. (fn. 129) John Merston also held or claimed the
whole manor several times during the same period, (fn. 130)
and though in 1457 he executed a deed of sale of
the manor to Thomas Morgan, in 1466 it was again
in the hands of his trustees. (fn. 131) In 1471 Alice,
formerly wife of Gerard Kyngeley, granted to John
Russell for seventy-nine years certain land near the
site of the manor of Middleton. (fn. 132) It would appear,
therefore, that the manor had been divided among
the co-heirs, and that John and William Merston,
though nominally dealing with the whole manor,
in reality only held parts of it.
Northfield Church: Windows in North Wall of the Chancel
Middleton is next mentioned in 1522, when
Elizabeth Edwards of Stratford-on-Avon leased her
manor place there to Henry Morgan and his wife
Agnes for sixty-one years. (fn. 133) Elizabeth was possibly
the widow of John Edwards, and Agnes was probably
his daughter. (fn. 134) A deed of 1526, by which Thomas
Greville and his wife Elizabeth, who was perhaps
the Elizabeth Edwards mentioned above, conveyed
the manor of Middleton to Henry Morgan and
Agnes, (fn. 135) may have been in confirmation of their
lease. In 1538 the manor was settled on Thomas
and Elizabeth Greville for their lives, with remainders
to Henry and Agnes Morgan, and to their sons
Edward and William. (fn. 136) Edward Morgan afterwards
held Middleton, and about 1596 his son Edward is
said to have granted a lease of all his lands in
Worcestershire to Henry and William Cookes for
3,000 years. (fn. 137) In the
same year the reversion of two-thirds of
the manor was settled
on Henry Cookes and
his son William, and
of the other third on
Richard Vernon, the
manor being then held
for life by Edward
Morgan, jun., and his
wife Margaret. (fn. 138)
On 30 September
1598 the lease made
in 1596 by Edward
Morgan, jun., was cancelled and destroyed, (fn. 139)
and apparently a new
conveyance was made
by which the manor
of Middleton passed
to the possession of
Henry Cookes of Shiltwood in Tardebigge. (fn. 140)
William Cookes,
son of this Henry,
died seised of the
manor in 1619, leaving a son Edward, (fn. 141)
on whose death in 1637 it passed to his son
William. (fn. 142) William succeeded his uncle Thomas
in the manor of Bentley Pauncefoot, and the descent
of Middleton is identical with that of Bentley
Pauncefoot until about 1813. (fn. 143) The manorial rights
of Middleton seem now to have lapsed, but the
name survives at Middletonhall Farm, near the
King's Norton boundary.
CHURCH
The church of ST. LAWRENCE
consists of a chancel 35½ ft. by 20½ ft.,
nave 51½ ft. by 23 ft., north and south
aisles, south porch, and west tower 15½ ft. by 15ft.
These measurements are all internal. The earliest
part of the existing building is the north doorway, of
about 1170, which with two carved heads, inserted
in the south face of the tower, formed part of a
12th-century church.
Of the building which succeeded this there are
ample remains in the complete 13th-century chancel,
the south aisle added at the end of that century and
the lower stage of the tower. In the 15th century
the upper portion of the tower was rebuilt and at
some later date the south arcade of the nave, perhaps
owing to the failure of the walls. The north
aisle with its arcade is a modern addition.
The east window of the chancel consists of
three grouped lancets, with moulded heads and
shafted jambs, inclosed by an outer arch having
shafted jambs and a moulded label. In the
north wall are three groups of three lancets,
each lancet having shafts to the jambs, with
moulded capitals and arches, and outside these
a blank half-arch. Each group is inclosed under
a segmental pointed arch springing from circular
shafts. In the south wall are two similar sets
of lancets, and a third containing a lancet light
without shafts. The north aisle of the nave,
with the arcade of four bays, is modern work in
the style of the 14th century. The south
arcade has also four bays, with octagonal
columns, all of poor design.
The round-headed north door dates from
about 1170 and has been reset in the modern
aisle wall. The inner of the two orders has
cheveron ornament and the outer a row of
beak-heads. The jamb shafts are masked by
cheveron work. The south aisle dates from late
in the 13th century. The east window has
three lights with intersecting mullions in the
head, and in the south wall are three windows,
and one at the west end, of similar type but of
two lights each. At the south-east is a contemporary trefoiled piscina, grooved for a shelf.
