Parishes: Barcheston

BARCHESTON

Acreage: 1,555.

Population: 1911, 118; 1921, 119; 1931, 101.

The parish lies to the east of the River Stour, on the right bank of which, above the mill-pond, stand the church, the rectory, and the manor-house, which is a stone building of 16th-century origin retaining some mullioned windows and moulded string-courses, but mostly modernized. There is no village here, the chief centre of population being the hamlet of Willington, ½ mile south between the river and a road running north from Burmington to meet the road from Shipstonon-Stour to Brailes a little north-east of the church. Most of the parish lies between 250 ft. and 300 ft., but on the east the ground rises steeply to nearly 500 ft. on the slopes of Brailes Hill.

In 1509, shortly after he had bought the manor, William Willington inclosed 310 acres of the demesne arable, converting the whole into pasture with the exception of 64 acres, for the cultivation of which he employed one plough. He also destroyed four messuages, with 10 virgates of arable—the virgate here being 22 acres—and a cottage. As a result these 220 acres were also put out of cultivation and 24 persons were rendered homeless and reduced to lamentable misery, lacking food and work. (fn. 1)

It was in the manor-house that Ralph Sheldon in about 1560 established the famous tapestry works which, under the control of Richard Hyckes (died 1621, aged about 97) and his son Francis (died 1630), produced so many remarkable and beautiful tapestries. (fn. 2)

Manors

In the reign of Edward the Confessor BARCHESTON was held by Wiching, but after the Conquest it was divided, 2½ hides with a mill being held under William fitz Corbucion by Johais, (fn. 3) and 1 hide less ½ virgate being held of the king in chief by Alvric. (fn. 4) The overlordship is subsequently found in the hands of the Earl of Warwick. (fn. 5) A mesne lordship was held in 1232 by William de Cantilupe, who in that year impleaded William son of William Corbicun to acquit him of service which Thomas [Earl] of Warwick demanded for lands in Barcheston and Studley. (fn. 6) This passed with other Cantilupe estates to the family of Hastings, and in 1313 and 1316 a half-fee in Barcheston and Weston was held by John de Hastings. (fn. 7) After the death of Sir John de Hastings, Lord Bergavenny, this half-fee was assigned in 1325 to his widow Julian and her second husband Thomas le Blount. (fn. 8) It descended to Sir John's grandson John, Earl of Pembroke, who died in 1375, (fn. 9) and then to his cousin Sir William Beauchamp, Lord Bergavenny, who was holding it with Sir Edward Benstede in 1400. (fn. 10) Sir William's widow Joan held the fee for life, and at her death in 1435 it reverted to Edward Neville and his wife Elizabeth, granddaughter of Sir William Beauchamp. (fn. 11)

Simon de Bercheston, who seems to have been a member of the family of which the younger branch took the name of Whitacre, was lord of Barcheston in about 1193, (fn. 12) to whom, according to Dugdale, (fn. 13) succeeded Richard in 1204–5, and after him Simon, who occurs in 1208 (fn. 14) and 1235, (fn. 15) in which year he definitely held the manor. (fn. 16) Next came Henry, who was dead by 1259, when his widow Joan is mentioned, (fn. 17) and Alexander. (fn. 18) Henry and Thomas de Bercheston presented to the church in 1282 and 1297 respectively, (fn. 19) and Richard de Bercheston was lord of the manor in 1316 (fn. 20) and was the chief taxpayer in Barcheston in 1332. (fn. 21) His eldest son (fn. 22) Alexander attests as 'lord of Barcheston' in 1360 (fn. 23) and held the fee in Barcheston and Weston of the Earl of Pembroke in 1375, (fn. 24) and in that year he and his wife Alice sold the manor to Sir Henry de Arderne. (fn. 25) When Sir Henry's son Ralph died in 1420 the custody of his infant son Robert was committed to Lady Joan Beauchamp of Bergavenny. (fn. 26) She was holding the manor at her death in 1455, but had leased it to Guy de Mancetter. (fn. 27) By 1439, when he presented to the church, (fn. 28) the manor had evidently come into the hands of Robert Arderne, but he must shortly after this have sold it to John Durant, (fn. 29) on whose death in 1446 the manor was seized (fn. 30) for a debt which he owed to the king as one of the collectors of a subsidy. (fn. 31) In this family it remained until 1507 when Henry Durant sold it to William Willington, a wealthy merchant of the staple, (fn. 32) who died seised thereof in 1555, when his estates were divided between the representatives of his seven daughters. (fn. 33) Barcheston manor came to Ralph Sheldon, son of his daughter Mary (d. 1553) by William Sheldon of Beoley (d. 1570), and in this family it descended until early in the 19th century. (fn. 34) By 1850 it had been acquired by John Staunton, (fn. 35) and in 1900 one of the chief landowners in the parish was Miss Staunton of Tidmington, (fn. 36) but the manor was apparently extinct.

