Parishes: Hallow

HALLOW

Halhegan, Heallingan, Halnegan (ix cent.); Halhegan, Hallhagan (xi cent.); Hallawe, Hallaye, Hallag (xiii cent.).

The parish of Hallow, now known as North Hallow, lies to the north-west of Worcester, part of it, including Henwick, having been comprised in the city of Worcester by the Extension Act of 1885. (fn. 1) The parish of North Hallow contains 3,358 acres, 950 being arable land, of which the chief crops are wheat and beans, and 2,257 acres permanent grass. (fn. 2) The subsoil is Keuper Marl. There are no extensive woods, but the copses and plantations cover 32 acres. The inclosure award for Hallow is dated 16 August 1816. (fn. 3)

The land on the banks of the Severn is low-lying and subject to floods, being not more than 44 ft. above sea level at Henwick. It rises considerably to the west, and at Peachley a height of 205 ft. is reached. The Severn forms the eastern boundary of the parish. Laughern Brook waters the northern part, flowing in an easterly direction until it reaches Hallow Mill, where it turns to the south. No railway lines pass through Hallow, but the main road from Stourport to Worcester enters the parish on the north, and, after passing through Hallow Heath, reaches the village which lies on either side of it. The church of St. Philip and St. James is to the south, and near it is the village pound. Behind the church is Hallow Park, an old house remodelled in the 18th century. The road from Worcester to Tenbury runs north-west from the city through Lower Broadheath and Peachley.

Hallow, while in their possession, was one of the retreats of the monks of Worcester. Habington in the 17th century described the house as being raised on a small hill at a short distance from the river, 'so that it was nowaye annoyed with the contagion vaporinge from the water.' (fn. 4) It was placed in a little park 'whose higher ground aboundinge in mynte yeeldethe a sweete savor, and whose sandy pathes are eaver drye, in so muche as Queene Elizabethe huntinge theare (whylest the abundance of hortes beatinge the mynt dyd bruse but a naturall perfume) gave it an extraordinary commendation, a deynty situation scarce secound to any in England.' (fn. 5)

Parkfield, near the city boundary, was built by the late Mr. Charles Wheeley Lea, a member of the firm of Lea &; Perrins, makers of the celebrated Worcestershire sauce. His widow now resides there, and has purchased a great deal of the parish, including Hallow Park. A working men's club hall for local meetings and a house for a district nurse were established by Mrs. Lea in 1904

Sir Charles Bell, the discoverer of the distinct functions of the nerves, died at Hallow Park in 1842. He was staying there, and was buried in the churchyard of the parish. There is in Hallow Church a tablet to his memory with an English inscription by Lord Jeffrey. (fn. 6)

Among former place-names in the parish were Lamput, (fn. 7) Bradeburn, Chiseburn, Dorlingeshall, Denesmedwe, Gateslegercroft (fn. 8) (xiii cent.); Flanebrok, Cumbwelle, Sparkebroc, La Roedinge, Hetherwelleforlong, Le Schawe, Orleye, Hunwaldeleye, Aunsacre (fn. 9) (? xiii cent.); Wickenshorne (fn. 10) (xvii cent.).

MANORS

HALLOW was evidently acquired by the church of Worcester before 816, when Coenwulf, King of the Mercians, freed it and all its vills on the west of Severn from all secular services except building of bridges and strongholds and military service. (fn. 11) This manor had apparently become the property of the monks by the 10th century, being included in their lands as set forth in King Edgar's charter. (fn. 12) In 1086 the priory held 7 hides at Hallow and Broadwas, to which belonged ten houses and a salt-pan at Droitwich. (fn. 13) Hallow with all its members was confirmed to the prior by Bishop Simon in 1148. (fn. 14) In 1240 the demesne of the manor, consisting of a court and 2 carucates of land, was leased to the villeins at farm for a rent of grain of different kinds. (fn. 15) In 1256 the prior obtained a grant of free warren here. (fn. 16) The history of the manor is the same as that of Grimley (fn. 17) (q.v.), and it is now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