The south door is pointed with large crowned
half-figure stops to the moulded label.
The porch is of good 15th-century woodwork
on a stone base. The sides are panelled, the
wall-plates embattled, and the roof has a braced tiebeam with moulded collars and wind-braces. On
the wall above the doorway are traces of the position
of a previous porch.
The tower arch is of three orders, springing from
chamfered abaci, continued on as a moulded stringcourse. The first and part of the second stage of the
tower are of 13th-century date, though the greater
part of the west wall has been rebuilt. In the north
and south walls are two-light windows, with a stair at
the south-east angle and a west door. In the south
wall is a wide-arched doorway now blocked. The
internal fittings of the church are modern, with the
exception of some 15th-century carved woodwork, from
a screen, re-used in the pulpit, and a bench end.
On the south chancel wall is a monument to John
Hinckley, rector, 1660–95, and his two wives, and on
the opposite wall another to Isabella wife of Stanford
Wolferstan, minister of Wootton Wawen.
On the exterior there are traces of a building
against the south chancel wall, opening from the
south aisle by an arch, of which the northern springing
remains. There are also traces of the bonding of the
eastern wall; and, as this chamber must have been
contemporary with the chancel, it proves the existence
of an earlier south aisle, which, at the end of the
13th century, was replaced by the present one. The
south chancel door has a flattened trefoiled head with
the moulding continued on the jambs. The roofs
are of steep pitch and covered externally with tiles.
The exterior of the tower is in three stages, the
upper of grey, the lower two of red sandstone. On
each side of the west door is a niche, about 6 ft. high,
with a pointed head. In the second stage on the north
and south faces are plain lights with carved animal
heads, apparently of the 12th century, inserted on
either side. The upper stage has two-light belfry
windows and an embattled parapet, on the west side
of which a diminutive portcullis is cut in relief.
Northfield Church: The West Tower
In the north chancel wall, below the third group
of lancets, is a low-side window with a square external
head, and in the south wall the corresponding lancet
with a low sill would seem to have communicated
with the chamber which stood on that side.
There is a ring of six bells, by Joseph Smith of
Edgbaston, dated 1730. The inscriptions are famous
as giving the history of the negotiations for the casting,
as follows: (1) 'We now are six tho' once but five';
(2) 'and against our casting some did strive';
(3) 'but when a day for meeting there was fixt';
(4) 'apeared but nine against twenty six,' and so on.
The plate includes an old cup and cover for paten
of later Elizabethan work, also a flagon and salver
on feet, the gift of the Rev. H. Soley, a former rector,
and a handsome modern silver-gilt cup with jewelled
stem and a paten to match presented in memory of
the Rev. H. Clarke.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1560 to 1654; (ii) baptisms 1654 to 1741,
burials 1654 to 1678, marriages 1654 to 1741;
(iii) burials 1678 to 1757; (iv) baptisms 1742 to
1758, marriages 1742 to 1754; (v) marriages 1754
to 1812; (vi) baptisms and burials 1758 to 1809;
(vii) baptisms and burials 1810 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The church of Northfield was
granted to the priory of Dudley
by Gervase Paynel when he founded
the house about 1160, (fn. 144) and from that time until the
Dissolution was held by the prior and convent, (fn. 145) who
reserved to themselves a pension from it. (fn. 146) In 1294
a dispute arose between Bishop Giffard and the priory
respecting the church (fn. 147) ; it is not clear what was
the cause, but it seems probable that the bishop had
infringed the right of the convent in the presentation.
Again in 1342 the Prior and monks of Dudley
were required by the Bishop of Worcester to show
their right to receive a pension from Northfield
Church. (fn. 148)
