Inkberrow - 44
Inkberrow, St Peter

Inkberrow Billings Directory 1855


Inkberrow is an extensively populated parish, situated about 12 miles E. from Worcester, and 5 W. from Alcester. It contained in 1841 a population of 1809 inhabitants, and in 1851 only 1711.
The manor and advowson of Inkberrow were granted by Philip and Mary to the “Burgavenny” family (as the name was then known and called), conditionally that in default of male issue the same should revert to the crown. Since then, however, male heirs have never been wanting in the family, and the present heir himself has several sons.
About the year 789, Eathored, Bishop of Worcester, had a controversy with one Wulfheard, son of Cussan, relative to the inheritance of Hemeless and Duda, at Intanbeorg and Bradenloeg (meaning Inkberrow and Bradley), which after their death was given to the church at Weagorncester, and which Wulfheard endeavoured to defraud them of. The Bishop having proved his right, afterwards, for the sake of peace, agreed that Wulfheard should have them during his life, on condition that at his death they would be restored to the church, where the bodies of Hemeless and Duda were deposited.
The principal places worthy of remark in this parish are Cookhill, Morton Underhill, and Noberry, formerly called Newborough. Cookhill is about 2 ? miles from the village and church, and is the site of a nunnery, supposed to have been founded by Isabel, Countess of Warwick, in the year 1260, though the charter gave to the nuns their lands in the early part of the twelfth century, or about 1190. The Countess Isabel is supposed to have restored the house, and was buried there. Nash mentions the ruins of a chapel as existing in his time, and a more modern edifice is still in existence on the same site. The chapel adjoins a farm-house, now occupied by Mr. Baylis, wherein, as well as at the Vicarage and the Thorn, King Charles is said to have slept. By a singular circumstance, a portrait of that king was discovered behind the head of a bed, and was supposed to have been concealed there in the time of the Commonwealth.
Morton Underhill and Noberry had each formerly a chapel, but no traces of either now remain.
The Church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a fine ancient pile of building, consisting of nave, chancel, north aisle, and south chapel, with western embattled tower, and north stone porch. The walls are embattled, and have crocketed pinnacles, rising from buttresses. The north aisle is divided from the nave by five obtuse arches, resting on octagonal pillars, with plain heads. The south wall of the chancel contains a piscina, and sedilia for three orders of clergy. The lower one, or that for the Deacons, has a plain pointed arch; the priest’s has a trefoil-headed arch; and the Bishop’s is surmounted by a cinquefoil head. It is unusual to see the three orders united as in this instance. The south chapel was erected by the family of Savage, of Bag End, in the parish of Dormston. There is a monument in this chapel to John Savage, Knight, of Egioke, being the figure of a man clad in armour, in a recumbent position, over which is a richly decorated marble arched canopy, supported by pillars of black marble, and ornamented by several sculptured figures. In the centre aisle is a brass, dated 1638, to George, son of Sir F. Egioke, of Shurnock Court. The church was repaired in the year 1841, by which 160 additional seats were obtained, and in consequence of a grant being received from the Incorporated Society for promoting the enlargement, building and repairing of churches and chapels, 118 of that number were declared free and unappropriated for ever. The living is a Vicarage, in the patronage of the Lord of Abergavenny. The lay impropriators are the Dean and Chapter of Hereford. Rev. George R. Gray, M.A., Vicar; Mr. Edmund James, Clerk; Mr. G. D. Hiscox, Organist. Service ­ 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The National Schools, pleasantly situated near the village, and in the central part of the parish, were erected in 1851, by subscriptions and grants from educational societies, the site being given by Lord Abergavenny. They are neat and substantial, and will afford accommodation for 140 children. They are under Government and Diocesan inspection. Mr. G. D. Hiscox, Master; Miss H. Hiscox, Mistress. Number of boys and girls inclusive, 140. There is also a Sunday School attached.
Charities ­ A gift of £50, by Mr. R. Adcock; the interest to be applied to the use of the children attending the National and Sunday Schools. ­ Maunsell’s dole of 20s payable out of Cookhill estate; Phillips’s dole of 20s, payable out of Pinhill estate; Hopkins’s charity, an annuity of 20s., payable out of land at Great Alne; and Vaughan’s charity of 20s., annually payable as a rent-charge out of a farm at Morton Underhill ­ are all for the benefit of the poor. There is also an estate called the Poor’s Land, situate at Knowle Field, containing upward of fifty acres, the rents arising therefrom being for the benefit of the poor; and another called the Church Land, of forty acres, in Knowle Field, for the repairs of the church. A legacy of £100 was left by Daniel George, the interest to be distributed to the poor on St. Thomas’s day.

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