In the Domesday Survey WILLINGTON (fn. 37) is entered as two estates. The one, rated at 1 hide 1½ virgates, was the only holding of Gilbert de Gand entered under Warwickshire (fn. 38) and was held of him by Fulbric; it had formerly been held by Alward, and there was a mill belonging to it. (fn. 39) The other was part of the estates of Robert de Stafford, of whom it was held by Iwein or Luuein; it was rated at 1½ hides and had been held by Dodo and Leuric. (fn. 40)

It seems probable that Gilbert's land may be identified with the part of Willington which was a member of the king's manor of Great (or Long) Compton (q.v.). William de Mandeville, Earl of Essex, in 1170 when granting Aynho (Northants.) to Roger fitz Richard in exchange for Compton also confirmed to him 'the land of Willington (Wlauynton) which my father Geoffrey gave to William de Mortain, to hold by the service which the said William was bound to render to my father'. (fn. 41) In 1281 Long Compton had been granted for life to Hugh de Plessy, (fn. 42) and in 1287 Robert de Hamme (fn. 43) died seised of a messuage and a carucate of land in Willington, held of the said Hugh, and left a son John. (fn. 44) This John died in 1319 holding 1/7 knight's fee of the king in Willington, apparently 60 acres under cultivation, and also certain rents from the Prioress of Sewardsley (Northants.). (fn. 45) His heir was his brother Robert, (fn. 46) who in 1324 granted the manor of Willington, held in chief, to Thomas de Hamme and Maud his wife; (fn. 47) after which time no more is known of it.

The Stafford overlordship can be traced down to the 15th century, a half-fee being held of the Earl of Stafford in 1387 and 1403. (fn. 48) The tenancy of the half-fee is obscure. At the beginning of the 13th century Simon Cusin held land in Willington which after his death was divided in 1224 between his six daughters and their husbands: Margery wife of Richard de Shupeston, Asceline wife of William de Bolescote, Eleanor wife of Thomas de Tidelementon, Isabel wife of Jordan de Breyles, Cecily wife of Walter de Wolauiton, and Amice wife of Richard de Wlfrid' (sic). (fn. 49) Of these Jordan is presumably the Jordan de Wullauinton who with Isabel his wife demised land in Willington to Hugh de Burminton in 1235, (fn. 50) and Richard de Shupeston may perhaps be the Richard de Barton who in 1242 held a fraction, apparently 1/10, of a fee of Robert de Stafford here. (fn. 51) Adam Holeway attested a deed in 1360 as lord of Willington, (fn. 52) and Robert Holeway is said to have held the half-fee of the Earl of Stafford at the end of the 14th century. (fn. 53)

The manor of Willington was held between 1767 and 1771 by Thomas Snow, from 1775 to 1785 by Ann Snow, and in 1804 by the Rev. Thomas Lambert Snow, (fn. 54) whose eldest daughter Mary Anne brought it in marriage to John Staunton, (fn. 55) lord of the manor of Barcheston.

