REDMARLEY D'ABITÔT
Reode moere leage, Ryde mereleage (x cent.);
Rydmer lege, Hrydmearlea, Ridmerleye (xi cent.);
Rudmerleg (xiii cent.); Redmerley Dapetot (xiv cent.).
Redmarley D'Abitôt lies in the extreme south-west of the county on the Gloucestershire border.
It covers an area of 3,800 acres, which includes 12
acres of inland water, 1,165 acres of arable land,
2,432 acres of permanent grass, and 89 acres of
woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is sand and clay
on a subsoil of clay and shale and raises crops of wheat,
beans, peas and barley. The parish is watered by the
River Leadon, which divides Redmarley from Pauntley,
(Gloucs.), on the south and by the Glynch Brook, (fn. 2)
a tributary of the Leadon, and the Wynd Brook.
Church House, Redmarley D'Abitôt
The western part of the parish is hilly, rising
from the valley of the Leadon to over 200 ft.
above the ordnance datum. In the east the land
is lower, standing at about 100 ft. above the
ordnance datum. The main road from Ledbury
to Gloucester passes through Redmarley. A branch
from it to the west leads to the village, and another
branch leads north-east across Glynch Brook to
Pendock. The parish contains houses of various
types and sizes scattered along several winding
roads. In the south-west corner of the churchyard
there is a 17th-century brick and timber house,
and there are several other houses of this type in
the parish, with large picturesque chimney stacks
of red brick. The rectory lies about a quarter
of a mile to the east of the church the present
building occupying an old site which was originally
moated.
At Bury Court Farm are the remains of a late
12th-century hall over a vaulted cellar, measuring
30 ft. by 17 ft. 8½ in. It is vaulted in three bays,
with chamfered transverse and diagonal ribs springing
from moulded corbels. In one
side wall is a plain round-headed
doorway, and close to it a small
round-headed light. There are two
similar lights in the opposite wall,
now blocked by later additions.
One end wall is also covered by
modern buildings, but the other
retains an original window. The
hall door was reached by an outside stair; of the hall itself no
original features remain.
There is a moated inclosure
near Heart's Farm in the south of
the parish.
In 1636 a certain John Jackman, yeoman, was indicted for
obstructing the highway by erecting a pound in the road from Redmarley D'Abitôt to Tewkesbury. (fn. 3)
There are various notes in the
registers of historic interest with
regard to the parish. In the year
1644 'the battle of Redmarley,'
in which between 2,000 and
3,000 troops were engaged, was
fought among the fields outside
the village. In the fight the
Royalist leader Major - General
Mynn was killed. (fn. 4) The name
of Feargus O'Connor, Chartist
agitator, is connected with the
locality, and in 1847 the Lowbands estate was purchased by the
National Land Company. Wakes
were originally held on the village
green (inclosed 1838) on the Sunday before St. Bartholomew's Day. (fn. 5)
Among the ancient place-names
are Assendene (fn. 6) (xiv cent.); Le
Mere, (fn. 7) Moreheldende or Morellynde (fn. 8) (surviving as Murrellsend) (xv cent.); Overhouse, The Held, Tondens, Slade, Neth Gramell, le
Mort Medowe, Darcombe (fn. 9) (xvi cent.); Glasham,
Howhill, Longeland, Thatchcroft (fn. 10) (xvii cent.).
Bury Court: Plan of Vaulted Cellar
MANORS
Land at REDMARLEY belonged in
the 10th century to the see of Worcester, a 'mansa' there 'near the Glynch
Brook' being leased by Bishop Oswald in 963 for
three lives to a certain thegn named Eadmær. (fn. 11) A
similar lease was made by the same bishop to his thegn
Æthelmund in 978. (fn. 12) Among the Worcester charters
is one of Bishop Lyfing in 1038 dealing with land
in Redmarley, (fn. 13) but the nature of the charter is not
known.