Among the rights of the Prior of Worcester in Hallow was that of the service of riding men. In other manors these rod-knights usually compounded with him for a sum of money in the 13th century, but at Hallow Simon de Peachley still performed the service, and Nicholas David and Osbert de Barbourne rode in turns for the tenement which they held. (fn. 18) It is interesting to find that the prior still claimed a sum of money in the place of service of the villeins in the vineyard in the 13th century, (fn. 19) although the vineyard had ceased to exist.

The Prior of Worcester obtained licence to inclose and impark 60 acres of land and 40 acres of wood in Hallow in 1312. (fn. 20) Leland in his Itinerary enumerates among the places belonging to the priory 'Halow, a park without a howse, a two myles from Worcester.' (fn. 21) Hallow Park does not seem to have been granted with the other possessions of the priory to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, but was given with the manor in 1547 to Nicholas Heath, Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 22) It remained in the possession of the Bishops of Worcester, being leased with the site of the manor from time to time until 1648, when it was sold by the Parliamentary Commissioners to William Combe. (fn. 23)

A lease of the site of the manor and park of Hallow, granted by the bishop in 1550 to William Hett, afterwards came into the possession of John Habington, who held it at the time of his death in 1582. (fn. 24) Queen Elizabeth visited him there and hunted in the park. (fn. 25) This lease expired in 1620, and in 1648 Anne Fleet was holding the site and park under a lease for fifty-one years granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1583. (fn. 26) In 1678 the park was held by the co-heirs of Thomas Fleet, Magdalene wife of Richard Williams and Anne wife of Ambrose Scudamore. (fn. 27) Before the end of the century it had passed to Edward Bull, who died there in 1700. (fn. 28) In the 19th century Hallow Park was the property of the Lygons, Earls Beauchamp, and remained in their possession until it was sold by the present earl in 1912 to Mrs. C. W. Lea. (fn. 29)

There were two mills in the manor of Hallow in 1086, (fn. 30) and mills seem to have existed at Hallow and at Henwick in the 13th century, for the men there were forced to take their corn to be ground at Broadwas when they were unable to grind it at their own mills. (fn. 31) There was a mill at Eastbury at that time, and one in Woodhall in 1648 which had belonged to the Bishop of Worcester, and was then sold by the Parliamentary trustees to William Combe. (fn. 32) Water corn-mills still exist in Hallow, Henwick and Woodhall.

Bishop Ealdred in the middle of the 11th century gave to the priory of Worcester fisheries at Hallow, known in the 13th century as Chiterling and Scadewell. (fn. 33) These two fisheries were confirmed to the priory by Bishop Simon in 1148. (fn. 34) In the 13th century Walerand, a sokeman of Henwick, owed service at the fish-pools. The prior made complaint in 1346 against men of the town of Worcester that they not only attacked him and his monks with bows and arrows and tried to burn down their priory, but they also fished in his fishery at Hallow and hunted and carried away hares and rabbits from his warren there. (fn. 35)

Though not mentioned by name in the charter, HENWICK (Hynewike, xiii cent.) is said to have been included in Coenwulf's grant freeing Hallow and its vills from all secular services. (fn. 36) It was probably included in Hallow in the Domesday Survey, but is mentioned as a separate manor in Bishop Simon's confirmation grant of 1148. (fn. 37) In 1206 Henwick was leased to the men of the vill for fifteen years at a rent of grain, (fn. 38) and this term was prolonged by twelve years in 1217. (fn. 39) In 1240 the manor consisted of a court and carucate of land in demesne, (fn. 40) and eight years later the prior added to his estate the land of John Chiterling at Henwick. (fn. 41) Henwick was among the manors in which the Prior of Worcester obtained a grant of free warren in 1256. (fn. 42) In 1261 the grange of Henwick was destroyed by a great storm. (fn. 43)