Church

The parish church of ST. MARTIN consists of a chancel, nave, short north aisle with the tower west of it, and a still shorter south aisle-chapel with the porch west of it.

Although small the church is one of the more interesting in this district. Owing to the unconventional treatment of some of the alterations and enlargements, the development of the medieval plan is somewhat complicated.

The nave and chancel date from c. 1190–1200, but there was probably an earlier nave on the site. A north aisle was added about 1220, with the arcade of three bays. In the east wall of the aisle is a blocked narrow round-headed doorway which was partly destroyed for the arcade, indicating that there was originally some sort of a transept or chapel. If the chancel arch was central with the original nave the latter must have been widened about 2½ ft., thus causing the arcade to encroach on the earlier doorway. This widening, however, may have occurred later when the north-west tower was built, the arcade being then reconstructed and the aisle widened to its present limit.

The north-east and south-west angles of the present tower are treated in an exceptionally peculiar manner. The reason seems to be that, in the 15th century, probably owing to weakness, the north and west walls had to be rebuilt, and the opportunity was taken to enlarge the floor area at the same time. To avoid disturbance to the nave and aisle the east and south walls were retained with their original north-east and south-west square angles, and the diagonal buttresses which the 15th-century builders thought necessary for the new walls were placed east and north respectively of the old square angles. The north-west diagonal buttress was built against the angle of the new walls in the normal manner. The upper part of the tower was entirely rebuilt to the new size and the first-and second-floor chambers were used as priests' chambers. Weakness again developed in the walls and in the 16th century another large buttress was built against the middle of the west side, blocking earlier windows. The whole tower still has a considerable lean to the west, and there are cracks in the north and south walls, but there seems to have been no recent movement.

The south chapel was an early-16th-century addition, perhaps by William Willington (died 1555), whose tomb occupies the most important position in the chapel. There is an unfinished appearance about the west end of it and doubtless it was originally intended to rebuild the south porch west of it. The blocked upper doorway in the west wall of the chapel indicates the intention to provide an upper story to the porch, probably as a watcher's chamber.

The porch probably dates from the 14th century. There was little room for the chapel and part of the porch had to be destroyed for its west wall, which also encroaches on the east jamb of the ancient south doorway.

There seems to have been constant trouble either from decay or bad foundations or both, and the east and south walls of the chancel may have been more or less rebuilt in the 15th century with the re-use of older material, and its north wall was refaced (or rebuilt?) in the 18th century. There are other repairs to windows, &c., done in more recent restorations: all the roofs are modern.

The chancel (about 26 ft. by 14 ft.) has an east window of three trefoiled ogee-headed lights and trefoiled piercings in a depressed four-centred head of the 15th century with an external hood-mould and a segmental-pointed rear-arch. The jambs and arch are of two chamfered orders in cream-tinted stone. The obtuse internal splays are of rubble with small dressings of the 13th century. In the middle of the north wall is a solitary 13th-century lancet of one chamfered order, with very obtuse splays of rough ashlar. The south side has two 15th-century square-headed windows, each of two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and trefoiled piercings, with external labels and restored segmental-pointed rear-arches. The jambs of the eastern are of one chamfered order, the western of two, with a later rebate cut inside. Between them is a priests' doorway of c. 1190–1200 of a deep yellow stone; the jambs are of two orders with edge-rolls between hollows having plain capitals and bases. The slightly pointed arch has similar mouldings divided by a three-quarter hollow and it has a plain hood-mould. The rear-arch, of square section, is semicircular.

Below the eastern window is a moulded bracketpiscina, probably 15th-century, without a niche. In the north wall is a half-round niche with a reset 15thcentury trefoiled head and modern jambs. It seems to have had a triangular hood-mould.