Before the Conquest Azor and Godwine held
Redmarley of the bishop's manor of Bredon, but by
1086, when it consisted of 7 hides, it had come into
the possession of Urse the Sheriff. (fn. 14) The manor was
still held of Bredon in 1299, (fn. 15) but the overlordship
of the Bishops of Worcester is not mentioned after
that time. Urse's interest passed to his descendants
the Beauchamps, who continued as mesne lords
until they acquired the manor
at the beginning of the 15th
century. (fn. 16)
In 1086 2 of the 7 hides of
which the manor consisted were
held under Urse by a certain
William, (fn. 17) and subsequently the
whole 7 passed to the D'Abitots,
from whom the manor derived
its name. Osbert D'Abitot held
the manor about 1164–79. (fn. 18) The
Geoffrey D'Abitot who held the
manor early in the 13th century (fn. 19)
was perhaps he who in 1204 gave
40 marks and a palfrey for having
seisin of lands of which he had
been deprived by the king's command. (fn. 20) His name also occurs in
1199 and 1200. (fn. 21) In 1241 Osbert
D'Abitot released to Geoffrey
D'Abitot all his claim in the
manor of Redmarley. (fn. 22) This
Geoffrey was perhaps succeeded
by Ralph, for in 1274 it was said
that the Earl of Gloucester had
appropriated all the land belonging
to Ralph D'Abitot and put it into
his chase, and the land evidently
lay in the neighbourhood of Redmarley, as the Glynch Brook is
mentioned. (fn. 23) Probably, however,
Ralph never held the manor, for
it seems to have belonged in 1274 (fn. 24)
to Geoffrey grandson of Geoffrey
D'Abitot above mentioned. (fn. 25) He
went in 1277 with William de
Beauchamp Earl of Warwick
against the Welsh, (fn. 26) receiving in
the same year a respite for a few
months from becoming a knight, (fn. 27)
and three years later exemption for life from being
put on assizes, juries and recognizances. (fn. 28) It was
probably this same Geoffrey
who in 1320 sued his uncle
Geoffrey D'Abitot for a messuage and 2 carucates of land
in Redmarley (evidently the
manor) which the latter
claimed by gift of his father
Geoffrey. His nephew, however, stated that Geoffrey had
been out of his mind when
he made the gift, (fn. 29) and was
apparently successful in proving his claim, for in 1321–2
he as Geoffrey son of John
D'Abitot settled the manor
on himself for life with remainder to John de Sapy and
his wife Sibyl, daughter of Alice D'Abitot, Geoffrey's
aunt. (fn. 30) Geoffrey evidently took an active part in
the rebellion against the Despensers, and in 1321 a
warrant was issued for his arrest as a 'rebel and enemy
of the king.' (fn. 31) He was imprisoned at Gloucester,
and only released after he had been obliged by 'force
and duress' to give up the manor of Redmarley to
Hugh le Despenser the younger, (fn. 32) who to make his
title more secure obtained grants from the king (fn. 33) and
from John de Sapy and Sibyl his wife. (fn. 34)
D'Abitot. Ermine a chief bendy or and sable.
Street in Redmarley D'Abitôt
Immediately after the accession of Edward III
John de Sapy and Sibyl received a grant of Redmarley in 'consideration of his losses in the service
of the late king.' (fn. 35) This naturally led to quarrels
with Geoffrey D'Abitot, who was probably among
the 'malefactors' accused by John de Sapy of breaking his houses at Redmarley and taking away his
goods. (fn. 36) Geoffrey petitioned in 1327 for a restoration of the manor, (fn. 37) but, although his lands were
restored, (fn. 38) this manor does not appear to have been
among them, and he was still trying to recover it in
1329. (fn. 39) He evidently did not succeed in establishing his claim, and in 1330 John de Sapy and Sibyl
received a new grant of the manor for their lives
only, (fn. 40) with a grant of free warren in 1332, (fn. 41) while
in 1340 and 1342 the king confirmed the fine under
which the manor had first been settled on them. (fn. 42)
John de Sapy was knighted and received other marks
of royal favour. (fn. 43) He was holding in 1346 (fn. 44) and
died some time before 1350, when the fealty of his
grandson John Sapy son of Thomas was taken for
certain lands in Caldecot. (fn. 45) From the last-named
John, (fn. 46) who was a justice of the peace for the county
of Worcester, (fn. 47) and was still holding the manor in
1381, (fn. 48) it passed, probably by purchase, to Elizabeth
widow of Edward Lord le Despenser, on whom it
was settled in 1393. (fn. 49) She was succeeded in turn
by her grandson Richard le Despenser, who died
childless and while still a minor in 1414, (fn. 50) and by
her granddaughter Isabel, through whose marriage
with Richard Earl of Warwick (fn. 51) the manor came
into the possession of the Earls of Warwick, who
were already the overlords. It then followed the
same descent as Elmley Castle (fn. 52) (q.v.), passing with
it to Henry VII in 1487.