The manor of Henwick, though it must still have belonged to the Prior of Worcester, was not separately valued in 1535, and is not mentioned in the grant of the priory land to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester in 1542. It must, however, have been included in that grant, as the dean and chapter ceded it to the king in 1546, (fn. 44) and it was given by Edward VI in 1547 to the Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 45) In 1648 the manor was sold as a late possession of the bishopric of Worcester to William Combe. (fn. 46) It was restored to the bishop at the Restoration, and still belonged to the see at the end of the 18th century. (fn. 47)

The manor or farm-house of Henwick was held during the 16th and 17th centuries under leases from the bishop by members of the Hall family. John Hall seems to have acquired the remainder of a lease about 1575 from Edward Darnell, but both Thomas and John Hall, father and grandfather of this John, appear to have been seated at Henwick. The lease was renewed to Edward Hall son of John in 1610 for the lives of his sons Edward, Arthur and John, and about 1638 the lease was again renewed for the lives of John, Edward and Richard Hall. (fn. 48) The Halls' lease was surrendered to the bishop in 1665 by Nicholas Bayly and his wife Dorothy, who held it by grant of Martha Hall. (fn. 49) A third of the site of the manor of Henwick was conveyed in 1785 by John Barneby, Bartholomew Lutley Sclater, and Penelope Lutley Sclater to Abraham Winterbottom. (fn. 50)

The Prior and convent of Worcester had a conduit from Henwick over Worcester Bridge, and in 1407 they obtained the king's protection when repairing the conduit on the lands of other people. (fn. 51)

A cassate of land at GRIMHILL (Grimanhylle, x cent.; Gremanhil, xi cent.; Grimhull, xiii cent.; Grymmyll, xvi cent.) evidently belonged to the church of Worcester before 957, when Cynewold, Bishop of Worcester, granted it to the priest Behstan for four lives. (fn. 52) This vill was invaded by Urse when he became Sheriff of Worcester, and, fearing his power, the monks gave it up to him on condition that he would discharge all service due for it to the king. (fn. 53) In 1086, however, a hide at Grimhill was held by Urse of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Wick Episcopi, and it was said that Eddid (Edith) had held it before the Conquest, rendering customary dues to the church. (fn. 54) Urse's interest in the manor passed with his other estates to the Beauchamps, lords of Elmley, and Grimhill continued to be held of the barony of Elmley until 1601, when the overlordship is mentioned for the last time. (fn. 55)

In 1086 Godfrey held this land under Urse. (fn. 56) About the middle of the 13th century Richard de Grimhill held it under the Beauchamps. (fn. 57) He must have been succeeded shortly after by Robert de Grimhill, under whom land in Grimhill was held by Robert de Hallow. Robert de Hallow, who was a mason, on leaving the country in pursuit of his business, left this estate in charge of his brother Peter. Peter, however, became a leper, and Robert on his return committed the care of it to another brother Reginald. The latter failed to carry out his charge, and the land being left waste was taken by Robert de Grimhill, the overlord, who cultivated part of it himself and gave part to Master Matthew de Grimhill. On the death of Robert de Hallow his daughters Ingreth and Mabel wanted to enter upon this land, but were not permitted to do so by Robert de Grimhill. A jury in 1220–1, however, found in their favour, and Robert was ordered to compensate Matthew de Grimhill with other land. (fn. 58) In 1276 Simon son of Master William de Grimley tried to recover his land at Grimhill which had been taken by the king on account of his default against Matthew de Grimley. (fn. 59) A Richard de Grimhill died about 1307–8, leaving three daughters his co-heirs, (fn. 60) but it is doubtful whether he was an owner of this manor, for it remained in the family of Grimhill, being held in 1315 by Richard de Grimhill. (fn. 61) In 1335 John le Young was lord of Grimhill. (fn. 62) The next mention of this manor occurs in 1346, when William Brown was in possession. In 1526–7 a relief of 25s. was paid to the lord of Elmley on the death of John Valaunce, who had held Grimhill. (fn. 63) The manor, however, returned to the Grimhills, (fn. 64) and in 1537–8 Robert de Grimhill sold it to John Gower, (fn. 65) who settled it in 1544 upon himself and his wife Anne. (fn. 66) On John's death in 1548 the estate passed to his son John, then six months old. (fn. 67) This boy died in 1561, and his stepsister Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Ingram, inherited his property. (fn. 68) Elizabeth died in 1601, (fn. 69) and ten years later her son William sold the manor to Thomas Cheatle, (fn. 70) whose grandson Thomas sold it in 1653 to Anthony Ball, of whom it was purchased in 1655 by Edward Hall. (fn. 71)