The east wall is of coursed ashlar in small yellow stones and has a low chamfered plinth. The south wall is faced with fine-jointed ashlar, perhaps of the 15th century, and has a similar chamfered plinth that steps down to a lower level a yard from the angle. At the west end in the angle with the south chapel is the only chancel-buttress, and its position suggests that it is the altered original south-east angle of the nave. The north wall is faced with somewhat similar but lighter tinted and more modern ashlar, probably an 18th-century refacing. The chamfered plinth of the east wall only just turns the angle, the remainder having only rough footings. The 15th-century moulded string-course, which meets the hood-mould of the east window at its springing level, is continued as the eaves-courses to the side walls. The wall-faces inside are of roughly coursed rubble, once plastered. The roof is of trussed rafter type with a panelled ceiling.

The lofty two-centred chancel arch is of two chamfered orders with medium and small voussoirs and has differing hood-moulds on both faces, with foliage stops; the western is of the same contour as the labels of the 15th-century south windows. The outer order is continued from the single-chamfered responds; the inner is carried on semi-octagonal corbel-capitals. The north capital, of c. 1200, is carved with a series of trumpetshaped flowers, the disk-tops or mouths being treated with cinquefoil sinkings. The south capital is of 13thcentury moulded form with nail-head ornament, but is either modern or entirely re-tooled.

The nave (about 44 ft. by 18 ft.) has an early-13thcentury north arcade of three 9-ft. bays from the east wall. The pointed arches are of two chamfered orders with medium and large voussoirs and are carried on rather slender round pillars; the eastern pillar has a fluted capital almost like the scallop ornament of the 12th century and a moulded abacus of the normal 13thcentury contour; its moulded base is octagonal in plan, but set with the angles instead of the faces to the cardinal points. The second pillar has an ordinary 13th-century moulded capital and base. At the responds the inner orders are carried on half-round moulded capitals which are supported by corbels with pointed lower ends, the western carved with a human hand turned up as if supporting the point in its palm. The eastern capital has nail-head ornament. The whole arcade is tilted slightly to the west, following the leanover of the tower. An inscription on the eastern pillar thomas horton, rector 1631 evidently refers to repairs, possibly a partial rebuilding, to save the arcade. The eastern half of the east arch, the part that would naturally suffer most by the movement, has had to be again rebuilt in modern times. The 21-ft. stretch of wall west of the arcade is the south side of the tower.

The early-16th-century arcade in the east half of the south side is of two 8½-ft. bays. The pillar and responds are of two chamfered orders continued without break in the two-centred arches and having slightly projecting plinths. The wall, only 1 ft. 9 in. thick, is continued up into the clearstory so that there is a set-back outside, from the thicker west half, in line vertically with the west respond and west wall of the chapel: in it are two contemporary windows each of two cinquefoiled elliptical-headed lights under a square head.

Immediately west of the arcade is the south doorway, of c. 1190–1200, apparently in situ and similar to, but more elaborate than, the chancel doorway. The pointed head is of three orders moulded with rolls and hollows and divided by three-quarter hollows and having a hood-mould. The jambs have a detached nook-shaft with a plain capital to carry the middle order and edge-rolls and hollows to the inner and outer orders. The outermost order of the west jamb has a capital carved with a human face spouting foliage from its mouth. This order in the east jamb is buried by the west wall of the chapel. The other two capitals of the east jamb and the innermost of the west jamb are carved with a primitive form of foliage. Most of the material is a cream-yellow stone, but the stone forming the capital of the middle and outer orders of the west jamb is of a dark chocolate colour and may be a later piece of workmanship.

West of the doorway is a late-14th-century window of two trefoiled lights and tracery in a square head with a label. The window in the west wall is a tall and narrow opening of the 14th century, of two trefoiled ogeeheaded lights and a quatrefoil in a two-centred head.

The lower part of the thick south wall west of the doorway is of original, fairly wide-jointed, yellow ashlar with diagonal tooling: the upper part and the west wall are of later and smaller ashlar work with some re-used original stones. The plinths have a projecting chamfered top course, and at the south-west angle is an old diagonal buttress.

The plain parapet, of early-16th-century origin, has been restored. It sets back over the thinner wall above the chapel-arcade and has five pinnacles with crocketed finials. Below the pinnacle in the east half is a spout carved with an open-mouthed human head between uplifted arms. The spout in the west half also has the human arms but the head has disappeared. The east and west gables have restored copings and crosses.