It was granted in exchange for other manors to
Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, in 1545. (fn. 53)
Bishop Ridley, who succeeded Bonner, leased the
park and a mill at Redmarley to his sister Alice and
her husband George Shipside, (fn. 54) and they were living
there when Bonner again became bishop on the accession of Queen Mary. Bonner wrote to Richard and
Robert Lechmere requesting them to look after Redmarley and not to allow 'sheep's head or shipes side
(alluding to Ridley's brother-in-law) to be any medler
there or to sell or carry away anything from thence.' (fn. 55)
Shortly afterwards he made a fresh lease of the park
and mill to Thomas Sherle and others, but on the
accession of Queen Elizabeth both park and mill were
restored to the Shipsides. (fn. 56) In 1591 John, Bishop
of London, surrendered the manor to the queen, (fn. 57)
who immediately granted it in exchange for other
lands to Thomas Crompton, Robert Wright and Gelley
Meyrick. (fn. 58)
For a few years after this date the descent of the
manor is not quite clear, but by 1612 it was in the
possession of William Horton of the neighbouring
parish of Staunton. (fn. 59) His son Thomas Horton sold
it in 1615 to George Shipside's son George, (fn. 60) who
had succeeded his father as lessee of the park and
mill in 1609 (fn. 61) and was living at Redmarley in 1615. (fn. 62)
After holding it for a year only, George Shipside,
with Margaret his wife, sold the manor to a certain
John Fleet, known also as Waldegrave, (fn. 63) but continued
to live at the manor-house, then known as Redmarley
Park. (fn. 64) John Fleet died at Hallow in 1619 and
was succeeded by his son Thomas, (fn. 65) who died in the
following year, leaving an infant son John. (fn. 66) The
manor had been settled on Thomas and Jane his
wife on their marriage in 1617. (fn. 67) She married
secondly a certain William Bodenham, (fn. 68) whose name
occurs on the Quarter Session Rolls as a recusant, (fn. 69)
and also as refusing to contribute towards the repair
of the roads in Redmarley. (fn. 70) Before 1676 the manor
had been divided between Magdalen wife of Richard
Williams and Anne wife of Ambrose Scudamore, (fn. 71)
sisters and co-heirs of Thomas Fleet. They sold it
to George Wellington of London, of whom it was
purchased in 1698 by Sir Nicholas Lechmere of
Hanley Castle. (fn. 72) It was in the possession of his
great-grandson Edmund Lechmere in 1732 (fn. 73) and
passed from him to his son Nicholas. (fn. 74) The latter,
who took the name of Charlton in 1784, was succeeded by his son Edmund Lechmere Charlton, who
was holding Redmarley in 1811. (fn. 75) He sold it in
the following year to William Lord Beauchamp, (fn. 76) and
it is now in the possession of
William, the present earl.
A family named D'Abitot
owned property in the parish
in the 16th century, and
lived at Down House. (fn. 77) According to Nash, the last
member of the family died in
the 18th century. (fn. 78)
Lygon, Earl Beauchamp. Argent two lions passant gules with forked tails.