In the following year Edward sold to John Corbett for a sum of £1,245 the manor of Grimhill with the messuage called the Hall House, Henry Ingram and Henry Gower being parties to the conveyance. (fn. 72)

The name Grimhill has now disappeared, but the manor is known to have extended into Grimley, and the site may perhaps be marked by the present Greenhill Farm, which lies near the Grimley boundary.

Two estates at EASTBURY (Earesbyri, Esebyr, ix cent.; Eresbyrie, xi cent.; Esseburi, xiii cent.; Estbury, Aylesbury, xvi cent.) were claimed by the monks of Worcester as having been included in Coenwulf's grant freeing Hallow and its vills from all secular services. (fn. 73) Later they stated that an estate at 'Earesbyri' had been taken from them by Æthelwig, Abbot of Evesham, (fn. 74) who had in turn been deprived of it by Odo of Bayeux. (fn. 75) Another account, which may refer to the other estate, recounts that Eastbury was subject to the church of Worcester in the time of Edward the Confessor until Urse took it, and it was lost by the church. (fn. 76) Neither of these accounts is borne out by the Domesday entry for Eastbury, which represents it as half a hide of land held of the manor of Hallow by Walter de Burh, as successor of Aelfric. (fn. 77) From the subsequent history of the manor it seems probable, however, that Urse did hold some estate at Eastbury, for, though the mill of Eastbury belonged to the Prior of Worcester in the middle of the 13th century, (fn. 78) the monks held no manor there, and the manor of Eastbury became part of the barony of Elmley, (fn. 79) the honour of Urse's descendants, the Beauchamps.

The tenants of the manor under the lords of Elmley are not known until 1315, when John de Kekingwik held this manor and Kenswick for two knights' fees. (fn. 80)

The descent of Eastbury is identical with that of Kenswick (fn. 81) (q.v.) until about the middle of the 16th century, (fn. 82) when it was sold by Humphrey Stafford to Thomas Hall. (fn. 83) Thomas was succeeded between 1616 and 1631 by Edward Hall, probably his son, (fn. 84) on whose death in 1636 the messuage or farm of Eastbury passed to his son John. (fn. 85) John was probably succeeded by a brother Thomas Hall, for, in answer to a request from Thomas Habington for information about his title to the manor, Thomas Hall, the owner in 1641, stated that it had been purchased by his grandfather Thomas Hall. (fn. 86) The further descent of the estate has not been traced until 1826, when it belonged to Thomas Henry Cookes. (fn. 87) Thomas Cookes of Bentley held the manor at the end of the 18th century, (fn. 88) but the manorial rights of Eastbury have now lapsed.