The roof is modern, in five bays with arched trusses, but some of the stone corbels are ancient, probably 15th-century: two on the north side are carved with human masks, another on the south side has a ram's head. The roof is covered with stone tiles.

The north aisle (about 27½ ft. by 12 ft.) has a thick unpierced east wall, which is probably of the c. 1190–1200 period and indicates some structure of earlier date than the north arcade. The 11-ft. length of it outside from the chancel wall up to a rather shallow buttress, that is 4 ft. from the north-east angle of the aisle, is about 3 ft. 9 in. thick. The buttress has a chamfered plinth but the wall, which is of early squared ashlar, has only rough footings. At a level with the top of the buttress and a foot or two below the level of the chancel eaves-course it sets back a few inches with a course of weather-tabling to a thinner wall above, which with the 4-ft. length of wall north of the buttress, is of later ashlar. Inside, at the south end of the wall, is a little more than half-width of an early tall roundheaded narrow archway, now blocked. The south jamb of it was apparently destroyed for the arcade. The north jamb shows further alteration as though another and lower doorway was cut into it subsequently. It is not visible outside.

The north wall is of rubble work to about 1½ yards in height and above that is of coursed ashlar: there is no plinth. In it are two windows, each of two squareheaded lights in a main square head and having a transom. The internal splays of rubble and ashlar are probably of the 13th or 14th century, but the outer stonework, mostly grey, is of the 17th century, perhaps 1631. The western has moulded jambs and mullion; in the eastern they are chamfered.

The roof is continued down without break from the nave-roof.

The south chapel (about 20½ ft. by 13½ ft.) has a restored east window of three trefoiled ogee-headed lights and tracery in a three-centred head with a hoodmould. In the south wall are two windows, each of two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and tracery under a square head with an external label. The jambs and internal splays are of the early 16th century, the remainder restored. At the south end of the west wall is the higher blocked square-headed doorway already mentioned. The east and south walls are of coursed yellow ashlar and have plinths of two chamfered courses, and plain parapets with restored pinnacles. The middle of the south wall has a decided camber inwards on plan. At the south-east angle is a diagonal buttress and at the west angle a right-angle buttress. The west wall, inside the porch, is of rubble and obtrudes partly on the east jamb of the nave doorway. The roof, of two bays, is a modern low-pitched lean-to; it has two or three old stone corbels, one of them apparently a re-used 13thcentury carved capital.

The south porch dates probably from the late 14th century, but may have had some minor alterations, such as the alteration of its gabled south wall and roof into a lean-to against the chapel. The two-centred head of the entrance is of two hollow-chamfered orders dying on the west jamb of one order: the east jamb was destroyed, with part of the arch, when the chapel was built. In the west wall is a small rectangular window. The walls are of coursed yellow ashlar without a plinth. On the east wall (west wall of chapel) are three stone corbels which may have supported an upper floor or the gabled roof before it was altered.

The north-west tower (about 13 ft. east to west by 12 ft.) is of three stages marked by string-courses. The walls are of coursed yellow ashlar and have a moulded plinth on the north and west sides with a chamfered lower course, and embattled parapets with returned copings to the merlons. At the south-east angle, projecting into the nave and flush with the east wall is a small low buttress of three stages with tabling to the lower stages and moulding at the top, which is about level with the apices of the nave-arcade. Its purpose is not obvious, as it is much too small to have been any support to the massive tower. There is also another low shallow buttress at the old north-east angle of the tower with its side against the north wall of the aisle. This, and the other two outer angles have also taller diagonal buttresses of four stages: they bond into the north and west walls and are of the same masonry. The top tablings have mouldings on three faces, the uppermost with battlementing. The buttresses to the north-east and south-west are treated in a peculiar manner.