INNERSTONE
INNERSTONE (Inardestone, xiii cent.), now a farm
in the parish, is first mentioned in 1229–30, when
William de Kardiff conveyed
a knight's fee there to Geoffrey
D'Abitot. (fn. 79) Since that date it has always belonged
to the lord of Redmarley. (fn. 80) It is called a manor
until 1416, (fn. 81) and then apparently became merged
in the more important manor of Redmarley.
The park at Redmarley is first mentioned in 1457. (fn. 82)
It has always belonged to the lords of the manor, (fn. 83)
various appointments of park-keepers being made by
Edward IV (fn. 84) and Henry VIII. (fn. 85)
A mill in Redmarley worth 5s. 8d. is mentioned
in the Domesday Survey. (fn. 86) In 1359 there was a
mill known as Pauntleys belonging to the lord of
Redmarley, (fn. 87) while in the 15th and 16th centuries
there were two mills, one called Bury Mill, the other
Flaxeorde Mill. (fn. 88) Bury Mill, Blackford Mill (fn. 89) and
Farm Mill, on the Glynch Brook, are still in use.
Besides the manorial mills the D'Abitots owned
another mill called Thurbache, which John D'Abitot
purchased from Thomas Bradford in 1549. (fn. 90) In
1654 Francis Dineley sued Thomas D'Abitot for
detaining deeds relating to Thurbache Mill, claiming
that the defendant had sold the reversion after his
death to him, and afterwards leased the mill to him
on condition that he would repair it. (fn. 91) It belonged
to Charles Dineley and Frances his wife in 1685. (fn. 92)
It was probably this mill which was owned by Edmund
Cowcher in 1715. (fn. 93) There is at present a disused
corn-mill called Durbridge Mill on the Leadon. In
the 17th century the D'Abitots had the right of free
fishing in the River Leadon, (fn. 94) which with Thurbache
Mill passed from them to Charles and Frances Dineley. (fn. 95)
CHURCH
The church of ST. BARTHOLOMEW consists of a chancel measuring
internally 28 ft. by 17½ ft., nave 49½ ft.
by 23½ ft., a west tower 14 ft. square, a north aisle
16 ft. wide, a north vestry and a south porch. The
whole church, with the exception of the tower, was
rebuilt in 1855.
The east window of the chancel is of three lancet
lights, and in the north and south walls are single
lancets. The furniture includes a 17th-century credence table, two chairs (one dated 1632) and some 17th-century baluster altar-rails re-used in the quire desks.
The nave has a north arcade of three bays, and is
lit by two-light window, all in the style of the 14th
century.
The timber south porch and the octagonal stone
font are both modern, as are also the arches to the
chancel and tower. The two-light west window, with
a four-centred head, is probably of 18th-century date.
The only monument of importance is that to
George Shipside, who died in 1609, aged eighty-four,
on the north wall of the chancel. It is a framed slab
headed Memento Mori, with a rhyming epitaph.
The exterior of the tower is in three stages, with
an embattled parapet and angle pinnacles; there is a
stair at the north-west angle entered from the outside
by a segmental-headed door. The belfry windows
are of two lights and similar to the window in the
west wall. The tower was rebuilt early in the 18th
century, but the lower part is perhaps of earlier date.
The roof of the church is tiled.
The bells are six in number, the first, second,
fourth and fifth by Abel Rudhall, 1743, the third
1739 and the tenor 1793.