PEACHLEY (Peceslcia, Petcheslee, xii cent.; Petchesleg, xiii cent.) is said to have been bought by Alfstan, Prior of Worcester, brother of Bishop Wulfstan, for the priory of Worcester. (fn. 89) It does not appear that there was ever a manor at Peachley, but an estate there was in the 13th century owned by the priory of Worcester, (fn. 90) to which portions of it were given at different times by Nicholas the son of David de Peachley, John Murieweder, Henry de Dumbleton, Richard de Peachley and others. (fn. 91) Margaret the wife of David de Peachley and Alice the wife of William Hibernius or Ibernius appear to have been daughters of a certain Ingram, from whom they had inherited property here in 1194. (fn. 92) The heirs of William Hibernius were holding land at Peachley in 1240. During the 13th and 14th centuries the prior obtained licence to acquire land in Peachley on many occasions. (fn. 93) The Peachley estate formed part of the manor of Hallow, and Peachley Farm was sold with Hallow Manor in 1648 to John Corbett. (fn. 94) An estate there consisting of 30 acres of land and an orchard was sold in 1625 by Thomas Saunders and his wife Mary to John Elfe. (fn. 95) In 1632 Thomas sold half of Peachley Farm to Henry Best. (fn. 96) A messuage in Peachley was settled on Samuel Pytts by his mother Katherine Pytts in 1699, (fn. 97) and in 1732 Peachley Farm was owned by Edmund Pytts. (fn. 98)

Habington states that in the mansionhouse of Peachley, belonging to the Peachley family, there was a chapel. (fn. 99)

There existed at one time a manor of WOODHALL (Wodehalle, xiii cent.) which in the 13th century was a possession of the priory of Worcester. In 1240 it consisted of a court and 2 carucates of land, (fn. 100) and in 1291 was included in the valuation of Broadwas. (fn. 101) In 1256 the prior obtained a grant of free warren in this manor. (fn. 102) It was evidently given in 1542 to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, though not mentioned by name in the grant, for in 1547 they surrendered it to Edward VI. (fn. 103) A few months later the king gave it to the Bishop of Worcester. (fn. 104) The Bishops of Worcester remained in possession of this estate, which formed part of their manor of Hallow, until it was confiscated under the Commonwealth and sold to William Combe in 1648, the manor being then held under lease by the Evett family. (fn. 105) Thomas Chambers and his wife Joan and Thomas Allen were probably lessees under the bishop in 1720, when they conveyed the manor to William Worth. (fn. 106) The manorial rights have long since lapsed.

CHURCH

The church of ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES consists of a chancel 36 ft. by 17½ ft., a nave 60 ft. by 18 ft., north and south aisles 10½ ft. wide, a south porch and a western tower 14½ ft. square, all measurements being internal. The church was built in 1869, the material being of the local red sandstone. The original building, which was destroyed in 1830, stood on a site some 300 yards to the north-east and was replaced by an aisleless building pulled down when the present structure was erected. Judging from the sketches preserved in the vestry neither of these older churches was of any architectural importance.

The present chancel is designed in the style of the 14th century, the east window being of three lights. The nave of four bays is in the style of the 13th century and has a series of five stone pointed arches supporting the roof. The thrust is taken by flying buttresses arching over the aisles. The nave has a clearstory with four windows on each side. The principal entrance is on the south with an open arcaded porch, and in the west wall is an elaborate window of three lights, with geometric tracery. The tower is surmounted by a stone broach spire and angle pinnacles.

The church contains some interesting monuments removed from the old building. In the south aisle is a small slab to John Pardoe, who died in 1680, his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Bund, and their daughter Anne, with a well-designed border of flowers and fruit. Near it is a slightly earlier slab with a characteristic border of the scrolled-leather type to John Evett (died 1657). In the tower is an elaborate monument to Edward Hall (died 1616) with columns, pediment and a kneeling figure. The inscription, which had become completely defaced, has been restored, from the account of the monument given by Nash. A mural tablet to Edward Bull, died 1700, is an excellent and typical example of the period.

There is a ring of eight modern bells. The original 16th-century bell from Hallow Chapel was taken to Broadheath Chapel in 1901.