The north-east square angle is rebated on the north face and the diagonal buttress set about 2 ft. west of it. Just below the level of the top offset the space between the buttress and the older square angle is bridged with foiled arched corbelling. The 15th-century moulded plinth stops midway in the south-east side of the buttress instead of meeting the main wall. The south-west buttress is similarly treated, but here the moulded plinth meets the main wall. The original south-west square angle has only a chamfered plinth. In the middle of the west face is a later heavy buttress, added to counteract the westward thrust of the tower. Its plinth is a copy of the 15th-century plinth, but the offsets are plainer and it blocked all three west windows, one above the other, below the bell-chamber.

On the east face the lower string-course is stepped up twice from the north level to clear the nave-parapet, and a short sloping chase below it from the north-east angle is evidence of a former pent-roof, rising above the main aisle-roof, for the blocked doorway (mentioned below) to the lower priests'-chamber.

In the east wall of the lowest story is a 15th-century 4-ft. doorway from the north aisle, with chamfered jambs and a four-centred head. It contains an ancient oak door fitted with modern ribs and hung with plain strap-hinges. The original entrance to this chamber was presumably in one of the earlier destroyed walls. In the west wall is a rectangular light that was blocked by the later buttress, but more recently its south splay has been cut back to allow of a 3-in. light south of the buttress. This chamber has several putlog holes in the east and west walls, 4 to 5 ft. above the floor level, for internal scaffolding. Access to the trapdoor in the floor above was formerly by an ancient ladder with solid oak balks for steps. This is now preserved at the east end of the aisle, having been replaced by a modern ladder.

This upper story was the lower of two 15th-century priests'-chambers and was lighted by a rectangular west window now blocked by the buttress. At the north end of the east wall was a doorway with a pointed head and segmental rear-arch, now blocked to form a recess. This was doubtless the original entrance to the chamber from a ladder or stair in the north aisle. Part of its outline can be seen in the aisle, mostly hidden by a roof-truss. In the north-east angle is a plain square-headed stone fireplace and in the south wall near the east end is a lockerrecess. From this chamber a vice is constructed in the north-west angle rising to the upper stories and entered by doorways with shouldered lintels. The upper priests'-chamber has a window in each wall, of a single trefoiled ogee-headed light below a segmental main head. It is of two roll-moulded orders the inner having small capitals at the springing level. The west window is blocked by the buttress and the south window altered to a doorway on to the nave gutter. The internal splays have stone benches for lookout purposes. There is a similar fire-place in the north-east angle, and in the south-west angle, one in each wall, are two recesses for lockers or other purposes.

The bell-chamber is lighted in each wall by a window of two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and a quatrefoil in a four-centred main head with an external hood-mould. It also has a transom, below which the lights have trefoiled ogee heads. It is of two roll-moulded orders, like the window below, with capitals to the jambs of the inner order at the transom and the head. The courses of the jambs break joint with the wall masonry and in both these and the lower windows the roll-moulds are 13th-century material re-used with the 15th-century heads.

The chancel has a modern altar of stone. In the south chapel is a communion table of the 17th century with plain turned legs and incised line ornament on the upper rails.

The font is octagonal and of early-14th-century date. The bowl has a moulded top edge and the sides are panelled saltire-wise with quatrefoils and half-quatrefoils. The hollowed under-side is enriched at the angles with human-head carvings, including a king and two bishops, and between them are large ball-flowers. The stem also has trefoiled panels and the moulded base is carved with ball-flower ornament.

In the chancel are two plain 15th- or early-16thcentury benches, but the other furniture is modern.