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten
engraved with the date 1571; there are also a
modern paten, flagon and almsdish.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms 1542 to 1695, burials 1539 to 1691, marriages
1539 to 1693, and from these dates the entries are
continued promiscuously to 1702; (ii) mixed entries
1703 to 1800, marriages extending to 1753; (iii)
baptisms and burials 1800 to 1812; (iv) marriages
1755 to 1797; (v) marriages 1798 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The first mention of the church of
Redmarley occurs in 1290, when the
Bishop of Worcester dedicated three
altars there. (fn. 96) The advowson followed the same
descent as the manor (fn. 97) (q.v.) until 1590, when the
manor was granted to Thomas Crompton and the
advowson retained by the queen. It belonged to
the Crown (fn. 98) until James I granted it to William
Teynton or Taunton in 1610. (fn. 99) The descent for
some time after this date is not clear. William
Teynton had been succeeded before 1662 by Henry
Jackson, clerk, (fn. 100) in whose family the advowson remained until 1739, when Thomas Jackson and his
wife sold it to Francis Morton. (fn. 101) The latter was
the patron from 1745 to 1750, (fn. 102) but Michael Biddulph presented to the living in 1789 and George
Monro in 1801. (fn. 103) Between 1829, when George
Monro still owned the advowson, (fn. 104) and 1836 it was
purchased by the Nibletts, (fn. 105) and is now in the possession of the rector, the Rev. Henry Morton Niblett.
The rector of Redmarley claimed among other
liberties the right of pasturing eight oxen and two
cows in all the demesne pastures of Redmarley and
Innerstone and 'lawegrist' in all the mills of the
lords, and these were confirmed to him by John
Sapy, kt., in 1358. (fn. 106)
In the 15th century there was a chapel at Innerstone which was the cause of a dispute between the
inhabitants of that place and the rector of Redmarley.
It was decided in 1466 that the rector should find a
chaplain to serve the chapel. (fn. 107) It seems to have been
disused before the Dissolution, and its site may be
marked by the present Chapel Farm.
At the time of the Dissolution there was a chantry
dedicated in honour of our Lady in the church of
Redmarley D'Abitôt. (fn. 108) It seems to have been founded
by Walter D'Abitot and Thomas Mon' and others,
but the foundation charter has not been found. (fn. 109) The
parish then contained 230 'houseling people,' and
the salary of the chantry priest, who was 'competently
learnyd and of honest conversacon,' was derived from
lands valued at £6 10s. 4d. yearly, (fn. 110) which were
granted in 1549 to Thomas Watson and William
Adys. (fn. 111)
A Bible Christian chapel was built about the
middle of the 19th century for the Chartist colonists
on the Lowbands estate, (fn. 112) and was afterwards used
by Primitive Methodists. It was bought by the late
Colonel Scobell in 1908, and is now used for church
services and other purposes. There is a Wesleyan
Methodist chapel near the village, erected in 1859
and rebuilt in 1889.
CHARITIES
The church and poor's land charities are regulated by scheme of the
Charity Commissioners 24 April
1896. They comprise the five charities following,
which were recorded on the church table, namely:—
1. John Bower, founded by deed 29 April 1462,
consisting of a parcel of land known as Nottin Dole,
toward the repair of the church and for the use of
the poor.
2. Walter Ryley, by deed 11 December 1469,
gave lands known as Carter's Close, Bean Pits, Bell
Acre and two other pieces of land. (fn. 113)
3. An unknown donor gave several pieces of land
containing about 2 acres, and there were other parcels
of land given for charitable purposes.
The lands above referred to were sold in 1873 and
the proceeds invested in £857 18s. 2d. consols with
the official trustees.
4. William Church, will dated in 1727, being a
rent-charge of 20s. issuing out of a tenement known
as Church's, for putting out poor children to school,
constituting the educational foundation of William
Church.
5. Margaret Birchett, will dated in 1732, being a
rent-charge of 10s. issuing out of a messuage known
as The Folly. This money is given to four poor
widows who are not in receipt of parish pay.
Also the charity of John Reginald Pindar Earl
Beauchamp, founded by will proved in the P.C.C.
22 February 1853, trust fund £124 17s. consols
with the official trustees. This includes a small
investment from sale of timber.
By the scheme a moiety of the dividends of
£857 18s. 2d. consols, amounting to £10 14s. 4d.,
is made applicable towards the repair and maintenance of the church, and the other moiety, together
with the dividends on £124 17s. consols, amounting
together to £13 16s. 8d., is distributed in coal. The
rent of the post office, representing the old poorhouse, amounting to about £9 a year, is likewise
distributed in coal.