When the priory was dissolved, its rights in the
church became vested in the Crown, and on 26 March
1541 Henry VIII granted to Sir John Dudley, afterwards Duke of Northumberland, a pension of 6s. 8d.
issuing from it with all other possessions of the priory
in Northfield, (fn. 149) this grant apparently including the
advowson. When Northumberland was attainted and
executed in 1553 his property came into the hands of
the Crown. In 1554 the tithes of Northfield were
granted to Edward Sutton Lord Dudley, (fn. 150) who seems
to have also held the advowson, which was dealt with
by his trustees in 1578–9 and in 1579–80. (fn. 151) In
1587 the queen presented to the living. (fn. 152) In 1595,
however, Edward Sutton, the next Lord Dudley, conveyed the advowson with the yearly rent issuing from
the rectory to Richard Hammett. (fn. 153) On 14 November
1608 Richard and Edward Hammett received from
the Crown a grant of a yearly rent of £4 from the
rectory and church. (fn. 154) In 1611 the reversion of the
tithes of Northfield, after the expiry of the estate of
Edward Lord Dudley, was granted to George Baggeley
of Dudley, yeoman. (fn. 155)
On 11 July 1615 the advowson of Northfield was
granted by the king to Sir Charles Montagu and
Edward Sawyer of London, gentleman. (fn. 156) It had
passed before 1621 to Edward Skinner, who died
seised of it in 1631, leaving a son and heir Richard, (fn. 157)
but in 1639 one Phineas White of the city of
Coventry is said to have presented to the living by
the grant of Thomas Jervoise of Herriard, then lord
of the manor. (fn. 158) Jervoise himself presented in 1660,
but in 1661 and 1663 the king is said to have presented, in the first case 'to corroborate title.' (fn. 159) In
1671 the advowson was dealt with by Edward Lord
Ward of Birmingham, (fn. 160) the successor of Lord Dudley,
but from 1695 until 1799 the presentations were
made by the Jervoise family. (fn. 161) After that date
Jervoise Clarke Jervoise seems to have sold the
advowson to George Fenwick of Sunderland, who
presented in 1805, (fn. 162) and in whose family it remained
at any rate until 1877. (fn. 163) In the following year the
advowson passed to Stephen Barker, (fn. 164) who sold or
gave it in 1887–8 to Keble College, Oxford, the
present patron. (fn. 165)
Selly Oak was constituted a separate ecclesiastical
parish in 1862. (fn. 166) The living is a vicarage, in the
gift of the Bishop of Birmingham and trustees. The
church of St. Mary, consecrated in 1861, is a building in 14th-century style, consisting of chancel, nave,
transepts and tower with spire.
Selly Hill, now a separate ecclesiastical parish, was
formed in 1892 from Northfield. (fn. 167) The vicarage is
in the gift of trustees. The church of St. Stephen,
consecrated in 1871, consists of chancel, nave, vestry,
organ chamber and tower with spire.
St. Michael's, Bartley Green, is a chapel of ease to
Northfield Church, and there is a small mission chapel
at West Heath. The mission church of St. Wulstan
is a chapel of ease to St. Mary, Selly Oak.
There are Wesleyan chapels at Northfield and
California and at Selly Oak, Primitive Methodist
chapels at Woodgate and Selly Oak, a Friends' meetinghouse and other Nonconformist places of worship at
Selly Oak, and a Roman Catholic chapel under the
invocation of St. Edward the Confessor at Selly Oak.
CHARITIES
The Educational Charities, founded
by the wills of Dr. William Worth,
archdeacon of Worcester and rector
of this parish, dated in 1742, and of the Rev. Thomas
Lockey Soley, proved in 1779, and of Thomas Lloyd,
are represented by £433 6s. 8d. consols with the
official trustees. The annual dividends, amounting to
£11 18s. 4d., are carried to the credit of the Northfield schools.
Eleemosynary Charities.
— In 1662 John Norton—
as stated in the table of benefactions—by deed charged
his lands called Portlands with an annuity of 24s. for
the poor. From the same table it appears that John
Field charged an estate called Good-rest Farm with
40s. a year for the poor; also that Henry Hinkley,
by his will, gave eight half-crowns for eight poor
people and 8s. to provide them with a dinner on
25 May yearly, if on a Sunday, or on the next
Sunday after, to be paid out of an estate called Nether
Holbach. The Parliamentary Returns of 1786 mention that Thomas Lloyd gave 2s. 6d. for the poor,
and that William Squire, by his will, gave 20s. a year
for the poor of this parish (see under Droitwich
St. Nicholas).
The official trustees also hold a sum of £12 7s. 6d.
consols in respect of — Middlemore's charity, producing 6s. 8d. a year.
The income of these charities, amounting together
to £6 1s. 2d., is applied as to £1 10s. 3d. among ten
poor widows of Northfield, the same amount to ten poor
widows of Bartley Green, and the remainder among
the poor of Bournbrook, Selly Oak and Ten Acres.