The plate comprises a cup and cover paten, of mid-17th-century shape, with a large handle paten of perhaps the same date, the marks being defaced, a flagon made in 1807 and a modern cup with cover paten.

The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms from 1583 to 1644, burials 1596 to 1651, marriages 1584 to 1647; (ii) baptisms from 1644 to 1702, burials and marriages 1652 to 1702; (iii) baptisms from 1703 to 1797, burials 1703 to 1799, marriages 1703 to 1751; (iv) baptisms from 1798 to 1812, burials 1800 to 1812; (v) marriages from 1754 to 1790; (vi) marriages 1791 to 1812.

A chapel of ease was erected at Broadheath in 1837. It consisted only of a nave and was reseated and improved in 1861. It is now used as a schoolroom. A new church, CHRIST CHURCH, was built in 1904. Broadheath was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1910, and the living is a vicarage in the gift of the Bishop of Worcester. There is also in Broadheath a chapel belonging to Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, which was built in 1825.

ADVOWSON

Hallow was a chapelry annexed to the church of Grimley (fn. 107) until 1876, when it was constituted a separate vicarage, (fn. 108) in the gift of the Bishop of Worcester.

A supposed claim by the Prior and convent of Worcester to archidiaconal rights in Hallow (fn. 109) was probably due to confusion between this manor and Broadwas, the two being closely connected. In the latter the prior had archidiaconal rights.

There was a chapel dedicated to St. Giles in Peachley in the 13th century. (fn. 110) In 1448 an indulgence was granted to all assisting in the construction, repair and maintenance of the chapel. (fn. 111) It was still in existence in 1535, when the oblations from it amounting to 6s. were paid to the chapel of Hallow. (fn. 112) In 1574 a cottage and a parcel of land called St. Giles Chapel Yard were granted to John and William Marsh. (fn. 113)

CHARITIES

John Fleet, as stated on the church table, gave a tenement with a close, orchard and gardens in Henwick, a moiety of the rents to be paid to the minister for preaching every other Sabbath, and the other moiety for the poor at Easter and Christmas. The property is now represented by a house in Henwick Road known as 'The Cedars,' which is subject to a groundrent of £27 10s. 2d. yearly.

The church table further recorded that Thomas Fleet, Henry Evett, by will 1768, John Ingram, and four other donors gave for the poor donations amounting together to £42, which with considerable additions from the parish stock were in 1689 laid out in the purchase of a tenement and about 6 a. at Broadheath. The trust property now consists of 3 a. 1 r. 3 p. at Broadheath let in allotments, a cottage and garden, and a warehouse, bringing in a rental of about £20 a year. Also £76 13s. 2d. consols and £264 Furness Railway 4 per cent. preference stock, arising from sales of land in 1894 and 1903 held by the official trustees, producing in dividends £12 9s. 6d. yearly.

It was further recorded on the church table that Thomas Tillam, by will 1689, gave £3 to the poor, Magdalen Evett, relict of Henry Evett in 1692, gave £10, Susannah Ingram, relict of John Ingram, by will 1701, gave £10, Mrs. Harrison gave £55, £1 to be paid to the minister for a sermon on 10 May yearly, and that Richard Bourne in 1811 gave £20, the interest to be given in bread to the poor on St. Thomas's Day.

A sum of £98, comprising the gifts of Thomas Tillam and others, above referred to, was in 1857 invested in £105 4s. 8d. consols with the official trustees, producing £2 12s. 4d. yearly.

The above-mentioned charities are administered together, a moiety of the income of John Fleet's charity being paid to the minister, who also receives £1 for a sermon on 10 May. The distribution of the remaining income is made chiefly in money, also in bread and coals, and in clothing for poor widows.

This parish is entitled to two-fifths of the income of the charity of Anna Bull for educational purposes amounting to £28 17s. 4d. (See under parish of Grimley.)

The official trustees also hold a sum of £650 consols arising from the sale of land belonging to the Free School, producing £16 5s. yearly.