In the south chapel is a large alabaster tomb with effigies of William Willington, died 1 May 1555, and his wife Anne. (fn. 56) The man is dressed in armour of the period and has ruffs at the neck and wrists and a chain about his shoulders: his hands are in prayer. His head rests on his helm, which has a maiden's-head crest, and his feet rest against a lion; his gauntlets lie by his side and he wears a sword and anelace. The woman wears a close Tudor cap, tight corsage and full skirt, ruffs at neck and wrists, close pleated sleeves, and has a chain about her neck with a pendant cross, and a girdle with a suspended sachet-case. Over all is a long mantle held together with points or tabs. The base has a moulded plinth, and top edge with the inscription: 'Here lyeth the bodyes of William Willington of Barson Esquyer and Anne his wyeffe which Will^am dyed the fyrste daye of Maye in the yere of our Lorde God M^o ccccc^o lv unto whose soules and Bodyes God graunte a joyfull resurrection. Amen.' The east and west ends are carved with shields of the Willington arms, a saltire vair, in a circular riband inscribed 'In God be all my truste'. The long sides are divided each into three bays by twisted pilasters: the middle bays have shields, in circular ribands, charged with the arms of Willington impaling Middlemore of Edgbaston. The other four bays have standing figures of daughters in much the same costume as their mother; two in each bay except the north-western, which has one and also three in grave-clothes each bearing a child. Each living daughter has a shield on her left with a charge impaling Willington, and some hold pairs of gloves or bouquets.

There are other memorials in this chapel: a grave slab set upright against the west wall has a 13-in. brass effigy of a priest in cope and gown of c. 1530 with the inscription: 'Orate pro a[nim]a Hugonis Humfrey bachelarii cujus anime propicietur deus Amen.' Another large slab against the wall is incised with the figure of a late-16th-century priest in a surplice and cassock and on it a later inscription to the Reverend Thomas Taylor 1716. The original marginal inscription is nowillegible. (fn. 57)

In the floor by the east wall partly covered by the communion table is a brass inscription to 'Flamochus Colburn', died December 1664, aged 52, and a shield of arms. On the west wall (fn. 58) is a wooden monument, carved and painted to imitate stone or marble, to William Brent, 9 June 1675. The inscription is on a framed tablet with a shield of arms. On the south wall is a grey stone tablet put up in 1939 to commemorate Richard Hyckes, died 2 November 1621 and buried here, and Francis his son, died 1630 and buried at Sutton-under-Brailes, master weavers of Barcheston who had charge of the Sheldon tapestry looms.

There are three bells, (1) by Matthew Bagley, 1775; (2) dated 1720, by Richard Sanders; and the tenor by Bartholomew Atton, 1596. (fn. 59)

The communion plate includes an Elizabethan chalice. (fn. 60)

The registers begin in 1559.

In the churchyard is the base of a cross on two octagonal steps. The base, which has the socket for the shaft, was octagonal stopped out to square, but one side of it has been recut to serve some other purpose. There are also many old head-stones, several with 18th-century carvings. At the south entrance to the churchyard is a modern lych-gate.

Advowson

The advowson of the church descended with the manor (see above) until 1496, when William Durant conveyed it, with 1 acre of land, to John and Richard Boteler and John Harwell. (fn. 61) They were possibly acting for Sir Robert Throckmorton, who presented in 1503, as did his son Sir George in 1530 and the latter's son Sir Robert in about 1571. (fn. 62) By 1606 the advowson had become reunited with the manor in the hands of Ralph Sheldon, (fn. 63) with whose family it remained until at least 1763. (fn. 64) Mr. Henry Watkins Dashwood is given as patron in 1777, (fn. 65) as is the Rev. Thomas Lambert Snow in 1822 (fn. 66) and 1831. (fn. 67) By 1850 the patronage was in the hands of the incumbent, the Rev. George Domvile Wheeler, (fn. 68) who still held it in 1889. (fn. 69) A. V. Renton was patron in 1900, (fn. 70) not long after which date the advowson was conveyed to the Bishop of Coventry, the present patron.

Charity

Richard Badger by will proved 7 December 1907 bequeathed £21,000, the income to be applied in various proportions in parishes in the counties of Worcester, Warwick, and Gloucester. The share of the charity applicable for this parish consists of one forty-second part of the income, amounting to £17 16s. 9d., to be applied by the vicar and churchwardens towards keeping the parish church in proper repair and maintaining divine service, and a similar amount to be applied for the benefit of poor residents.